1 Corinthians Chapter 14.

1 Corinthians Chapter 14.

Paul carefully sets out his sermon against the disorders arising in the assembly from an over-estimation of tongues.  He avoids using apostolic or ecclesiastical authority for doing so.  The Corinthians would make no advance toward maturity.  He prefers to develop the great basic principle of church-life that they, being instructed, should advance from a juvenile outlook to spiritual maturity.  Paul forms his argument in this manner:

           

Chapter 12.  THE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT.  All Christians are members of the Body of Christ.  It is vital to a body that all members function and co-ordinate for the common good.

           

Chapter 13.  THE "BAPTISM" OF LOVE.  The Church is built up in love and cannot be built up in any other way.  This is the master principle along which the Church must advance.  The principle of mutual love in the Christian brotherhood has its source in Christ's love for us.  It is recognition that our brethren are those for whom Christ died.

           

Chapter 14.  THE "BAPTISM" OF REASONABLE DISCIPLINE.  The common-sense, attention to order and seemly procedure form the best environment for the edification of the Church.  Brother- love flourishes best in a well ordered home. A little "rationalism" baptized into mutual love is most helpful.

           

Mutual love must have means of communicating itself and spiritual communications do not edify the Church unless understood.  Intelligible communications become more effective where there is decency and order.  The one thing that is important is edification.

           

2nd Timothy 1:7 provides a good summary of these three chapters.  The Spirit of power (chap. 12), of love (chap.13), and of sound mind (chap.14).

           

14:1. This exhortation links chapter 14 with chapter 13. To pursue love requires effort and purpose of heart.  The supreme and enduring principle of love must be applied to all church activities.  Those who pursue love will not be indifferent to spiritual gifts, but love provides the right motive and rule for their exercise and is the only sure criterion for discerning their value.  Prophecy was to be preferred above the other spiritual gifts.  The Corinthians seem to have favoured tongues, but Paul preferred prophecy, since thereby the Church is edified.  Glossolalia was a form of prayer unto God; it was not used for preaching.

           

Love has to do with people; zeal has to do with things.  The sovereign distribution of gifts by the Spirit does not wholly exclude choice and zeal for gifts.

           

14:2.  Languages are used to speak to men, but he who speaks in a tongue speaks to God alone.  Glossolalia here is obviously something different to speaking a language.

           

14:3.  In contrast to tongues, three important aims  characterise the prophetic ministry.  These three things provide a desirable rule for all ministry in the Church.

           

14:4.  Paul continues this contrast between prophecy and tongues.  Glossolalia edifies the ecstatic himself, but does not build up the Church and so falls short of the principle of mutual love.  Prophecy edifies the Church and that is important.  It exemplifies the principle of building up the Body of Christ in love.  The great demand of this chapter is that the exercise of a gift edifies the Church.  By this rule, every ministry must stand or fall.  All else is a selfish use of spiritual gifts and to burden the Church with one's own desire for self-satisfaction.

           

14:5.  Paul avoids stifling enthusiasm, for Christians should be enthusiastic.  It has rightly been said that Christianity is a thing caught rather than taught; but Paul also knew the peril of misdirected enthusiasm.  Christians are to maintain the spiritual glow while preserving the spirit of a sound mind.  But he does not stifle their enthusiasm, but leads them to a more important way of thinking about things.  He emphasizes in these verses, the need of edifying the Church. For the edification of the Church is the dominant idea of the whole chapter, the one goal of every spiritual activity.

           

14:6-12.  The frustrating effect of speech that is not understood.  The hearers verse 6, are not edified unless the spiritual communication is intelligible.  This idea that such communications must convey intelligible truths runs through to verse 25.  The greater worth of prophecy is that it is an intelligible communication, while the unintelligibleness of tongues makes them an unprofitable activity in the Church.  It is true that Christianity is a thing to be caught, but it is best caught through an intelligible communication.  There are more than one kind of intelligible communications, for the prophet speaks from a revelation, but the teacher from knowledge.

