Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin
John Calvin
By prophecy, I understand the singular and choice endowment of unfolding the secret will of God, so that a Prophet is a messenger, as it were, between God and man. 742 My reason for taking this view will be explained more fully afterwards.
The discerning of spirits, was a clearness of perception in forming a judgment as to those who professed to be something. (Acts 5:36.) I speak not of that natural wisdom, by which we are regulated in judging. It was a special illumination, with which some were endowed by the gift of God. The use of it was this: that they might not be imposed upon by masks, of mere pretences, 743 but might by that spiritual judgment distinguish, as by a particular mark, the true ministers of Christ from the false.
There was a difference between the knowledge of tongues, and the interpretation of them, for those who were endowed with the former were, in many cases, not acquainted with the language of the nation with which they had to deal. The interpreters 744 rendered foreign tongues into the native language. These endowments they did not at that time acquire by labor or study, but were put in possession of them by a wonderful revelation of the Spirit. 745
11. One and the same spirit distributing. Hence it follows that those act amiss who, having no concern as to participation, break asunder that holy harmony, that is fitly adjusted in all its parts, only when under the guidance of the same Spirit, all conspire toward one and the same object. He again calls the Corinthians to unity, by reminding them that all have derived from one fountain whatever they possess, while he instructs them, at the same time, that no one has so much as to have enough within himself, so as not to require help from others. For this is what he means by these words — distributing to every one severally as he willeth The Spirit of God, therefore, is the finger of God! Thus, "the resuscitation of the dead, the innocuous handlng of serpents, or drinking of empoisoned liquor, the dispossession of demons, and the infliction of blindness," as in the case of Elymas, the sorcerer, and of death itself, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira,. were mighty deeds — to which "no mere created power could possibly pretend, under any circumstances, or by the application of any means whatever." See Henderson on Inspiration, pp. 203-206. — Ed.
742"Apportant la volonte de Dieu aux hommes;" — "Communicating the will of God to men."
743"Par la montre et belle apparence que les gens ont aucuneffois;" — "By the show and fair appearance which persons sometimes have."
744"Et en tel cas ceux que auoyent le don d'interpretation des langues;" — "And in such a case, those who had the gift of interpreting languages."
745The following classification of the, gifts, ({χαρίσματα}) here enumerated by the Apostle, is suggested by Dr. Henderson, as tending to show the ``beautiful symmetry'' of the passage: --- I. {̔Ω} {μὲν} --- {λόγος} {σοφίας} --- (I. To one, the word of wisdom) 2. {ἄλλῳ} {δὲ} {λογος} {γνώσες} --- (2. to another, the word of knowledge.) II. {̔ΕΤΕΡΩ} {δὲ} {πίστις} --- (II. To another, faith,) 1. {ἄλλῳ} {δὲ} {χαρίσματα} {ἰαμάτων} --- (1. to another, gifts of healing,) 2. {ἄλλῳ} {δὲ} {ἐνεργήματα} {δυμάμεων} --- (2. to another, working of miracles,) 3. {ἄλλῳ} {δὲ} {προφητεια} --- (3. to another, prophecy,) 4. {ἄλλῳ} {δὲ} {διαχρίσεις} {πνευμάτων} --- (4. to another, discerning of spirits.) III. {̔ΕΤΕΡΩ} {δὲ} {γένη} {γλωσσῶν} --- (III. To another, divers kinds of tongues,) 2. {ἄλλῳ} {δὲ} {ἑρμηνεία} {γλωσσῶν} --- (2. to another, interpretation of tongues.) Thus the first class includes ``the word of wisdom,'' and ``the word of knowledge. Under the head of faith, that is, the faith of miracles, four kinds of gifts are enumerated --- ``gifts of healing,'' --- ``working of miracles,'' --- ``prophecy,'' and ``discerning of spirits;'' while the third class includes ``divers kinds of tongues,'' and ``the interpretation of tongues.'' See Henderson on Inspiration. --- Ed.