1 Corinthians 12:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He says also in the Epistle to Timothy, "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy" (1 Tim 4:14).

In general, there were then far more prophets than in the Old Testament. This gift was sent down not upon ten, twenty, fifty, or one hundred persons. This grace was poured out abundantly, and every church had many prophets.

If Christ says, "All the prophets and the law... until John" (Mt 11:13), He is speaking of those prophets who foretold His coming.

"Third, teachers." The one who prophesies speaks everything from the Spirit. The teacher, however, sometimes speaks also from his own understanding.

For this reason the apostle says, "Let the presbyters who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching" (1 Tim 5:17).

The one who speaks everything from the Spirit does not labor. Therefore the apostle placed the teacher after the prophet, since the latter's work is wholly a gift, while the former's is also human labor.

The teacher says many things from himself, though of course in agreement with the divine Scriptures.

"Then gifts of miracles, then gifts of healings." Do you see how he again separates the gift of healings from power, just as he did before? This is because power is greater than healing.

The one who has power both strikes and heals. The one who has the gift of healings only heals.

See also what exact order the apostle observes, placing prophecy before powers and healings. Above, when he said, "To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge" (1 Cor 12:8), he did not place the gifts in order.

There he spoke without distinction. Here, however, he sets one higher and another lower.

Why then does he place prophecy higher? Because in the Old Testament it held the same place. Thus, when Isaiah spoke with the Jews, he presented proofs of God's power and exposed the nothingness of demons.

He pointed to the prediction of the future as the greatest testimony of divinity. Christ also, after working so many miracles, sets this as no small sign of His divinity.

He often concludes His discourse in this way: "I tell you this now, that when it comes to pass, you may believe that I am He" (Jn 13:19).

But let us grant that, in relation to prophecy, the gift of healings rightly holds second place. Why is the same true in relation to teaching?

Because preaching doctrine and planting piety in the souls of the hearers is not the same thing as working miracles. The miracles themselves are performed for the sake of instruction.

Therefore, the one who teaches both by word and by life is higher than all. Paul means precisely those teachers who teach by deeds and edify by word.

This is what made the apostles apostles. Some, at first, received the other gifts of prophecy and miracle-working while not being altogether worthy.

Such were those who said, "Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name? And did we not work many miracles in Your name?" Then they heard, "I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work iniquity" (Mt 7:22-23).

But a wicked man can never receive the word of teaching, and especially teaching of twofold form, by deeds and by words.

Do not be surprised that he places prophets first. He does not mean prophets in a simple sense, but those who also teach by prophecy and speak everything for the common edification. He explains this more clearly later.

"Helps, administrations." What are helps? They are assistance given to the weak. Tell me, is this also a gift? Certainly it is a gift of God to assist and to administer spiritual matters.

Yet the apostle calls many of our virtues gifts, not so that we may become careless. He does this to show that we always need God's help.

He also does it to dispose us to thanksgiving, to make us more zealous, and to awaken their thoughts.

"Various tongues." Do you see where he placed this gift, and how everywhere he assigns it the last place?

Then, since by listing the gifts he again showed a great difference and stirred up the pain of those who had received lesser gifts, he finally turns to them with a very strong rebuke.

When they heard the preceding words, they could have said, "Why, then, have we not all been made apostles?"

Earlier he offered them consolation, and by many arguments proved that this arrangement was necessary. First, he proved it by the example of the body: "The body," he says, "is not one member."

Again, "If all were one member, where would the body be?" (1 Cor 12:19).

Second, he proved it by saying that everything is given for profit. "To each," he says, "is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit" (1 Cor 12:7).

Third, he proved it by saying that all receive from one and the same Spirit, and that what is received is a gift, not a debt. "There are diversities of gifts," he says, "but the same Spirit."

Fourth, he proved it by saying that the Spirit is revealed equally in all. "To each," he says, "is given the manifestation of the Spirit."

Fifth, he proved it by saying that all this is arranged by the will of the Spirit and of God. "All these things," he says, "the one and the same Spirit works, distributing to each one individually as He wills" (1 Cor 12:11).

And again, "God has arranged the members, each one of them in the body, as He willed" (1 Cor 12:18).

Sixth, he proved it by saying that the lower members too are necessary. "The members of the body," he says, "which seem to be weaker are much more necessary."

Then he proved that the lower members are necessary equally with the higher, because they equally constitute the body with them. "The body," he says, "is not one member, but many."

Then he proved that the higher members need the lower. "The head," he says, "cannot say to the feet, I have no need of you" (1 Cor 12:21).

After this, he proved it by saying that the lower members receive greater honor. "To the part that lacked," he says, "He gave greater honor."

Again, he proved it by saying that they have common and equal care for one another. "All the members," he says, "have the same care for one another."

