How many spiritual gifts are there?
What is obvious is that these lists are all quite different. No one list has all these gifts, and no gift except prophecy is mentioned on all the lists (prophecy is not mentioned in 1 Cor. 7:7, where only the subject of marriage and celibacy is under discussion, but it is certainly included in the “whoever speaks” of 1 Peter 4:11). In fact, 1 Corinthians 7:7 mentions two gifts that are not on any other list: in the context of speaking of marriage and celibacy, Paul says, “Each has his own special gift6 from God, one of one kind and one of another.”
These facts indicate that Paul was not attempting to construct exhaustive lists of gifts when he specified the ones he did. Although there is sometimes an indication of some order (he puts apostles first, prophets second, and teachers third, but tongues last in 1 Cor. 12:28), it seems that in general Paul was almost randomly listing a series of different examples of gifts as they came to mind.
1 Corinthians 12:28
1. apostle
2. prophet
3. teacher
4. miracles
5. kinds of healings
6. helps
7. administration
8. tongues
1 Corinthians 12:8–10
9. word of wisdom
10. word of knowledge
11. faith
(5). gifts of healing
(4). miracles
(2). prophecy
12. distinguishing between spirits
(8). tongues
13. interpretation of tongues
Ephesians 4:11
(1). apostle
(2). prophet
14. evangelist’
15. pastor-teacher
Romans 12:6–8
(2). prophecy
16. serving
(3). teaching
17. encouraging
18. contributing
19. leadership
20. mercy
1 Corinthians 7:7
21. marriage
22. celibacy
1 Peter 4:11
whoever speaks (covering several gifts)
whoever renders service (covering several gifts)
Moreover, there is some degree of overlap among the gifts listed at various places. No doubt the gift of administration (κυβέρνησις, G3236, 1 Cor. 12:28) is similar to the gift of leadership (ὁ προϊστάμενος (from προί̈στημι, G4613) Rom. 12:8), and both terms could probably be applied to many who have the office of pastor-teacher (Eph. 4:11). Moreover, in some cases Paul lists an activity and in other cases lists the related noun that describes the person (such as “prophecy” in Rom. 12:6 and 1 Cor. 12:10, but “prophet” in 1 Cor. 12:28 and Eph. 4:11).9
Another reason for thinking that Paul could have made much longer lists if he had wanted to is the fact that some of the gifts listed will have many different expressions as they are found in different people. Certainly the gift of serving (Rom. 12:6) or helps (1 Cor. 12:28) will take many different forms in different situations and among different people.
Some may serve or help by giving wise counsel, others by cooking meals, others by caring for children or befriending an older person, others by giving specialized legal or medical or financial advice when needed within the church. These gifts differ greatly. Among those who possess the gift of evangelism, some will be good at personal evangelism within a neighborhood, others at evangelism through writing of tracts and Christian literature, and others at evangelism through large campaigns and public meetings.
Still others will be good at evangelism through radio and television. Not all of these evangelistic gifts are the same, even though they fall under the broad category of “evangelism.” The same could be said about gifts of teaching or administration.All of this simply means that no two people’s gifts are exactly alike.
How many different gifts are there then? It simply depends on how specific we wish to be. We can make a very short list of only two gifts as Peter does in 1 Peter 4:11: “whoever speaks” and “whoever renders service.” In this list of only two items Peter includes all the gifts mentioned in any other list because all of them fit in one of these two categories.
How many different gifts are there then? It simply depends on how specific we wish to be. We can make a very short list of only two gifts as Peter does in 1 Peter 4:11: “whoever speaks” and “whoever renders service.” In this list of only two items Peter includes all the gifts mentioned in any other list because all of them fit in one of these two categories.
On the other hand, we could take the Old Testament offices of prophet, priest, and king, and have a list of three kinds of gifts: prophetic gifts (in this broad sense) would include anything that involves teaching, encouraging, exhorting, or rebuking others. Priestly gifts would include anything that involves showing mercy and care for those in need or involve interceding before God (such as praying in tongues). The kingly gifts would involve anything having to do with administration or government or order in the church.
Other classifications of gifts are gifts of knowledge (such as distinguishing between spirits, word of wisdom, and word of knowledge), gifts of power (such as healing, miracles, and faith), and gifts of speech (tongues, interpretation, and prophecy).
Other classifications of gifts are gifts of knowledge (such as distinguishing between spirits, word of wisdom, and word of knowledge), gifts of power (such as healing, miracles, and faith), and gifts of speech (tongues, interpretation, and prophecy).
Then again we could make a much longer list, such as the list of twenty-two gifts enumerated above. But even that list does not include all the possible gifts (no list includes a gift of intercessory prayer, for instance, which may be related to a gift of faith but is not the same as a gift of faith; no musical gifts are included on any list either, and neither is any gift of casting out demons, even though Paul must have known that some Christians were more effective in that area than others).
And if we wished to divide up different kinds of service or administration or evangelism or teaching, then we could quite easily have a list that included fifty or even a hundred items.
The point of all of this is simply to say that God gives the church an amazing variety of spiritual gifts, and they are all tokens of his varied grace. In fact, Peter says as much: “As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10; the word “varied” here is ποικίλος (G4476) which means “having many facets or aspects; having rich diversity”).
The practical outcome of this discussion is that we should be willing to recognize and appreciate people who have gifts that differ from ours and whose gifts may differ from our expectations of what certain gifts should look like. Moreover, a healthy church will have a great diversity of gifts, and this diversity should not lead to fragmentation but to greater unity among believers in the church.
The point of all of this is simply to say that God gives the church an amazing variety of spiritual gifts, and they are all tokens of his varied grace. In fact, Peter says as much: “As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10; the word “varied” here is ποικίλος (G4476) which means “having many facets or aspects; having rich diversity”).
The practical outcome of this discussion is that we should be willing to recognize and appreciate people who have gifts that differ from ours and whose gifts may differ from our expectations of what certain gifts should look like. Moreover, a healthy church will have a great diversity of gifts, and this diversity should not lead to fragmentation but to greater unity among believers in the church.
Paul’s whole point in the analogy of the body with many members (1 Cor. 12:12–26) is to say that God has put us in the body with these differences so that we might depend on each other. “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Cor. 12:21–22; cf. vv. 4–6). It runs counter to the world’s way of thinking to say that we will enjoy greater unity when we join closely together with those who are different from us, but that is precisely the point that Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 12, demonstrating the glory of God’s wisdom in not allowing anyone to have all the necessary gifts for the church, but in requiring us to depend upon each other for the proper functioning of the church.
Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (pp. 1019–1022). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
Grudem, W. A. (2004). Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine (pp. 1019–1022). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
