I Corinthians 14:1-25

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.  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.

The apostle Paul is putting spiritual gifts into proper perspective.  Once again, he reminds the Corinthians that the spiritual gifts without charity (love) profit nothing.  Love should motivate the gift, therefore follow after charity.  Paul prioritizes the gift of prophesy which is the declaration of the truth of God’s Word and the forth telling of the will of God according to the Scriptures.

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Paul is comparing the end result of the gift of tongues versus end result of the gift of prophesying.  Speaking in an unknown* tongue edifies only the speaker but prophesying edifies the whole church body.  Love focuses not on edifying self, but on edifying others.

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.

Please be reminded that this is being written by the apostle Paul about 55 AD.  The judgment coming in 70 AD had not yet fallen, so the sign gifts still had purpose and meaning to the nation of Israel and the unbelieving Jew.  Paul is not forbidding the gift of tongues, but he prefers rather that ye prophesied by stating greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues.  Why?…..that the church (the body of believers) may be edified!

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?

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?  For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,* who shall prepare himself to the battle?

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.

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.  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.

Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown* tongue pray that he may interpret.  For if I pray in an unknown* tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding* is unfruitful.

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.  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?  For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

*Paul’s instruction through these verses is obvious, speaking with understanding (prophesying) edifies the body.  Speaking in a tongue edifies only the speaker.  The Corinthians were only interested in edifying themselves.  The Corinthians were exercising their gifts without exercising love.

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 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.  Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

The apostle Paul is not a stranger to speaking in tongues.  He states simply that he has exercised this gift more than all the Corinthian church.  Once again he supplies the proper perspective by stating he would rather speak five words with my understanding,……..than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

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.”  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.

God spoke to Israel through the prophets.  When Israel chose not to listen to His prophets God spoke a message of judgment to them through their enemies (with men of other tongues).  The sign gifts which include speaking in tongues as defined in Acts 2, are for the unbelieving Jew.

To sum it all up Paul simply states that the sign gift of speaking in tongues is for the unbelieving, while the gift of prophecy is for believers.

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?

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: 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.

Once again, in the two paragraphs above the apostle Paul compares the gifts.  Are you able to distinguish the difference?  Which is the greater gift?  Which gift should be desired, the gift of speaking in tongues or the gift of prophesying?  Which gift edifies the body of Christ, the church?  What is it that is not understandable concerning Paul’s comparisons?  Do we have a higher regard for Scripture or for experience?  Will we allow experience to trump the clear teaching of Scripture?

Note:  The scripture quotations in this article are from the KJV.  You will notice that in the KJV, the word unknown is italicized.  That means it was inserted by the translators but it is not in the original text.  If this is not explained or known by the preacher or the reader of Scripture, those individuals may make a case for a heavenly language that the  charismatic church of our day practices.  Whether one believes this way or not, Paul’s teaching on the gift of tongues versus the gift of prophesy still stands.

There are some that believe the apostle Paul is addressing an unknown heavenly language in the text above as well as known languages.  They make a distinction between tongue singular (an unknown heavenly language) and tongues plural (the known languages).   Whether you interpret this way or not, Paul’s teaching on the gift of tongues versus the gift of prophesy still stands.  In this case it will be with an exclamation point because Paul teaches that a gift which includes understanding is edifying for all.

It should also be noted that there was a practice of speaking in a tongue or heavenly gibberish in the pagan temples of worship during  New Testament times.  Given the influence that a culture can have upon religion, it should not be ruled out that this practice could have been transferred to the Corinthian church along with all the other cultural practices that shackled them spiritually.

  The purpose for Jesus’ teaching, preaching and healing was so that unbelieving Israel would know He came from God, that He was and is their promised Messiah.  His healing ministry restored those with congenital defects.  Often those that were healed by His disciples had no clue about what was to happen.  Jesus’ healing ministry with His disciples was so thorough it is probable there was no disease, defect, infirmity or demon possession left in the land of Israel.**

For a more complete study of this topic please read The Corinthian Catastrophe by George E. Gardner; copyright 1974 by Kregel Publications.

*Understanding is the key for edifying the body of Christ which is the church.

**This final statement is opinion only and cannot be proven from the text of Scripture.

To be continued in Part VI, as the apostle Paul lay down the rules for speaking in tongues in I Corinthians 14:26-40.

…….let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…..