Finally, he proved it by saying that all of them are glorified and suffer together. "If one member suffers," he says, "all the members suffer with it. If one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

By such proofs the apostle first consoled the Corinthians. Now he uses speech that is strong and reproving. As I said before, one must neither console continually nor continually stop mouths.

"After that, miracles, then gifts of healings." Miracles both healed the sick and punished adversaries, while gifts of healings only cured. Therefore he sets the former above the latter.

Before both of these, however, the teacher is rightly placed, for he teaches by deed and word.

"Helps, administrations." That is, help for the weak, and administration or stewardship of the brethren's property. Although this also depends on our own diligence, he calls them gifts of God.

By this he persuades us to be thankful, to look toward Him, and not to be exalted.

"Various tongues." He placed this gift last in order to humble those who vaunted themselves over it.

In particular, prophets were both interpreters of Scripture and foretellers of what was to come (Acts 21:11). Such was Agabus, who prophesied to this Apostle of death and chains in Jerusalem.

He also foretold the famine that took place under Claudius (Acts 11:28). Although the Apostle is higher than the prophet, prophets are sometimes also needed.

"Third, teachers." He calls those teachers who, by instructing in letters and discourses, nourish the young in the customs of the synagogue. Their occupation also passed over to us in due time.

"After that, miracles, then gifts of healings." The Apostle placed teaching before them not without reason. He teaches by this that these gifts exist for the sake of teaching, not teaching for their sake, because teaching cooperated with salvation.

Since they did not accept it without signs, miracles were necessarily performed for those who came, as a kind of pledge.

"Helps, administrations." By this the Apostle depicted the divine economy of the churches.

"Kinds of tongues." The Apostle placed this gift last not without reason. The Corinthians thought highly of it and used it immoderately for display, not according to need.

For this reason the Apostle also presented the order of the gifts. He said which of them is first, which second, and which third, so that they might care for what is more necessary.

The king said, "Will you then expel me from the Church?" The saint answered, "No, not I. The laws of the divine Apostles and Holy Fathers expel from the Church.

Following them, we also affirm that if even an angel from heaven should preach to us anything contrary to the faith, let him be anathema (Gal 1:8).

Therefore, if you wish to be within the Church of Christ with us, who venerate the icon of Christ, then follow the Patriarch in everything, and the holy Council with him."

Yet some teachers, according to their love, had knowledge from God (1 Cor 8:3). Illumination from the Holy Spirit was necessary for prophets. For a teacher, his own reflection was sufficient.

Then the Apostle lists other gifts without a special order: miracles, healings, and helps. In the Russian translation, helps means the gift of helping the weak and defending the wronged.

The Apostle does not without purpose include this gift among the gracious gifts, although nothing supernatural appears to be manifested in it. He teaches that special action of the Holy Spirit is needed even for helping poor neighbors.

Otherwise, works of charity themselves may take a false direction. Thus Barnabas, for his sacrifices to help the poor, receives from the Apostles the name son of consolation (Acts 4:36).

Ananias and Sapphira, for similar offerings for the poor, undergo a terrible punishment from the same Apostles (Acts 5:1-11).

"Administrations." This is the gift of the divine economy of the Church. Some understand it as care for strangers. More naturally, however, it is the gift of governing the Church.

Finally, "kinds of tongues." The Apostle places last the gift over which certain Corinthians were most exalted. He wished to show that there are many more perfect and important gifts in the Church, toward which one must strive more.

The gift of explanation, or interpretation (v. 30), was no less necessary then. Sometimes the preaching about Christ was delivered by foreigners in a language not understood by the hearers.

All these gifts and ministries are either entirely foreign to our time, such as tongues and interpretation, or belong to it only in small measure, such as prophecies, miracles, and healings.

Yet among the ministries the Apostle names teaching, helps, and administration, or, in other words, pastorship (cf. Eph 4:11). These ministries remain in the Church to this day.

They constitute the portion of the members of the Church hierarchy, or sacred authority. Orthodox pastors do not ascribe to themselves what distinguished the apostolic age, such as the gift of tongues.

Yet they do not renounce the gift of teaching and pastorship, since the Church needs these gifts and ministries in every age.

Self-deceived sectarians manage to reason in exactly the opposite way, contrary to the words of the Apostle Paul, "Are all teachers?" (v. 29). They deny pastorship and teaching, while ascribing to themselves gifts of tongues and prophecy.

By the gift of prophecy is meant the gift of divinely inspired speech, the divinely inspired explanation of the mysteries of faith and of the Church's future destinies.

The term administrations designates the gift of good ecclesiastical pastorship. In other words, it is presiding with diligence and caring for the Church of God (Rom 12:8; 1 Tim 3:5, 5:17).

In contemporary language, it is the gift of wise and firm administration.

Both gifts, it seems, apply chiefly to the external life of the faithful. This in no way diminishes their significance, for the Church's external good greatly assists her inner good as well.

