Stibbe 97
Stibbe 97
Stibbe 97
Zondervan 2004 (1st published 1997) Notes by Alison Morgan, May 2009
Excellent discussion of spiritual gifts, with examples, well researched, with bibliographical notes. Sometimes
controversial, and he tends to offer several definitions for each of the gifts, but it’s a good and helpful book.
Introduction
Charismata is best translated ‘grace gift’. Our task is to practise the presents of God – to find which presents have our
name on them, to unwrap them, and enjoy using them in bringing pleasure to the Father.
Much of our understanding of spiritual gifts has been dictated by experience rather than exegesis – book aims to fill this
gap, to provide bridge between recent scholarship and the Church.
There is a recent tendency to refer to behaviours such as falling, laughing, weeping as ‘manifestations’ of the spirit – but
in 1 Cor this word is used to describe the charismata which follow. The behaviours are human emotional reactions to the
power of the Spirit – not the thing itself. The book aims to correct this too.
Jesus offered practical wisdom all the time – eg Mk2, answering the question about eating with tax collectors/sinners;
Mk 3 answering the accusation that he drives out demons by demonic power; Mk 7 answering the question about purity
laws; Mk 12 answering the question about taxes.. The response: ‘where does he get such wisdom from?’ Mt 13.54; and
the answer, ‘from the Spirit’. This is not erudition, it’s a charismatic insight in particular situations into the will of God.
The best eg is the woman taken in adultery, and the word of wisdom is, ‘if any of you is without sin, let him be the first to
throw a stone at her’. Is he praying while writing on the sand?
Given this practical wisdom of Jesus, it seems likely Paul understood wisdom in both a theological and a practical sense.
The story of Joseph and Pharaoh’s dream illustrates wisdom; Joseph is said to be ‘full of the Sirit’. The Spirit of God
reveals the hidden things of God – see the wisdom literature in the OT, eg Prov 3, Eccl 3. Isaiah 11.2 specifically says that
the Messiah will have the Spirit of the Lord resting upon him, bringing wisdom, understanding etc. This happens at his
baptism, John 1.
Paul describes Jesus as the wisdom and power of God – 1 Cor 1.24. He is Wisdom in person…
The word of Wisdom – ‘a charismatic disclosure of divine truth’. The Spirit reveals theological insight (relates to belief)
and practical insight (relates to behaviour). The first kind is usually ministered in the context of teaching – relates to what
P teaches about God’s wisdom in 1 Cor 1-2. The second kind is usually ministered in difficult life circumstances – wisdom
for right living.
• Acts 15 and the issue of circumcision
• 1 Cor 14 – Paul’s insight into the use of grace gifts
Evaluation of wisdom
The Corinthians had turned it into a special spiritual category, and saw it as initiation into the secrets of the heavenly
realsm – for Paul wisdom is not cosmological but christological. Inauthentic wisdom is kept secret and used to divide one
sort of spiritual person into another. True wisdom will be consistent with scripture and will encourage behaviour
consistent with kingdom ethics.
For Paul, the word of wisdom was the articulation of an insight into God’s purposes, either general (ie to do with God’s
plan of redemption) or sepcific ie (to do with God’s plan for a church or for an individual).
Like the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom is primarily a teaching gift – the ability to speak inspirationally of God’s
purposes at the global, local or individual level [?? prophecy?]
Three other spiritual gifts are needed to exercise the gift of healings – faith (Acts 3.16) which makes it possible for Jesus
to heal (Lk 5.17). Jesus looked for faith in those he ministered to. In Nazareth there was none so there were few healings.
Luke says the power of the Lord was present for Jesus to heal the sick – which implies that sometimes it’s not. Healing
gifts also require prophecy – insight into people’s hearts. God may give a revelation concerning a person’s heart or their
sins or their symptoms. Sometimes those praying feel the same pain. Example from Wimber. The third gift needed is
discernment – Jesus dealt with 2 cases of deafness in differne tways, Mk 7 and Mk 9 – one healing, one deliverance.
When God does not heal. Problems on our side – lack of faith (Mk 6), hidden sin (James 5), wrong theology (healing can
occur through medical treatment eg Hezikah’s boil, 2 Kings 20). Problems on God’s side – h eis sovereign, and we need to
respect his will for a person. He has a different understanding of suffering from us. Catholics teach that any suffering
which prevents a believer form living a fully human Christian life can and should be healed, but some suffering is positive,
developing charactger and enabling love and growth. Michael Butley said, ‘the problem is not that there is suffering in
the world but that we waste it so foolishly’. Finally, lack of healing can be because the kingdom of God is now but also
not yet; only with the Second coming will the works of Satan be finally and totally eradicated; they include sin, sickenss,
suffering and death.
Do miracles occur today? The liberal view says they never did occur; the conservative view says they did then but they
don’t now; the pentecostal view says they did then and they do now. Paul Thigpen proves that miracles occurred
consistently in all ages up to our own. He quotes from Justin Martyr, Hermas, Irenaeus, Tertullina, Eusebisu, Athanasius,
Hilary of Poiteirs, Martin fo Tours, Epiphanius of Salamis, Augusting, Severus, Benedict, Gregory the Gt, Gregory of Tours,
Aidan, Cuthbert, Jospeh Hazzaya of Syria, Ulrich of Augsburg, Anselm, William of Malmesbury, Hugh of Lincoln, Bernard,
Francis, Catherine of Sinea, et al; then fewer during the Refomation but again in George Fox, Wesley, Von Zinzendorf,
Edward Iriving, ahrles Cullis, Maria Woodwroth-Etter, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina et al. Sometimes he includes
hagiographical as well as historical writing, but it’s an impressive list.
Today – egs from Mahesh Chavda, Only Love can make a miracle. Includes a resurrection (with death certificate); and a
meeting in Zaire where sorcerers and witchdoctors gave their lives to Christ.
The key which seems to unlock the door for miracles in our own day seems to be: faith, fasting, compassion.
All are evident in Acts 9, where Peter raises Tabitha from the dead – need, faith, discipleship (Peter did exactly what he’d
seen Jesus do with Jairus’s daughter), compassion, looking to God (Peter prays to God before he does anything else inc
looking at Tabitha).
Mark Cartledge says there are 3 ways of viewing the prophetic experience:
• A message received some time before it’s shared
• A part of a message being received, and the rest as the person receiving begins to speak
• An impulse to prophesy, but without any words, which come as the person starts to speak
Words of prophecy can be directed to unbelievers, and contain hidden facts (1 Cor 14.24-25). Prophecy is a revelation
and declaration of the secrets of an unbeliever’s heart.
Words of prophecy can be directed to the church assembly, to edify, exhort, comfort (1 Cor 14.3). the most common
form is a message of exhortation beginning with words like ‘my children’ and expressed as a word from God in the 1st
person singular.
Grudem defines it as ‘telling something that God has spontaneously brought to mind’. If it’s in the form of a conscious
reflection on scripture, it’s teaching. If it comes suddenly, it’s prophecy. It’s a fallible gift, and its authority is linked to its
general content and not to every word:
Principles:
• Delivery - Humility, Love, Submissiveness, Self control
• Administration – welcome it, teach about it, encourage people to desire it, weigh it, don’t allow it to dominate, help people
to listen, keep sense of humour, keep perspective.
7. Discernings of spirits
The word spirit (pneuma) is used 379 times in the NT. It referst to the spirit within human beings; to the Spirit of God; to
supernatural beings which can be either angelic or demonic.
Discernment is the special ability to discern whether the human spirit, the HS, or a supernatural spirit (good or bad) is at
work behind a particular phenomenon.
Eg Jesus and Nathaniel John 1. It’s to be exercised when we gather together and when assessing a person. Paul urges us
to test spirits and prophecies – eg 1 Cor 14.29, 1 Thess 5.19.
It’s possible to discern the presence of God or of his angels.
Criteria for discernment:
• Conviction – Jesus was troubled in spirit when he confronted evil, eg John 11.33, 13.21
• Community – weighing prophetic words
• Consistency - with the Spirit of Jesus, the scriptures, the way God has worked in the past
• Christology – any spiritual experience should draw people’s hearts towards Jesus
• Character – does it come from and promote love?
• Consequence – by their fruit you will know prophets
8. Kinds of tongues
Inspired speech; and the source of the controversy. Glossa means language – so it’s a gift that enables us to speak
unlearnt languages. Poythress defines it ‘the production of connected sequences of speech sounds, not identified by the
speaker as a language known to him, lexically opque to him, not capable of being repeated by him (except in very small
snatches), and which sounds to an average hearer like an unknown language’.
So it’s a charismatic anointing in which a person speaks an unlearnt and unintelligible language.
But it’s also the spontaneous utterance of seemingly random speech sounds which represent the language of the angels.
It’s used devotionally (edifies the believer); and if used in public it will usually be an utterance of adoration (edifies the
gathering). Limitations – Paul lists it last, not first; he warns of the danger of creating ridicule through excessive use; says
it’s of no use without an interpretation; remarks that the mind is unfruitful when it’s being used; warns of disorder and
of confusion. It seems the Delphi Oracle involved a priestess speaking in tongues in a state of frenzy (it was interpreted
by a male priest); Paul warns against this.
Carlyle May has researched glossolalia in many parts of the world and cultures – not all Christian.
Advantages – speaking in the language of angels offers a foretaste of heaven; its private use is edifying because it brings
intimacy with God; it allows deeper expression of thanks and praise; it releases a greater sense of the Spirit’s presence in
our lives; it expresses deep joy; it gives a sense of continuity with the early church; it helps us yield more to the Spirit by
relinquishing control.
Tongues for all? The primary indication that a person has been filled with the HS is inspired speech – which can be
prophecy, praise, tongues, witness etc. MS thinks not every Christian receieves the gift of tongues when filled by the HS –
which is why Paul asks, ‘do all speak in tongues?’.
Conclusion
The gifts P mentions in 1 Cor 12 are ones which veer towards the sensational end of the charismatic spectrum. In reality
there’s a range of gifts from the ordinary (helping, mercy) to the extraordinary (miracles, prophecy). Paul spoke of the
gifts as acts of service as well as acts of power.
1 Cor 12 – helpful deeds – the special ability to help others who are in need (eg the men who brought their paralysed
friend to Jesus; somehow they are never mentioned in examination of the story
Rom 12.8 – mercy: ‘the special, God-given ability to show acts of mercy to those in need, and to do it with unbridled joy
and enthusiasm)
Romans 12.7 – teaching: ‘the ability to expound the scriptures in an inspirational, dynamic and sound way’