1 Corinthians 12:27-31
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
You would be hard-pressed not to see that 1 Corinthians pummels one point relentlessly home: order!
There is an order to things. There is a reason things are the way they are. There is a reason things should go forward a certain way.
God has appointed FIRST apostles, SECOND prophets, THIRD teachers, THEN miracles, THEN gifts of healing, THEN helping, THEN administrating, THEN various kinds of tongues.
This is not haphazard.... this is the order of things. Not for example, but for the record.
Q: Is everyone everything?
A: No!
Q: Does that mean that some have been given gifts that are higher than others?
A: Yes!
Q: If you were wishing for gifts, which should you wish for?
A: The higher ones.
Q: Which are the higher ones?
A: Apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles... and in that order.
1 Corinthians 14:1-4
Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
Q: Why does Paul paint prophesy as the highest gift one should hope for?
A: Because it's better than the other gifts.
Now at this point you might point out that apostle is higher than prophet, so why didn't Paul encourage the Corinthians to wish for that gift? Because that office is closed and there is a no vacancy sign posted outside.
So the "especially" is prophecy. It is the greater gift, the one you should want even more of. It is the one on which there is no limitation in number. The more prophets, the better. Whereas the apostles are limited in number.
Many don't pray for any spiritual gifts. They assume they have what they have. But those who do desire them, almost unilaterally desire the lower gifts. It makes sense, only a prophet would pay enough attention to the details and honor the essence of Scripture enough to actually read it and do what it says. So where prophets are lacking, glory-whores abound. The lower gifts have more flash: miracles, healing and tongues oh my! But prophets and teachers, Biblically speaking, are higher gifts, but less desirable to many. I add the caveat, Biblically speaking, not only to clarify that these are in fact higher gifts, but also to emphasize that they are only higher when defined Biblically. Many clamor to be a prophet or a teacher in a manner that is very unBiblical and yet very esteemed. In those circles, being a prophet is an enviable position or being a teacher is an honored gift, but it is obtained, rewarded and achieved by means and for ends that are entirely unBiblical.
1 Corinthians 14:33
God is not a God of disorder
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