Spiritual Gifts Study
Wisdom and Knowledge
Text
1 Corinthians 12:7-8 (NASB) 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
Other Verses that deal with wisdom and knowledge for our study tonight:
Wisdom
1 Corinthians 2:6 (NASB) 6 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
2 Corinthians 1:12 (NASB) 12 For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
Summary
The spiritual gift of wisdom, like the gift of knowledge, is also referred to as the “word of wisdom” or “utterance of wisdom.” The Greek word for wisdom is sophia and it refers to the intimate understanding of God’s Word and His commandments which results in holy and upright living. In the context of 1 Corinthians 12:8, it means to speak to the life of an individual or to a specific situation with great understanding and a righteous perspective, with the goal of guiding others toward a life of holiness and worship.
Several Scriptures reveal the true beauty and fruit of wisdom. Psalm 111:10 says: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!” Wisdom begins with the fear of the LORD. It begins with knowing who God is and who we are in comparison to Him. That leads to understanding and then to practicing righteousness. A life of wisdom ultimately results in the praise of God.
James 3:17 says “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” This is undoubtedly a work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The highest wisdom is found in the cross of Christ, which is “folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
The Holy Spirit gives some the spiritual gift of wisdom to not only impart the truth and understanding to believers, but to invoke a response of holiness and worship lived out in the world and amongst God’s people. Wisdom doesn’t end with knowledge, but is expressed in transformed hearts and lives.
Those with the gift of wisdom have a deep understanding of the holiness of God and the lack of holiness in their own hearts. They can recognize this in others as well and have the compassion and boldness to share that truth with them. They are able to take from their own life experiences and share what God has taught them through those things. They can easily recognize where a decision or action may lead and can warn against those that may be harmful or unfruitful. They can often see through the confusion of a situation and can give direction that would help an individual or group obtain a God-glorifying goal. The church needs those with the spiritual gift of wisdom to guide her though uncertain or difficult times. See also 1 Corinthians 1:17-31, 2:1-16, 12:8; Colossians 1:9-10, 2:1-3; James 3:13-18
Knowledge
Romans 15:14 (NASB) 14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.
1 Corinthians 2:11 (NASB) 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 2:16 (NASB) 16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB) 14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
2 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB) 16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NASB) 7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.
2 Corinthians 11:16 (NASB) 16 Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.
Summary
The spiritual gift of knowledge is also known as the “word of knowledge” or “utterance of knowledge.” The Greek word for this gift is Gnosis and it simply means knowledge and understanding. The Scriptural emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12:8 is on the ability to speak this knowledge to others in a given situation. In the opening passages of 1 Corinthians, Paul spoke of knowledge and recognized that the highest form of knowledge among men is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (i.e. the testimony about Christ, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4-7). What we can conclude then is the gift of knowledge is an understanding of the things in this world and in our lives that is founded in the Gospel and rooted in the Scriptures. This gift is closely related to the gift of wisdom which is alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.
The Holy Spirit gives this spiritual gift to some believers to bring about understanding and to inform the church or individual believers. The person with this gift is usually well-versed in the Scriptures and often has much committed to memory. They can retain the truth and communicate it effectively at the appropriate times. The gift of knowledge allows a believer to relate the Scriptures, and particularly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to all aspects of life in this world. They can see how it connects to every situation and circ*mstance and how the reality and truth of the Gospel is to inform every decision a Christian makes.
Some insight from Bible Commentaries on these 2 gifts
Adam Clark said this on Wisdom and Knowledge:
“Word of wisdom—In all these places I consider that the proper translation of λογος is doctrine, as in many other places of the New Testament. It is very difficult to say what is intended here by the different kinds of gifts mentioned by the apostle: they were probably all supernatural, and were necessary at that time only for the benefit of the Church. On the 8th, 9th, and 10th verses (1 Corinthians 12:8-10), much may be seen in Lightfoot, Whitby, Pearce, and others.
