The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917], at sacred-texts.com
spiritual gifts
The Greek word, "pneumatika", literally means, "spirituals", that is, matters of or from the Holy Spirit, gives the key to Chapters 12, 13, 14. Chapter 12 concerns the Spirit in relation to the body of Christ. This relation is twofold:
(1) The baptism with the Spirit forms the body by uniting believers to Christ the risen and glorified Head, and to each other (Co1 12:12); (Co1 12:13). The symbol of the body thus formed is the natural, human body (Co1 12:12), and all the analogies are freely used (Co1 12:14-26).
(2) To each believer is given a spiritual enablement and capacity for specific service. No believer is destitute of such gift (Co1 12:7); (Co1 12:11); (Co1 12:27), but in their distribution the Spirit acts in free sovereignty (Co1 12:11). There is no room for self-choosing, and Christian service is simply the ministry of such gift as the individual may have received (cf) (Rom 12:4-8). The gifts are diverse (Co1 12:6); (Co1 12:8-10); (Co1 12:28-30), but all are equally honourable because bestowed by the same Spirit, administered under the same Lord, and energized by the same God.
gifts
Compare (Eph 4:8); (Eph 4:11); (Eph 4:12).
The Spirit gives gifts for service to men, Christ gives the gifted men to the churches.
prophecy
The New Testament prophet is not ordinarily a foreteller, but rather a forth-teller, one whose gift enabled him to speak "to edification, and exhortation, and comfort" (Co1 14:3).
more excellent
Chapter 13 continues the pneumatika begun in Chapter 12.
Gifts are good, but only if ministered in love. (Co1 13:1); (Co1 13:2).
Benevolence is good, but not apart from love. (Co1 13:3).
Love is described. (Co1 13:4-7).
Love is better than our present incomplete knowledge, (Co1 13:8-12),
and greater than even faith and hope (Co1 13:13).