Some bearers of these gracious gifts were directly appointed to their ministry, as something definite and known to all in the Church (cf. Eph 4:11). Therefore the Apostle directly names their bearers.

Other ministries were less definite, and therefore they are distinguished only by the difference of the gifts.

One must also observe that here the bearers of the gifts are indicated according to the differing height of their gifts.

According to St. John Chrysostom, by enumerating the gifts the Apostle again showed the great distinction among them. He thereby stirred the pain of those who had received the lesser gifts.

Therefore, after presenting many proofs that they were not greatly humiliated, he finally turns to them with a very strong rebuke and says, "Are all Apostles?" and so forth.

His thought is that the one who has the greater gift often lacks what you have, even though it may be lesser. As God did not give the great gifts to all, so He acted also with the lesser gifts.

He did not give all things to everyone. He did this to instill great concord and love, so that each, needing his neighbor, might be more closely united with him.

"He means not only the Twelve, but also the Seventy and others who later were counted worthy of this grace. For he himself, being called later, received this appointment, as did the divine Barnabas, and besides them many others" (Theodoret).

"Second prophets." "He means those who existed not before grace, but under grace. Agabus was among them" (Theodoret).

"The daughters of Philip also prophesied, as did those among the Corinthians of whom he says: 'Let two or three prophets speak' (1 Cor 14:29). In general, there were then far more prophets than in the Old Testament.

This gift was not sent down upon ten, twenty, fifty, or a hundred people. This grace was poured out abundantly, and every Church had many prophets.

When Christ says, 'The law and the prophets were until John' (Mt 11:13), He speaks of those prophets who foretold His coming" (Chrysostom).

"Third teachers." "They too brought great benefit and are rightly placed immediately after the prophets" (Oecumenius).

"Inspired by divine grace, they set forth the teaching of the divine dogmas and gave moral instruction" (Theodoret).

"One who prophesies says everything from the Spirit. One who teaches sometimes speaks also from his own understanding. Therefore the Apostle says: 'Let the presbyters who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in word and teaching' (1 Tim 5:17).

One who says everything from the Spirit does not labor. Therefore the Apostle placed the teacher after the prophet, since the work of the latter is wholly a gift, while the work of the former is also human labor. The teacher says much from himself, though of course in agreement with the divine Scriptures" (Chrysostom).

"After that miracles, then gifts of healings." Earlier he pointed to persons who had received gifts. Now he begins to point only to the gifts. This makes no difference in the course of the discourse, for these gifts also were sent to definite persons.

"Do you see how he again separates the gift of healings from miracles, as he did before? This is because miracle-working power is greater than healing. One who has power both strikes and heals, but one who has the gift of healings only heals" (Chrysostom).

Perhaps "miracles" also means the gift manifested in extraordinary authority over the powers and elements of nature.

"The Apostle placed teaching before these gifts not simply, but to teach by this that these gifts exist for the sake of teaching, and not teaching for their sake. Teaching furthered salvation.

But since they did not receive it without signs, miracles were necessarily performed for those who came, as a kind of pledge" (Theodoret).

"Helps," antilepseis. One helps the person who is wronged and suffers violence. If this meaning is taken more fully, and if one considers everything from which a weak person may suffer and therefore require help, much can be understood under this gift.

People suffer from human injustices, from poverty and illnesses, and from violence and oppression by demons. Accordingly, the gift of helps may be a gift of courage and wisdom in defending the oppressed before authorities. Or it may be a gift of care for the poor and sick, or a gift of authority over demons.

What should be regarded as more fitting in the present case? Our interpreters did not give this word a strict definition, so all may be understood. Yet help against evil men and demons is nearer the meaning.

"Governments," kyberneseis. This is the gift of governing individual Churches, that is, pastoral care.

Theodoret joins governments and helps together and says: "By this the Apostle depicted the divine economy of the Churches."

Theophylact says the same of both together: "'Helps, governments,' that is, to help the weak and to govern, or order the affairs of the brethren. Although this depends on our zeal, the Apostle calls them gifts of God, teaching us to be thankful to God for them also, to look to Him, and not to be exalted."

Chrysostom says: "What are 'helps'? To aid the weak. Is this too a gift? Certainly. To help and to administer spiritual matters is a gift of God." Here Chrysostom also speaks of "governments."

"Nevertheless, the Apostle also calls many of our virtues gifts, not so that we may give ourselves over to carelessness, but to show that we always need God's help. He does this to dispose us to gratitude, make us more zealous, and stir the souls of his hearers."

"Kinds of tongues." "The Apostle placed this gift last not simply, but because the Corinthians had a high opinion of it and used it immoderately for display, not according to need.

For this reason the Apostle set forth the order of the gifts and said which of them is first, which second, and which third, so that they might devote their care to what is more necessary" (Theodoret).