
Part 19: Prophesy & Tongues (1 Cor. 14:1-25)
TEACHING NOTES Introduction Before we begin chapter fourteen, let’s review this section. Paul began a section about the church gathering in chapter eleven by talking about modesty. Then he introduced spiritual gifts in chapter twelve. Paul then describes “the love” as the “more excellent way” that should be the foundation of all that we do in the church gathering. Now Paul is going to give some instructions about how the Corinthians should and should not practice the gifts of the Spirit. Most Christians in Corinth were former pagans. A form of prophesy and tongues existed in pagan worship—usually a result of being in a trance. So, the Corinthians need to learn how prophesy and tongues are practiced in Christian gatherings. 1 Corinthians 14:1–3 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. Pursue love = Grk. Dioko ho agape - Literally, “strive after the love.” This section about spiritual gifts is a kind of agape sandwich: chapter 12 describes the gifts, chapter 13 describes agape/love as the greatest gift, and chapter 14 gives guidelines for the gifts. Paul wants the Corinthians to pursue love first and let love guide all of the other gifts of the Spirit. Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts = Grk. zeloo ho pneumatikos - Literally, “strongly desire the spiritual.” Paul already said that the Corinthians should “earnestly desire the higher gifts” and that love is the “more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). The Corinthians may have assumed that they should pursue and love and forget about the gifts. But Paul wants to be clear that the gift should be pursued, just not without love. Especially prophesy = Whenever Paul lists the gifts of the Spirit, prophesy is always toward the top of the list and tongues are always at the bottom of the list. This indicates that Paul understood prophesy (speaking God’s Word) as more useful and beneficial to the church. The one who speaks in a tongue = Paul seems to be referring to a different kind of speaking in tongues than what we see in Acts. In Acts 2, the apostles are speaking to a crowd who are miraculously hearing in their own languages. Here, Paul is referring to Christians speaking in tongues to God. As we will see later in chapter 14, speaking in tongues without interpretation should be avoided in the church gathering. The one who prophesies = Paul believes that prophesy is more useful because everyone can understand and benefit from a word from God. Speaking in an unknown language without translation and interpretation helps no one. But speaking intelligibly about the Word of God helps everyone. Upbuilding = Grk. oikodome - edification, strengthening. Encouragement = Grk. paraklesis - comfort, help. Consolation = Grk. paramythia - solace, comfort, relief. Paul is clear about what prophesy should accomplish. Prophesy is speaking the Word of God to strengthen, encourage, and comfort the church. Prophesy is not about telling the future or teaching new ideas and doctrines that are not found in Scripture. Modern “prophets” are often focused on telling the future and telling elaborate stories of angels and heavenly visits. And the modern “prophets” often say things that directly contradict Scripture. 1 Corinthians 14:4–5 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Tongues builds up himself = If one has a spiritual experience where they speak in an unknown language, then they might receive the benefit of knowing that God is doing something real in their life. But that experience may have little benefit for anyone else in the church. Prophesy builds up the church = Prophesy is never self-centered, but is focused on helping others. Prophesy is always about others. I want you all to speak in tongues = While it may seem in this chapter that Paul is disparaging speaking in tongues, actually Paul is supportive of this gift as long as it is used properly. It seems that the Corinthians were putting too much emphasis on tongues and neglecting prophesy. Even more to prophesy = Paul clearly thinks that prophesy is more beneficial that tongues in the church gathering, especially if tongues are being practiced without translation/interpretation. Prophesy is greater than tongues = Because prophesy is clear communication of God’s Word, it is greater than speaking in tongues. Unless someone interprets = When God speaks through another language and there is an interpretation, that would essentially be the same as prophesy. So if speaking in tongues with interpretation leads to clear understanding, then it is just as beneficial as prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14:6–8 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? Unless I bring revelation = Tongues is pointless unless some revelation, knowledge, prophesy, or teaching is the result. In Acts 2, the apostles spoke the Gospel to people of various languages who understood the message. If God is producing tongues in the church gathering, there will be a message to be understood. Random babbling without interpretation in the church gathering is not from God. Lifeless instruments = To play an instrument randomly is only annoying. Music is meant to have melody and rhythm. In the same way, language is meant to be understood. 1 Corinthians 14:9–12 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. None without meaning = This clearly tells us that Paul believes that tongues are known human languages. The pagan religions practiced ecstatic babbling in worship that no one understood. Christian worship must not include speaking in ways that cannot be understood. Foreigner = Grk. barbaros - barbarian. In the Roman world, a foreigner was called a barbarian because their language sounded like “bar, bar, bar” much we say “blah, blah, blah.” Paul is saying that speaking in unknown tongues is like babbling into the air. You are eager for manifestations of the Spirit = The Greek phrase here simply reads, “you in this way also since you are zealous for spiritual gifts.” The fact that Paul’s long discussion about spiritual gifts—and specifically speaking in tongues—only appears in 1 Corinthians tells us there seems to have been an unhealthy emphasis and practice of those gifts. Strive to excel in building up the church = Or “strive to excel in building up everyone in the gathering.” It seems that some of the Corinthians were seeking the gifts for selfish reasons. Paul wants them to understand that the gifts are meant for the collective benefit, not to elevate some people over others. 