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56
THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

not universal, but are qualities of special excellence possessed by different people. They are secondary, however, to the greatest class of all, the Nine Talents of the Spirit[1], to which they form on the whole a fringe of useful and benevolent activities, though identical with them at one point in the case of the Gifts of Service, and at four in that of the Gifts of Office.

Let us then place the Nine Talents, as they were noted in the Church of Corinth, in the order given by S. Paul,[2] side by side with the other lists at the points where these wholly or partly coincide:

The Nine Talents. Gifts of Service. Gifts of Office. Justin's Gifts.
1. Wisdom Administration Governments Counsel
2. Knowledge Teaching Teachers Teaching
3. Faith
4. Healing Healing Healing
5. Powers Powers (Might)
6. Prophecy Prophecy Prophets
7. Discerning of Spirits
8. Tongues Tongues
9. Interpretation of Tongues Interpretation
Exhorting Apostles Understanding
Giving Helps Foreknowledge
Superintending Reverence
Succouring
[Charity]

It is certain that all S. Paul's three lists refer to

  1. I have ventured to call them 'talents'. The word χάρισμα, i. e. manifestation of grace (χάρις), well rendered by Dr. Armitage Robinson ' grace-gift ' (H. B. Swete, Essays on the Early History of the Church Ministry, 1918, p. 73) was not confined by S. Paul to these special nine gifts.
  2. 1 Cor. 12 8-10.