Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians, 12-14 [Paperback]

D. A. Carson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1996

The charismatic idea is one of evangelicalism's most troublesome issues. In Showing the Spirit respected New Testament Scholar D.A. Carson addresses both sides of the matter by expounding on the crucial passage, 1 Corinthians 12-14. Carson's even-handed consideration of nuances in the Greek Text challenge the presuppositions held by both sides of the matter. (54)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

D. A. Carson (PhD, University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author or editor of more than forty books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic (August 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801025214
• ISBN-13: 978-0801025211
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

D. A. Carson (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author or coauthor of over 45 books, including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book The Gagging of God and An Introduction to the New Testament, and is general editor of Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns and Worship by the Book. He has served as a pastor and is an active guest lecturer in church and academic settings around the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Works Grapples with Spiritual Gifts, September 20, 2003

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Edward J. Vasicek "Author, pastor, columnist" (Kokomo, IN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians, 12-14 (Paperback)

I do not always agree with D.A. Carson (although I mostly do), but I always admire and appreciate him. He is a true scholar who tempers his great mind with a heart for God.

Dr. Carson has written a masterpiece! This volume is an intelligent and definitive grappling with a passage that focuses upon spiritual gifts: I Corinthians 12-14.

He devastates the non-charismatic viewpoint that claims the Bible teaches that tongues would end of themselves upon the completion of the New Testament canon or at the end of the apostolic age. He fortifies (unintentionally) the view of non-charismatics who say, "God can give the gift of tongues today. But we do not see the real thing, so He must not be doing that right now." Although he strains to conclude otherwise, this is where his evidence could easily lead. His actual conclusion is that the gift of tongues is being given today, but not meant for all and not intended to be the believer's focus.

Carson likewise corrects common charismatic abuses by proving the following: (1) every true believer has been baptized in the Spirit, (2) there is no one gift possessed by every believer, but we should seek prophecy over tongues, (3) it is not God's will for all believers to be healed, but God can and does heal miraculously as He pleases.

Carson's exegesis is reasonable, respectful, well-informed, scholarly to the nth degree, clearly delineated and thoroughly documented. Although he addresses the entire text, he particularly focuses upon two of the most controversial spiritual gifts: tongues and prophecy. His views regarding prophecy are about the same as Wayne Grudem's: New Testament prophets do not bear the authority of Old Testament prophets (rather, New Testament authority is vested in the Apostles). Prophecy is God bringing something to mind, and the prophet may mix his own thoughts and thus muddy the prophecy. Unlike OT prophets who were labeled as true of false, in the NT, individual prophecies are to be weighed. There is much to commend this view.

His work on tongues is more exhaustive (but still not complete-see my list of unanswered questions below). He points out that repeated evaluation by linguists have shown that tongues are not human languages. He argues that some legitimate tongues may be coded languages or patterns (for example, a language with its vowels omitted). This is somewhat questionable, though possible (since apparently there has never been a study conducted by expert code-breakers).

What is most fascinating is his conclusion that no verifiable correct interpretations of tongues have been made. Although thorough tests have not been done, Carson mentions a friend who recorded a recitation of a passage in Greek and presented the tape to two individuals claiming the gift of interpretation. They presented interpretations that differed from one another and had nothing to do with the text. He writes, "I know of no major work that has researched hundreds or thousands of examples; but it could be a very revealing study."

But based on this and other similar accounts, we might conclude that if God is not (to the best of our knowledge) truly giving the gift of interpretation, then tongues are not for use in church meetings (where interpretation is demanded). In essence, tongues at this point are limited to private use and personal edification.

Although pensive and thorough, Carson has still left a number of unanswered questions, including: (1) How do the tongues seen in evangelical charismatic assemblies vary from those seen in Hindu, Mormon, or Animistic groupings? (2) Can every human being, saved or not, speak in ecstatic utterances? If so, is this the basis for Biblical tongues (since lost people can often teach and yet we find a New Testament gift of teaching, etc.)? (3) If Christian tongues were not qualitatively different from tongues-speakers in non-Christian religions, then are they really miraculous? (4) Should we allow people to speak in tongues, if interpreted, even though the evidence we do have seems to indicate that the gift of interpretation may not exist in our time or in our country? (5) What about the possibility that some of these gifts are distributed more where the Gospel is being established (as opposed to where the church has been embedded)? Is there evidence to commend or reject this theory? Is it possible that the reportedly high level of miracles in Indonesia is an example of this?

This book is not written at a popular level, but challenges the mind. Pastors and theologians will find it stimulating (and it really is not difficult to understand), but its style, vocabulary, evaluations and refutations may be a stretch for the dedicated laymen.

I love books like this!

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best work I've found on these topics, August 12, 2000

By 

Jeremy Pierce (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians, 12-14 (Paperback)

D.A. Carson has written the best book I've seen on the issues that arise in I Corinthians 12-14. There's a reason everyone refers to this book as the first place to look on these topics. He puts the widely misapplied "love" chapter (I Cor. 13) in its context -- spiritual gifts and order in worship. This is the centerpiece of his incisive analysis. From that viewpoint, noting Paul's emphasis on love, Carson details the reasons Paul said what he said and reconstructs the situations in the Corinthian church to which he was responding. He looks at contemporary views of tongues, prophecy, and other "charismatic" issues, placing them all in the proper perspective of the NT community worship in the Corinthian church, countering many extreme views on both sides of the issue. He shows how there's no Biblical basis for cessation of any gifts, yet most of these gifts are just vastly misunderstood and misused throughout many Pentecostal and charismatic churches. This is the most balanced work I've seen on the topic, and I recommend it to those from both sides of the issue who are willing to look seriously into the issue to see if what they've been taught is correct. If you're not willing to do so, you're probably being intellectually dishonest, so go ahead and read this book. It definitely repays the effort.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on these 'charismatic' passages, November 15, 2000

By 

Jonathan Koh (Singapore) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians, 12-14 (Paperback)

Carson is one of the most respected theologians in the world today. Though more conservative than charismatic, in this book he writes almost like a biblical charismatic.

This book is a must for all charismatics interested to study 1 Corinthians 12-14 - a passage that is much disputed and which concerns charismatic issues.

Carson holds to a non-cessationistic view in this book. He also accepts Wayne Grudem's view of prophecy.

I particularly liked the way he handled tongues prophecy in his exposition on 1 Corinthians 14 - all charismatics need to read Carson on tongues here. He agrees that tongues are still given but he wants to see it used properly according to biblical stipulations.

His fifth and last chapter states some of his views on things like Baptism of the Spirit, 2nd blessing theology, revelation, historical evidence and also his review of the charismatic movement - which he comes out very positive.

Overall an excellent book that both conservatives and charismatics can learn from. Very balanced!