Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 2. Gifts of the Holy Spirit
12:7 And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit. [n. 724]
12:8 To one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom: and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit: [n. 727]
12:9 To another, faith in the same Spirit: to another, the grace of healing in one Spirit:
12:10 To another the working of miracles: to another, prophecy: to another, the discerning of spirits: to another, diverse kinds of tongues: to another, interpretation of speeches.
12:11 But all these things, one and the same Spirit works, dividing to every one according as he wills. [n. 730]
724. Having set forth in general the distinction of graces, ministrations and operations, the Apostle here manifests the things he had said in general.
First, as to the division of graces;
second, as to the division of operation, at and God indeed has set some in the Church (1 Cor 12:28).
In regard to the first he does two things:
first, he presents the distinction of graces in general;
second, he applies a similitude, at for as the body (1 Cor 12:12).
In regard to the first he does three things:
first, he lays down the condition of charismatic graces;
second, he distinguishes them, at to one indeed;
third, he describes their action, at but all these things.
725. First, therefore, he says: it has been stated that there are divisions of graces, given to every man; in which is designated their subject. For just as there is no member in the body, which does not partake in some way of the sense and motion from the head, so no one is in the Church, who does not participate in some grace of the Spirit: he gave to each according to his ability (Matt 25:15); grace was given to each of us according to the measure of God’s gifts (Eph 4:7).
The manifestation of the Spirit, in which is designated the office of charismatic graces. But it pertains to sanctifying grace that through it the Holy Spirit indwells, which, indeed, does not pertain to charismatic graces, but only that through them the Holy Spirit is manifested, as the interior motion of the heart through the voice. Hence it is said: you hear his voice (John 3:8); the Lord has made known his victory (Ps 98:2).
The Holy Spirit is manifested in two ways by graces of this sort. In one way as dwelling in the Church by teaching and sanctifying it, as when a sinner, in whom the Holy Spirit does not dwell, works miracles to show that the faith of the Church which he professes is true: while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit (Heb 2:4).
In another way the Holy Spirit is manifested by such charismatic graces as dwelling in the one to whom such graces are granted. Hence it is said that Stephen, filled with grace, worked prodigies and many signs, whom they chose filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:8). In this way such graces are granted to the saints.
726. And lest such a manifestation seems futile, he adds: unto profit, namely, for the common good. In this is designated the end of these gifts, and this either when the true doctrine of the Church is proved or when someone’s holiness is proposed as an example. Hence he says below: seek to abound unto the edifying of the Church (1 Cor 14:12); and above: not seeking that which is profitable to myself but to many: that they may be saved (1 Cor 10:33).
727. Then when he says, to one is given, he presents the distinction of graces which, indeed, as has been said, are given for the common good. Therefore, it is required to take the distinction in the sense that by one the salvation of others can be procured. Man, indeed, cannot do this by working within, for this belongs to God, but only by persuading outwardly. For this, three things are required: first, the faculty of persuading; second, the faculty of confirming the persuasion; third, the faculty of proposing the persuasion intelligibly.
For the faculty of persuading it is required that man have skill in conclusions and certitude of principles in regard to those matters in which he ought to persuade. But in matters that pertain to salvation, some conclusions are principal, namely, divine matters; and to this pertains wisdom, which is the knowledge of divine things, as Augustine says in Book 13, On the Trinity. In regard to this it is said that to one indeed, by the Spirit, namely, the Holy Spirit, is given the word of wisdom, so that he can persuade one in things pertaining to the knowledge of divine things: I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand (Luke 21:15); we speak wisdom among the perfect (1 Cor 2:6).
Secondary conclusions are those which pertain to the knowledge of creatures, the knowledge of which is called scientific, according to Augustine. And in regard to this he adds: and to another is given the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit, in order, namely, that that might manifest things of God through creatures. To this knowledge is attributed that by which the holy faith is defended and strengthened, but not anything curious found in human knowledge, as Augustine says. He gave him knowledge of holy things (Wis 10:10); the riches of salvation are wisdom and knowledge (Isa 33:6).
Yet it should be noted that wisdom and knowledge are numbered among the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Isa 11:2). Hence it is significant that the Apostle places in the charismatic graces not wisdom and knowledge, but the utterance of wisdom and knowledge, which pertain to the ability to persuade others by speech about matters pertaining to wisdom and knowledge.
Now, the principles of the doctrine of salvation are the articles of faith, and in regard to this he adds: to another is given faith in the same Spirit. It is not taken there for the virtue of faith, because this is common to all members of Christ: without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6). But it is taken for the utterance of faith in the sense that a man is able rightly to propose manners of faith, or for the certainty of faith someone has in an excellent way: woman, great is your faith (Matt 15:28).
728. But matters pertaining to the teaching of salvation cannot be confirmed or proved by reason, because they transcend human reason: matters too great for human wisdom have been shown (Sir 3:23). They are confirmed or proved by a divine sign; hence Moses, about to be sent to the people of Israel, received a sign from God through which he could confirm what he said on God’s part (Exod 4:1–7), just as a royal sign confirms that something is the command of a king.
But God’s sign is based in one way on something God alone can do, such as miracles, which the Apostle here distinguishes into two kinds. For he says first: to another is given the grace of healing, i.e., through which he can heal someone’s infirmity, in one and the same Spirit. Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed (Jer 17:14). For by these, one is persuaded not only on account of the greatness of the deed, but also on account of the benefit. Second, he says: to another the working of miracles, by which a person is persuaded solely by the greatness of the deed; for example, when the sea was divided (Exod 14:21), or when the sun and moon stood still in the heavens (Josh 10:13). Who has given you the Spirit and works marvels among you? (Gal 3:5)
In another way a divine sign is based on something God alone can know, i.e., the future contingent: tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods (Isa 41:23). As to this he says: to another is given prophecy, which is divine revelation declaring with unchangeable truth among events: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy (Joel 2:28). Another is knowledge of the human heart: the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the mind and try the heart (Jer 17:9). In regard to this he says: to another, the discerning of spirits, namely, in order that a man be able to discern by what spirit someone is moved to speak or work; for example, whether by the spirit of charity or by the spirit of envy: do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God (1 John 4:1).
729. But the faculty of speaking persuasively consists in being able to speak intelligibly to others. This can be prevented in two ways: in one way by a diversity of dialects. Against this is applied the remedy signified by what he says: to another is given diverse kinds of tongues, namely, in order that he be able to speak in diverse languages, so that he will be understood by all, as it says of the apostles that they spoke in various languages (Acts 2:4).
In another way by the obscurity of a Scripture passage to be quoted. Against this is given the remedy he mentions: to another, the interpretation of speeches, i.e., of difficult Scripture passages: I have heard that you can give interpretations of obscure things (Dan 5:16); does not interpretation belong to God? (Gen 40:8)
730. Then when he says, all these things, he identifies the author of these graces. In regard to this he excludes three errors. The first is that of the gentiles attributing different gifts to different gods. Against this he says: all these things, one and the same Spirit works: one body and one Spirit (Eph 4:4).
Second, the error of those who attributed to God only a general providence and assigned the distinctions of particular things to second causes alone. Against this he adds: dividing to every one according as he wills: in the fullness of his knowledge the Lord separated them (Sir 33:11).
Third, he excludes the error of those who attributed the diversity among graces to fate, or to human merit, and not solely to the divine will, as the Macedonians, who said that the Holy Spirit is the servant of the Father and of the Son. And he excludes this by saying: as he wills: the Spirit breathes where he wills (John 3:8).