           

14:7-9.  The uselessness of communication which cannot be understood.  Even the inanimate instruments, such as musical instruments, there must be an intelligible pattern of sound.  Music is largely emotional, but even these sounds must express a pattern.

           

14:9.  These illustrations reprove ecstatic utterances and all communications that are not easily understood.  Paul is disparaging the use of glossolalia, but the principle is applicable to all utterances.  Long, difficult and unknown words obscure the truth.  Broadus said, "the preacher must not only preach so that the people will understand, but so that it will be impossible for them to misunderstand.

           

14:10-11.  The Greek imagined the talk of foreigners sounded barbaric, so they referred to men speaking a foreign language as `barbaroi' (barbarians).

             

Let us imagine an awkward situation; a shipwrecked sailor falls into the hands of foreigners.  He can neither make himself understood, nor understand what is said to him.  The situation is frustrating, unenviable - and could be perilous, for dangerous misunderstandings could arise.

           

Glossolalia in the Church is a jarring as discords from a harp, as disastrous as a war trumpet that gives no command, and as helplessly frustrating as a Greek among barbarians.  Tongues in the Church do not strengthen our sense of brotherhood, but makes us spiritual barbarians to one another. The N.E.B. seems justified in taking barbarian as gibberish.

           

14:12.  Paul addresses those eager for the gifts of the Spirit and enjoins them to aspire to excel in those which build up the Church.  This cannot be accomplished unless their communication is understood by the Church.

           

14:13.  The man who speaks in a tongue must pray for an interpretation or for another to interpret.  He is surely not to speak unless he is sure of an interpretation.  It also rules out his liberty to give a second message unless there has been an interpretation of the first.  Neither can the Church be expected to bear with any further speakers in tongues until the first has been interpreted.  To men of understanding all this would appear an undue strain on the patience of the Church.  Would not a straightforward message be better?  Does not the excellence of a message consist in being words easily to be understood?

           

14:14-16.  The spirit `preuma', stands in contrast to the understanding `nous'.  The `nous' is the intelligence, and to speak with the `nous' is to speak intelligently.  The Greeks thought `nous' the highest and noblest part of a man.  It is doubtful if Paul would rate `preuma' as inferior to `nous', but he saw very clearly the importance of `nous' if spiritual experiences are to be intelligently communicated.

           

The `preuma' is not here the Holy Spirit, nor exactly the human spirit, but it is the human spirit energised by the Holy Spirit.  In tongues the spirit is so enraptured as to become the faculty of ecstasy.  The emotional side of one's being is here set in contrast to the understanding, for ecstasy is largely an emotional experience.  Our emotions may be stirred, and we may be transported in ecstasy, but the understanding is not edified; no profitable communication is made to the fellowship of the Church.  The essence of fellowship is to share spiritual experiences.

The glossolalist edifies only himself, verse 14, but since his understanding is unfruitful he is not wholly edified and neither are others.  The edification of himself is only partial, for in edifying others, we ourselves are edified.  What does this partial edification consist of?  The most probable explanation is that tongues are a form of psychic catharsis.

           

One who explains it this way writes, "In the deep basic reintegration of the individual's personality, the psychological upheaval is too great to control; the resultant joy of the release from guilt-feeling, is too great, too thrilling to repress.  Thus the eager desire to express one's new life of inner peace, and the fresh outlook cannot be restrained.  This is why Paul had to declare that tongue speaking is a genuine "gift of the Spirit" which cannot be denied despite all its eccentricities and abuses.  Glossolalia appears to be an ecstatic form of speech, seeking to give vent to the joy of the new life, and of spiritual redemption.

           

Probably, then, the best overall explanation for genuine glossolalia is psychic catharsis, but when we turn to the "synthetic" type of tongue-speaking, other factors become involved, such as auto-hypnotism, normal hypnosis, and the laws of auto-suggestion. - Ira Martin.

           

14:16. To bless (praise) and to give thanks are synonymous terms.  After the custom of the Synagogue there was the congregational "Amen" at the giving of thanks.  Two interpretations have been given to the group, "the unlearned":

*   They may be inquirers sympathisers, who are not yet recognized members.

*   Ordinary or plain Christians who are without special gifts.

           

Such folk, must find glossolalia boring and repelling, for having no gift of interpretation, they are unable to share in the edification.

           

Prayer has three aspects: Godward, church-ward and self-ward.  The Church shares in the prayer and is edified.

           

The whole passage continues to emphasize the necessity that spiritual experiences be shared by the Church and they can only be shared as they are expressed in words understood by all.  Every spiritual activity in the congregation is for the advancement of all, and not for the ecstatic's sense of well-being.

           

14:18.  "More than you."  The general tenor of Paul's discussion has been to discourage tongues and he does not seem to rate highly ecstatic forms of devotion which have no intelligible expression; that is, spiritual exercise which are partial, not edifying the whole personality.  It is therefore surprising to be now confronted with his preeminence in ecstatic speech.  He must definitely refer to private devotions, since he would rather speak five instructive words in the Church than 10,000 in ecstatic speech.  It seems rather unlikely that he sought ecstasy for its own sake.  He had no desire for "synthetic" experiences.  He may mean that his private prayers were so intense that he was spontaneously carried away in ecstasy.  See 2nd Cor.12:1-5.  Also consider Rom.8:26.  Paul did not write as one who had no experience of religious ecstasy, but he was aware of its limitations.

           

14:19.  Tongues are utterly worthless for the edification of the Church.  The shortest, simplest sermon is far, far more profitable.  How paradoxical that the Corinthians, so proud of their wisdom, became so infatuated with a spiritual manifestation so devoid of intelligibility.  This folly was the nemesis of their boasted wisdom.

           

14:20.  True Growth.  Paul softens his reproach with the address, "Brethren."  "Cease to show yourselves children but act as those who are full-grown in intelligence.  In malice alone continue as babes."

           

The Corinthians made glossolalia a toy.  A child plays with a toy for its own satisfaction, and seeks to gain its mother's attention, and seeks distinction.  As a child grows so its interests widen and his life becomes less centred round himself; he learns he has responsibilities that call for sacrifice on his part.  He realizes that he has become a member of the community and he is acquires the outlook of a man.  The mature man thinks of the good of the community.  The Corinthians are asked to have a man's understanding of things and seek the building up of the Church.  Their over- occupation with tongues reflected a juvenile outlook.  Little children are not models for us to imitate in their nonsense, but they are models in their innocence.  To be childlike in humility and freedom from vice, is not to be childish.

           

14:21.  The Law here means the Old Testament; see Rom.3:19 for a similar usage.  Paul quotes from Isaiah (28:11).  The word "strange" provides Paul with occasion for making a comparison with glossolalia.  Isaiah reproved the drunken people of his day who scorned his message as elementary and suitable only for babes.  The prophet warned them of judgment, for God would speak to them with foreign lips to their humiliation; but not even then would they hear and obey the Lord.  Paul appeals to this scripture as proof tongues are a sign to the unbelieving, but gives little hope that this sign will bring them to faith.  It is rather a sign to scorners who will on no account hear and believe.  They become hardened in their unbelief.

           

14:22.  Tongues are a sign to those who are obstinate in their unbelief.  They are a token to unbelievers of confusion and judgment.  The use of tongues as a sign is limited since they do not bring unbelievers to repentance.  Tongues formed no part of the evangelist's equipment..

           

14:23.  This verse concerns a proper meeting for the whole Church and to which outsiders were welcomed.  If in such a Church meeting all spoke in tongues, then the unlearned and unbelievers would think they were mad.  It is by means of spiritual communications that the presence of God becomes manifested in the Church. Glossolalia fails in this respect, for it conveys no sense of the Divine Presence, which convicts the heart.  It rather provokes scorn.  If tongues were as desirable as the Corinthians thought, then it would be desirable that the whole Church spoke in tongues, but Paul insists that if they did, then, will not the uninstructed and the inquiring unbeliever justly regard them as mad?

           

14:24.  The intelligible communication conveys the sense of the Divine Presence.  In this the superiority of prophecy is manifested.  The words, "if all prophesy," does not mean all at the same time.  A special quality of prophecy was its power to make bare the secrets of the hearts of men.  See John 4:19; Luke 7:39.  The prophet may have had some special ability to discern the moral state of the heart.

