1 Corinthians 12:6

Verse 6. Diversities of operations] ενεργηματων. Miraculous influences exerted on others; such as the expulsion of demons, inflicting extraordinary punishments, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas the sorcerer, c., the healing of different diseases, raising the dead, &c.: all these proceeded from God the Father, as the fountain of all goodness and power, and the immediate dispenser of every good and perfect gift.

In the three preceding verses we find more than an indirect reference to the doctrine of the sacred Trinity.

GIFTS are attributed to the Holy Spirit, 1Co 12:4.

ADMINISTRATIONS to the Lord Jesus, 1Co 12:5.

OPERATIONS to God the Father, 1Co 12:6.

He who may think this fanciful must account for the very evident distinctions here in some more satisfactory way.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Operations. Manifestations of Divine power. The same God which worketh all in all. God is the Source of all gifts in all men. He is the Sun of the whole universe, and always in the meridian; and from him, as the Father of lights, flows every good and perfect gift. (Jam_1:17) It will be seen that this is one of the many passages which teach with perfect clearness the doctrine of the Trinity in unity. All in all (for this expression, (see ch. 15:28; Eph_1:23) There are very similar passages descriptive of the diversity in unity of God"s dispensations, in Eph_4:4-6, Eph_4:11, Eph_4:12; Rom_12:6-8; 1Pe_4:10, 1Pe_4:11.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all . [Though the gifts were the immediate impartation of the Spirit, yet it was a mistake to think that the Spirit acted as an independent deity in this giving. Hence Paul begins by showing that all the Godhead participated in the bestowal, and that each sustained his own relation to these miraculous manifestations. In relation to the Spirit, they were, as we have seen, gifts; in relation to Jesus, they were means whereby he ministered to the church ( Eph_4:11-12 ; Rom_12:6-7 ; 1Pe_4:10-11 ), and to the world through the church ( Mar_16:20 ); in relation to the Father, they were workings, or manifestations of power, whereby he sanctioned the church and kingdom of Jesus as proceeding from himself, approved by him, and part of his universal field of operation-- Joh_8:28-29 ; Joh_14:10-11 ]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12:6 All the work believers do for God is in fact God working through them (see 15:10; 2 Cor 4:7; Gal 2:8; Phil 2:13; cp. Gal 2:20).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Co 12:6. Ἐνεργημάτων, of operations) 1Co 12:10.—ὁ δὲ αὐτός [108] ἐστι Θεὸς, but it is the same God) by the working of His Spirit, 1Co 12:11.—τὰ πάντα, all things) The working of God is seen somewhat more extensively than the offices of Christ, and the gifts of the Spirit.—ἐν πᾶσιν, in all) Masculine; comp. to every man, in the following verses.

[108] The word ἐστὶ should rather be rejected, as well by the margin of bot’. editions as by the Germ. Ver.—E. B.

Rec. Text reads ἐστι θεὸς with later Syr., Orig., and B, which puts ἐστι after ἐνεργῶν. But ACD(Λ)Gfg Vulg. Iren. Hilar. omit ἐστι.—ED.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So Paul endeth that inward force which cometh from the holy Ghost, and maketh men fit to wonderful things.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

operations--(Compare Co1 12:10).

same God . . . worketh--by His Spirit working (Co1 12:11).

all in all--all of them (the "gifts") in all the persons (who possess them).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

6. One God that worketh. Where we use the word powers the Greek term is ἐνεργήματα, a term which contains an allusion to the verb worketh, as in Latin effectus (an effect) corresponds with the verb effectus (to effect.) Paul’s meaning is, that although believers may be endowed with different powers, they all take their rise from one and the same power on the part of God. Hence the expression employed here — worketh all things in all — does not refer to the general providence of God, but to the liberality that he exercises towards us, in bestowing upon every one some gift. The sum is this — that there is nothing in mankind that is good or praiseworthy but what comes from God alone. Hence it is out of place here to agitate the question — in what manner God acts in Satan and in reprobates.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

6. operations] ἐνεργήματα. Worchyngis, Wiclif. Calvin renders facultas, but explains this to mean effectus. The Apostle here is speaking of active power (ἐνέργεια), not latent as in 1Co_1:18 (where see note). The influences to which he now refers are actually at work, and producing results, in obedience to an impulse received from Him. Cf. Rom_7:5 and St Mat_14:2.

all in all] i.e. “every one of them in every person on whom they are bestowed.” So ch. 1Co_15:28; Eph_1:23; Col_3:11.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And there are diversities of operations, There are some that are ordinary, as the good work of grace, and the several parts of it, the work of faith, the labour of love, and patience of hope, which the Spirit of God begins, carries on, and finishes in all the elect of God, and members of Christ; and there are others which are extraordinary, and are here meant, and hereafter specified.

