1 Corinthians 12:28 - Exposition

Hath set; rather, appointed. First apostles. Apart from the twelve ( Luke 6:13 ) and Paul and Barnabas, the name was in a lower sense extended to leading and eminent Christians, especially to those who had taken part in founding or ruling Churches ( Romans 16:7 ). Prophets . Wise spiritual preachers. It is instructive to note that St. Paul places the gifts of wisdom and knowledge which these preachers require above those which we are apt to regard as exclusively miraculous. The "wonders" stood in a lower, not in a higher, position when compared with the ordinary gifts of grace. Teachers . Those who have the minor gifts of instruction and exposition ( Acts 13:1 ). Helps . All the services rendered by the power of active sympathy; by the work of deacons, sisters of mercy, etc. ( Acts 6:3 , Acts 6:4 ). The word occurs in 2 Macc 8:19; Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 :12, and the corresponding verb in Acts 20:35 ; 1 Timothy 6:2 ; Luke 1:54 ; see Romans 16:3 . Governments. Powers of leading and organization. Diversities [kinds] of tongues. Ranked as last in value. They are emotional gifts, which had only a very subordinate part in the work of edification, and are, therefore, placed below the gifts of knowledge, of power, and of practical life, which sum up the previous enumeration.