1 Corinthians 12:10

King James Version (KJV)

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:

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Spiritual gifts were extraordinary powers bestowed in the first ages, to convince unbelievers, and to spread the gospel. Gifts and graces greatly differ. Both were freely given of God. But where grace is given, it is for the salvation of those who have it. Gifts are for the advantage and salvation of others; and there may be great gifts where there is no grace. The extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were chiefly exercised in the public assemblies, where the Corinthians seem to have made displays of them, wanting in the spirit of piety, and of Christian love. While heathens, they had not been influenced by the Spirit of Christ. No man can call Christ Lord, with believing dependence upon him, unless that faith is wrought by the Holy Ghost. No man could believe with his heart, or prove by a miracle, that Jesus was Christ, unless by the Holy Ghost. There are various gifts, and various offices to perform, but all proceed from one God, one Lord, one Spirit; that is, from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the origin of all spiritual blessings. No man has them merely for himself. The more he profits others, the more will they turn to his own account. The gifts mentioned appear to mean exact understanding, and uttering the doctrines of the Christian religion; the knowledge of mysteries, and skill to give advice and counsel. Also the gift of healing the sick, the working of miracles, and to explain Scripture by a peculiar gift of the Spirit, and ability to speak and interpret languages. If we have any knowledge of the truth, or any power to make it known, we must give all the glory of God. The greater the gifts are, the more the possessor is exposed to temptations, and the larger is the measure of grace needed to keep him humble and spiritual; and he will meet with more painful experiences and humbling dispensations. We have little cause to glory in any gifts bestowed on us, or to despise those who have them not.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

10. Working of miracles. As in the case of “gifts of healing” (see on v. 9) this was a special gift performed under divine direction. However, it is the privilege of those not possessing the gift to pray for miraculous intervention and to have their prayers answered if God so chooses.

Prophecy. This is the power to speak authoritatively for God, or on God’s behalf, either by foretelling future events or by declaring God’s will for the present (see Ex. 3:10, 14, 15; Deut. 18:15, 18; 2 Sam. 23:2; Matt. 11:9, 10; 2 Peter 1:21). Prophecy is the means chosen by God to establish communication between Himself and man (see Num. 12:6; Amos 3:7). The whole Bible has come to men by means of this gift (see 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21). Scriptures testify of Jesus, and the gift of prophecy is appropriately called the “testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 19:10; see John 5:39; Rev. 12:17). Visions, dreams, special divine illumination of mind, are ways in which this gift of prophecy works (see Num. 12:6; Rev. 1:1-3). Thus the human agent becomes the mouthpiece of God (see 2 Sam. 23:2; Matt. 3:3; 2 Peter 1:21). God intended that this important gift of the Spirit should be with His church to the end of time (see Joel 2:28, 29; Rev. 12:17; 19:10). In fact, it is to be a mark of identification of God’s true church in the last days (Rev. 12:17; 19:10). This is only reasonable, because God has been using this channel through which to reveal Himself and impart His messages to the world ever since the fall of Adam.

Discerning of spirits. This is the ability to distinguish between divine and counterfeit inspiration (see 1 John 4:1-3; TM 228, 229). Christ warned His church that false prophets would arise, particularly in the last days, and all should be on the alert to recognize and reject such false teachers (see Matt. 24:4, 5, 11, 23-25). The apostles in the early church had the ability to distinguish between true and false preachers and professors of Christianity (see Acts 5:1-10; 13:9-11). There was need for this gift in the early days of the church, when there were doubtless many pretenders to possession of these gifts. Satan has ever been ready to counterfeit the true, and often supports the false claims of pretenders by supernatural miracles (2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:13, 14).

Kinds of tongues. This gift is discussed at length in ch. 14, where it is contrasted with the gift of prophecy.

Interpretation of tongues. A special gift was needed to interpret the messages imparted (see ch. 14:27, 28; Additional Note on Chapter 14).

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

To another the working of miracles - Commentators have felt some perplexity in distinguishing this from what is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:9, of the gift of healing. it is evident that the apostle there refers to the power of working miracles in healing inveterate and violent diseases. The expression used here, “working of miracles” ( ἐνεργήματα δυναμέων energēmata dunameōn) refers probably to the more “extraordinary” and “unusual” kinds of miracles; to those which were regarded as in advance of the power of healing diseases. It is possible that it may denote what the Saviour had reference to in Mark 16:18, where he said they should take up serpents, and if they drank any deadly thing it should not hurt them; and possibly also to the power of raising up the dead. That this power was possessed by the apostles is well known; and it is possible that it was possessed by others also of the early Christians. It is clear from all this that there was a difference even among those who had the power of working miracles, and that this power was conferred in a more eminent degree on some than on others. Indeed, the “extraordinary” endowments conferred on the apostles and the early Christians, seem to have been regulated to a remarkable degree in accordance with the rule by which “ordinary” endowments are conferred upon people. Though all people have understanding, memory, imagination, bodily strength, etc., yet one has these in a more eminent degree than others; and one is characterized for the possession of one of those qualities more than for another. Yet all are bestowed by the same God. So it was in regard to the extraordinary endowments conferred on the early Christians; compare 1 Corinthians 14:32.

