Wisdom and Knowledge: 1 Corinthians 12. 8-10

Wisdom and Knowledge: 1 Corinthians 12. 8-10
Summing up so far...

* From the Old Testament: Who is the Spirit? He is and always has been God at work, powerfully personally, and creatively.
* From the Spirit in the ministry of Jesus: What does the Spirit do? He wants to come in power to make us clean and to equip us to extend God's kingdom.
* What are gifts? God-breaths, graces that make the Spirit's presence noticeable.

So let's look at the gifts - the things the Spirit does - in greater detail...

Paul speaks about gifts, five times. There are two lists in 1 Cor 12; another in Romans 12, a different one in Eph 4; then in 1 Cor 7.7 he uses that word "Charismata" (gracelets) to refer to the ability to be happily single or to be happily married. See the chart to sort out the 23 gifts mentioned - as some are mentioned more than once.

1 Cor 12. 8-10	1 Cor 12. 28-30	Rom 12. 6-8	Eph 4.11	1 Cor 7. 7
	apostles,		apostles,
	prophets,		prophets,
			Evangelists
			Pastors
	teachers	teaching	teachers
wisdom
knowledge
faith
healing	gifts of healing,
miracles	miracles,
prophecy		prophecy
distinguish between spirits
	helping
	administration
tongues	various kinds of tongues.
interpretation of tongues
		service
		exhortation
		Contributes
		leads
		acts of mercy
				Celibacy
				Marriage

Then there is the Old Testament where the spirit's gifts include prophecy, interpreting dreams (Gen 41.38 Joseph), administering justice (Num 11.17); leadership (Jdg 3:10)  ; wisdom (Num 27:18  Deu 34:9) , craftsmanship (Exodus 31. 3)  strength (Jdg 6:34)  and military skill (Jdg 13-14). We are dealing with the creative God, and we shouldn't tie down what he does by his Spirit to a little list of gifts.


What we will do then is look at the gifts mentioned in 1 Cor 12, beginning today with the first two which are "Word" gifts.
Paul speaks of a "word of wisdom2, and a "word of knowledge2.  In keeping with what we said last week that the gifts are not so much our personal possessions that we carry around with us, but rather are god-breaths that show the Spirit is at work, Paul says here some have a word of wisdom, some a word of knowledge.  It's not the wisdom or knowledge that is the gift; it is the occasion when it is used for the building up of the Church.


Wisdom can include the wisdom of creation/creativity.  The craftsmen in Exodus 31 were described as having "Wisdom".  It is a skill-gift.  In the Bible, wisdom is never neutral!  It's wither or earthly and devilish - or God-given: See James 3. 14-17; 1 Cor 3. 19
In the Bible, "Wisdom" is always about what to do, not just about theory.  Think about the Proverbs: they are about the practicalities of life
Pro 3:30  Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
Pro 6:10  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber.
Pro 11:12  Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
Pro 14:34  Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
Pro 17:28  Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.


The word of Wisdom is a practical application of the truth of God's Word, to real life so we know what to do in a difficult situation.


An example of this in the ministry of Jesus is in Matthew 22. 16-22. Some people came to Jesus with a trick question: "Should we Jews pay taxes to the Romans or not?"  If he said, "Yes, he would be seen as a traitor to the Jews. If he said "No," he would be seen as a troublemaker by the Romans.  Jesus cut through all that with a word of wisdom: "Whose picture is on the coin?"  Caesar could claim what had his mark on it; but god claims what bears His image, so all people should put God first.


James 1:5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.


Knowledge.  There were people in the Greek world called "Gnostics" - who believed that there was a secret knowledge you needed to achieve union with God.  For the "Gnostics" that was all about getting your soul freed from your sinful body, and about the use of the stars, or getting help from a variety of spiritual beings. Gnostic ideas were a threat to the Church: some Christians were taken in by Gnostic teaching, and a lot of Paul's writing aims to deal with these errors.  But Paul isn't afraid to use the word "knowledge" - insisting that God wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2. 4)   When he is talking about a "word of knowledge", this is what he means.  A special, Spirit-inspired insight into the great theological truths of the Christian faith.  Not a new doctrine.  Not some secret knowledge about angels or star signs.  Just this: a fresh understanding of one of the big truths, one of the core doctrines of the faith.  


Now I know lots of Christians believe a "word of knowledge" is what happens when someone has God-given information about someone else. Maybe at a healing service someone will know something quite specific.  "There's someone here with tennis elbow and God wants to heal you."  That's a perfectly valid thing to happen.  If God gives you something like that then it's right to share it.  But that is not a word of knowledge. It's probably more like a word of faith or prophecy.   We'll come to that next week.


Arnold Bittliinger says, "The word of knowledge consists of the old message spoken in the new situation in such a way that it still remains the old message."


We see Jesus using the word of knowledge in Matthew 5. See verses 21-22.  Here he quotes the "Old Message" from the law: "You shall not murder". He then speaks that into the new situation of the Kingdom: "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment."  Compare verses 27-28.   The old message is "You shall not commit adultery," but in the new situation Jesus says  " everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart"


So how can we apply this?  We can all benefit when God gives someone a word of wisdom or of knowledge.  They can help us understand and apply our faith. And any of us can receive a word of wisdom or knowledge. In order to move effectively in these gifts and benefit from them, there are two things we need to do.  Spend time walking with Jesus in prayer.  And saturating ourselves in God's word.


© Gilmour Lilly August 2011