What's in a Name? (1)

A popular New Testament passage for Christians who have been touched by the Charismatic Renewal is 1 Corinthians 12. In most modern translations, the chapter carries the heading “Spiritual Gifts”, but I wonder if that is not misleading. The passage uses a variety of Greek words to describe what Paul is explaining.

1 Corinthians 12:1 seems to refer to spiritual gifts.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware.

The problem with this is the Greek word "pneumatikon", which means “spiritual”. The Greek word “pneuma” means “wind”, “breath,” or “spirit”. The suffix “tikos” shifts the focus from the object itself to its characteristics. So the word "pneumatikon" means “pertaining to the spirit”.

The word “gift” is not in the Greek text (most English bibles indicate this by putting the word in italics). A more accurate translation would be, “Now concerning spirituals...” The verse does not justify the name spiritual gifts.

Verses 4-6 give a trinitarian, threefold, naming of what Paul is describing.

4 Now there are varieties of graces, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are varieties of services, and the same Lord.
6 There are varieties of effects/operations, but the same God
     who works all things in all persons.

They come from the Spirit, the Lord (Jesus) and God (the Father). The fullness of the Trinity is active.

Three different Greek words describe what God has given through the Spirit.

• Graces     —     —     charismata
• Services   —     —   diakonos>
• Effects/operations — energema

Each of these words brings an important insight to the description. The each need to be understood.

• The Greek word “charis” means "favour," "grace," "kindness," or "good will". The suffix “ma” (μα) typically indicates the result of these. Therefore, “charisma” is a gift that results from grace or favour, and “charismata” is the plural of “charisma”. It refers to benefits that are the result of grace and kindness. It is not a gift that I own.

• The Greek word “diakonia” means “attendance as a servant”. Most English bibles translate the word as “ministry”, but this is misleading, because it loads a lot of baggage onto a word that cannot carry it. Paul is simply saying these gifts are for the service of other people, not the individual who receives them.

• The Greek word “energema” simply means “effect”. It is derived from the verb “energo”, which means “to be active”. So Paul is saying that there are varieties of effects when the Holy Spirit is active.

In 1 Corinthians 12:7, Paul uses another name to describe the phenomenon he is teaching about.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Cor 12:7).

The Greek word translated as “manifestation” is “phanerosis”. It is derived from a verb “phaneroo”, which means “to render apparent”. So what Paul is describing is a “manifestation or outward, visible disclosure or expression” of the Spirit's presence. It makes the presence of the Spirit apparent to people watching. The Spirit makes himself evident through a believer, for the sake of the gathered community.

In this passage, Paul uses five different words to describe the phenomena that he is teaching about. We have tended to use the first “spiritual gift”, even though the word “gift” is not in the text. We could just have easily chosen to describe them as “graces, services, effects or manifestations”. It is worth thinking about why we made that choice.