INTRODUCTION Brisbane School of Theology NT421/431/621/631 Paul and Corinthian Christianity Lecture 11 What does the apostle Paul mean by a charismatic church? INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 12-14 Chapters 8-14 of Corinthians are all about worship: avoiding the false worship of idolatry through eating sacrificial food in the temple of a false god (chapters 8-10); and the true worship God intends for his people: the traditions (11:2) of men and women worshipping together so as to glorify God (11:3-16), and of properly remembering the Lord Jesus in the celebration of the Lord s Supper (11:17-34); and the manifestations (12:7) of the Holy Spirit in church meetings (chapters 12-14). Paul s teaching on the spiritual gifts/manifestations in chapters 12-14 is a substantial portion of his letter. This is clearly an important matter for Paul, something that he covers at length in order to help the Corinthians to have a thorough understanding of theology and proper practice. There are strong implications for us as the church today, whether or not we regard ourselves as charismatic Christians. The situation in Corinth would appear to be one in which: 1. The gift of tongues was highly prized. 2. The meetings were quite disorderly, with excessive tongues and prophecy. 3. Some people dominated in spiritual manifestations. 4. There was a distinct lack of love being expressed along with the spiritual gifts. This situation seems evident from Paul s instruction, which: 1. Describes the complementary role of spiritual gifts in the one body of Christ, emphasising the need for diversity in manifestations (ch. 12) 2. Extols love as the norm governing spiritual manifestations (ch. 13) 3. Gives directions for regulating the gifts, especially tongues and prophecy (ch. 14). John Coulson Page 1
We note that: 1. Paul does not discourage speaking in tongues. He discourages the unintelligible and disorderly use of tongues (ch. 14). 2. Paul is quite tactful most of the time, becoming blunt only at the end (14:36-38). EXEGESIS OF 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-31A (THE BODY FUNCTIONING) Paul s approach in this chapter is instructive. He does not launch into a criticism of the Corinthians over their disorder or lack of love. Rather, he goes back to basics on the Holy Spirit and the church. As Richard Hays says, chapter 12 establishes Paul s theological categories for evaluating spiritual gifts in the church (1 Corinthians, 206). The structure is (Hays, 207): 1. Introduction: the Spirit empowers all Christian confession (vv. 1-3) 2. Manifestations of the Spirit: common source, common aim (vv. 4-11) 3. The body analogy: diversity and interdependence (vv. 12-26) 4. Application: gifts and offices of the church (vv. 27-31a). Verses 1-3 Paul begins with the essential criterion for recognising the working of the Spirit of God: the confession of Jesus as Lord. Notes: 1. Now concerning (peri de) (v. 1) suggests a topic raised by the Corinthians in their letter, where they may have expressed pride concerning their speaking in tongues. 2. Paul uses epistolary disclosure formulas in verses 1 ( I do not want you to be ignorant ) and 3 ( I make known to you ), indicating a transition in the letter. They also indicate the Corinthians lack of understanding. 3. Spiritual gifts (v. 1) is literally spiritual things/persons (Gr. pneumatikōn, in the genitive form following peri; this form is the same for all genders; thus, the gender is unknown here). This is the topic name that Paul gives to his teaching in chapters 12-14. He talks about things and persons. Perhaps Paul begins with a word used by the Corinthians, but he will qualify it in verse 4 to emphasise God s grace (Hays, 208). 4. You were pagans (Gr. ethnē: Gentiles, nations) implies their changed status as God s covenant people. 5. Verses 2-3 may be contrasting two kinds of inspired speech : demonic (cf. 10:20-21) and Christian (see Fee, 578). Paul emphasises the importance of Christian content in assessing what is from God. The difference is between falsehood/deception ( led astray, v. 2) and the truth about God found in Christ alone (v. 3). 6. Hays argues that Jesus is accursed is merely hypothetical (p. 209). Fee says that some may have experienced this in their pagan past (p. 581). Ciampa and Rosner state: this statement was most likely made by Jews reacting to the Christian sect (1 Corinthians, 566). John Coulson Page 2
7. Jesus is Lord is an early Christian confession that Paul adopts. The significance of Lord should not be missed in a Jewish or pagan environment: it is a statement of the early church s Christological monotheism ; it also challenges the Roman Caesar s claim to lordship. Paul s use of it here also implies that all Christians are spiritual, not just tonguetalkers. It also states the fundamental test for discerning God s Spirit. Paul ties pneumatology to Christology. All true spiritual experience must exalt Jesus as Lord. 8. The Holy Spirit emphasises the uniqueness and role of God s Spirit (cf. 1:2). He is holy. 1. How does Paul s criterion for discerning God s Spirit at work compare with John s criterion in 1 John 4:1-3? 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3, NASB) 2. Why is the confession of Jesus as Lord the test of the Spirit s activity? 3. What other criteria do Christians use today? 4. Given their pagan past the Corinthians had to learn from scratch how to discern the working of God s Spirit. What hinders us in discerning the Spirit? Verses 4-11 In this passage Paul gives an overview of some of the spirituals. The structure of the passage is as follows (Fee, 584-85): John Coulson Page 3
