Bible Encyclopedias
Discerning of Spirits

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Diotrephes

Next Entry
Disciple

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Dictionaries
American Tract Society
• Discerning of Spirits
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Discerning of Spirits
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Discerning of Spirits
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Discerning of Spirits
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Spirits, Discernment of
• Discernment of Spirits
Encyclopedias
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Discernings of Spirits
• Spirits, Discernings of
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia
• Discerning of Spirits
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Discerning of Spirits
• Spirits, Discerning of
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Discernment of Spirits

This is now usually understood to mean a high faculty, enjoyed by certain persons in the apostolic age, of diving into the heart and discerning the secret dispositions of men. It appears to have been one of the gifts peculiar to that age, and was especially necessary at a time when the standards of doctrine were not well established or generally understood, and when many deceivers were abroad (). This faculty seems to have been exercised chiefly upon those who came forward as teachers of others, and with whose real character and designs it was important that the infant churches should be acquainted.