Chapter # 12 Paragraph # 3 Study # 1
November 10, 2019
Humble, Texas
(024)
1769 Translation
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [
let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, [
let us wait] on [
our] ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, [
let him do it] with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
1901 ASV Translation
6 And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, [
let us prophesy] according to the proportion of our faith;
7 or ministry, [
let us give ourselves] to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;
8 or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, [
let him do it] with
liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
- I. "Now Having Grace-Gifts...".
- A. "Now" is my translation of the "hesitant" de.
- 1. I call it the "hesitant de" because the "de" is a Greek way of distinguishing between a "conjunction" that ties two statements together as though they are a smooth-flowing stream where no obstacles, or objections, exist ("Give and take..."; the Greek "kai") and a "conjunction" that ties two statements together as major contrasts as though they are a highly conflicted stream whose "flow" is radically re-directed as if the stream has run into an obstacle that is so great that it has to radially change course ("not Justice, but Grace..."; the Greek "alla"). To maintain our analogy, this "de" is like a stream running in its course without major alterations, but possessing unmoving rocks in its path (like the rapids that often exist in streams of water).
- 2. There is, in this "hesitant de", a recognition of some degree of continuity ("kai") as well as some degree of contrast ("alla").
- 3. Paul's "continuation" is that of the idea that each of us has a gift, or gifts, by "gracious disbursement" (which, in Paul's case, is "apostleship") but/and (hesitant continuity with a recognition that there are obstacles), but we do not all have an equal portion of the "faith" necessary for the exercise of it. For example, a person with a "limited" gift of faith in respect to a gift of evangelism will see a limited number of converts to his "witness" while a person with a great deal of a gift of faith along with the gift of evangelism will see a large number of converts to his "witness".
- a. At issue in Paul's thought is that there are some who "think too highly of themselves" and they are introducing the problems that "pride" always brings with it. Paul wants this "pride" to be demolished by the recognition that one's abilities and results are "God-determined" because He is the One who both distributes the "abilities" (gifts) and the "faith-results".
- b. Thus, Paul's "Now..." signals the instruction that he is going to give in the context of a vibrant understanding of God's gracious determinations.
- B. "Having grace-gifts".
- 1. We "have" "function-gifts" in a similar way that our bodies have various members with differing functions (toes to function as toes, and eyes to function as eyes).
- a. Our "possession" of one, or more, capacities to function in God's Plan and will, is a given: we have been redeemed to serve the Greater Body (of Christ) as service to God.
- b. And what we have is "charismata".
- 1) This is the last of six references by Paul to "freely given gifts".
- 2) That the word is an extension of "charis" simply emphasizes the fact of man's wholly uninvolved acquisition of the "gift/gifts" (in clear harmony with Paul's experience of being "Saul", an opponent of God, with a decreed future in God's service: Acts 9:15).
- 3) The word is an extension of Paul's declaration that we, like our bodies, as the Body of Christ, have "abilities to take action for the sake of the Body": thus, "grace-gift" means "an ability to take action as a member of the Body of Christ for the sake of the Body" which is rooted in the decisions and actions of the God of the Body wherein He both distributes the abilities along with the measures of faith necessary to make them fruitful.
- 2. Paul's point is that, though we have these "gifts" at the point of our redemption, the use of them is "qualified" both by immaturity and by whether, or not, the "presentation" called for in 12:1-2 has been made.
- II. "Differing According To The Standard Of The Distributed Grace".
- A. There is no "main verb" written in verses 6-8; thus, we must "supply" one that fits the meaning of the instruction.
- 1. The most obvious implied "main verb" is something like "...because we have various gifts...let us turn our attention to the exercise of them...", or, more briefly, "...start functioning...".
- 2. Paul's "main verbal implication" is that each of us has been "saved to serve" so that we are under a "grace-obligation" to fulfill the desire of God according to His "grace". Grace is always given in view of some divine objective.
- B. Paul characterizes the "grace-gifts" with a word that is only used once by him in the entire body of his New Testament writings. It is, however, also used three times in the book of Hebrews so that we have four uses in the New Testament from which to derive our understanding.
- 1. Paul's use in Romans has a clear sense of "significant variety" in two most basic arenas: one, the arena of "which function is needed" (the grace-gift itself); and, two, the arena of "how much faith is needed to accomplish the purpose of God (the "distribution of faith so the gift can be effectively used").
- 2. The author of Hebrews uses it in two of the three places it is found in Hebrews to indicate a significant level of distinction between two realities (1:4 and 8:6). The other time he uses it simply indicates differences of some kind, not necessarily highly significant (9:10).
