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The introduction will naturally deal with the fact, universally recognized, that talents and genius and particular endowments come from God. This was early declared in the call of Bezaleel and Aholiab, and was a familiar idea even to the heathen nations. It is one that needs fresh and frequent statement in our day. In the early Church there were both ordinary and special gifts, but the manifest Divine origin of the more special ones was designed to convince of the Divine source of all gifts, great and small.

I. THE GIFTS SPECIALLY ENTRUSTED TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH. They included everything that could be regarded as necessary to their maintenance and work as a Church. But only two things are mentioned here:

1. Utterance.

2. Knowledge.

Both these were highly valued at Corinth, rhetoric and wisdom being eagerly pursued. Consequently, as the desire for these found expression and sphere within the Christian community, Paul properly leads them to recognize fully the source of such endowments. And to know the source is to recognize the responsibility of using the gifts only in the Divine spheres and in accordance with the Divine will. This may be pointedly applied to all the modern gifts and talents in Christ's Church; all are from God, all are for God's use, and all are to be used on God's conditions.

II. THE GRACE SEEN IN THE BESTOWMENT OF THE GIFTS. This may be recognized in the honour of receiving such trusts, and in the adaptation of the gifts to the various needs of the Church.

III. THE AGENT THROUGH WHOM THE GIFTS ARE BESTOWED. The living Lord Jesus Christ - "in Christ Jesus" - conceived as present with and presiding over the Church; dispensing to every man severally as he wills, for the general edification. Apply by showing the importance of gifts in every age, the proper modesty of those who have the trust of gifts, and the thankfulness and hope we should cherish concerning those among us who are divinely endowed. - R.T.

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KJV: I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

WEB: I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus;