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working of miracles--As "healings" are miracles, those here meant must refer to miracles of special and extraordinary POWER (so the Greek for "miracles" means); for example, healings might be effected by human skill in course of time; but the raising of the dead, the infliction of death by a word, the innocuous use of poisons, &c., are miracles of special power. Compare Mar 6:5; Act 19:11. prophecy--Here, probably, not in the wider sense of public teaching by the Spirit (Co1 11:4-5; Co1 14:1-5, 1Co. 14:22-39); but, as its position between "miracles" and a "discerning of spirits" implies, the inspired disclosure of the future (Act 11:27-28; Act 21:11; Ti1 1:18), [HENDERSON]. It depends on "faith" (Co1 12:9; Rom 12:6). The prophets ranked next to the apostles (Co1 12:28; Eph 3:5; Eph 4:11). As prophecy is part of the whole scheme of redemption, an inspired insight into the obscurer parts of the existing Scriptures, was the necessary preparation for the miraculous foresight of the future. discerning of spirits--discerning between the operation of God's Spirit, and the evil spirit, or unaided human spirit (Co1 14:29; compare Ti1 4:1; Jo1 4:1). kinds of tongues--the power of speaking various languages: also a spiritual language unknown to man, uttered in ecstasy (Co1 14:2-12). This is marked as a distinct genus in the Greek, "To another and a different class." interpretation of tongues-- (Co1 14:13, Co1 14:26-27).

In this chapter the apostle, I. Considers the case of spiritual gifts, which were very plentifully poured out on the Corinthian church. He considers their original, that they are from God; their variety and use, that they were all intended for one and the same general end, the advancement of Christianity and the church's edification (Co1 12:1-11). II. He illustrates this by an allusion to a human body, in which all the members have a mutual relation and subserviency, and each has its proper place and use (Co1 12:12-26). III. He tells us that the church is the body of Christ, and the members are variously gifted for the benefit of the whole body, and each particular member (Co1 12:27-30). And them, IV. Closes with an exhortation to seek somewhat more beneficial than these gifts (Co1 12:31).

12:10 The ability to prophesy does not refer primarily to predicting the future, but to speaking a special message directly from God (see 11:4-5; 13:2, 8; 14:1-25, 29-33; 1 Thes 5:20; cp. Acts 13:1-2; 21:4, 10-11). • The ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit is a necessary gift for any Christian community that is open to hearing a word directly from God (see 1 Cor 14:29; 1 Thes 5:19-21; cp. Acts 16:16-18; 1 Jn 4:1-3). • For Paul, the ability to speak in unknown languages here refers to spiritual language that requires the spiritual gift of interpretation in order to be understood. By placing this gift near the bottom of the list (both here and in 1 Cor 12:28), Paul shows the lesser priority to be attached to the gift of tongues, with which the Corinthian church had become over-enamored (cp. 13:1, 8; 14:1-25, 27). • The ability to interpret does not refer to natural intellectual ability to translate, but to a spiritual ability to understand the meaning of the Spirit’s message communicated through the gift of tongues (see 14:5, 13, 26-28).