To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit. (1 Cor. 12:8 NIV)

The Spiritual Gift of Knowledge Defined

The word of knowledge is the ability to research, remember, and make effective use of a variety of information on a number of diverse subjects.

People with the Gift of Knowledge

These people love to study, love to learn, and are not content with a surface-level knowledge of topics. They are compelled to conduct thorough research and compile their findings so that others can benefit from their long hours of focused study. People with this spiritual gift love God with all their mind (Mark 12:29-30). And these people tend to like footnotes.

Knowledge in Jesus' Ministry

Throughout his ministry, Jesus frequently quoted the Old Testament Scriptures from memory because he had committed himself to studying Scripture so faithfully. Jesus also rebuked the scholars of his day because they studied the Bible but failed to love him, which is the purpose of all study (John 5:39). Knowledge is illustrated in the lives of Ezra (Ezra 7:10), Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:13; 7:25; 8:9), and Timothy (2 Timothy 2:15).

Do You Have This Gift?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you love to study?
• Do you have a good memory that retains and compiles lots of information?
• Have others frequently pointed out your ability to know and understand God's Word?
• Do people often come to you with difficult problems and questions from the Bible, seeking your insight because they know you will have the answer or find it?
• In studying God's Word, have you found that new insights and understanding of difficult subjects come easy to you?
• Are you frustrated when you hear bad teaching from someone who has not done their homework?