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Comparison of the benefits of the gift of tongues and the benefits of the gift of prophecy (1–25). Rules regarding the use of spiritual gifts (26–40) 1 Corinthians 14:1–25. The general idea of ​​this section is this: everyone should strive to receive primarily those gifts that can primarily benefit the Church. This is the basic rule of Ap. First of all, he applies to a comparative assessment of those two gifts that the Corinthians were then primarily interested in - the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. Since everything that is understandable is higher than that which is not clear, how quickly it comes to the edification of believers, then Ap. concludes that prophecy deserves preference; and as for the gift of tongues, then, according to the Apostle, its use should not be allowed at all in those cases where there is no means of explaining the meaning of the speech of someone who has this gift. 1 Corinthians 14:1. Achieve love; be zealous for spiritual gifts, especially to prophesy. “Achieve” (διώκετε) – “be jealous” (ζηλοῦτε). The difference between these two terms is this: the first indicates the activity necessary for a Christian, the second – only the desirable, and then the first verb designates the activity of a Christian independently, individually, and the second – joint with other Christians. 1 Corinthians 14:2. For whoever speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men, but to God; because no one understands him, he speaks secrets in the spirit; 1 Corinthians 14:3. and whoever prophesies speaks to people for edification, admonition and comfort. 1 Corinthians 14:4. He who speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; and whoever prophesies edifies the church. Why should the gift of prophecy be the most desirable gift for Christians? Because it is more useful than other gifts, and above all more useful than the gift of tongues, which the Corinthians were so eager to receive. What is one who speaks in tongues? This is a person who addresses God directly with his speech, which remains incomprehensible to others present at the service. - “Nobody understands.” This expression “no one” is a very important evidence against the assumption that the speech of “one who spoke in tongues” was speech in a foreign language. If Ap. understood such speech, he could not say that “no one” understood it, since in Corinth there were many strangers from different countries of the world. - “Secrets”. Here the word secret has the meaning of something generally hidden, incomprehensible to listeners. One speaks, but for others his speech remains incomprehensible and mysterious. – “In the spirit”, i.e., being in a state of special delight (“in the spirit” - πνεύματι the special inspired mood of the speaker himself). – “Edification” is the strengthening and expansion of faith with new knowledge, which is communicated by the prophet; “exhortation” is a special stimulation of the will to achieve the goals of the Christian vocation; “Consolation” is the encouragement of a person who has suffered misfortunes, strengthening his hope. 1 Corinthians 14:5. I wish that you all spoke in tongues; but it is better that you prophesy; For he who prophesies is superior to him who speaks in tongues, unless he also speaks, so that the church may be edified. Ap. does not at all reject the “gift of tongues”: he even wants all Corinthian Christians to have this gift. But he wishes even more that prophecy should become a more common occurrence in Christian meetings. However, if the one who speaks in tongues can himself explain to those gathered the meaning of his speech, then in this case the gift of tongues becomes on a level with the gift of prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:6. Now, if I come to you, brethren, and begin to speak in unknown tongues, what benefit will I bring you if I do not express myself to you either by revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching? The idea that the gift of tongues is useless for the Church in itself is Ap. explains it this way. What would have happened if he, having come to Corinth, spoke here only as one who spoke in tongues, without explaining his speech? - “When I do not express myself to you” - more correctly: “when, at the same time, I do not address you, I do not appear before you as a prophet and teacher” (The Russian translation presents the matter as if prophecy and teaching were means of clarifying speech in tongues, and yet these were independent gifts and the “gift of interpretation” served to clarify “speeches in tongues”). – “Revelation” is an internal act that takes place in the human soul, as well as “cognition”. As for “prophecy” and “teaching,” the first is an external revelation of revelation, and the second is an external result of knowledge. Through revelation, a person is suddenly given an understanding of any one aspect of God’s economy regarding our salvation, and knowledge presupposes a rather long independent work of the human mind on the truths of faith communicated by the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 14:7. And soulless things that produce sound, a pipe or a harp, if they do not produce separate tones, how can one recognize what is being played on a pipe or harp? 1 Corinthians 14:8. And if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? To clarify his