DIVERSITIES OF TONGUES.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
Ministry Gifts vs. Spiritual Gifts
What is Paul talking about in this passage of Scripture? He is talking about ministry gifts, not
spiritual gifts. Ministry gifts are those people in the Body of Christ who are called by God to
stand in the fivefold ministry (Eph. 4:11,12).
These apostles, prophets, teachers, and so forth, listed here in First Corinthians 12:27 and 28
are ministry gifts that God has set in the Church.
For example, first, "apostles" is not a spiritual gift, but it is an office or a ministry gift.
Second, "prophets" is not a spiritual gift, but it is a ministry gift. Third, "teachers," the office of a
teacher, is not a spiritual gift, but a ministry gift, or one called to minister to the Body of Christ.
Therefore, in this passage of Scripture in First Corinthians 12:27-30, Paul is talking about
ministry gifts, or those called to the fivefold ministry, not about spiritual gifts.
In order to see the difference between ministry gifts and spiritual gifts, let's look at the nine
spiritual gifts, or gifts of the Spirit. Paul lists them in the first part of this chapter.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:8-10
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the WORD OF WISDOM; to another the WORD OF
KNOWLEDGE by the same Spirit;
9 To another FAITH [special faith] by the same Spirit; to another the GIFTS OF HEALING
by the same Spirit;
10 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.
It is certainly true that gifts of the Spirit may be manifested through the laity, not just through
ministry gifts or those called to the fivefold ministry, because the Bible does say, "But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given TO EVERY MAN to profit withal" (1Cor. 12:7).
However, there are those in the fivefold ministry who are especially equipped with certain gifts
of the Spirit in order to fulfill their office or function in the Body of Christ. We do not call those
people spiritual gifts or gifts of the Spirit; they are ministries or ministry gifts that God has set in
the Church.
Paul talks about ministry gifts in writing to the Church at Ephesus. Paul said that when Jesus
ascended on High, ". . . he led captivity captive, and gave GIFTS unto men" (Eph. 4:8).
What were those gifts? Paul goes on to list them. They are ministry gifts Jesus set in the
Church.
EPHESIANS 4:11,12
11 And he gave some, APOSTLES; and some, PROPHETS; and some, EVANGELISTS;
and some, PASTORS and TEACHERS;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ.