In 12:28 Paul says, “And God has placed some in the church: firstly apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; then works of power, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.” The church here refers both to its universal and local aspects. From verse 12 through 27 the church is considered the Body of Christ. The Body is an organism for Christ as the believers’ life to grow and express Himself. The church is an assembly for God to operate His administration.
The apostles are those who are called and sent by God (1:1; Rom. 1:1) to preach the gospel so that sinners may be saved to be the materials for the building of the church, to establish the churches (Acts 14:21-23), and to teach the divine truth. Their ministry is universal for all the churches.
The prophets are those who speak for God and speak forth God by God’s revelation. Sometimes they may speak with inspired predictions (Acts 11:27-28).
The teachers are those who teach the truths according to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42) and the prophets’ revelation. Both prophets and teachers are universal as well as local (Eph. 4:11; Acts 13:1).
Works of power denote miracles, works of miraculous power other than healing. An example of the works of power was the case of Peter raising Dorcas from death (Acts 9:36-42). Gifts of healing refer to miraculous power for healing different diseases.
The Greek word rendered “helps” also means helpers or helpings. These must refer to the services of the deacons and deaconesses (1 Tim. 3:8-13).
The Greek word translated “administrations” also means administrators or governings. This should refer to the eldership in the church.
As the last of the items in 12:28, Paul lists various kinds of tongues. This is the second time that speaking in tongues is listed as the last of the aspects of God’s operation in the church.
From 12:28 we clearly see that God has placed different gifts in the church. Actually, every member of the Body is a gift to the Body. Therefore, you should not think that others may be a gift but that you are not a gift. Even the small members of our physical body, such as our little fingers, are gifts to the body. If we did not have our little fingers, we certainly would sense a lack. All the members of the Body are gifts to the Body, and all are needed by the Body.
In 14:4, 5, and 12 we see that the functions of the members are for the building up of the church. First Corinthians 14:4 and 5 say, “He who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but he who prophesies builds up the church. Now I desire that you all speak in tongues, but rather that you may prophesy; now greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, that the church may receive building up.” To prophesy, to speak for the Lord and speak forth the Lord, builds up not only the individual saints, but also the church.
In 14:12 Paul goes on to say, “So also you, since you are zealots of spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the church.” The apostle is fully occupied with the consideration of building up the church. He is fully church-conscious and church-centered, altogether different from the self-centered Corinthians. Their problem with spiritual gifts was due to their self-seeking, to their not caring for the building up of the church.
In dealing with the problems in the realm of human life, Paul emphasizes Christ as God’s unique portion to us. In dealing with problems in the realm of the divine administration, he emphasizes the church as God’s unique goal for us. The Corinthians not only were devoid of Christ, but were also ignorant of the church. The apostle’s completing ministry (Col. 1:25) comprises Christ as the mystery of God (Col. 2:2) and the church as the mystery of Christ (Eph. 3:4). However, the Corinthians missed both, even though they were under the apostle’s ministry.
In 14:25 Paul says, “The secrets of his heart become manifest; and so falling on his face, he will worship God, reporting that God is really among you.” This implies that prophecy, speaking for God and speaking forth God with God as its content, ministers God to the hearers and brings them to God. This also indicates that the church meeting should be filled with God and that all its activity should convey God and transmit Him to people so that they may be infused with God.