In most cases this shows the Greek word order, with references to diversity (usually in the emphatic position in Greek) in CAPITALS and references to God in italics. Paul teaches the following about God s gifts: Their nature: grace gifts (Gr. charísmata) of God (v. 4) Their source: the one Spirit (7 times), Lord (v. 5) and God (v. 6) Their diversity (vv. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10). Their distribution to each person (vv. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). Note the stress on another. Their purpose: the common good (Gr. sumpheron: advantage, profit; the language of deliberative rhetoric) (v. 7). Clearly, Paul thought the Corinthians needed a broader and deeper view of the gifts of the Spirit. There was no room for pride, exclusivity or self-serving. Notes: 1. Gifts (v. 4), services (v. 5) and activities (v. 6) describe different aspects of the Spirit s ministry. The things of the Spirit are his workings in which he gives grace to God s people so that they serve one another. Paul is seeking to expand the Corinthians vision. The general term that Paul introduces is manifestation of the Spirit (Gr. phanerōsis: a making visible). 2. Paul uses a Trinitarian formula in verses 4-6. This reflects at the very least his experience of God as Trinity. 1 Corinthians 8:6 indicates that he had at least begun on the road to a full Trinitarian understanding of God. 3. Paul begins and ends his description of the gifts with to each (vv. 7, 11). This is reinforced with to one and to another (8 times) (vv. 8-10). Paul is saying that every one of God s people is involved; no one has a monopoly on the gifts. 4. Paul s list of nine manifestations is not exhaustive, but representative (cf. Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Cor 12:28-30). 5. Paul s language may suggest a division into 2 + 5 + 2 gifts (see Hays, 211), with the first and last categories most prized by the Corinthians. 6. For a description of the nine manifestations, see Fee, 591-99; Ciampa and Rosner, 572-88. John Coulson Page 4
What have we found so far concerning Paul s understanding of a charismatic church? Firstly, Paul s teaching has the sense of applying to the whole church, not just particular local congregations such as in Corinth. Thus, Paul expects all local churches to have what he is talking about. The charísmata are God s gifts given to all his people in all places. For Paul there were not charismatic and non-charismatic churches; all were charismatic. Secondly, the reason for this was the presence and activity of God the Holy Spirit. It was not the presence of particular people that created the dynamic of a local church, but the presence of God in every local church. And thirdly, the working of the Spirit is fundamentally charismatic, that is, through gifts, charísmata, which he distributes as he wills to all God s people (v. 11) for the common good (v. 7). This is how the Spirit manifests himself in the church: charismatically. What are some of the implications of this regarding: 1. How we view our local church and its life and ministry? 2. Our attitude toward other (evangelical/pentecostal) churches that are different from our local church? 3. How we should respond to Paul s teaching about the Holy Spirit s gifts? Verses 12-26 This passage is the heart of Paul s teaching in chapter 12. It explains the purpose of the charísmata God gives to his people. Paul has already said that it is for the common good (v. 7). Now he illustrates this using the metaphor of a human body. His point is that the charísmata are given to each believer so that each is able to function as a part of the body for the benefit of the body. The structure of the passage is: 1. There is one body with many parts (vv. 12-13). 2. Diversity: the body has many different parts, each performing its function (vv. 14-19). 3. Unity: there is one body, with each of the parts performing a necessary function (vv. 20-26). Notes: 1. The use of the body analogy was an ancient rhetorical topos (theme). The body was compared with human/political societies. The purpose was to emphasise equilibrium and justify keeping the lower classes under (Hays, 213). 2. Paul uses the analogy differently: to urge the prominent (possibly the rich) in the church to value the contribution of all; and to illustrate the organic union of the church with Christ by the Spirit ( Christ = the church in verse 12). John Coulson Page 5
