1 Corinthians 14:21-22
This summary argument in 1Co_14:21-25 began with the citation of a
portion of Isaiah’s prophecy against Israel (Isa_28:11-12).
Because Israel refused to listen to God’s message proclaimed by His
prophets, Isaiah predicted that another message would come. This one would be
delivered in a foreign tongue unintelligible to the Israelites, yet unambiguous
(cf. 2Ki_17:23). The foreign tongue
symbolized God’s rejection (cf. Deu_28:49;
Isa_33:19), His disciplinary response
to Israel’s stiff-necked rebellion against Him (cf. 2Ki_17:14;
Act_7:51). The "law" is not speaking of
the Mosaic law, but is speaking of the Old Testament. We can find a reference
to this in the book of Isaiah 28:11 "For with stammering lips and another
tongue will he speak to this people." We, also, know that Joel spoke of
this, and the Scripture in the book of Acts the second chapter is speaking of
this, as well. In all of these miraculous utterings, they still did not hear.
They had ears to hear, but they did not hear.
In
a freely rendered quotation from Isaiah Paul explains that centuries earlier
the Lord had predicted that one day He would use men of other tongues, that is,
foreigners speaking unknown languages, as a sign to unbelieving Israel, who
“will not hear Me.” These “other tongues” are what they knew as the gift of
languages, given solely as a sign to unbelieving Israel. That sign was three
fold: cursing, blessing and authority. To emphasize the cursing, Paul quoted
Isaiah’s words of warning to Judah of the judgment from Assyria.
The
leaders thought his words were too simple and rejected him. The time would
come, the prophet said, when they would hear Assyrian, a language they could
not understand, indicating judgment. Jeremiah spoke similarly of the
Babylonians who were also to come and destroy Judah.
When
the apostles spoke at Pentecost in all those foreign languages, the Jews should
have known the judgment prophesied and historically fulfilled first by the
Assyrians and then by the Babylonian captivity was about to fall on them again
for their rejection of Christ, including the destruction of Jerusalem in 70
A.D. as it had happened in 586 B.C. under Babylonian power.
Foreigners instead of Israel became the temporary
servants of God (cf. Isa_5:26; Hab_1:6; Mat_21:43;
Rom_10:19-21), and their foreign tongue
was a punitive sign to Israel of what had taken place.
That seems to be the significance which Paul
attached to tongues. As such, the primary arena for its exercise was not
the company of believers but… unbelievers (cf. Mat_13:10-15, on parables). Uninterpreted tongues
had their place but not in the church where prophecy benefited believers
(1Co_14:3). Those who do not believe are looking for
signs and wonders. Those who believe are basing what they believe on the Word
of God. Peter, John, and the other apostles did not have to hear someone speak
in other tongues to cause them to believe. The Holy Spirit given to them on the
day of Pentecost was not given to them as a sign that God was real. The tongues
were to show them that they had been empowered by the Holy Ghost to minister.
They believed, because of the Word of God, and not because of the sign.
Explaining
further, he says explicitly that all tongues are for the sake of unbelievers.
In other words, that gift has no purpose in the church when everyone present is
a believer.
In
the completely opposite way, the gift of prophesying benefits only believers,
who are able, by their new natures and the indwelling Holy Spirit, to
understand spiritual truth.
1 Corinthians 14:23-25
Tongues were of benefit in an assembly of believers only
if they were interpreted. But this seems not to have been the Corinthians’
practice. Instead they apparently poured forth their gift of tongues in
unrestrained fashion. As a result believers with some other gifts were
nonplussed by the behavior of the tongues-speakers (1Co_14:16).
Furthermore, newcomers (idiōtai, those who attended but were not believers) and
other unbelievers (apistoi) who were aware of but as yet unconvinced by the
gospel message (unlike those of 1Co_14:21-22
who had forthrightly rejected it) would find their behavior positively
ridiculous. Will they not say that you are out of your mind? To someone who did not know the
Scriptures, it would seem strange. Some who were there at Pentecost thought
that the disciples were drunk. Peter straightened them out when he said it was
but the third hour of the day. Acts 2:15 "For these are not drunken, as ye
suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day." It would be a
confusing thing to come into the church as a newcomer and everyone in the place
was speaking in another language other than your native language. How would
this type service bring people to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ?