- By doctrine of wisdom we may understand, as Bp. Pearce and Dr. Whitby observe, the mystery of our redemption, in which the wisdom of God was most eminently conspicuous: see 1 Corinthians 2:7, 10; and which is called the manifold wisdom of God, Ephesians 3:10. Christ, the great teacher of it, is called the wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians 1:24; and in him are said to be contained all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Colossians 2:3. The apostles to whom this doctrine was committed are called σοφοι, wise men; (Matthew 23:34); and they are said to teach this Gospel according to the wisdom given them, 2 Peter 3:15.
- By the doctrine of knowledge we may understand either a knowledge of the types, etc., in the Old Testament; or what are termed mysteries; the calling of the Gentiles, the recalling of the Jews, the mystery of iniquity, of the beast, etc., and especially the mystical sense or meaning of the Old Testament, with all its types, rites, ceremonies, etc., etc.”
Bible Believer Commentary said this:
The word of wisdom is the supernatural power to speak with divine insight, whether in solving difficult problems, defending the faith, resolving conflicts, giving practical advice, or pleading one's case before hostile authorities. Stephen so demonstrated the word of wisdom that his adversaries "were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke" (Acts 6:10).
The word of knowledge is the power to communicate information that has been divinely revealed. This is illustrated in Paul's use of such expressions as "Behold, I tell you a mystery" (1 Cor. 15:51) and "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:15). In that primary sense of conveying new truth, the word of knowledge has ceased, because the Christian faith has been once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). The body of Christian doctrine is complete. In a secondary sense, however, the word of knowledge may still be with us. There is still a mysterious communication of divine knowledge to those who live in close fellowship with the Lord (see Psalm 25:14). The sharing of that knowledge with others is the word of knowledge.
Bible Knowledge Commentary says:
Wisdom refers to insight into doctrinal truth. Paul exercised and expressed this gift in this letter (e.g., 2:6). (2) Knowledge refers to the ability to apply doctrinal truth to life. Paul also exercised and expressed this gift in this letter (e.g., 12:1-3; 11:3). (Cf. the recurrence of the phrase "Do you not know" in 3:16; 5:6; 6:2-3, 9, 15-16, 19; 9:13, 24; also cf. 8:1-3, 10-11).
John Calvin said:
He now subjoins an enumeration, or, in other words, specifies particular kinds — not indeed all of them, but such as are sufficient for his present purpose. “Believers,” says he, “are endowed with different gifts, but let every one acknowledge, that he is indebted for whatever he has to the Spirit of God, for he pours forth his gifts as the sun scatters his rays in every direction. As to the difference between these gifts, knowledge (or understanding) and wisdom are taken in different senses in the Scriptures, but here I take them in the way of less and greater, as in Colossians 2:3, where they are also joined together, when Paul says, that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge, therefore, in my opinion, means acquaintance with sacred things — Wisdom, on the other hand, means the perfection of it. Sometimes prudence is put, as it were, in the middle place between these two, and in that case it denotes skill
in applying knowledge to some useful purpose. They are, it is true, very nearly allied; but still you observe a difference when they are put together. Let us then take knowledge as meaning ordinary information, and wisdom, as including revelations that are of a more secret and sublime order.
Bible Complete Library said:
"Wisdom" (sophias) by itself includes practical skill in the affairs of life, and in particular in the things of Christ. It is the supernatural ability to see how to handle a particular situation as the Spirit directs. "Word" denotes not only expression, but time and place, beginning and end. The gift operates in a particular setting and time. See the Greek-English Dictionary for added helps.
"Word of knowledge" (gnōseōs) involves a supernatural utterance of facts, including fundamental principles of the Word. It would include understanding of the great facts of life as they are known by God. See the Greek-English Dictionary for further information.