3. Paul grounds the unity of the church in the conversion experience of every believer in Christ (v. 13). Conversion is baptism in/by the Spirit and drinking of the Spirit. All believers, regardless of ethnicity or status, experience the one Spirit and are thus joined to the one body. 4. For verse 13 we note: (a) The exegetical point regarding baptism in or by the Spirit. Arguably, broader New Testament theology points to in the Spirit, with the Spirit the medium in which people are baptised, God or Christ the Baptiser (e.g. Matt 3:11), and the one body the purpose/goal: into one body. (b) The imagery of baptism and drinking means abundance. Conversion is an experience of entry into the abundant life of God himself. (c) Paul is not describing baptism in water. But it would be in the back of his mind because of the connection of water baptism and Spirit baptism in Christian initiation (see Acts). (d) Paul uses part of his traditional social formula as in Galatians 3:28 Jews or Greeks slaves or free. Conversion sets aside all human distinctions. Every believer is a valuable part of the body. (e) Verse 13 describes the conversion experience of all believers, not the post-conversion experience of some believers. (f) This is what God has done for us. It has nothing to do with our status, ability or worthiness. We need to thank him for what he has done, and continue to open our lives to his Spirit so that we experience his abundant life each day. 5. The references to weaker (v. 22), dishonourable (v. 23) and division (Gr. schisma) (v. 25) recall earlier references to class and other divisions in the Corinthian church (1:10, 27; 4:10; 8:7-13; 9:22; 11:18). Paul uses the body analogy to reinforce his plea for respect, love and unity in Corinth. 6. There is no suggestion in 1 Corinthians (or Romans) that Christ is head of the body. This metaphor is used only in Ephesians and Colossians. What does Paul say in this passage about a charismatic church? Clearly, it is a functioning body in which every part performs its function so that the body functions fully. What is Paul s focus at this point? If we look through the passage we find that the parts of the body: Have a sense of belonging (vv. 15-16) Perform a necessary function (v. 17, 21-22) Have a sense of divine purpose (v. 18) Have a sense of needing others (vv. 21-22) Honour, care for, feel for, and rejoice with others (vv. 23-26). The question is: do we have this sense in our Christian life, especially in our life and service in our local church? The charísmata of God are given for this purpose. Are we using them for their God-given purpose? Your reflections: Verses 27-31a This passage is Paul s application of his teaching in verses 4-26 to the Corinthian church in particular, and to the wider church generally. Paul brings together his John Coulson Page 6
teaching about charísmata with his teaching about the body. Paul jolts the Corinthian church with the truth that they are the body of Christ (v. 27), with each individual a part of that body, with diverse gifts that God has given them. Hopefully, the Corinthians are beginning to get a new understanding of themselves as a charismatic community. Notes: 1. The you in verse 27 is emphatic (a pronoun is used): You, [yes] you are 2. The body of Christ (v. 27) is also thought-provoking. What does it mean? It means that the believers belong to Christ and they have his life in them through the Holy Spirit to function as his body, supporting each other and representing him in the world. They must learn how to live up to their name. 3. Verses 28-30 are a final plea for diversity in manifestations of the Spirit. Paul picks a few gifts from his earlier list and adds more, to add to the variety and probably also to underscore the importance of ministries that are necessary in the founding of local churches. 4. The list in verse 28 includes persons, gifts and ministries. For descriptions of these, see Fee, 620-22; Ciampa and Rosner, 609-14. Paul appears to rank only the first three items in his list. The rest do not appear to be in order of importance (Fee, 619). The ranking of the three appears to reflect precedence in the founding and building up of the local assembly (Fee, 620). The Corinthians should not forget the vital role of Paul and others in establishing the church in Corinth. 5. Tongues is listed last, not because it is necessarily least, but because it is the problem in Corinth (Fee, 619). The Corinthians rank it highly, but there are other and more important gifts. 6. Verses 29-30 ask whether every believer is or has these functions/gifts. The rhetorical questions expect a no reply. The church is a body, with many parts and many different functions. The Corinthians need to get the message. 7. Verse 31a sets the stage for chapter 14. Chapter 12 has stressed God s initiative in giving gifts. Chapter 14 will stress the human response of earnestly desiring spiritual gifts (14:1), especially those of most benefit to the church. As local churches today, we need to hear Paul s application in verses 27-31a for ourselves: Do we see ourselves as Christ s body? Do we see every believer as a functioning and valuable part of that body? Are we conscious of the charísmata of God at work in every believer? How large a list of charísmata do we have room for? 1. What hinders us from having Paul s vision? 2. How can we cultivate Paul s vision in our local church? John Coulson Page 7
Conclusion This is the first part of Paul s instruction on spiritual gifts/persons. Paul establishes that the church is a charismatic community, the body of Christ, with every part functioning through grace gifts, charísmata from God, for the benefit of the community. But Paul has more to say about how the community functions: the more excellent way (ch. 13) and the way of edification (ch. 14). DISCUSSION OF WEEKLY READING J. Dunn, The Church HOMEWORK Read and make notes on: Commentary on 1 Cor 12 Furnish, Theology of 1 Corinthians, 86-96 (some good thoughts on Paul s ecclesiology; some interesting comments on water baptism and the Holy Spirit) Discussion material for next week John Coulson Page 8