Verses 29-30
These two verses contain a third list of gifts in a descending order of priority. Each of Paul’s seven questions expects a negative answer. The apostle’s point was that it would be ridiculous for everyone to have the same gift. Variety is essential. It is wrong to equate one gift, particularly speaking in tongues, with spirituality.
"All of the believers in the Corinthian assembly had been baptized by the Spirit [1 Corinthians 12:13], but not all of them spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30)." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:609.]
". . . in these verses Paul strikes a deathblow to the theory that speaking in tongues is the sign of the possession of the Spirit, for the answer ’No’ is expected to each question (cf. Greek)." [Note: S. L. Johnson Jr., p. 1251.]
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