John MacAuthur Commentary said this:
The Gift of Wisdom
The word of wisdom is a broad term. The use of logos (word) indicates this is a speaking ability. In the apostolic age it may have been revelation at times. In the New Testament, wisdom (sophia) is used most often to refer to the ability to understand God's will and apply it obediently (see, e.g., Matt. 11:19; 13:54; Mark 6:2; Luke 7:35; Acts 6:10; James 1:5; 3:13, 17; 2 Pet. 3:15). Wisdom, then, refers basically to applying truths discovered, to the ability to make skillful and practical application of the truth to life situations. Communicating wisdom is the function of the expositor, who draws not only from his own study of Scripture but from the many insights and interpretations of commentators and other Bible scholars. It is also the ability a counselor must have in order to apply God's truth to the questions and problems brought to him. It is a feature in the gift of the pastor, who must know understand, and be able to apply God's Word in order to lead his people as he should.
The Gift of Knowledge
I believe that this second gift mentioned in verse 8 logically precedes the first, because ordinarily knowledge comes before wisdom. The word of knowledge is also a broad term, which basically refers to perceiving and understanding the truths of God's Word. It, too, may have been revelatory in the first century, but it is especially the gift of communicating insight into the mysteries of His revelation, those truths that could not be known apart from God's revelation (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:3; Col. 1:26; 2:2; 4:3; cf. 1 Cor. 13:2). God gives certain of His saints a special ability to study His Word and discover the full meaning of the text and context, of individual words and phrases, and of related passages and truths, and thereby help provide understanding for others. Perhaps the best insight on this text is found in 13:2 in the phrase, "know all mysteries and all knowledge." The gift of knowledge is the capability of grasping the meaning of God's revelation, which is mystery to the natural mind.
That gift is foundational for all Christian teaching and preaching, as well as for the proper exercise of counseling, leadership, wisdom and all other ministries and gifts. If a person does not have that ability himself, he must rely heavily on those
who do in order to exercise his own gifts rightly. The teacher or preacher is especially dependent on knowledge, because he is commissioned to teach and interpret God's truths to others.
A Christian with the gift of knowledge may be highly trained in biblical languages, history, archaeology, and theology. God can use that training in the working of his gift. But another person with the same gift may have limited formal education. In either case, the ability to comprehend spiritual truth is God-given. The gifted person is supernaturally enabled not only to discover truths from the facts of Scripture but to explain and interpret those truths in order to help others understand them. As all the other gifts, it comes in many forms and degrees. One believer may have great ability in this one area alone, while another may have moderate ability here, mixed with several other spiritual capabilities.
The human writers of Scripture had the gift of knowledge in a unique way. God gave them truths directly, which they recorded as part of His written Word. Since the closing of the canon of Scripture, however, that gift has not involved the receiving of new truth but only understanding of truth previously revealed. Anyone today who claims to have a divine revelation is a deceiver and contradicts God's own Word, which expressly warns that if anyone adds to it or takes away from it he will suffer God's judgment (Rev. 22:18). Any word of divine knowledge or wisdom must be based on the Word of God, "once for all delivered" (Jude 3).
- Both Gifts are very important and remember in our study to open your mind and allow God to develop your gifts for service for Kingdom growth.
- While searching for your gifts remember what Life Application Commentary said:
GIFT LIST
Like other lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament (see 12:27-31; 14; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-13), it appears that Paul meant this list to be suggestive rather than exhaustive. The list provides us with a starting point. We must recognize, however, that God's purpose in giving gifts has little to do with self-esteem. We cannot ask for gifts in order to feel more powerful, important, or significant (James 4:3). When we make it our goal to be available to God and to seek to serve others for Christ's sake, our spiritual gifts will come to the surface. We may need the insight of others to recognize our specific gifts. Consider these steps:
- Ask God to increase your usefulness.
- Seek opportunities of service.
- Observe how other believers serve.
- Ask those you've served and those who serve with you to help you discern your spiritual strengths.
- Practice those gifts even more.