As
Paul explains in more detail later, even for unbelievers, even when the gift of
tongues was exercised in its proper time in history, when it was dominant and
uncontrolled in the church, bedlam ensued and the gospel was disgraced and
discredited. In Corinth, there was charismatic chaos.
This,
Paul suggested, would certainly not advance the cause of Christ in Corinth. But
prophecy was desirable because it would not only benefit believers (1Co_14:3) but would also expose unbelievers not
to a scene of chaos but to one of conviction (cf. Joh_16:8)
and judgment (1Co_2:15) — which would
lead to personal disclosure (the secrets of his heart will be laid bare)
and the worship of God. It
was not the speaking in tongues that brought the thousands to the Lord, but the
preaching of Paul. We see in the verse above, that all are bringing this one
that believed not the gospel message. It seems they were all trying to tell Him
of the Lord. Their testimonies convinced him. All of them had a part in winning
him to the Lord. It was by the Word of God that he was saved.
In
this last section on the topic of tongues, the stress is on how they were to be
systematically limited for use in the church in an orderly way. For the sake of
hypothetical discussion, it is noteworthy that even if one granted that the
gift was still in use today, the modern movement would be totally discredited
as illegitimate by its failure to follow the clear, controlling commands in
these verses.
1 Corinthians 14:26
Propriety in the use of gifts (1Co_14:26-40).
In this section Paul drew to a conclusion his
discussion of gifts (chaps. 12-14). He also concluded the whole section dealing
with Christian liberty in relation to worship (11:2-14:40). What is most
striking to a modern reader is the apparent lack of any fixed order of service
and the absence of any reference to particular individuals being responsible
for specific ministries. The whole church seemed to exercise their gifts by
spontaneously ministering to one another.
As he had done throughout the letter, Paul
addressed the Christian community in Corinth as brothers, a general term
including both sexes (e.g., 1Co_1:10;
cf. 1Pe_5:9). When the church met,
anyone was free to participate by contributing a hymn, or a word of
instruction (cf. 1Co_14:6; probably
a lesson based on the OT), a revelation from one gifted in prophecy (cf.
1Co_14:6, 1Co_14:29-32),
or a word from one gifted in a tongue followed by an interpretation
of what was said. The controlling principle in this free participation was the
rule of love. All that was said and done was to have as its goal the need of strengthening
(pros
oikodomēn, “edifying”) others (cf. 1Co_14:4-5). It seems in this, that all are trying to minister at once.
There was total disarray. They all have heard from God in one way or the other
and they all want to share what they know.
A
Psalm: “the reading or singing of an Old Testament psalm. A doctrine or
teaching: probably refers to a doctrine or subject of special interest; A
tongue: In the singular, this refers to the counterfeit; A revelation. Some
supposed word from God, whether spurious or genuine; An interpretation: This
refers to that of a tongue’s message; For edification: This was Paul’s way of
calling a halt to the chaos. Edification is the goal and the Corinthian chaos
could not realize it.
It
seemed there was no order in the service here. If what they are doing is
building up the service, fine. If it is not, it is not the time to share it.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28
Though there was no established order for a
service, it was to be conducted in an orderly way (1Co_14:40).
The services were to have balanced participation on the parts of gifted
members. Those gifted with a tongue who wanted to contribute to a
service could do so but only two or three at any one service and
then only if individuals gifted in interpretation were present who could
translate the language. This
is said just to keep order in the church. Very little could be done with
everyone trying to speak at once. Notice, how important it was, and is, to have
an interpreter. It does no good for the church to have someone speak in
tongues, unless you know what the message is. This should be limited, even at
that, because the message through preaching is what generally saves people.
Through the foolishness of preaching, men are saved.
Verses
27 and 28 provide regulations for the exercise of the gift: (1) Only two or
three persons in a service; (2) only speaking in turn, one at a time; (3) only
with an interpreter. Without those conditions, one was to meditate and pray
silently.
If no interpreter were present, the tongues-speaker
was to keep quiet. Speaking
in tongues really builds up the one who is speaking in the tongue. That can be
done even better in private, than in public. Speaking in tongues can build the
whole church up, if there is someone who can interpret. If there is no interpreter
present, then the message was exclusively for the one speaking in tongues of
God.
