(a) Explain what Paul called Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians and how he likened them to the human body. (b) What is the significance of this teaching to th...

Answer Details

(a) Paul's teaching on Spiritual Gifts and the analogy of the human body (1 Corinthians 12)

Writing to the divided church at Corinth, Paul explained the nature of spiritual gifts (charismata). He taught that there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; varieties of service, but the same Lord; and varieties of working, but the same God who inspires them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

He listed the gifts as coming from the one Spirit, including: the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills.

Paul then likened the Church to the human body: "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." For by one Spirit all were baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free.

He argued that the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less part of the body; and if the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? God arranged the organs in the body as He chose. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor the head to the feet. On the contrary, the parts that seem weaker are indispensable, and God has so composed the body that there may be no discord, but that the members may have the same care for one another. "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together." So the believers are the body of Christ and individually members of it, each with a different gift and function.

(b) The significance of this teaching to the Church

1. It teaches unity in diversity - the many different gifts and members form one body, so Christians should not despise one another or be divided, but work together in harmony.
2. It teaches that every member is important - no gift or person is useless or superior; each has a God-given role for the good of the whole Church.
3. It teaches mutual care and interdependence - members must care for one another, sharing in one another's joys and sufferings, since all belong to one body under Christ the head.
4. It corrects pride and envy - since the gifts come from the same Spirit for the common good, no one should boast or be jealous, for all serve the same Lord.