1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. ²For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. ³But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. ⁴Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

Spiritual gifts can only be effective through love. Gifts were given in order to spread the gospel and build up the church.

The gift of prophecy may involve predicting of future events, but its main purpose is to communicate God’s message to people, providing insight, warning, correction, and encouragement.

Speaking in tongues was causing disorder in worship because the Corinthian believers were using it improperly. If someone has been given the gift to speak in other languages, then remains in his church and goes around speaking in a language no one understands without using an interpreter, what good is he doing? He was given the gift to speak in other languages so he could go preach to those who would understand that language. Therefore, someone who has the gift of prophecy is greater than the one speaking in a foreign language without an interpreter. What is spoken in the church must be intelligible to the listeners. Paul is not saying the gift of tongues is unimportant, only that it must be used properly to improve the morals or knowledge of the church members. If used properly, this gift is as important as the gift of prophecy. All gifts should be used to unify and strengthen the church, not to make ourselves feel good.

⁶Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? ⁷Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? ⁸Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

One note repeated over and over does not accomplish anything. It does not create a recognizable tune. In order to recognize and appreciate a particular tune, the notes must be arranged in a way as to create a meaningful tune. Flutes and harps were well known instruments in Greece. The trumpet was used for battle signals. The notes sounded would convey a message. The same is true with the use of a foreign language. If the people cannot understand what you are saying, it is of no value unless there is an interpreter.

 ¹⁰Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. ¹²So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. ¹³For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

All languages in the world have meaning to those who understand them. But when you speak in front of a group of people who do not comprehend the language you’re using, you are not accomplishing anything.

 ¹⁵So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

Praying, singing, praising God, saying Amen, and thanksgiving are all elements of worship employed in the Old Testament. The Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion. Saying “Amen” (meaning “it is true” or “so be it”) is the believer’s confession of agreement with the words spoken. If the believer or listener does not understand what is being said, how can they agree? We must pray and sing (worship) with both mind and spirit at the same time in order to lift up others within the church.

¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Paul obviously possessed the gift of speaking in other languages. He traveled all over the region spreading the gospel, so it was necessary for him to be able to speak different languages in his travels so each culture would be able to understand his message. But whenever he was in a church, he would speak in the language that congregation would understand rather than show off his knowledge of many languages.

²⁰Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. ²¹In the Law it is written:

“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”

²²Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.

Verse 21 is a quote from Isaiah 28:11-12. Whenever Paul quotes from the Old Testament, he refers to it as “The Law.” This passage from Isaiah indicated the foreign language of the Assyrians was a sign to unbelieving Israel that judgment was coming on them. Paul concluded from this that speaking in tongues was intended to be a sign for unbelievers. Prophecy was for believers since it revealed truth to those who received it.

“In regard to evil be infants.” Babies have no wrong motives. They have needs of comfort, but no ulterior motives. As infants, we should not have any evil desires in wanting to excel in spiritual gifts to inflate our own egos or puff ourselves up. Gifts were not given to increase our stance in society, but were given to be used in elevating the church and spreading the gospel of Christ. “But in your thinking be adults.” As adults we can reason and use our minds to comprehend the message God gives us through His Word and prophecy.

²³So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ²⁴But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

Inquirers are referred to in some manuscripts as “some who do not understand.” Inquirers were those who wanted to know more about the gospel, but had not yet come to understand it all. Unbelievers were those who understood, but had not yet accepted. If these two groups entered a church meeting where everyone was speaking in foreign languages, they would be repulsed by the confusion, causing a negative effect rather than the intended impressive sign.

Prophesying, although intended for believers, is spoken in the native language and would therefore have a positive effect on unbelievers because they hear and understand and are convicted of their sins.

²⁶What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

When they came together to worship, it is apparent they all took part, not just certain leaders or officers. Hymns, words of instruction, revelations or prophecies, and speaking in foreign languages with interpretations were all elements of worship in the Corinthian church. All of these must be used to strengthen the church.

There were three restrictions, or rules, for those speaking in other languages in the church service. Only two or three should do so in a meeting, they should do so one at a time, and there must be an interpreter.  

²⁹Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. ³⁰And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. ³¹For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. ³²The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. ³³For God is not a God of disorder but of peace

As with those speaking in tongues, the prophets also had rules. Only two or three should speak in the service, one at a time. While one is speaking the others were to consider what they said carefully and decide the validity of his message. If another prophet stood to speak, the first must sit down and allow the second to take the floor. This avoided confusion for those listening.

However, speaking in tongues and prophesying was not an uncontrollable emotional moment of ecstasy. Paul says these gifts should be controlled by those possessing them. Forethought needed to be applied before using their gifts. Paul reminds them how God is a God of peace, not of disorder. Worship services should always be orderly, not disruptive or confusing. When there is chaos, the church is not allowing God to work among believers as He would like. God had called believers in Christ to peace and unity. Paul was concerned about how disorderly and unregulated worship at Corinth would discredit God’s people.

Now we come to a controversial verse in our present day society.

As in all the congregations of the saints, ³⁴Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. ³⁵If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

“All congregations of the saints” stresses the collective unity of the entire visible church of God on earth. All congregations are to obey the directive given here.

The culture of that time in Corinth dictated it was disrespectful for women to confront men in public. Paul’s concern was for believers to be respectful of one another and of God as they exercised their spiritual gifts. Even in their culture, there were times when a woman was allowed to participate in worship. In 1 Corinthians 11:5, Paul indicates women did possess the gift of prophecy, and therefore would be allowed to pray and prophesy in church. Paul’s purpose was not to define a woman’s role within the worship service, but to establish a fitting and orderly way of worship.

Paul is not altogether forbidding women to speak in church, but is forbidding the disorderly discussions and clamoring for explanations. They were allowed to participate in worship, but not to have public confrontations. Apparently, some of the women who had become Christians believed their Christian freedom from the law gave them the right to question the men in public worship. This was causing division in the church. Paul suggests they should wait until they get home to discuss things with their husbands rather than disrupt the worship services.

³⁶Did the word of God originate with you? Are you the only people it has reached? ³⁷If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. ³⁸But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.

Paul is being sarcastic in asking rhetorical questions. He accuses the Corinthians of following their own practices rather than conforming to God’s Word. He also points out that any of them who genuinely possess gifts from God will recognize Paul’s God-given authority and recognize his commands are the Lord’s commands. Anyone who does not accept these commands and disobeys them will be treated as an unbeliever.

³⁹Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Paul ends this portion of his letter by stressing it is not his purpose to forbid speaking in tongues, but to make sure the gift is used correctly, with interpreters. He repeats his purpose for writing, which is to restore order within the worship services.