1 Corinthians 12:3

Context

In 1 Corinthians 12–14, Paul addresses the "spiritual gifts" about which the Corinthian church had inquired, that is, the gifts (charismata, gifts freely given by God) of the Holy Spirit. In verse 2, Paul reminds the believers that when they were Gentiles they were "carried away unto these dumb idols." In verse 3, he first establishes a criterion for determining which utterances come from the Spirit of God, and from verse 4 onward he explains that there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit. The situation of the Corinthian church, which placed great value on ecstatic experiences such as speaking in tongues, is frequently cited as the background of this passage.

The Greek word rendered "accursed" is anathema (something placed under God's curse). "Jesus is the Lord" renders Kyrios Iēsous ("Jesus is Lord"), a brief confession.

Interpretation

• As the basis of the confession of faith: Many commentators regard "Jesus is Lord" as one of the earliest confessions of faith in the early church. They read this verse to mean that this confession is the work not of human ability but of the Holy Spirit. The Reformed tradition frequently cites this verse in support of the teaching that faith itself is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
• As a criterion for discerning spirits: This reading focuses on the verse's position at the head of the passage on spiritual gifts. It treats the verse as a standard by which even utterances arising in ecstasy must be judged according to what they say about Jesus Christ. It is often read alongside 1 John 4:2–3.
• Views on the background of "calling Jesus accursed": Three views have been proposed: that such statements were actually being made within the Corinthian church; that there was pressure, in the synagogue or in situations of persecution, to curse Jesus; and that Paul used an extreme example for the sake of contrast. None of these has become the settled consensus.

Debates and Issues

• Words and confession: Various denominations broadly agree that this verse does not mean that merely saying the word "Lord" is sufficient. Reading it together with Matthew 7:22–27, which teaches that not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will be accepted, they understand it as a confession that embodies both faith and life.
• The indwelling of the Spirit and baptism in the Holy Spirit: Presbyterians and others in the Reformed tradition emphasize, on the basis of this verse and verse 13, that the Holy Spirit already dwells in every believer who confesses Jesus as Lord. Pentecostal denominations likewise affirm that the Spirit dwells in believers who make this confession. They differ, however, in that they also teach a distinct experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit.

In the Korean Church

In Bible studies and sermons on assurance of salvation, this verse is sometimes cited to explain that the ability to confess Jesus as Lord is a sign of the Holy Spirit's presence. It is also used as an introduction in sermons on the gifts of the Spirit.

Related Passages

• Romans 10:9
• 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
• 1 Corinthians 16:22
• Philippians 2:9–11
• 1 John 4:2–3