Are there more spiritual gifts then those listed in the New Testament?
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| The Aleppo Codex is a medieval manuscript of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), associated with Rabbi Aaron Ben Asher. The Masoretic scholars wrote it in the early 10th century, probably in Tiberias, Israel. It is in book form and contains the vowel points and grammar points (nikkudot) that specify the pronunciation of the ancient Hebrew letters to preserve the chanting tradition. It is perhaps the most historically important Hebrew manuscript in existence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. – 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. – 1 Corinthians 12:28
All those passages include specific mention of the Spirit being placed on someone, and the actions in the verse are the specific outcomes. If Exodus 3 has the Spirit giving people the ability to perform acts of craftsmanship and we do include “craftsmanship” on the list of spiritual gifts but we do not include “slaying Philistines”, is there some inconsistency in our picking and choosing of what is/is not a spiritual gift, right?
It seems that a consistent approach to the addition of Old Testament gifts/empowerments of the Spirit to a spiritual gifts list would lead to some rather interesting inclusions!
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Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. – Romans 12:6-8. Now, of course, there are possibly +/- 1 or 2 more (depending on whether you consider some of the gifts listed as synonyms), but the general NT listing is around 17 to 20 (and whether or not you include other passages that may or may not include another spiritual gift or two, like 1 Peter 4:10-11). Still, many churches have spiritual gift lists that include things not explicitly listed as spiritual gifts in the New Testament like craftsmanship (based on Exodus 31:3, 35:31, 35 [passages that mention 2 people empowered by the Spirit of God in craftsmanship], as well as 2 Kings 22:5, 6 and Acts 9:36, 39; two passages that don’t even mention the Spirit).
Exodus 31:1-5 says
The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.”
Exodus 31:6 says that those gifts/empowerments were given to all the craftsmen for the specific purpose of making the tent of meeting and all it’s accoutrements. Was it a temporary gift which foreshadowed the coming of spiritual gifts when the Spirit was poured out?
The “craftsmanship” given to Bezalel and the every other craftsman is it available today?
So the question is, if a person thinks that “craftsmanship” is a valid gift, why doesn’t that same person look back in the Old Testament at all the times when the Spirit of God empowered other people and include those gifts/empowerments on their list of spiritual gifts?
Why isn’t there a spiritual gift of:Judgment? (Judges 3:10; Isaiah 42:1); Motivating Groups of People? (Judges 6:34); Traveling? (Judges 11:29); Decapitating Lions? (Judges 14:6); Slaying Philistines (and stealing their clothes)? (Judges 14:19); Physical Strength (and tearing ropes)? (Judges 15:14); Anger? (1 Samuel 11:6); Naked Prophesy? (1 Samuel 19:23-24); Prophetic Confusion? (Isaiah 29:10); Fertility? (Isaiah 44:3-4); Out of Body Travel? (Ezekiel 3:12-14, 37:1); The Interpretation of Dreams? (Daniel 4:8-9); Intelligence? (Daniel 5:14); Church Maintenance? (Hosea 1:14)
All those passages include specific mention of the Spirit being placed on someone, and the actions in the verse are the specific outcomes. If Exodus 3 has the Spirit giving people the ability to perform acts of craftsmanship and we do include “craftsmanship” on the list of spiritual gifts but we do not include “slaying Philistines”, is there some inconsistency in our picking and choosing of what is/is not a spiritual gift, right?
It seems that a consistent approach to the addition of Old Testament gifts/empowerments of the Spirit to a spiritual gifts list would lead to some rather interesting inclusions!
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