Ministries, Charisms, Fruits – 5 Knowledge

The “word of knowledge” (logos gnoseos) is only mentioned once in St Paul’s letters, in 1 Corinthians 12:8. Its context in this letter is important, for the Corinthian church was noted for being “enriched in [Christ] with all speech and all knowledge” (1 Cor 1:5). And yet, Corinth was a Christian community marked by quarrels, dissent and manifest disunity during the Eucharist. Clearly, the Corinthians’ gifts of prophecy and knowledge were not enough to unite them in Christ. For knowledge, although a gift of the Spirit, is “imperfect” (1 Cor 13:9) because we do not, in this life, ever possess perfect knowledge. More importantly, we do not always possess those virtues that help us to use this knowledge well.

But what does Paul mean by ‘knowledge’? He explains that knowledge is a gift of the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us in baptism, and who “searches everything, even the depths of God”(1 Cor 2:10). Thus the Holy Spirit, who alone comprehends the thoughts of God, teaches and makes comprehensible to the human mind the spiritual things of God. However, knowledge, which is only given to some, is meant to be used at the service of the Church, “for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7). Paul uses the analogy of the one body with many members, co-ordinating together and serving the whole. So, no one member can be more important than the other, and thus no spiritual gift ought to be used selfishly. Rather, we are called to work together, with a diversity of spiritual gifts, so as to aim together for love (see 1 Cor 13:14). For Paul warns that “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor 8:1) just as knowledge comes to an end, but love does not. As such, without love, knowledge amounts to nothing.

The exercise of knowledge in love means that we need to look out for one another, especially those who are “weak”. In 1 Cor 8, he cites the interesting example of someone who knows that “there is no God but one”, and so, it is tolerable to eat food offered to idols, since these do not really exist. However, there might be other Christians who do not have this knowledge concerning the one God, and they are thus misled into thinking that it is acceptable to eat food offered to idols, whom he still thinks to be real. In such a case, the weaker are scandalised and misled by the knowledgeable, and all suffer. So Paul argues that it is better for those with knowledge to forego their ‘rights’ for the sake of the ‘weaker’. For “if one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Cor 12:26).

Therefore, in 1 Cor 14:6, Paul says that knowledge only benefits the Church if it is taught to others and exercised in love to build up the Church, rather than used for self-gratification. One is reminded of the Dominican ideal that study is always at the service of preaching, so that we do not become academics who pursue selfish and arcane interests, but always seek humbly to hand on the fruits of our contemplation. Sometimes theologians and scholars can fail to do this, and they may scorn the less knowledgeable, or behave in a manner that scandalises the faithful. Such knowledge, then, although it is correct, is useless. But if it is taught with the patience and kindness that characterises love, and the humility that comes from realising that all knowledge comes from God, then it will bear fruit and contribute to the good and growth of the Church.

Lawrence Lew OP