Lesson for September 4, 2022
The Book of I Corinthians
Chapter 14:1-19
Verses 1-8
“Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit, he speaks mysteries. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but rather that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edification. 6 But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching? 7 Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8 For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?”
Chapter 14 is the final word on the gift of tongues. Paul spent a lot of time and effort on this subject which reinforces the idea that there were some who were abusing the gift in the church at Corinth. Therefore, Paul addressed the church congregation in this chapter, not the individual believer.
Virtue-love was to be the characteristic of the Corinthian congregation. This was what Paul desired the entire congregation to pursue. By pursuing virtue-love, instead of their own egotistical desires, the divisions within the church would be eliminated, spiritual gifts would function properly, and the church would have an impact for Christ in Corinth.
Earnestly desire spiritual gifts is addressed to the congregation, not the individual believer. But some spiritual gifts were greater than others with regard to the edification of the congregation. The greater gift Paul points out is the spiritual gift of prophecy. In this case, the preference is the gift of prophecy over the gift of tongues. The gift of prophecy was a gift for the communication of doctrine. The gift of tongues was primarily a gift for sharing the Gospel.
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God means for the glory of God. Not speaking to men meant they did not understand what was being said because it was a foreign language and there was no interpreter. But God does understand all languages, and He was glorified by what was being said.
For no one understands, but in his spirit, he speaks mysteries means that the one who spoke in tongues did not understand the meaning of the language he spoke. We know this because later Paul tells us that there must be someone to interpret what was said. Since the one speaking in “tongues” did not understand the language, he could only be speaking to God unless there was an interpreter present. This is why the spiritual gift of interpretation was imperative as a companion gift to the gift of tongues. If no interpreter was present, then the gift of tongues should not be practiced. Those that violated this principle were being arrogant and trying to impress others.
But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church. On the other hand, a believer with the gift of prophecy spoke to the congregation under the principles of edification, exhortation, and consolation from the Word of God. Edification means that which builds up. Exhortation means to encourage, and consolation means to comfort. The teaching of accurate Bible doctrine is how believers are edified, encouraged, and consoled.
Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. If all of the Corinthians spoke in tongues, that would mean more foreigners would hear the Gospel. However, if they all had the gift of prophecy everyone could be edified. If tongues were necessary for someone who was a foreigner, then tongues needed to be interpreted so everyone benefited.
But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching? Paul had already established the fact that speaking in tongues is primarily for evangelization, and when it was spoken in a church service there must be an interpreter so the congregation benefits. He also established the fact that the gift of prophecy was greater than the gift of tongues. Paul preferred to come to them using his gift of prophecy in four categories of communication: 1) revelation refers to the mystery doctrine of the Church Age 2) knowledge refers to doctrinal categories of the Word of God 3) prophecy refers to end times events 4) teaching refers to the mechanics of the plan of God. So, we actually have a complete description of the gift of prophecy – to foretell and to forthtell.
Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? Paul illustrated the fact that without an interpreter no one in the congregation would benefit from the gift of tongues. Someone speaking in tongues would sound like an out-of-tune musical instrument. Or they would sound like a military bugler who played the notes for battle, and no one recognized them and failed to be prepared.
Verses 9-11
9 “So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be talking to the air. 10 There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and none is incapable of meaning. 11 So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible to me.”
Speaking a language that has no meaning was a waste of time. The point of all languages is communication, and they have meaning only to those who speak that language. However, if a person does not know the meaning of the language, then they are simply speaking into the air. The Greek word for unintelligible speech is “barbaros,” which means one whose speech is rude or harsh and carries with it the idea of a foreigner. A foreigner’s speech was unintelligible sounds to those who did not speak their language. A believer speaking in “tongues” without a translator sounded like an unintelligible language to them. The same babble exists in churches today, but the difference is they are not speaking any known language, just gibberish!
Verses 12-19
12 “So you too, since you are eager to possess spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the edification of the church.13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue is to pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also. 16 For otherwise, if you bless God in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the outsider know to say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.”
The church is edified by the communication of doctrine. So spiritual gifts which edify were to be sought and desired in the worship service, primarily the gift of prophecy, which communicated doctrine. The gift of tongues was primarily the communication of the Gospel. When the gift of tongues was used and interpreted, foreigners in the congregation heard the Gospel and that was beneficial. The Gospel can edify but is limited for spiritual growth. However, they also needed to hear accurate Bible doctrine, which was being taught by a man with the spiritual gift of prophecy.
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also. For if tells us that Paul was using a hypothetical illustration. This is important because Paul was not saying that he or anyone else should always pray in tongues (a foreign language). He was giving instruction to the church when they are assembled to worship. It’s an illustration of what not to do more than what to do. When the church was assembled, praying in a foreign language had no benefit to anyone except the one who was praying (my spirit prays), unless an interpreter was present. But the prayer was not beneficial to those who heard what he was communicating in a language they did not understand (my mind is unfruitful – to others). So, Paul said that when he prayed in the church service, he did so in the language they spoke (both with his human spirit and his intellect) in order that they could understand and be edified by his prayer. So, prayer and singing should always have doctrinal content in order to be beneficial.
For otherwise, if you bless God in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the outsider know to say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. meant the person with the gift of tongues was speaking the foreign language well and precise, but no one could understand what he was saying in his prayer and said “Amen” (I agree). Therefore, no one benefited from his prayer.
I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue At this point, Paul told them that he had done more speaking in tongues than all of them, and he also made it very clear that this was not the primary means of spiritual growth. (He very likely had the spiritual gift of interpretation of tongues also.) The reason he said he was thankful was because he had been given many evangelistic opportunities as a result of having the gift of tongues, and he was desperately concerned for the salvation of others, especially the Jews. (Romans 10:1)
Paul would never think of using any of his spiritual gifts in the church in a manner that failed to communicate Bible doctrine (which included the Gospel) to them. Paul was saying he would rather speak five words from his spiritual intellect because five words were from his spiritual gift of prophecy, which communicated doctrine and was the primary purpose of assembling for worship.