“Lesson 39: 1 Corinthians 12–14,” New Testament Teacher Manual (2018)
“Lesson 39,” New Testament Teacher Manual
39
1 Corinthians 12–14
Introduction and Timeline
In 1 Corinthians 12–14 Paul taught that there are divers spiritual gifts that can be granted to faithful members of the Church. These gifts enable Christ’s followers to serve and edify others, thereby creating greater unity in the Church. Paul emphasized the gift of charity, which he characterized as being pure, unselfish love and concern for the well-being of others. He taught that charity should govern the exercise of all other spiritual gifts in the Church. He cautioned that the gift of speaking in tongues, if used improperly, will fail to edify the Church and will distract members from seeking superior spiritual gifts. Paul’s counsel in these chapters continued to address the problems that members of the Church in Corinth were having with doctrinal questions and a lack of unity.
Chapter Overviews
Paul wrote about various spiritual gifts that can be received through the Holy Ghost. Each member of the Church is to contribute to the body (Church) of Christ. Apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, and spiritual gifts are all part of God’s Church. Paul admonished his readers to strive earnestly for the best gifts.
Charity holds a preeminent position among other attributes of godliness. Without charity, spiritual gifts and good deeds lack effectiveness. Paul described the characteristics of charity. Charity “never faileth.”
Prophecy is a gift given to Church members so they can strengthen others spiritually. Prophecy is greater than the gift of tongues. The proper role of the gift of tongues is to teach the gospel so that others can understand and be edified. “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.”
Suggestions for Teaching
1 Corinthians 12:1–11, 31
Spiritual Gifts Are Given to Strengthen the Church
Invite a student to read aloud the following statement from the Prophet Joseph Smith (you may want to write it on the board before class): “If you will obey the Gospel with honest hearts, I promise you in the name of the Lord, that the gifts as promised by our Saviour will follow you” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 118).
Ask the class to consider the following question:
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What are some spiritual gifts that can come to those who are striving to live the gospel?
Prepare students to personalize this principle in their own lives by inviting them to think about the strengths or gifts they have that can help them to serve the Lord and others. Explain that in 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul taught the Saints in Corinth about the spiritual gifts found among members of the Church and why they are important. To help students understand the definition of spiritual gifts, or gifts of the Spirit, ask a student to read aloud the first paragraph of the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:3–10.
Have the class read silently 1 Corinthians 12:1–3, and ask students to identify one of the main purposes of the Holy Ghost. (He testifies of Jesus Christ.) Ask a student to read aloud the first sentence of the second paragraph in the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:1–3. Consider having students make a note of the change from “say” to “know” in the margin of their scriptures beside 1 Corinthians 12:3.
Have a student read aloud 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, and then ask the class:
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Who may receive spiritual gifts? (See also D&C 46:9, 11, 27.)
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Why would it benefit you to learn all you can about spiritual gifts?
Explain to students that Paul’s list of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 does not include all of the gifts that can be obtained. You might have the class read the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:4, which clarifies that spiritual gifts are “endless in number.”
Invite the class to study 1 Corinthians 12:4–10 and mark in their scriptures some of the spiritual gifts that can be enjoyed by faithful members of the Church. Have students select one of the spiritual gifts they identified and explain how it blesses the Church. If students are unfamiliar with a particular gift of the Spirit, encourage them to read about it in the chart found in the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:3–10.
Ask students to find what Paul invited his readers to do in connection with spiritual gifts by reading 1 Corinthians 12:31; 14:12 and the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:31. Then ask:
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What does 1 Corinthians 14:12 teach that our motive should be for seeking gifts of the Spirit? (After students share their answers, make sure they understand this principle: When we seek gifts of the Spirit, we bless others and strengthen the Church.)
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What can a person do to “covet earnestly” or “seek earnestly” for the gifts of the Spirit?
Ask a student to read again the statement on the board from the Prophet Joseph Smith. Give students a moment to ponder what they will do to seek after the gifts of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:12–30
Each Member of the Church Can Make an Important Contribution
You might ask the following questions:
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Have you ever had an injury to a minor part of your body, perhaps an injured finger, a sore tooth, or a broken toe? How did this minor injury affect even simple daily tasks? (Ask one or two students to briefly relate their experiences.)
Explain that Paul compared the Church to a body, and he compared individual members to parts of the body.
On the board, make a simple two-column chart with the following headings:
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The Physical Body |
The Church or Body of Christ |
|---|---|
Divide students into small groups and ask them to read 1 Corinthians 12:12–30 aloud with their group, looking for ways in which Paul compared the physical body to the Church. Point out that they might first look for what Paul taught about the physical body and then identify how he compared the body to the Church. Have them discuss their observations with the members of their group.
