1 Corinthians 12:7-10 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
This listing of the manifestations always seemed random to me. But when you put these manifestations in order in a list, it gets interesting. God listed these manifestations in a specific order:
- Word of Wisdom
- Word of Knowledge
- Faith
- Gifts of Healing
- Working of Miracles
- Prophecy
- Discerning of Spirits
- Kinds of Tongues
- Interpretation of Tongues
Word of Wisdom
Word of Knowledge
Notice that Word of Wisdom is first. That is the first thing that struck me when I saw the manifestations listed this way. One of the great things the spirit of God brings into your life is wisdom, as it has done for many others throughout the Bible.
Throughout history, one of man’s greatest needs has been for wisdom. Wisdom is spoken about and given to people all through God’s Word. When God asked Soloman what he wanted, Soloman asked for wisdom and understanding, and God granted him his desire.
What is wisdom? Well, once you see the problem, wisdom is what to do about it: it is how to solve the problem. We need to know many times:
How to handle the problems – at work, in family life, in your church – we need solutions.
How to carry out what God shows us by Word of Knowledge.
How to be kind.
How to walk in love.
How to teach.
How to forgive.
How to manage our finances.
How to raise our children.
How to deal with the widows of Acts 6.
How to deal with the famine of Joseph’s time.
How to make things for the tabernacle in Moses’s time.
The book of Proverbs says wisdom is more to be desired than great wealth. James says if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally.
When the world was faced with famine, God raised up Joseph with the spirit of God in him and gave him great wisdom to keep the world, Isreal (Jacob), and the Christ line alive.
When the first-century church was having trouble taking care of the widows, God raised up men with a long suit of wisdom and faith (believing) to keep the church from splitting.
Wisdom from God is such a need that the spirit of God many times is called a spirit of wisdom, or wisdom is one of the first things that comes up when the spirit from God is mentioned.
( As a side note: notice that the Spirit of Wisdom is first used in conjunction with a man working with his hands. If you read the context, God also gave him the Spirit of Wisdom to know how to teach. Moses explained what he needed for the Tabernacle, and God showed the man how to make the items and how to teach others to do the work, which is wisdom.)
Exodus 28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments …
Exodus 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
Deuteronomy 34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: …
Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Daniel 5:11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; …
Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
So, we see in 1 Corinthians 12 that God set the Word of Wisdom first, followed by its companion, Word of Knowledge. Wisdom and knowledge are like traveling companions throughout God’s Word. Where we find one, we usually find the other. They provide us with information from God.
Sometimes, we need to be made aware of what is going on -Word of Knowledge – and then what to do about it, if anything, Word of Wisdom. Many times, God wants us as His children to just be aware of things that we could not see or know by our five senses. So, He gives us Word of Knowledge, and the wisdom might be, “This is for you; keep your mouth shut.”
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Isaiah 33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, …
Daniel 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
Colossians 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Notice in most of these verses that wisdom comes first and then knowledge.
God does not want His children to be ignorant. So, these two manifestations are number 1 and 2. Then comes number 3, which is faith.
Faith
Faith is more accurately translated as believing. It is our privilege and responsibility to believe what God has said in His written Word. When we believe what He tells us by Word of Wisdom and Word of Knowledge, that is the manifestation of Faith. This manifestation of Faith is also required to carry out Gifts of Healing and The Working of Miracles, which are the next two God listed.
Gifts of Healing
The Working of Miracles
The next two manifestations listed are Gifts of Healing and Miracles. Both of these take the manifestation of Faith as well. God sandwiched Faith between the revelation manifestations of Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, and Gifts of Healing, the Working of Miracles.
Although it takes believing (faith) to operate all the manifestations, and all the manifestations are available to all immediately upon the new birth, generally, these four manifestations are operated by more mature believers.
Act 6:1-8 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
They sought out mature men full of the spirit of God, and the first thing they looked for in them was wisdom. The Apostles knew what the problem was, so they needed men with wisdom and the faith to carry it out. Stephen was such a man AND he had the believing to do great wonders and miracles.
All of the first four manifestations are in these verses. There are many examples of these four manifestations in the Old Testament and the Gospels. Here in 1 Corinthians, there is no need for instruction on how to operate them other than the instruction to walk in love.
Prophecy
Discerning of Spirits
Now, the next two manifestations that are together are Prophecy and Discerning of Spirits. Why are these two together? In the record of 1 John 4:1-6, the first usages of the word “spirit” are put in a figure of speech for that which the spirit produces – Prophecy (words). How do you “try the spirits /prophecies/the words? With Discerning of Spirits.
1 John 4:1-6 Beloved, believe not every spirit (prophecy), but try the spirits (prophecies) whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit (prophecy) of God: Every spirit (prophecy) that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit (prophecy) that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit (God) of truth, and the spirit (devil spirit) of error.
So inside the church, in a believer’s meeting, a person could be called upon to operate the manifestation of Prophecy and yet actually be a false prophet. There were a good many wanna-be prophets in Corinth. Their prophecies may come from the imagination of their own heart.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
As devil spirits are very subtle, it may take Discerning of Spirits to try the Prophecy. God does not want His people deceived. To discern means to judge. In that light, part of 1 Corinthians 14 is interesting. Prophecy is the speaking forth the words of God whether it is the manifestation of Prophecy or the prophecy of a prophet.
1 Corinthians 14:29-32 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
Part of the lesson here is that when you hear Interpretation of Tongues or the manifestation of Prophecy, or the prophecy of a prophet, pay attention.
Kinds of Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
In God’s Word, there are a great many examples of men of God operating Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Gifts of Healing, and the Working of Miracles. In those examples, we learn how to best operate them. But the Manifestation of Prophecy, Speaking in Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues were new in this administration, and they were a mess at Corinth. These are usually the first manifestations a new believer utilizes. There are no examples in the Old Testament or the Gospels on how to properly operate them in the church. So God laid out, by the Apostle Paul, how to operate them in the church decently and in order. This, then, is what God addresses in I Corinthians 14.
This is the order in which God grouped the manifestations together in 1 Corinthians 12. I have presented this explanation here for your consideration.