1 Corinthians 14:13–15 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Pray that he may interpret = If God happens to speak through you in a language that you do not know, you should immediately pray for interpretation. As we will see later in this chapter if there is no interpretation, we should remain quiet in the church gathering. My spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful = One may have a spiritual experience, but without understanding it is pointless. Spiritual experiences during a church gathering can be wonderful. But if that experience is confusing or distracting to others it is not helpful. I will pray with my spirit and mind = Paul clearly thinks that the spiritual experience must be connected to understanding. This is the opposite of what many pentecostal or charismatic teachers say. They often say that to have a spiritual experience you must turn off or disconnection from your mind. This is unbiblical and against what Paul is saying. 1 Corinthians 14:16–19 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. How can an outsider say “Amen”? = The word “amen” means “to agree.” How can someone agree with something they cannot understand? They can’t. That is why speaking in tongues without translation/interpretation is not beneficial in a church gathering. The other person is not built up = Paul taught that the church gathering should build up those who are present. If something is being done that is not helpful to the group, it serves no purpose in the church gathering. I speak in tongues more than all of you = There two ways to understand this statement: (1) Paul was highly educated and could likely speak Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Therefore, Paul literally spoke in different languages more than most people. (2) Paul prayed and worshiped in tongues privately. Nevertheless, in church = Paul seems to be differentiating between private prayer and public prayer. One may experience the gift of tongues when praying privately, but in church all speech needs to be understandable. 1 Corinthians 14:20–22 20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. Do not be children = Paul has already argued in 1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” This indicates that the Corinthians were being childish in how they conducted their church gatherings. Be infants in evil = This may seem like a strange statement on the surface. But we know that there are layers of evil. For example, sexual sin has many forms and those who do not practice it may be unaware of certain sexual acts. Therefore, Paul is saying that we should be child-like when it comes to evil. We should not seek out more ways to be evil. We’re better off to be ignorant of the many ways to do evil. Be mature in your thinking = In contrast to being infants in evil, we should be mature in our thinking. Christians should not think and act like children. We should be mature in the way that we think and act. When adults think and act like children, it is an embarrassment to the person and their church. In the Law = Paul is actually quoting from Isa. 28:11-12, which refers to God judging His people by using foreigners to do His will. Israel had failed to do what God commanded, so God uses foreigners instead. This was a sign of judgment against God’s people. Tongues are a sign for unbelievers = When tongues first appears in the New Testament (Acts 2), it is a judgment against Israel for killing Christ and a command to repent and be faithful to Christ. Prophesy is a sign for believers = Prophesy often includes information about a person’s life that the speaker could not have known. This is a sign that God is speaking. 1 Corinthians 14:23–25 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. If outsiders or unbelievers enter = Notice that Paul mentions outsiders coming to the church gathering as an “if” statement. In the early church, the gathering was primarily for believers. This is different than many modern churches who tailor their gathering for unbelievers. Many modern church services are focused on evangelism or getting unbelievers “saved.” In the ancient church, the church gathering was for discipling believers and evangelism was mostly done outside of the church gathering. However, Paul wants the church to operate in a way that doesn’t look crazy or chaotic to outsiders. The secrets of his heart are disclosed = This may seem strange, but we actually know what Paul is talking about. For example, have you ever been listening to a sermon or teaching and thought, “Did this teacher spy on my this week? It’s like this teaching was meant just for me!” That is prophesy at work. Declare that God is really among you = When someone attends a church gathering and God speaks through someone directly to what that person has been dealing with, it can lead to repentance and faith. An Interesting Fact: Paul lists the spiritual gifts here in 1 Corinthians, and also in Rom. 12:6-8 and Eph. 4:11. However, in Romans and Ephesians speaking in tongues is not mentioned at all. Of Paul’s 13 letters, he only mentions speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians, a letter written to the most messed up church. Speaking in tongues is only mentioned in Acts 2:3-11; 10:44-48; 19:6; 1 Cor. 12-14. Also, Paul’s letters to Rome and Ephesus were written after he wrote to Corinth. Some scholars believed that because of the issues with speaking in tongues in Corinth, Paul stopped emphasizing this gift to avoid its further misuse. This may or may not be correct, but it is a logical conclusion. Why is this fact important? The Corinthians clearly overemphasized speaking in tongues and were practicing tongues in unbiblical ways. If the New Testament authors did not emphasize tongues, then we should not overemphasize that gift. Speaking in tongues was a necessary gift in places where the audience spoke different languages. In a church where everyone speaks the same language, it’s difficult to see the necessity of speaking in tongues. Application The church gathering should be done in such a way that everyone can learn and understand what is being said, prayed, and taught. Seeking spiritual experiences without teaching and learning is backwards and dangerous. Spiritual gifts are meant to benefit the entire church. Next Week: 1 Cor. 14:26-40