Verses
29-31: Since Paul’s pastoral (1 and 2 Tim and Titus) do not mention prophets,
it seems evident that this unique office had ceased to function in the church
even before the end of the apostolic age. When Paul wrote the Corinthians,
however, prophets were still control to the work of the church. Here he gave 4
regulations for their preaching: (1) Only two or three were to speak; (2) The
other prophets were to judge what was said; (3) If while one was speaking, God
gave a revelation, the speaker was to defer to the one hearing from God; and
(4) Each prophet was to speak in turn.
Though his gift was without benefit to the church
if uninterpreted, it did have some other benefits (cf. 1Co_14:4, 1Co_14:14-15,
1Co_14:22).
1 Corinthians 14:29
The directions for those exercising the gift of
prophecy did not differ from those for tongues. Two or three prophets
could speak at each service and what they said was to be
carefully considered. Since they would speak in Greek the others in the
congregation would understand and evaluate their messages. (Or perhaps “the
others” referred to those with the gift to distinguish between spirits.) The
words weigh carefully translate the verb diakrinetōsan, related to the noun diakriseis in 1Co_12:10, which speaks of distinguishing
“between spirits.”
Even the preaching should not be done by everyone there, but by one or two at
each meeting. The people would tire and probably go home, if too many tried to
bring a message at one meeting. It was their responsibility to ascertain if the message delivered was
indeed from God (cf. 1Jn_4:1).
1 Corinthians 14:30
A prophet might have received a revelation,
probably in a vision or dream, sometime prior to the meeting of the church at
which he subsequently related it. However, a prophet might also experience a
revelation during the service. If such occurred, a prophet in the midst of
speaking should draw his message to a close to let the other gifted member
speak. We
can see from this, that there had been total confusion in their services. That
is really the job of the pastor to see that order is maintained in the
services. Whoever had the message that was the most urgent should be the one
that was heard. Whatever the Corinthian services were, they were
not dull.
1 Corinthians 14:31
The principle which regulated the exercise of
tongues applied similarly to prophets. What was said was to benefit everyone
by way of instruction or encouragement in the Christian life (cf. 1Co_14:3). At this time, many of them were at the same
level of understanding and God was revealing things to each of them. It was
good for each of them, on occasion, to share the things that God had revealed
to them. That way, they could all share in the knowledge each of them had. The
comfort, spoken of here, is in being able to share what God had revealed to
them.
1 Corinthians 14:32-33
Paul apparently did not believe the prophets
were any more restrained than their fellow members gifted in tongues. So he
gave the prophets an instruction that was similar to what he gave the
tongues-speakers (1Co_14:28). The
spirits referred to a prophet’s spiritual gift, which did not control
the gifted member, but he controlled it (cf. 1Co_14:30).
All of the prophets could determine
among themselves, who should be heard at a given time.
Not
only were the prophets to judge others with discernment, but they were also to
have control over themselves. God does not desire out of spirit or out of mind
experiences. Those who received and proclaimed the truth were to have clear
minds. There was nothing bizarre, ecstatic, trance like, or wild about
receiving and preaching God’s Word, as with demonic experiences.
If two or three prophets spoke in a particular
service, others gifted and with something to say could do so on another
occasion. The church was not a forum for personal pontification or
self-glorification; it was a place where people were to be built up and God was
to be honored (cf. 1Co_10:31-33). The
service and those who took part in it should reflect the character of God. He
is a God… of peace, not disorder, and His Spirit worked to
produce the same fruit (Gal_5:22) in
believers’ lives. The confusion,
spoken of here, would come from some who would push their way into the position
to speak, even when the prophets had decided they were not to speak. There has
to be a leader in the church which keeps all of this from happening. The pastor
of the church should be the final word on who speaks, and who does not. They
are responsible to God for the message that is preached in the church they are
in charge of. Everything should be done decently and in order.
Here
is the key to the whole chapter. The church at worship before God should
reflect His character and nature because He is a God of peace and harmony,
order and clarity, not strife and confusion.
1 Corinthians 14:34-36
The church members needed to exercise
self-control on occasion, a self-control expressed by silence (1Co_14:28, 1Co_14:30,
1Co_14:34) in order that the assembly
might be characterized by peace.
Apparently certain women in the Corinthian
assembly needed to hear this refrain. More than uncovered heads were amiss in
regard to their participation in worship services (1Co_11:2-16),
and Paul was not about to dodge the problem.
Whether the admonition for silence was directed
to all women (cf. 1Co_11:2-16) or only
to those who were married may be debated. The word translated women (gynaikes) was used to refer to
women generally (as in all 11 occurrences in 1Co_11:3-15),
or to unmarried women (e.g., 1Co_7:34),
or to married women (e.g., 1Co_5:1; 1Co_9:5; and all 14 occurrences in 1Co_7:1-40 except once in 1Co_7:34).
Two
indications strongly suggest that married women were in view in this passage.
The first is the word submission (hypotassesthōsan, 1Co_14:34). When it occurs elsewhere in the New
Testament with specific reference to a woman, it always refers to a married
woman who was to be subject to her husband (Eph_5:22;
Col_3:18; Tit_2:5;
1Pe_3:1, 1Pe_3:5).
The
second indication is the phrase their own husbands (1Co_14:35), whom the inquisitive women were to
consult if they had questions. This would obviously be a difficult assignment
for single women (e.g., 1Co_7:34) or
those with unbelieving husbands (e.g., 1Co_7:13).
This has been debated back
and forth ever since the day it was written. In all of these lessons, we have
seen Paul trying to bring a system of order to all churches that he had begun
within the context of their customs. We must first look at this in the context
of what we have been reading.
There
seemed to be great confusion going on in this church at Corinth; everyone was
trying to speak at once. There was probably so much noise that it would have
been difficult to hear. Notice who the women were. Paul says, your women {the
women of Corinth}. Next let us look at {also saith the law}. Whose law is this
speaking of? There was no such law included in the Levitical law. This was not
part of the 10 commandments, nor was it part of the over 600 regulations in
Exodus and Leviticus.
It
was not the law of the Christian, because we have just studied that the only
law for the new Christians was that they not eat anything strangled, they not
eat anything offered to idols, they not drink blood, and that they not commit
fornication. Then whose law is this? It is a direct quote from the Talmud. The
Talmud was not the Bible, but a commentary. In this area, women were thought of
as subordinate to the men.
The
Talmud was a commentative and interpretative writing involving Jewish
traditions. The Talmud, to them, was like many think of the commentaries of our
day. This is opinion, and not law. The Babylonians and the Palestinians came up
with these teachings of customs.
We
know that this was never intended by Paul to become doctrine for the Christians.
He had fought hard for the Christians not to be strapped down with customs.
There are so many things that tell us that this was tradition of this area, and
was not to be taken as law for the Christians. First of all, you must have two
witnesses to establish a thing. You only have the writings of Paul. It does not
mean that what Paul said was untrue. It just means that this was tradition, and
not law or doctrine of the Christians. There are several different times that
Jesus mentions establishing with two witnesses, but I will give two here in His
own words.
Matthew
18:16 "But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two
more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established."
John
8:17 "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is
true."
This
is the very reason that there were two witnesses at the temple when Jesus was
dedicated to God.
Paul
did not have any problem with women ministering. We see in the following
Scripture, that Paul ministered with women as his assistants.
Philippians
4:3 And I in treat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured
with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers,
whose names are in the book of life."
There
are many of you that will say that is not what this means, but let us look at
Joel and see.
Joel
2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your
old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;"
The
root word that "prophesy" was translated from means to preach, speak
by inspiration, or to make self a prophet. The second witness to this is in the
book of Acts chapter 2. We, also, know that Phillip's daughters preached or
prophesied. The word is interchangeable. Even in the Old Testament, there were
women who were anointed of God to serve in this capacity. Debra judged in the
land, and judged the men as well as the women. She led the battle with her
general {or else the people would not have gone to war}.
Huldah
was a prophetess in the land {2 Kings Chapter 22 verses 14} and {2 Chronicles
chapter 34 verses 22}. There are many more examples, such as Lydia and Dorcas,
but I believe we have said enough to settle this.
Paul
said this, then, to fulfill the traditions of the area here in Corinth, and
never intended this to close off women from the ministry whom God has called. I
do not mean to infer by this that women are not subject to their husband in the
family. Flesh and spirit are two totally different realms. With God there is no
male or female.
Galatians
chapter 3 verse 28. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond
nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus."
