Audio commentary on this verse

Note 10 at Rom. 1:11: Two things are very significant in Paul's statement here. First, we see that spiritual gifts can be imparted or passed from one person to another. This is the whole purpose of the presbytery laying hands on an individual during ordination as Paul reminds Timothy (1 Tim. 4:14).

Secondly, spiritual gifts help establish or strengthen an individual. This is in stark contrast to what some critics of the gifts of the Holy Spirit claim. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:3-4, the gifts of the Spirit operating in the church produce edification, exhortation, and comfort; in private use, they edify the individual.