Notes on 1 Corinthians 14

1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
6 ¶ Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Leaving aside the controversy of speaking in tongues, the real issues are more lasting, and apply whether or not a church believes the gift is still present. The first is one Paul addresses over and over in this letter, that of spiritual pride. Everyone in the church, it seems, wanted to demonstrate how spiritual they were by speaking in tongues all at the same time. It didn't matter if God was in it, just that they receive notice. The love of God is not in such displays, nor in the universal insistence in delivering some message of prophecy during the service. There was no effort to glorify God, but self. It would be a bit like everyone's now wanting to get up and give a testimony about what they were doing for God. Or, as in the case of some churches even now, half a dozen people wanting to stand up and give a long-winded sermon with more wind than substance. There is another side, too, of the spiritual pride issue besides wanting recognition and approval of other men; these same people would think themselves much better than those not as gifted. This is very much a problem on both sides of the "sign gifts" issue now; Charismatics and Pentecostal often think of themselves as spiritually superior to those not blessed and anointed with the gift of tongues, particularly. Fundamental churches think that Charismatic churches are either seriously misguided, or worse, deceived by Satan. While we should stand ready to recognize and condemn spiritual and doctrinal error, we should not at the same time take it on ourselves to judge the salvation of another professing Christian who holds to the same basic beliefs that we do.

The other issue here is the conduct of worship. While some churches are so bogged down in ritual and liturgy that there is no life in their services, others seemingly have no sense of order and propriety at all. Whether or not there is a church bulletin, there should be a recognized order in a service, without totally stifling the Spirit's freedom to work in our midst. The purpose of a worship service is just that, a shared experience of worship. It should not be viewed as entertainment; in some so-called "modern" churches, the emphasis is on making good music that gets a crowd moving, or hypnotizes them with endless repetition of the same words and notes. Getting an emotional high in a church service does not constitute worship, unless the emotions flow naturally from the normal working of the spirit, rather than being manufactured. Neither should a sermon be entertainment; there's no problem with using humor to get a congregation's attention, or to make a point. Unless the message is based in, and illustrated by, scripture, though, it's nothing but a speech, however entertaining it may be.

34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Paul returns to the role of women in church. In even the most fundamental churches, women often speak, whether in Sunday School classes, or in testimony, even they don't preach or teach. In Paul's time, it was considered a sign of great disrespect for a woman to speak in a public meeting or assembly. That is no longer the case, at least in Western culture, though the idea that women are subject to the authority of their husbands is still as valid as it was in the teachings of scripture. In no other book does Paul address some of these issues of women in worship services, but both he and Peter, in particular, address the role of women in the home. So-called "politically correct" churches try to explain this teaching as well, as being one peculiar to the times, but when someone can pick and choose which parts of scripture are "relevant", it ceases to have any authority at all. Regardless of any spiritual gifts being exercised, the main thing is to have a worship service dedicated to, and ordered by, God, not man.

Site designed and maintained by Gary W Cavendish, Webmaster. Copyright © 2006-2008 by Gary W Cavendish.  All rights to original content reserved.