The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

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Purpose: Understanding
THE GIFT OF THE WORD (MESSAGE) OF KNOWLEDGE (I Cor. 12:8)
Description: The ability to receive and share supernatural revelation of facts about a person
or situation.
Paul associated knowledge with mysteries, revelation and prophecy (I Cor. 13:2; 14:6) and
therefore may have meant supernatural mystical knowledge (as seen in relation to prophecy). This
gift seems to manifest itself often along with the gifts of healings as the person with the gifts of
healings actually is able to see or discern what the physical/emotional/psychological/spiritual
problem is without having been told by the person seeking healing.
“It is not a general stock or crystallized knowledge laid up by mere human study, but it
is a particular revelation as we need to use the Word for each occasion and service.” 8
Many have interpreted this gift to mean “the ability to perceive and systematize truth in God’s
Word as a result of investigation (by use of reason and research).”
It should be noted that the literal meaning of this gift is “message” or “word” of knowledge,
not “knowledge.” This usage would be one indication that Paul is talking about something other
than natural knowledge.
The Bible speaks of a specific knowledge of Jesus Christ that includes an intelligent
understanding of the gospel (Rom. 15:14) and probably also included an understanding of basic
doctrinal truths. This kind of knowledge every believer must have. As Christians we must seek the
right kind of knowledge (II Cor. 11:6; II Pet. 3:2). The message of knowledge seems to indicate
something beyond the ordinary knowledge that all believers are encouraged to seek.
“Wisdom and knowledge are so closely related that it is difficult to determine the nature
of their relationship and to distinguish between them. Wisdom may refer to theoretical
truth, and knowledge to a mystical intuition of higher truth. Or knowledge may describe
the content of what we know, and wisdom, our ability to use that knowledge effectively.
But any such distractions, however plausible, would be difficult to prove.”
“These gifts, supernaturally bestowed and empowered, involve more than natural ability
in the realm of acquiring and imparting wisdom and knowledge. The gifts of communicating
wisdom and knowledge are evidently closely related to that of the gift of teaching.” 9