thoughts about the meaning of the gift of tongues, Ap. takes cases from everyday life and first of all makes a comparison of this gift with musical instruments. In order for the melody of one or another musical instrument to be understandable to human hearing, it must be constructed according to the laws of tones and rhythm, and must obey the laws of intervals and tact. – “And soulless” – more precisely: “even” (όμως) lifeless objects. – “Pipe” is a wind instrument, “harp” or zither is a string instrument. These were the two main instruments used in ancient times during worship and various celebrations of a sad or joyful nature. - “How should one recognize” - more correctly: “how to find out what they are calling for - crying or dancing?” – “The trumpet” is a more sonorous instrument than the pipe and harp. However, it too is subject to the same laws. Its signals are only understandable when they can be distinguished from one another. 1 Corinthians 14:9. So if you utter unintelligible words with your tongue, how will they know what you are saying? You will be talking into the wind. Here is Ap. makes an application of the said comparison to the Corinthians. If they, speaking “in tongue,” that is, using the gift of tongues, do not care that their speech is explained to the assembled Christians, then they speak as if into the wind. 1 Corinthians 14:10. For example, there are so many different words in the world, and not one of them is without meaning. 1 Corinthians 14:11. But if I do not understand the meaning of the words, then I am a stranger to the speaker, and the speaker is a stranger to me. Another example to convince readers: “There are so many kinds of languages ​​in the world (or simply: so many languages,” incorrectly translated in Russian: “different words”) – I don’t even know how many! - (in Russian incorrectly: “for example”) - and there is not a single one of them that does not have clearly pronounced sounds” (in Russian again incorrectly: “without meaning”). – “Meanings of words” – more correctly: meanings of sound. – “Stranger” – more correctly: barbarian. The Greeks and Egyptians called “barbarians” peoples who did not speak the languages ​​of these nations. 1 Corinthians 14:12. So you too, being zealous for spiritual gifts, try to be enriched by them for the edification of the church. From what is given in Art. 10–11. example Ap. makes a practical application. The edification of the Christian community is what the attention of all who strive to receive spiritual gifts should be directed to. 1 Corinthians 14:13. Therefore, speaking in an unknown tongue, pray for the gift of interpretation. 1 Corinthians 14:14. For when I pray in an unknown tongue, although my spirit prays, my mind remains unfruitful. 1 Corinthians 14:15. What to do? I will begin to pray with the spirit, I will also pray with the mind; I will sing with my spirit, I will also sing with my mind. In view of the benefit of the Church, those who speak in tongues when praying must do so with the intention of later explaining the content of their prayer in a way that is understandable to everyone. The will of man always remained in action when using gifts. (Russian translation: “pray for the gift of interpretation” does not correspond to the Greek verb put here - προσεύχεσθαι. If the Ap. was talking about a request, then he would have used the verb αιτεῖν or δεῖσθαι). - “When I pray.” The state of someone who speaks in tongues but is unable to explain the content of his prayer is an imperfect state. - His “spirit”, that is, his feeling is extremely excited, but at the same time his “mind” or reason “remains without fruit,” i.e., there is no place for his participation with such a strong excitement of feeling, and he, for his part, cannot serve the benefit of the Church. - “What should I do?” . Spiritual admiration should be fulfilled in prayers performed “with the mind,” that is, while maintaining a clear consciousness, which a person can explain to others. - The difference between prayer and singing is that prayer is aimed at obtaining saving benefits, and singing is praise to God for the benefits received - praise through the utterance of hymns or psalms - of course, new, Christian ones. These psalms were composed by those who had the gift of tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:16. For if you bless with the spirit, how will one standing in the place of a commoner say: “Amen” when you give thanks? For he does not understand what you are saying. 1 Corinthians 14:17. You give thanks well, but the other is not edified. Ap. explains why he considers speech in tongues in itself to be fruitless. “He who blesses in spirit,” i.e., speaking in tongues, in a state of inspiration, praise to God, is incomprehensible to the common man, or, more correctly, to a person 21 who cannot penetrate into the content of the speech of the speaker by spirit. Such a person cannot sympathize with what fills the soul of the speaker with tongues: he will not say “Amen” to his thanksgiving or praise, which he sends to God (St. Justin the Martyr reports in his apology about the custom of answering “Amen” to the prayer said by the leader of the meeting, by which the community expressed its agreement with the thoughts of the leader). Thus, the speech of one speaking in tongues, which is beautiful in itself, will remain useless for the listeners. 