Jan 14, 2025 Written by 
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2nd Sunday in O.T. (1Cor 12:4-11)

2nd Sunday in O.T. (1Cor 12:4-11)

(1Cor 12:4-11)

2nd Sunday in O.T. (C)

 

1Corinthians 12:4 There are diversities of charisms, but one is the Spirit;

1Corinthians 12:5 there are diversities of ministries, but one is the Lord;

1Corinthians 12:6 there are diversities of operations, but one is God, who works all things in all.

1Corinthians 12:7 And to each is given a particular manifestation of the Spirit for the common good:

 

Three times diversity is spoken of and three times unity. Unity is attributed to the Spirit who is the Holy Spirit, to the Lord who is Jesus, and to God who is the Father. Practically, the Trinity underlies our diversity and unity, because the Trinity is the first place of diversity and unity. Distinction, diversity is necessary for relationship, for love. Diversity, in love, becomes unity, which maintains diversity. Since God is love, then love needs diversity; and diversity is the very place of unity, whereas very often for us diversity is the place of quarrel, because we do not accept diversity.

"There is diversity of gifts, but there is one and the same Spirit". Here we have the word charismatōn. Derived from the same root as the word 'grace', charis, it means 'manifestations of grace' and therefore 'gifts'. Charisma is a particular grace through which we can manifest God's richness to the world. Charisma is grace because it is freely given to man. No one can make a personal boast of it.

Having affirmed this first truth, Paul immediately affirms another. If charisms are many, only one is their author: the Holy Spirit of God. Why does Paul wish to specify this truth? The pagans believed that a person's different gifts should be attributed to different gods, one of whom gave wisdom, the other strength, etc. So that Christians would not think that something similar was happening with the different gifts given to them, the apostle warns them that although the gifts are different, one is the Spirit from whom they proceed.

"There is diversity of ministries. Ministries, diakoniōn, means: diakonia, services (those of the apostles, bishops, presbyters, etc.). So it introduces another concept: every charisma, every gift we have is a service to others. So there is a diversity of services because the gifts are manifested in the service one does to one's brothers.

"There is but one and the same Lord". All these services are established and regulated by the supreme will of the one head of the Church: the Lord Jesus. Thus every service finds its origin in Jesus, who made himself the servant of all, and every gift finds its model in Jesus.

'And there is a variety of operations'. Operations translates the term energēmàtōn, which comes from the word normally used for 'work'. The works we do for the service of the Kingdom are to be traced back to God the Father Almighty, who from the heights of heaven strengthens our will, infuses energy and vigour into the body, holiness into the soul so that we may work according to God.

"But there is but one and the same God". For the third time Paul asserts that there can be no divisions between Christians on the basis of 'gifts', because it is the same God who bestows the gifts in all their diversity. And precisely because all gifts proceed from God, they can only be directed to an end worthy of God.

Every man is an instrument in God's hands. If God uses one instrument for one thing and another instrument for another thing, may the instrument enter into jealousy, may behave with envy, may say to the Lord why do you use me and not the other, or why do you use the other and not me? If God has arranged for one to exercise a ministry with a particular charisma and another to act according to another ministry and with a different charisma, who is the man so that he can say to God why did you make me this way and why did you make me differently from others?

If it is God who works in us, then it is right to pray to God to act in us according to the gift with which he has enriched us, but also to empower the gift with which he has enriched others.

In these verses we have the deep scaffolding of the structure of a community life and also of a couple, that is, diversity and unity. They are not an obstacle to each other, but are necessary to each other, otherwise, it is impossible to live. The discourse is a grade because it applies both on a strictly personal level and on a social level. These are core values in which the fate of humanity is at stake, that is, how you live what you are. Today there is an attempt to abolish diversity. There is unity, but in foolishness, in non-identity, in the destruction of the person.

"Now to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good". This is a criterion for discerning gifts: common utility. Everything I have and am is for the purpose of loving God and neighbour, and if it does not lead in this direction, I am misappropriating it, and therefore I am using it diabolically. All gifts are gifts from God, but we can make right or wrong use of them. A ministry, a gift, a charisma, a grace are not for the person who receives them, they are for the common good. Everyone must feel enriched by the charisma of the other, because the other, his charisma, God has not given him for himself, but for the good of the Church.

From this principle enunciated by Paul, a serious problem of conscience arises for every Christian. If the charisma of the other is for my own benefit, can I disregard it, can I not make use of it if it is necessary to me? Ignoring the other's charism, not making use of it, not wanting this charism to bear fruit, is a sin that pours against me. If the charisma of the other is for me, by depriving myself of it, I deprive myself of the nourishment I need.

Rejection of the other's charism, and especially rejection for reasons of bad conscience, places me in serious danger of failing in my Christian life, because I deprive myself of the support and nourishment that the Lord has placed beside me.

 

 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Revelation - exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers - Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ true God and true Man in the Trinitarian mystery

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants compared - In defence of the faith

 

(Buyable on Amazon)

 

111 Last modified on Tuesday, 14 January 2025 07:47
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Argentino Quintavalle

Argentino Quintavalle è studioso biblico ed esperto in Protestantesimo e Giudaismo. Autore del libro “Apocalisse - commento esegetico” (disponibile su Amazon) e specializzato in catechesi per protestanti che desiderano tornare nella Chiesa Cattolica.

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