To another prophecy; - See the note at Romans 12:6.

To another discerning of spirits - compare 1 John 4:1. This must refer to some power of searching into the secrets of the heart; of knowing what were a man‘s purposes. views, and feelings. It may relate either to the power of determining by what spirit a man spoke who pretended to be inspired, whether he was truly inspired or whether he was an impostor; or it may refer to the power of seeing whether a man was sincere or not in his Christian profession That the apostles had this power, is apparent from the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-10, and from the case of Elymas, Acts 13:9-11. It is evident that where the gift of prophecy and inspiration was possessed, and where it would confer such advantages on those who possessed it, there would be many pretenders to it; and that it would be of vast importance to the infant church, in order to prevent imposition, that there should be a power in the church of detecting the imposture.

To another divers kinds of tongues - The power of speaking various languages; see Acts 2:4, Acts 2:7-11. This passage also seems to imply that the extraordinary endowments of the Holy Spirit were not conferred on all alike.

To another the interpretation of tongues - The power of interpreting foreign languages; or of interpreting the language which might be used by the “prophets” in their communications; see the note at 1 Corinthians 14:27. This was evidently a faculty different from the power of speaking a foreign language; and yet it might be equally useful. It would appear possible that some might have had the power of speaking foreign languages who were not themselves apprized of the meaning, and that interpreters were needful in order to express the sense to the hearers. Or it may have been that in a promiscuous assembly, or in an assembly made up of those who spoke different languages, a part might have understood what was uttered, and it was needful that an interpreter should explain it to the other portion; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 14:28.

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Ellen G. White
Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 424

It means much to sow beside all waters; it means a continual imparting of gifts and offerings. God will furnish facilities, so that that faithful steward of His entrusted means shall be supplied with a sufficiency in all things, and be enabled to abound to every good work. TM 424.1

There is a great work to be done. The world will not be converted by the gift of tongues, or by the working of miracles, but by preaching Christ crucified. The Holy Spirit must be allowed to work. God has placed instrumentalities in our hands, and we must use every one of them to do His will and way. As believers we are privileged to act a part in forwarding the truth for this time. As far as possible we are to employ the means and agencies that God has given us to introduce the truth into new localities. Churches must be built to accommodate the people of God, that they may stand as centers of light, shining amid the darkness of the world.... TM 424.2

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Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6 (EGW), 1090

4. See EGW on Acts 15:11. 6BC 1090.1

12. See EGW on 1 Kings 11:1-4; Matthew 26:31-35. 6BC 1090.2

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Ellen G. White
Christ's Object Lessons, 327

The talents that Christ entrusts to His church represent especially the gifts and blessings imparted by the Holy Spirit. “To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 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: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. All men do not receive the same gifts, but to every servant of the Master some gift of the Spirit is promised. COL 327.1

Before He left His disciples, Christ “breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” John 20:22. Again He said, “Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you.” Luke 24:49. But not until after the ascension was the gift received in its fullness. Not until through faith and prayer the disciples had surrendered themselves fully for His working was the outpouring of the Spirit received. Then in a special sense the goods of heaven were committed to the followers of Christ. “When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Ephesians 4:8. “Unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ,” the Spirit “dividing to every man severally as He will.” Ephesians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 12:11. The gifts are already ours in Christ, but their actual possession depends upon our reception of the Spirit of God. COL 327.2

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Ellen G. White
Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, 53.4

Balance of Differing Minds Necessary—Here we are brought together—of different minds, different education, and different training—and we do not expect that every mind will run right in the same channel; but the question is, Are we, the several branches, grafted into the parent Vine? That is what we want to inquire, and we want to ask teachers as well as students. We want to understand whether we are really grafted into the parent Vine. If we are, we may have different manners, different tones, and different voices. You may view things from one standpoint, and we have ideas different from one another in regard to the Scriptures, not in opposition to the Scriptures, but our ideas may vary. My mind may run in the lines most familiar to it, and another may be thinking and taking a view according to his traits of character, and see a very deep interest in one side of it that others do not see.—Manuscript 14, 1894. 1MCP 53.4

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