1 Corinthians 14:18. I thank my God: I speak in tongues more than all of you; 1 Corinthians 14:19. but in church I would rather say five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in an unknown language. The gift of tongues itself deserves respect. Ap. He even thanks God that he is able to speak in tongues more than all the Corinthians. But on the other hand, this gift is undoubtedly more useful for solitary, home prayer. In public worship, incomparably greater benefit is brought by those gifts that give scope to the “mind” or reason of the speaker - these are, first of all, the gifts of prophecy and teaching. 1 Corinthians 14:20. Brethren! Do not be children in mind: in evil, be babies, but in mind be adults. Concluding his explanation, Ap. ironically says to the Corinthians, who, like children, were only interested in what glitters: “if you want to be children, then be them in relation to everything “evil” (i.e., do not know evil). And when it comes to your mind, you should be an adult.” 1 Corinthians 14:21. It is written in the law: I will speak with other tongues and other mouths to this people; but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord Hitherto Ap. spoke about the relationship of the gift of tongues to the edification of Christians who gathered to perform divine services. Now he talks about what impression this gift should make on the Corinthians who had not yet converted to Christianity, but who sometimes attended Christian worship. - First of all, Ap. refers to a place from the book. Ave. Isaiah (Is.28:11, 12). Apparently, this place has nothing to do with the gift of tongues under consideration: the prophet here predicted the invasion of the Assyrians into Judea, which would be God's punishment for the Jews who did not want to turn to Jehovah when He called them to Himself through the mouth of His prophets. But you can still find a reason why Ap. gave this prophecy. Undoubtedly, he wanted to say that just as the speeches of the Assyrians who came to Judea, due to their incomprehensibility, were a punishment for the Jews, so now the speeches heard in liturgical meetings, incomprehensible to those praying, speaking in tongues, testify to the division that exists between them and God. How, therefore, the Corinthians act unreasonably when they strive to “speak in tongues” in their liturgical meetings! - “It’s written in the law.” Ap. names the book Isaiah “by the law” according to the custom of the New Testament writers (cf. John 7:49, 10:34, 12:34). 1 Corinthians 14:22. So tongues are a sign not for believers, but for unbelievers; prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for believers. From the above prophecy of St. Isaiah Apostle. concludes: “tongues are a sign for those who disbelieve.” – God speaks to unbelievers in this way to show that He is angry with them for not believing His clearly stated revelation. So the Lord Jesus Christ, after the Jews did not heed His simple and understandable sermon about the Kingdom of Heaven (such as the conversation on the mount), began to speak to them in parables that were incomprehensible to them (Matthew 13:11 et seq.). - “Prophecy is not for unbelievers.” According to the construction of the first half of the verse, here too it is necessary to add after the words: “prophecy”: “there is a sign.” Only prophecy will be a sign of a different kind than the gift of tongues. If the first served as a sign of God’s wrath, then the second is a sign of God’s mercy towards people who have already begun to believe (τοῖ πιστεύουσιν), but who need spiritual strengthening in order to become completely firm in the faith. 1 Corinthians 14:23. If the whole church comes together, and everyone begins to speak in unknown tongues, and those who do not know or do not believe come in to you, will they not say that you are mad? Ap. takes the case when only those speaking in tongues speak in a liturgical meeting. If at this meeting there are people who “don’t know” (ιδιῶται) and “unbelievers” (άπιστοι), then it will seem to them that all Christians have gone crazy! – The difference between the “ignorant” and the “unbeliever” is that although both of them are not yet part of the Church (this is evident from the fact that they are opposed to the “whole” Church), the first still has some touch with the Christian community (he only does not know all its orders), and the second is a real unbeliever - a pagan who is hostile to the Church. There is some probability in the assumption that here under the “ignorant” is Ap. meant something announced, but not yet initiated into the circle of truths of the Christian faith. 1 Corinthians 14:24. But when everyone prophesies, and someone who doesn’t believe or doesn’t know comes in, he is convicted by everyone, judged by everyone. 1 Corinthians 14:25. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed, and he will fall on his face, worship God and say: truly God is with you. In the previous verse of Ap. showed that this is the gift of tongues without the gift of prophecy. Now he depicts the opposite case, when only the prophets speak in the liturgical assembly. - “Everyone prophesies” - of course, not together, but one by one. - “Unbeliever or ignorant.” Here is Ap. speaks of the impression that a person who is not a member of the Christian Church will get. The impression from the heard speeches of Christian prophets or teachers of the faith will be strong even for a pagan, and even stronger for a person who is in some contact with the Church ("ignorant" see v. 23). - “Convicted by everyone,” that is, any teacher of faith can point out to such a stranger the sinfulness of his actions - “Judged by everyone” is an expression close to the expression “convicted,” but containing the thought of predicting the terrible fate awaiting the sinner. - “The secrets of his heart are revealed,” that is, a person begins to clearly understand his position, the entire state of his soul. - “He will fall on his face,” i.e. admits his guilt before God and wants to be a member of the Christian Church, because only here can he enter into communion with God. – “Truly” (όντως), i.e., in fact, Christians are in a state of divine inspiration. Such a result, such a conviction, which appeared in a person alien to the Church, is exactly the opposite of what happened to the same person who was present at a meeting where only people spoke in tongues (“you are going crazy” v. 23). 1 Corinthians 14:26–40. Ap. now gives rules for the use of spiritual gifts. First, he orders those speaking in tongues to speak in numbers of two or three in an assembly, and then separately, and their speeches must be intelligible. As for the prophets, they should speak in each separate meeting only in twos or threes, while others should restrain their impulses to prophesy. Finally, women must remain silent during worship services. 1 Corinthians 14:26. So what, brethren? When you come together, and each of you has a psalm, there is a teaching, there is a tongue, there is a revelation, there is an interpretation - let all this be for edification. Every gift should serve for the edification of those present during the divine service - this is the basic rule for the use of gifts. - “Each of you,” that is, one has one gift, the other another. Ap. further lists five types of inspired Christian creativity: 1) a psalm or song that a Christian composed under the influence of special inspiration. This was an improvisation, as the very expression used here by the Apostle (ψαλμον έχει) shows; 2) teaching (διδαχή) is also a word of wisdom or knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8); 3) tongue or speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 12:10); 4) revelation or “prophecy” (1 Cor. 12:10); and 5) “interpretation” (1 Cor. 12:10). 1 Corinthians 14:27. If someone speaks an unknown language, speak two, or many three, and then separately, and explain one. 1 Corinthians 14:28. If there is no interpreter, then remain silent in church, and speak to yourself and to God. About those speaking in tongues Ap. gives the following three rules: 1) their number in each meeting should not be more than three; 2) they should not speak together, but in turn; and 3) they can speak only when a person with the gift of explaining their speech is present in the meeting. Such persons were obviously already known in Corinth. However, sometimes the speaker himself also possessed the gift of interpretation. - “Talk to yourself and to God,” that is, do not speak out loud in church, but pray silently - even better at home. 1 Corinthians 14:29. And let two or three prophets speak, and let the rest reason. 1 Corinthians 14:30. If there is a revelation to another of those sitting, then the first one should remain silent. About the prophesying Ap. also gives three rules: 1) the number of prophets speaking in the congregation should also be small (two or three people); 2) prophecy needs replenishment, as does the gift of tongues. Such replenishment is “reasoning” or discussion of new thoughts expressed by the prophet - to the extent that these thoughts agree with the fundamentals of the Gospel (1 Cor. 12:1-3; cf. John 16:13 et seq.). This discussion was carried out by others (“others”) who were present at the service, capable of doing so, Christians, that is, first of all, teachers of the faith who had a special gift from the Holy Spirit; 3) if, during the speech of one prophet, inspiration strikes someone else, then the first one should remain silent and give the floor to a new speaker, who, obviously, received a new revelation supplementing the one that was already communicated by his predecessor. – It can be seen from here that everyone present at the service was sitting, and only those who took an active part in the service stood up. 1 Corinthians 14:31. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone can learn and everyone can be comforted. 1 Corinthians 14:32. And the spirits of the prophets are obedient to the prophets, 1 Corinthians 14:33. because God is not a God of disorder, but of peace. This happens in all the churches of the saints. The prophetic state does not take away a person’s willpower. He may hold back the surge of inspiration until another prophet has spoken, or he may give room to a new speaker. Through this, “all” present at the service will receive teaching and edification: if one prophet took up all the time with his speech, he would not give the opportunity to speak to another, whose speech may be much more understandable for some listeners. And this restraint of one’s impulses is quite possible, because the “spirits” (πνεύματα) are prophetic, that is, the various revelations received by the prophets are at the disposal of the prophets, and do not take away their freedom and considerations. And God could not allow the opposite - He is the “God of peace.” Finally, such