The Strand Study Bible

I CORINTHIANS “MINI” SERIES The Doctrine Of Spiritual Gifts

Question - Were the miracles and wonders performed for the sake of the Egyptians or for the Jews? The answer to that question is found in Exodus 4:5 - “That they (Jews) may believe...” So, according to God’s Word, the sign gifts were always performed by a Jew for the sake of confirming the Word to the Jews, because it is the Jews who require a sign in order to believe (I Cor 1:22). Interestingly enough, every city that Paul entered and performed signs and wonders in he first sought out the Jews:

- Acts 13:1-5 (Cyprus) (Acts 15:12) - Acts 13:6-14 (Antioch) (Gal 3:5) - Acts 14:1-3 (Iconium) (Gal 3:5) - Acts 18:1-5 (Corinth) (II Cor 12:12 and Rom 15:18-19)

2. The speaking gifts (prophecy, teaching, exhortation, wisdom, knowledge, and tongues (I Cor 12 and Rom12) 3. The serving gifts (ministry, mercy, giving, ruling, faith, discerning of spirits, helps, governments, and medical healings (I Cor 12 and Rom 12) A sign gift is just that - it is a sign ! But a sign to whom? The Bible clearly teaches us that the sign gifts (tongues, miracles, and miraculous healings) were always performed by a Jew for the sake of confirming the Word to the Jews (I Cor 14:22). In Mark 16:15, our Lord commanded His eleven Jewish apostles to go and witness for Him. He then told them that miraculous signs would follow their witnessing efforts (Mk 16:17-20). During the course of the book of Acts, the Jewish apostles and Jewish deacons (Stephen and Philip) obeyed the Lord’s command to go and witness for Him and performed a total number of fifteen recorded cases of either a tongue, miracle, or miraculous healing. In every case, not only did a Jew perform the miracle but there were Jews present or involved in the miracle itself. In every case but two, there was recording witnessing being done on the part of the one performing the miracle. For example: 1. Acts 2:1-22 - Peter and the Jewish disciples witness (preach the Gospel) in Jerusalem in new tongues (that is, foreign languages) to the Jews. 2. Acts 3:1-19 - Peter and John heal a Jewish lame man in Jerusalem and witness to the Jews. 3. Acts 5:12-16 - The Jewish apostles perform many signs in Jerusalem in view of the Jews and then witness to them (vs 14). 4. Acts 6:7-10 - Stephen witnesses in Jerusalem and performs wonders among the Jews. 5. Acts 8:5-8 - Philip witnesses in Samaria and performs miracles among the Jews. 6. Acts 8:9-13 - Philip witnesses in Samaria and performs more miracles among the Jews. 7. Acts 9:32-35 - Peter heals a Jewish man named Ae/ne/as in Lydda and all that saw it turned to the Lord after hearing Peter witness. 8. Acts 9:36-42 - Peter raises a Jewish woman from the dead named Dorcas in Joppa and all that saw it turned to the Lord after hearing Peter witness. Paul’s first missionary journey 9. Acts 13:6-12 - Paul blinds a Jewish man named Barjesus in Paphos and the deputy that saw it turned to the Lord after hearing Paul witness. 10. Acts 14:1-3 - Paul and Barnabas witness in Iconium and perform signs and wonders among the Jews. 11. Acts 14:8-19 - Paul witnesses in Lystra and heals a certain man among the Jews. Paul’s second missionary journey 12. Acts 16:12-18 - Paul witnesses in Philippi and casts out a demon among the Jews. Paul’s third missionary journey 13. Acts 19:8-13 - Paul witnesses in Ephesus and performs miracles among the Jews. Paul’s forced journey to Rome 14. Acts 28:1-6 - Paul is bit by a serpent on the island of Melita (Mk 16:18) in view of the shipwrecked Jews. Question - What do you think Paul was doing before and after his snakebite? Answer - He was witnessing, of course (Mk 16:15-20) 15. Acts 28:7-9 - Paul heals many of the islanders in view of the shipwrecked Jews. Question - What do you think Paul was doing before and after he healed the islanders? Answer - He was witnessing, of course (Mk 16:15-20) According to the Gospels, our Lord performed a total number of forty recorded cases of either a miracle or miraculous healing (Christ never spoke in tongues). In every case, not only did a Jew (our Lord) perform the miracle, but there were Jews present or involved in the miracles 1917

Lesson #5. The sign gifts (Mk 16:15-20)