Chapter # 12 Paragraph # 3 Study # 4
December 8, 2019
Humble, Texas

⁽⁰³⁰⁾

1769 Translation

7 Or ministry, [let us wait] on [our] ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, [let him do it] with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

1901 ASV Translation

7 or ministry, [let us give ourselves] to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;
8 or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, [let him do it] with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.

• I. Paul's List of "Grace-Gifts" And His Instructions [continued; see notes for the previous study ⁽⁰²⁷⁾].
  • A. The "prophecy" gift is the first listed and the "standard" for our grasp of the "way" the rest are also to be exercised.
  • B. After "prophecy" comes a "list" of six more "gifts".
    • 1. The "six".
      • a. "Ministry"; the word is used by Paul in three texts in Romans (11:3; 12:7; and 15:31), and, in this text, it is to be "exercised" "in the realm of ministry". The phrase "in the realm of ministry" requires that we grasp the 'realm' wherein this "gift" is to be exercised [see notes for the previous study ⁽⁰²⁷⁾].
      • b. "Teaching"; Paul switches to the "definite article plus a participle" grammar to indicate this "gift". The phrase would mean "...or he that is teaching..." (as an outworking of his gifting).
        • 1) Both "prophecy" and "ministry" are nouns. This "switch" shifts the focus from the "gift" itself, to the one possessing the "gift" and exercising it.
        • 2) This "gift" is directed to be "in the teaching", just as "ministry" was directed to be "in the ministering" (in the direction of the "focus" of the gift's purpose).
        • 3) This signals an adherence to the "pattern": whichever "gift" one has is to be "directed" by the "gift" in the direction of the "focus" that the gift presents.
          • a) Paul's references to "teaching" (as a verbal concept) consist of only two in Romans: 2:21 and 12:7. But, 1 Corinthians 12:28 lists "teachers" as "third" in the order of the "setting" of the gifts in the Church. This is "logical" since "teaching" is fundamentally "the communication of the doctrine" of the "apostles" (first in setting) and the "prophets" (second in the setting), as the text declares.
            • i. The 2:21 text is within a context wherein Paul is lowering the boom on the "Jew" who, against Paul's instruction in our text/context, "thinks too highly of himself" as a "teacher of babes" (2:20). This arrogance is a pervasive theme in this letter and Paul constantly addresses it whenever a "concept" (3:27) or a "capacity" (11:18) that could lead one to "pride" is in view. That, as noted above, this "grace-gift", as the third in "setting", lends itself to high abuse in terms of "self-exaltation", it is a "grace-gift" that warrants a great deal of "self-awareness" as to "motives" because "self-exaltation" is "semi-automatic" when high visibility is a part of the setting.
            • ii. The 12:7 text is within a context wherein Paul is challenging his fellow members of the Body of Christ, who possess a "Spirit-given" capacity, to pursue its function for the sake of the members of that Body. And, as 12:3 indicates, this is also a setting for the potential to "self-exalt" in pride.
          • b) His references to "teaching" (as a nominal concept) consist also of only three in this letter: 2:20; 12:7 and 15:4.
            • i. At issue for the "teacher" is the issue of 2:20: "possessing the form of both knowledge and truth".
              • i) For the Jewish "teachers", that "possession" consisted of "having" the Law in written form, handed down through the ages, along with all of the writings of the prophets (i.e., the entire Old Testament corpus).
              • ii) For the Roman church's "teachers", that "possession" consisted of having the content of the faith by reason of the presence of "apostles and prophets" in the experience of the "teacher", as well as the revelation contained in the documents of the Old Testament.
            • ii. Incumbent upon the "teacher" is the necessity of 2:21-23: the personal practice of the knowledge and truth that forms the content of the "teaching". This is where the rub comes in: it is far easier to "teach others" than to practice faith in the truths that are being taught. Also, it is necessary that the knowledge and truth be taught even if the teachers are hypocritical (Philippians 1:15-18). The main issue is the accuracy of the teaching; the lesser issue (though by no means insignificant) is the absence of false motives for the teaching (just as Paul insists in 12:9).
          • c) That Paul addresses "teaching" through the lens of "the teacher" does two things at once.
            • i. At issue with "teaching" is its relationship to both "prophecy" (as the origin of the content to be taught) and "ministry" (as the focal point of all of the gifts; grasping the reality of a "need" and "taking action to address it to benefit" others).
            • ii. At issue with "the one teaching" is the background focus upon "not thinking more highly of oneself than is warranted". In this way, Paul, by switching to the definite-article-plus-a-participle grammatical structure, makes sure that those who take on this "ministry" task, do so under "gifting" and not under any kind of "lust for status" (note James 3:1 in its context of dealing with "temptations" in the light of developing "patience": James 1:3-4 and 5:10-11).
      • c. Summoning" (translated "exhorteth" by the Authorized Version); the word is larger than a single issue like "exhorting". It means "summoning alongside" with several "needs" in view (lagging behind, running ahead, drifting away, etc.).
        • 1) The issue in this "gift" is the reality of people not remaining "alongside" for a plethora, perhaps, of "reasons".
        • 2) And, again, it is to be exercised "in the realm of" the summoning by "he that summons" (definite article plus participle).
      • d. "Giving" ("he that is giving"); the word is used in five texts of the New Testament and means "meeting the need by personal sacrifice".
        • 1) This is to be done "in 'simplicity'"; the word means "with a single focus".
        • 2) The concept signals a stripping away of "drain-ers" (things that drain away energy and resources from the main issue).
      • e. "Ruling".
      • f. "Showing Mercy".

        Note -- That there are "seven" may well indicate a kind of "highlighting" the entire issue of "gifting" according to a larger Divine Plan issue.

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