To summarize the insights gained from this activity, ask one member from each small group to share with the class a comparison that Paul made between the physical body and the body of Christ, which means the Church. You could have a student record the answers on the board in the appropriate columns. The completed chart might look something like this:
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The Physical Body |
The Church or Body of Christ |
|---|---|
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Many parts, but one body. |
Many members, but one Church. |
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Each part is different and has a distinct role to fulfill. |
Members have distinct gifts that allow them to contribute to the Church. |
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The body is lacking if one or more parts are missing. |
The Lord wants all members to be fully participating members of the Church. |
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Even parts that are seemingly insignificant are needed to make the body whole. |
There are no insignificant members in the Church. |
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How would you state a principle Paul is teaching in these verses? (As students share their responses, help them understand the following truths: Every member of the Church can make a valuable contribution to the Church. When we choose to participate actively in our ward or branch, our gifts help us to serve others.)
To help students better understand these truths, ask some of the following questions:
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What concerns might Church members today have that could be resolved by Paul’s teachings about how Church members are like parts of a body?
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Why do you think Paul discussed the roles of individual members within the Church right after he had written about various spiritual gifts?
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How is the Church blessed because individual members have different callings and different spiritual gifts?
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When have you seen several Church members working together and using their individual spiritual gifts to accomplish a task or to help people in need?
Invite students to apply the principles Paul taught in these verses by asking them to consider what they will do to better serve the other members of their ward or branch.
1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:1–13
The Importance of Charity
Remind students that the behavior of Church members in Corinth was leading to divisions in the Church. For that reason, Paul was trying to teach the members how to strengthen and unify the Church. Have students read 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, 13, and ask:
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Why do you think the Apostle Paul referred to charity as “a more excellent way”?
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How did Paul illustrate that charity exceeds other virtues?
To help students better understand the meaning of charity, have a student read aloud from the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:1–13. Then ask half of your class to read 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, looking for what Paul said charity is, while the other half of the class reads the same verses, looking for what Paul said charity is not. Ask for volunteers to share what they found, and invite students to mark phrases in their scriptures that will help them personally in their effort to obtain more charity. After the student responses, ask:
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How would you summarize what charity is?
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How can studying Paul’s description of charity prepare us to be more charitable? (It may be helpful at this point to discuss any terms in verses 4–7 that students do not understand.)
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When have you seen someone who exemplified one of the aspects of charity described by Paul, such as not being easily provoked, thinking no evil, and rejoicing not in iniquity?
As students respond, make sure they understand truths such as the following: Charity is selfless, godly love that guides the actions of followers of Jesus Christ. Our ability to serve others grows as we seek to obtain the characteristics of charity.
Explain that Paul taught more about charity by contrasting it with other gifts. Ask three students to read 1 Corinthians 13:8–13 aloud, reading two verses each. Ask the rest of the class to follow along, looking for ways charity differs from other gifts.
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According to these verses, in what ways is charity different from the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge? (Charity is eternal; the other gifts are for mortality. Charity is “that which is perfect” or fully developed; the other gifts are “that which is in part.” If students need help understanding this, you might consult the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 13:8–13.)
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How is developing charity like growing from a child into an adult?
Invite students to seek to grow in their capacity for charity. To help them understand how to develop greater charity, ask a student to read Moroni 7:48. Emphasize the importance of praying earnestly for charity. You might encourage students to select one of the aspects of charity listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 and to strive to apply it in their relationships with others during the coming week. Give students a moment to ponder how developing greater charity would bless their families, fellow Latter-day Saints, and others.
1 Corinthians 14
Paul Taught about Prophecy and Tongues
Have a few students take turns reading aloud 1 Corinthians 14:1–6, and then ask:
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Why is the gift of prophecy greater than the gift of tongues?
Ask a student to read aloud the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 14:1–6, and then ask for a volunteer to explain in his or her own words how Church members can know if they have experienced the gift of prophecy.
Present the following truth to the students: The gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues can enable us to strengthen the faith of others. To help students understand this truth, assign them one of the following scripture passages to study, and make sure that at least one person reads each passage. You may want to write the passages on the board. Ask students to look for phrases or verses that help them understand how the gift of tongues or the gift of prophecy can edify or strengthen others.
After sufficient time, invite students to share what they have learned. Then help students to understand the relevance of prophecy and the gift of tongues in their lives by asking the following questions:
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When do we usually see the gift of tongues in operation today? (When full-time missionaries quickly acquire the skills necessary to preach the gospel in a foreign language.)
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When have you seen the gift of prophecy given to someone? (If students struggle to answer, remind them of the student manual commentary for 1 Corinthians 14:1–6.)
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When have you felt blessed or strengthened by the gift of prophecy or the gift of tongues?
Consider sharing your testimony that students will be better able to strengthen the faith of others when they seek for the gifts of the Spirit.