           

14:25.  Prophecy edifies the Church, but it is also much more effective than glossolalia for the conversion of unbelievers, for it confronts men with the presence of God and reveals to them the secrets of their own hearts.

           

14:26-33.  A peep at a New Testament Church meeting :

*   Each one makes some contribution.

*   There is variety of contributions.

*   There is no rigid order or fixed program.

All forms of rigid order seem contrary to the inner and essential nature of the Church as the community of the Spirit. However, liberty is never unrestricted, but must be governed by that mutual love which seeks the edification of the Church.

           

The aim of the chapter is to introduce a measure of order and procedure into the Church at Corinth.  The one great principle to be maintained is that all things be done for the edification of the Church and when some measure of procedure, order, form and discipline is required to achieve this goal, then, it is rightly introduced.  Confusion, unseemliness and unrest are the great enemies of edification.   But it is also true that if the edification of the Church is like that of a body, an organism, then there must be liberty for the different members to function.  In a body, all the members:

*   Have some function.

*   God has given and appointed this function.

*   No member performs all the chief functions.

*   All must work together for the health of the body.

           

The unity of the Church is just like that.  This peep at a New Testament Church meeting contains permanent instruction.  However, there is proof that the manifestation of gifts at Corinth was characteristic of every New Testament Church, and that it presents a pattern of such manifestations to be pursued and maintained always and everywhere.

           

In the New Testament itself, there is development in respect to unity, rule and ministry in the Church.  A peep into the Pastoral Epistles reveals progress.  But these great chapters of the letter to the Corinthians are of abiding value in unfolding the basic principles of the life of the Church.  But it is a mistake to see in them a pattern of spiritual manifestations that must become propaganda.

           

14:27-28.  Those who spoke in a tongue must do so "in turn" R.V. and no more than two or three at one meeting, and not at all if there was no interpreter.  The Church must not be wearied by such.

           

14:29-32.  No more than two or three prophets are to speak at one meeting, and obviously one at the time, ("one by one"), while the rest are to discern what has been said.  The value of the revelation given is to be assessed by the Church; this may have been done by discussion.   The man who possessed the gift of discerning spirits may have guided the congregation's discussion.

           

14:30.  Revelation and prophecy are linked together.  If, while one prophet is speaking, another receives a revelation, he is to indicate in some way (possibly by standing) that he has a revelation to deliver and the first will draw his message to a close.  They could all prophesy one by one, i.e. successively, that all may learn and be exhorted.

           

14:32.  The prophets may over-estimate their role and weary the Church.  Prophets may claim to be carried away in some measure of ecstasy.  Paul insists they control their spiritual enthusiasm.  None must imagine that they could not keep a revelation until another time.  Opportunity would come at future meetings so that they may all prophecy.  The impulse to speak must not be the sole directing principle, for the strongest impulse and inspiration must be subject to Divine order.  The spirits here are the spiritual influences that give prophetic utterances.  The apostle may mean the human faculties which are especially the vehicles of inspiration.  Clearly, consideration for others, the effect upon the congregation, opportunity for other spiritual functions, are put above the impulse that one must deliver the revelation he has been given.

           

14:33.  Every form of spiritual utterance is subject to control, for God who is the Author of all inspiration, is not the author of disorder, but of order and peace.  Therefore, order and peace are two necessary laws of His assemblies.

           

14:34.  The final clause of verse 33 is to be joined to verse 34.  See the N.E.B.  Women are to keep silent in the Church; the liberty which Paul appears to give them in 11:5 is here denied to them.  See 1st Tim.2:8-15 N.E.B.  There may be a special reference to the discussions that arose from the prophetic messages.  The reference to the Law in 14:34 is not to the Sinaitic Legislation, but to the Pentateuch.  Paul appeals to Genesis and to the role of submission required of women.  This is not a lapse into legalism on Paul's part, but an appeal to the Old Testament revelation.  However, Paul's very emphatic language here may reflect an awareness that women taking part in the discussion would shock Greeks and Jews alike.  It is necessary to avoid a legal approach to this matter, and to recognize the exigency of the situation Paul confronted, but it is also true, that we must regard the apostolic instruction as the continuing Word of God to the Church.

