Having then gifts, differing
As in a natural body, the various members of it have not the same
office, and do not perform the same actions, thus they have not
the same, but different faculties; one has one faculty, another
another; the eye has the faculty of seeing, the ear of hearing
thus in the spiritual body the church, as there are different
members, these members have not the same work and business
assigned them; some are employed one way, and some another; also
they have diversities of gifts for their different
administrations and operations, and all from Christ their head,
by the same Spirit, and for the service of the whole body,
according to the grace that is given unto us;
for all these gifts are not the effects of nature, the fruits of
human power, diligence, and industry, but flow from the grace of
God, who dispenses them when, where, and to whom he pleases in a
free and sovereign manner; and therefore to be acknowledged as
such, and used to his glory, and for the good of his church and
people. Wherefore
whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the
proportion of
faith.
The offices here, and hereafter mentioned, are not of an
extraordinary, but ordinary kind, such as are lasting, and will
continue in the church unto the end of time: and are divided into
two parts, which are after subdivided into other branches. The
division is into "prophesying" and "ministering". By
"prophesying" is meant, not foretelling things to come, thought
this gift was bestowed upon some, as Agabus, and others in the
Christian church; but this, as it is of an extraordinary nature,
so it is not stinted and limited according to the proportion of
faith; but preaching the Gospel is here designed, which is the
sense of the word in many places of Scripture, particularly in (
1
Corinthians 13:2 1
Corinthians 13:8 1
Corinthians 13:9 ) ( 1
Corinthians 14:1 1
Corinthians 14:3-6 1
Corinthians 14:22 ) ( 1
Corinthians 14:24 1
Corinthians 14:29 1
Corinthians 14:31 1
Corinthians 14:32 1
Corinthians 14:37 1
Corinthians 14:39 ) . Now such who have this gift of
prophecy, or of opening and explaining the Scriptures, ought to
make use of it, and constantly attend toil: "let us prophesy";
diligently prepare for it by prayer, reading and meditation, and
continually exercise it as opportunity offers; nor should any
difficulty and discouragement deter from it: or whereas this last
clause is not in the original text, it may be supplied from (
Romans 12:3 )
; thus, "let us think soberly", who have this gift, and not be
elated with it, or carry it haughtily to those who attend on the
exercise of it: but behave with sobriety, modesty, and humility,
in the discharge thereof: "according to the proportion of faith".
There must be faith, or no prophesying; a man must believe, and
therefore speak, or speak not at all; a Gospel minister ought not
to be a sceptic, or in doubt about the main principles of
religion; such as concern the three divine persons, the office,
grace, and righteousness of Christ, and the way of salvation by
him: he should be at a point in these things, should firmly
believe, and with assurance assert them, nor fear to be called
dogmatical on that account: he is to preach according to his
faith, the proportion of it: which may be the same with the
measure of it, ( Romans 12:3 ) . And so
the Syriac version reads it, (htwnmyhd atxwvm Kya) , "according to the measure of
his faith"; to which the Arabic version agrees; that is,
according to the measure of the gift of Christ he has received;
according to the abilities bestowed on him; according to that
light, knowledge, faith, and experience he has; he ought to
preach up unto it, and not in the least come short of it; or by
"the proportion", or "analogy of faith", may be meant a scheme of
Gospel truths, a form of sound words, a set of principles upon
the plan of the Scriptures, deduced from them, and agreeably to
them; and which are all of a piece, and consistent with
themselves, from which the prophesier or preacher should never
swerve: or the Scriptures themselves, the sure word of prophecy,
the rule and standard of faith and practice: the scope of the
text is to be attended to, its connection with the preceding or
following verses, or both; and it is to be compared with other
passages of Scripture, and accordingly to be explained: and this
is to follow the rule directed to.