Corinthians A.12.4-6 - The Triple Whammy

Every Christian is (or at least should) be familiar with chapters 12, 13, and 14 of 1 Corinthians. Mostly we're familiar with chapter 13, the "Luv" chapter (spoken with inflection). Some recognize the three chapters as being like an Oreo cookie: chapter 13 is the filling sandwiched between the other two chapters.
There's one aspect of chapter 12, however, that many (if not most) people are not aware of, and it's found in verses 4, 5, and 6. "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." (NKJV)
In verse 1 of chapter 12, Paul tells the Corinthians, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant." The word "gifts" is in italics in the NKJV because it really isn't there in the Greek. Paul uses the word pneumatikon, an adjective. Some commentators reflect that it could apply to things, people, or other beings, depending on their opinion. But they also recognize that, based on where Paul's discussion goes in the rest of the chapter, it is most likely referring to gifts. I think we could safely render it "Now concerning things of the Spirit..."
The first noun in each verse, translated as "differences," "diversities," or "varieties," is the Greek word Διαιρέσεις (Diaireseis). Strong and Thayer concur with these renderings.
The second noun in verse 4 is mostly rendered "gifts," one exception being the Douay-Rheims Bible (1899) which literally translates the Greek word χαρισματων (charismatōn) as "graces" (from χαρισ [charis], grace). In this verse, these "gifts" are associated with the Spirit (πνεῦμα, pneuma).
The second noun in verse 5 is variously rendered "ministries" (Douay-Rheims, ISV, NKJV, MKJV, LITV), "administrations" (KJV, Bishops, Geneva), and "service/services/serving" (Darby, ESV, GNB). Luther (1545) uses Ämter, which Cassell's German Dictionary (1963) translates as the plural of Amt, "an official position, appointment, post." The Greek word here is διακονιων (diakoniōn) and is the word from which we derive our word "deacon." In some Churches, this word has been used as a title for one in leadership. However, in the book of Acts, when they were installed, the deacons were intended to wait on tables. They routinely, however, exceeded their responsibilities and ended up spreading the Gospel, performing miracles, or being martyred. This noun in this verse is associated with κύριος (kyrios), translated "Lord." When Paul uses this term, he is speaking of Jesus, the Son of God.
The second noun in verse 6 in the Greek is ἐνεργημάτων (energēmatōn) and is mostly translated "operations" (KJV, Bishops, Darby, Douay-Rheims, Geneva), "workings" (YLT, MKJV, LITV), or "activities" (NKJV, ESV). There is also "abilities" (GNB) and "results" (ISV). Luther uses Kräfte, the plural form of "strength." At the literal level, we find the root word for our "energies." This word is associated in this verse with God (θεος, theos), whom Paul associates with God the Father.
Paul is classically educated in both Greek and Hebrew cultures. To assert that there is no logical association among these three verses, grammatically and sequentially formatted as they are, would seem imprudent at best. They appear to identify that there are three classes of "things" (let's call them all "gifts" for convenience sake) and each class is associated with a different person of the Trinity. Thus, we can postulate that there are gifts of the Father, gifts of the Son, and gifts of the Spirit. So, where do we find these three classes of gifts and what are their varieties?
Let's start with the gifts of the Father. Most authorities associate them with the list of gifts in Romans 12:6-8. One curious element however, is that Paul uses χαρισματα (charismata) for gifts in Romans 12:6, not ἐνεργηματα (energēmata) if he were following the same logic found in 1 Corinthians 12:6. It is possible, however, that "gifts" is applicable to more than just the Spirit. At any rate, these are sometimes called "motivational" gifts because they describe a person's motivation as they respond to life situations. Some, like Gothard, feel they are distributed at the point of salvation. Others, like myself, believe they are part of the person's makeup at their genesis and are evident throughout human creation. They are personality perspectives that dictate how we naturally respond to life situations and are reflective of how we are "wired" by God at birth. Is it unnatural that God would be involved in the makeup of every person born? I think not. The list of seven includes prophecy, ministry (serving), teaching, exhortation, giving, leading (administration), and mercy. Most authors indicate each person has a primary and a secondary motivation, though testing reveals that each of us also has varying strengths and weaknesses in each of the categories. Further information can be found in most search engines using the keywords "motivational gifts."
As indicated by Luther and the Greek, the gifts of the Son involve service within the Body of Christ and can generally be described as positions or "ministry" gifts. Verse 28 of chapter 12 begins one list, including apostles, prophets, teachers, those who work miracles, those who have the gift of healing, ministries of helps, administrators, and "tongues" (glossolalia). This last one is probably the most controversial, yet Bruce Olson in his book Bruchko describes an instance where one South American native tribe to whom he had been ministering went off in the jungle to evangelize another native tribe with whom they did not share a common language. To their amazement and delight, they were able to communicate with each other miraculously, and both tribes were able to share in the Gospel and salvation. Ephesians 4:11 lists a second group which is commonly called the five-fold ministry gifts, including apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers (some combine the last two into one gift, others separate them).
Finally, the gifts of the Spirit are probably the most familiar, and the most polarizing. There are some who claim their use disappeared with the last Apostle, others with the appearance of the canon of Scripture. Charismatics and Pentecostals maintain and practice their use today. They are found here in chapter 12, verses 7 through 11 and are sometimes called "manifestation" gifts based on verse 7 ("But the manifestation (φανερωσις, phanerōsis) of the Spirit..."). They include word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. The difference between these gifts and the ministry gifts is that these are momentary. They reside wholly in the Spirit and are distributed "as He wills" (verse 11). The ministry gifts on the other hand are ongoing and may be irrevocable (Romans 11:29).