           

14:36.  The Corinthians could not be a law unto themselves.  They were receivers of the Word of God and must submit to it.  The autonomy of the local church is no justification for making our own rules.  There is to be no ecclesiastical eccentricity.  The procedures by which all the Churches were governed must be recognized as the Word of God.  They were not creators of the Rule of faith, but were to be submissive to the Word of God.

14:37.  Paul claims dominical authority for all he has written.  It is interesting to note the large measure in which this epistle reflects the teaching of the Lord as found in the Synoptic Gospels, probably more so than any other epistle.  It is the Sermon on the Mount applied to the problems of a Greek Church.  The great sentiment of the sermon, the sentiment of brotherhood, dominates the epistle.  It must be rated one of the most important of all epistles.

           

14:38.  In verse 17 to 40 Paul again addresses those who claimed gifts of inspiration.  They must recognize that the things Paul wrote to them were the commandments of the Lord.  True, spirituality manifested itself in acknowledging the Divine authority of the apostle's teaching.  On verse 38, the N.E.B. gives the best interpretation, "If he does not recognize this, he himself should not be recognized."  The Church must recognize only such as adhered to the apostles teaching.

           

14:39.  A final word as to prophecies and tongues.  Prophecies were to be eagerly sought, and tongues were not to be forbidden.  Paul does not crush forms of enthusiasm, but encouraged them in the pursuit of the more profitable communications.

           

14:40.  Two great principles summarise this chapter:

*   Let all things be done unto edifying. 14:26.  This is the central idea of the chapter.

*   Let all things be done decently (properly) and in good order.

           

There is no clear reference to the Holy Spirit in this chapter; this is remarkable.  It is true that its foundation is chapter 12, but chapter 14 provides a certain guidance and correction for the forces that are released in chapter 12.  Plainly, that impulse, enthusiasm, ecstasy and every spiritual utterance must be governed by sound and common-sense principles if edification is to be achieved.  That is best which best edifies.  Paul does not deny the Divine origin of the Corinthian enthusiasm, but insists that God is the Author of peace.  It is true that there is a peace that stagnates, but it is also true that without peace there is no unity.  We may summarise glossolalia at Corinth thus:-

*   It bordered dangerously on their old life.  In some of the Greek forms of paganism, they practiced varied forms of ecstasy. But such forms of ecstatic utterances conveyed no revelation of truth, since the idols they worshipped were dumb.  The leaven of their old life excited their infatuation for such experiences.

*   Ecstasy had little lasting value, for it was an experience that left the worshipper as he was previously, except he become more prone to such influences.

*   Its appeal was spectacular.  It frequently became the occasion of religious pride through which the worshipper felt a personal distinction and elevation.  It was the urge to impress others that one is a remarkable person.

*   It was erotic, being allied to `eros' rather than `agape'.  Ecstasy is then that which the Greeks found most desirable in `eros'.  Paul does not mention `eros', a word so significant in Greek life, but the manner in which he raises `agape' to a supreme place, leaves little doubt that `agape' is placed over against `eros'.  Glossolalia gave a certain satisfaction and exhilaration in that it transported one beyond his own individual limitations.  In this it was allied to `eros' rather than `agape', which finds its true realisation in serving others.

*   It was divisive.  It's claim to be the distinctive sign of possessing the Spirit, menaced the unity of the Church.  To reduce spiritual experiences to a common pattern always has fissiparous results.  It was this that provoked Paul to treat the unity and edification of the Church as he does in these chapters.

*   It failed to produce edifying communication to the Church.  In this is exposed its deplorable failure.  Five words - just give words - that edify are better than all the useless ecstasy of glossolalia.

*   It provoked scorn and disorder.  The listeners became bored and scornful.  It is very bad manners to bore a congregation by imposing on them glossolalia which can be nothing more than gibberish to them.