an order exists in other “churches” - (in the assemblies of holy people - εν εκκλ τῶν αγίων) why shouldn’t the Corinthians also adhere to it? 1 Corinthians 14:34. Let your wives be silent in the churches, for they are not allowed to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law says. 1 Corinthians 14:35. If they want to learn something, let them ask their husbands about it at home; for it is indecent for a woman to speak in church. Inviting women to silence in liturgical meetings, Ap. substantiates this demand by reference to the “law” or to the Word of God in general, in which the wife is placed under the authority of her husband. (Gen. 3:16). If a wife should generally be subordinate to her husband, then she should not violate this subordination even during worship, speaking as a prophetess or teacher: after all, such a performance will testify to her intention to guide her husband, who will find himself among the listeners of her speech. 1 Corinthians 14:36. Has the word of God come from you? Or did it reach you alone? 1 Corinthians 14:37. If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual, let him understand that I am writing to you, for these are the commandments of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 14:38. But whoever does not understand, let him not understand. Anticipating that his order would not please many Corinthians, Ap. again indicates that the Corinthian Church represents only one part of the universal Church and should not establish its own rules. The teaching of Christ (or the “Word of God”) must be the same for all Christians, and the Corinthian Church could not receive any separate instructions from God. If some will refer to the fact that they act in their own way as inspired by God, then again this consideration is not foundational: it is the Christian inspired by God who should see in the speeches and instructions of the Apostle “the commandments of the Lord,” because Apostle. After all, he also speaks from inspiration. “Of course,” concludes Ap. - There will still be people among the Corinthians who are stubborn and disobedient to the Apostle, but let this stubbornness fall on their own heads! 1 Corinthians 14:39. So, brethren, be zealous to prophesy, but do not forbid speaking in tongues; 1 Corinthians 14:40. only everything should be decent and orderly. Ap. makes here a brief summary of the thoughts revealed above about the comparative significance of the gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues. A Note on the Gift of Tongues. Chapter XIV provides more data to determine what the gift of tongues was. First of all, Ap. says that the one who speaks in tongues “no one understands” (v. 2) - neither his fellow tribesmen, nor people of another tribe who understand only their own language. Secondly, the speaker is in a state of such delight (v. 2 - “in the spirit”) that he himself cannot meaningfully convey later what worried his soul (“he speaks secrets” - ibid.). Thirdly, the one speaking in tongues did not have “revelation” (cf. v. 6), that is, he did not delve into the essence of what was produced in him by the action of the Spirit. Fourthly, glossolalia not only does not convert unbelievers to faith in Christ, but, on the contrary, gives them a reason to mock Christians and justify their unbelief by pointing out the disorderliness of Christian liturgical meetings (vv. 22-23; cf. Acts 2:13: “they” - that is, those who spoke in tongues on the day of the 50th - “got drunk on sweets wine!” said those who listened to those who spoke with tongues). God thus carries out his judgment on unbelievers, allowing them to see what can further confirm them in unbelief (cf. 1 Cor. 1:18 et seq.; 2 Cor. 2:15 et seq.). It is clear that glossolalia produces an effect on non-believers that cannot be desirable for the Church itself. Finally, glossolalia is compared (v. 10 et seq.) with the use of foreign languages. From all this (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1 - where we talk about the loud speech of glossolalia, which is therefore compared to the sound of brass), we can draw the following conclusion: glossolalia was loud speech, which on unprepared listeners gave the impression of some kind of vague, disorderly babble, but in essence was the eruption of a deep inner feeling, clearly not conscious of the speaker himself, so that the person appeared, one might say, a simple instrument of this highest spiritual life force operating within him. However, the person who spoke in tongues did not lose the ability to control himself and was not in an unconscious or delusional state. He just could not express his feelings in coherent and consistent speech, calmly and restrainedly: only an interpreter could explain his loud, fragmentary exclamations. Nothing more can be said about the essence of this gift. The question of its similarity to the phenomenon that took place on the day of the 50th is, for the most part, resolved in the affirmative. – As for the term itself: speaking in tongues, then again this is a subject of debate. It is most likely to assume that this term is taken from those “tongues” that rested on the day of the 50th on the believers gathered in the Zion Upper Room. (Acts 2:3 et seq.). Ap. says that a simple Christian in this case occupies a position that equates him to an ignoramus in knowledge of the truths of faith (ιδιώτης). You might be interested in: