What follows is pretty
much an addendum to this post,
http://soapypetesbox.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-gift-of-spirit-spiritual-gifts_7679.html.
While reading in 1 Peter recently at the gym, I recognized that 1
Peter 4:10-11 probably refers to gifts of the Holy Spirit, generally
and to a couple of gifts in particular:
1 Peter 4:10 As each
one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as
good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to
do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is
to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies;
...
I will not claim, with
the same certainty as with 1 Corinthians 12, that these verses
definitely speak of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but I will
show reasons why I believe this to be the case. These 2 verses
(actually, 1 1/2) are part of a larger context, verses 7-11, which
are general instructions given to believers in light of the end of
the world system being “near”.
The word in verse 10
translated "special gift" is the word karisma.
While the literal meaning of this word is an unmerited favor or gift
of grace, it is also the word Paul used throughout 1 Corinthians 12,
13 and 14 and in Romans 12:6 to denote the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The word in verse 11
translated “speaks” is laleo. It is
used in 1 Corinthians 12-14 in reference to speaking in tongues. The
word is also, however, used to mean speaking, generally, including in
those very same chapters of 1 Corinthians. I do not think, on the
basis of this word alone, that it must refer to prophecy and/or
speaking in tongues, but the word translated “utterances (of God)”,
logion, does support that understanding.
Logion means just as the NASB renders,
an “utterance”; in the New Testament the word is specifically
used to mean words spoken by God or an oracle of God (e.g. the Law
given to Moses).
The word in verse 11
translated “serves” and “serving”, diakoneo,
means an a servant or attendant who waits on some one's needs. It is
used frequently in the New Testament to mean “serve” or
“minister”, and is the Greek word from which we get the English
word “Deacon”. It is also the verb form of the noun Paul used in
the Romans 12 list of spiritual gifts for the gift of service.
The clause, “as one who is serving by the strength which God
supplies,” makes very clear that the serving to which Peter
especially referred is more than just a natural ability, job or
incidental action. Peter reminded his readers of the source of
strength for their serving and urging them to make full use of their
gift.
The brevity of these two
verses and their context of a summary list of instructions, in my
mind, preclude a definitive conclusion that these verse must
specifically refer to gifts of the Holy Spirit. My opinion is
that they do refer to the spiritual gift of service and to the gifts
of prophecy, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues, and I
think the words of the text very strongly support this conclusion.
There is a significance
to this passage beyond being yet another partial list of gifts of the
Holy Spirit. It feels almost silly to point this out, but this is the
one mention (that I've recognized, at least) of spiritual gifts that
is not in a Pauline letter or in Acts (written by Luke, who
ministered with Paul). Paul's writings are not, to me, any less
authoritative as Scripture than, for example, the writings of Peter
or John, but this demonstrates that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were
not peculiarly manifested in/through Paul's ministry or some figment
of his imagination. As brief as this mention is, I believe it shows
Apostles' recognition of the importance of the gifts given by the
Holy Spirit that are above and beyond believers' natural abilities.
This makes sense, generally, as believers should be
reliant and dependent on God for and in all the ministries of the
church and believers.
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