But it is the same God which worketh all in all. Interpreters in general understand by God here, God the Father; as by the Lord in the preceding verse, the Lord Jesus Christ, as distinct from the Spirit in Co1 12:4 and apprehend that this furnishes out a considerable proof of a trinity of persons in the Godhead, which I will not deny; but I rather think that the Holy Ghost is designed in each verse, by Spirit, Lord, and God; since the various gifts, administrations, and operations, are particularly and peculiarly ascribed to him in the following verses; and the distribution of them is said to be the effect of his sovereign will; and so we have a most illustrious testimony of his proper deity and personality; who is the only true "Jehovah" with the Father and Son, to which the word "Lord" in the New Testament generally answers, and who is the omnipotent God, "which worketh all in all"; all the works of nature throughout the universe, and all the, works of grace in the hearts of all his people, and all the extraordinary operations effected by any of them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Ver. 6. Diversities of operations] The Holy Ghost may use one of less grace to do more good than one of more; though he delights to honour those of most sincerity with most success, as 1Co 15:10.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of operations - Of works; to wit, of miracles, such as God produces in the church, in the establishment and defense of his religion. There are different operations on the mind and heart; and different powers given to man, or different qualifications in building up and defending his cause. Or it may be, possibly, that Paul here refers to the works of God mainly for mere “illustration,” and by the word “operations” means the works which God has performed in creation and providence. His works are various. They are not all alike, though they come from the same hand. The sun, the moon, the stars, the earth are different; the trees of the forest, the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the inhabitants of the deep are different; the flowers, and shrubs, and herbs are different from each other; yet. however much they may vary, they are formed by the same hand. are the productions of the same God, are to be regarded as proofs of the same wisdom and power. The same thing should be expected in his church; and we should anticipate that the endowments of its members would be various.

But it is the same God - The same Father; all these operations are produced by the same God. They should not, therefore, be undervalued or despised; nor should anyone be unduly elated, or pride himself on what has been conferred by God alone.

All in all - All these operations are to be traced to him. His agency is everywhere. It is as really seen in the insect’s wing as in the limbs of the mammoth; as really in the humblest violet as in the loftiest oak of the forest. All, therefore, should regard themselves as under his direction, and should submit to his arrangements. If people regard their endowments as the gift of God, they will be thankful for them, and they will not be disposed to despise or undervalue others who have been placed in a more humble condition and rank in the church.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Operations and administrations both differ from gifts, as acts from habits. Habits and powers, by which men performed holy offices in the church, or wrought miracles, are called gifts. The acts or exercise of these powers are called administrations and operations. These latter differ one from another, as the former signify standing and continuing acts in the church; operations, energnmata, rather signify miraculous effects, such as healing the sick without the application of ordinary means, speaking with divers tongues, &c. The apostle tells them, that as there was a diversity of gifts, or powers, and a diversity of acts in the constant service of the church, by which men exercised those gifts or powers they had in the performance of them; so there were diversities of operations, by which men used those extraordinary gifts or powers, which God gave some in the first plantation of the church, for the sake of such as believed not. But it was

the same God that wrought them all, and in all, though all did not do, or could not do, the same things.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. Operations—Better, in-workings. Divine operations within the soul, whereby the exercises referred to were wrought. The apostle having thus enforced the unity of origin, now (1Co_12:7-10) analyzes the variety of gifts, in order still more emphatically (1Co_12:11-13) to trace them all to one Source.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Operations - Effects produced. This word is of a larger extent than either of the former. But it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all the persons concerned.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

6. “There are diversities of operations, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.” Here we see the beautiful and harmonious co-operation of the blessed heavenly Trinity. God works in us a vast diversity of operations, enlightening, transforming, renewing, upbuilding, sanctifying and glorifying, the Son sitting on the throne of the heart, dispensing the different ministries, and the indwelling Holy Ghost furnishing the potent and diversified gifts requisite to the different ministries and the variant operation performed by the same.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. Diversities of workings. The inward workings of the Spirit are not always the same, but it is God, one God, the same God, who causes them all. The object of this section is to show that one divine source accounts for spiritual gifts diverse in their manifestations.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

6. ἐνεργημάτων. Worchyngis, Wiclif. Calvin renders by facultas, but explains this to mean effectus. The Apostle here is speaking of active power (ἐνέργεια), not latent as in 1Co 1:18 (where see note). The influences to which he now refers are actually at work, and producing results, in obedience to an impulse received from Him. Cf. Rom 7:5 and Mat 14:2. The distinction between ἐνέργεια and ἐνέργημα is this. The latter means the effect of the energy, the former the energy itself.

τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν. Every one of them in every person. Not of course that all of them are given to each person, but that they are all given, and every one has his own particular gift or gifts. Cf. ch. 1Co 15:28; Eph 1:23; Col 3:11.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. ἐνεργημάτων. These are the results or effects of the ἐνέργεια given by God (Eph 3:7; Col 1:29, Col 2:12), the outward manifestations of His power. Among these ἐνεργ. are certainly χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων. The word occurs again v. 10, but nowhere else in Biblical Greek: it is almost co-extensive with χαρίσματα, but it gives prominence to the idea of power rather than that of endowment. Cremer, pp. 262, 713; he quotes Polyb. iv. 8. 7, αἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσεις ἔχουσί τι πολυειδές, ὥστε τὸν αὐτὸν ἄνδρα μὴ μόνον ἐν τοῖς διαφέρουσιν τῶν ἐνεργημάτων: and Diodor. iv. 51, τῶν δὲ ἐεργημάτων ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν φανέτων.

ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς Θεός. If this is the right reading, we again have a contrast between the oneness of the Operator and the multiplicity of the operations, as before in v. 4. The Operator (ὁ ἐνεργῶν) is always God: every one of the gifts in every person that manifests them (τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν) is bestowed and set in motion by Him. See J. A. Robinson, Eph. p. 241; Westcott, Eph. p. 155.

ὀ δὲ αὐτός is the reading of א A K L P, Latt. Syrr. Arm., and the δέ is supported by the ὁ αὐτὸς δέ of D E F G. But και ὀ αὐτός is found in B C some cursives, and Origen. If καὶ ὁ αὐτός may be due to assimilation to v. 5, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς may be assimilation to v. 4. St Paul would be as likely to respect the καί as to go back to the δέ.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Operations [ενεργηματα] . Rev., workings. Outward manifestations and results of spiritual gifts. The kindred word ejnergeia energy is used only by Paul : and only of superhuman good or evil. Compare Eph 1:19; Eph 3:7; Col 2:12. See on Mr 6:14.

Worketh [ενεργων] . Etymologically akin to operations. See on Mr 6:14; Jas 5:16.

All [τα παντα] . Or them all. The article shows that they are regarded collectively.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vv. 6. A third kind of varied manifestations: manifold operations due to the exercise both of those gifts and those offices. The term ἐνεργήματα, operations, denotes the powers realized in acts; the real effects Divinely produced either in the world of body or of mind, as often as the gift or the office comes into action. Thus, in a believer, the Holy Spirit has developed the gift of preaching. Recognising this gift, the Church has committed to him the preacher’s office, with a view to the service of Christ; its ἐνέργημα, operation, will be the good discourse delivered by him, and the edification thereby effected in the hearts of his hearers. Another has the gift of healing; this gift cannot, from its nature, take the form of a regular office; but it will be displayed in healing operations; restored health will be its ἐνέργημα in each case.

These varied effects have also their principle of unity. It is God who, after producing the gifts by the Spirit, and establishing the offices for the service of the Lord, Himself produces every good result of the gifts and offices; comp. 1Co 3:6-7.

Τὰ πάντα, all things: according to the context, the gifts of every kind, and the offices of every kind, as well as the endlessly varied beneficent effects which result from both.—᾿Εν πᾶσιν, in all; in those who work and in those on whom the effect is produced.

Paul here returns to the δέ, but, to pass to the second proposition. He wishes thereby strongly to contrast the supreme principle of unity, which embraces in it the two preceding, the Spirit and the Lord, with the boundless variety of gifts, ministries, and operations distributed among the members of the Church.

After this general survey of the Divine unity which controls the three great forms of activity and their manifold varieties, the apostle comes to the one which it is most important for him to regulate in the given circumstances, viz. gifts. And before showing how rich in number they are, he reminds them of the common principle which produces them, and points to the common end which unites them, the common advantage (1Co 12:7). Then he states them in all their variety, each time repeating the one principle from which they proceed (1Co 12:8-12).

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_12:4-6

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

The second thing which the apostle teaches concerning these gifts is, their diversity of character in connection with the unity of their source and design. He is not, however, to be understood as here dividing these gifts into three classes, under the heads of gifts, ministrations, and operations; but as presenting them each and all under three different aspects. Viewed in relation to the Spirit, they are gifts; in relation to the Lord, they are ministrations; and in relation to God, they are operations, i.e. effects wrought by his power. And it is the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God who are concerned in them all. That is, the same Spirit is the giver; it is he who is the immediate and proximate author of all these various endowments. It is the same Lord in whose service and by whose authority these various gifts are exercised. They are all different forms in which he is served, or ministered to. And it is the same God the Father, who having exalted the Lord Jesus to the supreme headship of the church, and having sent the Holy Ghost, works all these effects in the minds of men. There is no inconsistency between this statement and 1Co_12:11, where the Spirit is said to work all these gifts; because God works by his Spirit. So in one place we are said to be born of God, and in another to be born of the Spirit. Thus, the doctrine of the Trinity underlies the whole scheme of redemption in its execution and application as well as in its conception.

Those who understand this passage as describing three distinct classes of gifts, one as derived from the Spirit, the other from the Son, and the other from the Father, suppose that to the first class belong wisdom, knowledge, and faith; to the second, church-offices; and to the third, gift of miracles. But this view of the passage is inconsistent with the constant and equal reference of these gifts to the Holy Spirit; they all come under the head of spiritual gifts; and with what follows in 1Co_12:8-10, where a different classification is given. That is, the nine gifts there mentioned are not classified in reference to their relation to the Father, Son, and Spirit; and therefore it is unnatural to assume such a classification here. They are all and equally gifts of the Spirit, modes of serving the Son, and effects due to the efficiency of the Father.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.