How do you interpret the listing in v. 28 (first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, etc.)? If you take ZHLOUTE in 12:31 as an
indicative, then you are forced to say they were seeking what they thought
were the greater charismata. It seems much more natural textually (don't
have to read in any thing) if we take it at face value. Since they were
not seeking the greater charismata, but the lesser, according to Paul's
listing of importance in v. 28, then the imperative makes excellent sense.
The significance of the listing in v. 28 seems to be according to the
principle of love, or the greatest good for the greatest number. Chapter
13 is just an amplication of this, and the thought of charging the
Corinthians to habitually seek the greater charismata, especially
prophesying (since they could hardly be expected to seek to act as
apostles), is resumed and developed in 14:1.
The charge to seek habitually the greater charismata does not militate
against the idea of God's sovereign dispersement of the gifts. Faith is a
gift, but that does not mean we cannot be charged to believe.
Paul S. Dixon, pastor
Ladd Hill Bible Church
Wilsonville, Oregon
On Thu, 9 Jan 1997, Andrew Kulikovsky wrote:
> Paul Dixon - Ladd Hill Bible Church wrote:
> >
> > Andrew:
> >
> > If the ZHLOUTE of 14:1 is imperatival and if it resumes the ZHLOUTE of
> > 12:31, with 13:1-13 being the development of the argument, then it would
> > seem the ZHLOUTE in 12:31 would also be imperatival.
> >
>
> Paul, I don't accept that 14:1 does resume the ZHLOUTE from 12:31.
> Remember
> ch. 13? Its in between. In ch. 12 Paul argues that there is no hierarchy
> of
> gifts (or spirituality) every person is important to the body (church)
> and the
> church can't function properly without each person's contribution. Paul
> says
> that we all have different gifts but all are important - but the
> Corithians
> were desiring what they considered to be the 'greater' gifts and also
> misusing
> their gifts (a point picked up in ch. 14).
>
> In 14:1 Paul is indicating that what the Corithians should be desiring
> is to
> be spiritual and if they are to desire any gift let it be prophecy
> because
> unlike toungues etc. prophecy builds up the entire church (another point
> picked up in ch. 14). Hence my translation:
>
> "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spirituality (or 'spiritual
> manifestations'), especially that you may prophesy."
>
> The thrust of Paul's command is not to eagerly desire prophecy but to
> eagerly desire spirituality. The purpose of this command was to
> encourage then
> to build up eacch other rather than just pushing self - the body
> dynamics
> of the Corithian church were all wrong and this is what Paul is trying
> to
> correct. This is why Paul says "especially that you may prophesy"
> because
> prophesy builds up (He restates this in various ways several times in
> ch. 14).
>
> > This would make excellent sense as 12:31 would then be understood in light
> > of 13:1-13. 14:1, then, would be synthetically parallel to 12:31 and
> > would be the key to properly understanding that verse. This understanding
> > would then negate the force of your argument, that is, that understanding
> > 12:31 imperativally would seem to go against what Paul had just said.
> > This argument fails because it still has to deal with the imperative of
> > 14:1.
>
> see above.
>
> > Paul S. Dixon, pastor
> > Ladd Hill Bible Church
> > Wilsonville, Oregon
> >
>
> cheers,
> Andrew
>
> +------------------------------------------------------------------------
> | Andrew S. Kulikovsky B.App.Sc(Hons) MACS
> |
> | Software Engineer
> | & Theology Student (MA)
> | Adelaide, Australia
> | ph: +618 8281 0919
> | fax: +618 8281 6231
> | email: killer@cobweb.com.au
> |
> | What's the point of gaining everything this world has
> | to offer, if you lose your own life in the end?
> |
> | ...Look to Jesus Christ
> |
> | hO IESOUS KURIOS!
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>