1Ti_2:11-15, which enjoins women to be quiet in worship, is frequently cited as a
parallel to this passage. But there too, married women were probably in view,
as 1Ti_2:15 would not apply to an
unmarried woman. Also, when Eve is named in the Old Testament, it is as Adam’s
wife (Gen_3:20; cf. 2Co_11:2-3, the only other NT passage besides 1Ti_2:13-14 that names Eve), and her submission
is rooted in that relationship (Gen_3:16,
the text Paul probably referred to in 1Co_14:34).
In addition, the noun hēsychia in 1Ti_2:11-12 means “quietness, absence of
disorder,” whereas the verb sigaō in 1Co_14:28,
1Co_14:34 means “remain silent.”
Paul
then wanted silence on the parts of married women whose husbands were present
in the assembly, but he permitted the participation of other women when
properly adorned (1Co_11:2-16). Such
silence would express their subordinate relationship to their husbands. This, again, was the tradition of the
Corinthians. At the time that Paul wrote this, women were not very well educated.
The temple school in Jerusalem had just taught young men, and women were not
thought to be interested in this type thing. We need to look at when this
changed. We gave the Scripture in Joel just a few verses back about God's
Spirit being poured out on all flesh, and the women as well as men prophesy. In
Joel, it speaks of this as being later on.
Acts
2:16-18 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;"
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of
my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"
"And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of
my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:"
We
see from this that it was perfectly alright for the women to prophesy {preach}.
One meaning of the word is speak from inspiration. What the Scripture is
probably trying to convey, was here at Corinth, there was so much confusion
with everyone speaking at once, that Paul is trying to stop some of the
confusion.
Verses
36 and 37: Paul knew that the Corinthians would react to all these form
regulations that would end the free for all in their services. The prophets,
tongues speakers, and women may all have been resistant to words, so he
anticipated that resistance by sarcastically challenging those who put
themselves above his word, and thus, above Scripture by either ignoring it or
interpreting it to fit their predisposed ideas.
If
anyone was a genuine prophet or had the true spiritual gift of tongues, he or
she would submit to the principles God had revealed through the apostle.
The
Corinthian believers were not to think of themselves as exclusive, independent
interpreters or recipients of the Word of God (1Co_14:36). They, like those in all the
congregations (1Co_14:33), were to
submit to God’s truth by conforming to this standard of conduct. Paul has quickly jumped to another
subject. He is saying, did you start this work, or did I? Paul is explaining to
them why he has the authority to establish this work with his direction, and
not theirs. He in finality is saying, I brought the Word of God to you.
1 Corinthians 14:37-40
These verses were Paul’s conclusion not only to
the immediately preceding directives (1Co_14:33-36)
but also to all his discussion about Corinthian irregularities in worship and
the needed correctives (11:2-14:36). He expected some opposition (cf. 1Co_11:16; 1Co_14:36),
but warned that those who opposed him did so at their own peril (cf. 1Co_4:18-21). Paul is saying, that all he has tried to do is set the
church services up the way God would have wanted them set up. Paul is, also,
saying that God should have revealed to them that he was telling the truth, if
they really were a prophet, or spiritual. Anyone who
ignores the Lord’s commands would find himself… ignored by Him at
the last day (cf. 1Co_3:17; Gen_9:6; Mat_10:32-33),
because his actions would show that he never knew the Lord (cf. 1Co_8:3; Mat_7:22-23;
1Jn_4:6). That is, anyone who does not recognize
the authority of Paul’s teaching should himself not be recognized as a
legitimate servant gifted by God.
Some
people do not want to know the truth. They are unteachable. That is what Paul
is dealing with here.
The conclusion was that the Corinthians should
give special attention to the gifts which were most beneficial to the church as
a whole (1Co_12:31; 1Co_14:1) without denigrating the other gifts. Legitimate languages were limited in
purpose and in duration, but as long as it was still active in the early
church, it was not to be hindered. But prophecy was the most desirable gift to
be exercised because of its ability to edify, exhort and comfort with the truth. They should
see that their services were conducted in a fitting (cf. 1Co_11:2-16; 1Co_14:34-36)
and orderly (cf. 1Co_11:17-34; 1Co_14:26-33) way. In this, Paul is trying to sum up what he
has said. The best thing for them to do is to pray that God will give them the
gift of preaching. Tongues are great, if used correctly, but can cause
confusion, if improperly used. Do all decently and in order as we talked about
in verse 33: “The church at worship before God should reflect His character and
nature because He is a God of peace and harmony, order and clarity, not strife
and confusion.”
