Written ~ 08-20-2024
Read 1 Corinthians Chapter Fourteen
1 Corinthians 14
In chapter fourteen we will continue to explore the gifts of the Holy Spirit, primarily the ability to speak in unknown languages and the gift of prophecy. In Acts chapter two when the Holy Spirit was given to the Apostles, disciples and other believers in attendance, the evidence of the filling or baptism of the Holy Spirit was everyone began speaking in a language unknown to the one speaking. It was a wonderous sign to show non-believers that something supernatural was indeed taking place. Anyone, now, today, who is filled or baptized in the Holy Spirit the same type of utterance will be evident. It becomes something very personal in our prayer and worship time with the Lord. But we will see in this chapter that the most desired gift of the Holy Spirit is prophecy, it is given so the entire church can be encouraged by the words being said.
1 Corinthians 14:1-4…
1 “Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.”
Chapter thirteen emphasizes that love is the greatest gift we can be given. When we have God’s love flowing through us all the other gifts from the Holy Spirit will be received graciously within the body of Christ. Paul starts out in chapter fourteen emphatically… “Let love be your highest goal!” Let love be what you pursue, in everything. For the rest of the gifts Paul says we should eagerly desire them, but love, we are to pursue love. Then Paul singles out both the gift of prophecy and the ability to speak in unknown languages, to which he said the gift of prophecy should be especially desired. So let’s explore prophecy and its role in the believer’s life and the church as a whole. Let’s first clear up any misconception that prophecy is some sort of fortunetelling tool. It is not. But it is the foretelling of future events as specified by God in the Scriptures. A prophetic word is to reveal the Will of God through a direct confirmation found only in Scripture. A word of prophecy is given to encourage believers, it is to give us further insight into the things of Heaven. A word of prophecy can bring warning for any disobedience of the Word of God. A word of prophecy is to announce the declarations of God. In the “Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary” it says this about prophecy:
- Though much of Old Testament prophecy was purely predictive, prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, fore-telling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means, it is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future.
So, when Paul compares the gift of speaking in an unknown language with the gift of prophecy, we should come to the understanding that prophecy is specifically for the building up of the church. Prophecy is done in such a way that brings the Will of God and the Word of God into a better state of understanding. Speaking in an unknown language is wonderful! When incorporated into the believer’s private prayer and worship time, its benefit is deeply gratifying. The sense of peace and comfort that comes from spending time with the Lord and praying in an unknown language helps the believer to pray the Will of God through the Holy Spirit. But in a public setting where no one understands what is being said, speaking in an unknown language cannot edify or encourage the listeners because they will not understand.
1 Corinthians 14:5…
5 “I wish you all could speak in tongues, but even more I wish you all could prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.”
So, I think from what Paul is saying in verse 14:5 is that it would be his greatest desire that every believer should seek the gift of prophecy from the Holy Spirit. That’s not to say that he doesn’t desire every believer to speak in unknown languages, but that it would be of greater benefit to the body of Christ if more believer’s sought out the gift of prophecy.
Paul does make it clear that speaking in an unknown language is also beneficial for the body of Christ but I must go along with interpretation. In verse 14:13 Paul says, “So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.” Then in verse 14:18 Paul continues by saying, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.”
1 Corinthians 14:22-25
22 “So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 24 But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”
Let me clarify these verses by quoting what I found in the “Expositor’s Bible Commentary:”
- Paul concludes that tongues can be and are a sign of something miraculous, an indication of God’s presence to unbelievers. Believers do not need that sign, for they already have the indwelling Holy Spirit. But this is not all. Too much emphasis should not be placed on tongues even for unbelievers, for excessive use of this gift will have an adverse effect on them, and they will think that the Christians are out of their minds.
- Furthermore, everyone needs the blessing of prophecy that can bring unbelievers visiting the church under conviction of sin. Those who “do not understand” seem to be unbelievers who have begun to show interest in the Gospel — inquirers. The effect of Christian prophecy on such people is threefold: They will be convicted of sin; they will be called to take account of their sins and examine their sinful condition; and they will have their sinful heart and past laid open to inspection. The entire church through its prophetic message has, in God’s providence, a part in bringing unbelievers to this place of conviction. They will then recognize that God really is present and is dealing with them.
Every gift the Holy Spirit gives brings encouragement to the body of Christ. Along with that it shows the non-believer that God’s presence can be “seen” in the signs and wonders as the Holy Spirit communicates through the followers of Jesus Christ.
The next section of our chapter Paul gives clear instructions to the order in which Spiritual gifts are exercised. If there was not an order to the prophecies being spoken, or if the spoken word is in an unknown language but not interpreted, chaos can ensue. If that were to happen, the benefits of these gifts would have no effect on the church.
1 Corinthians 14:27 and 29…
27 “No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said.”
Paul is making it pretty clear that this part of a church gathering should not take hours and hours. He specifies that no more than two or three should speak in an unknown language and have interpretation and only two or three should prophecy. Paul did not want to see unregulated worship or unorderly conduct. If that were to happen it would take away from what God is trying to do. We have a God of peace; He would not desire to see the gifts of the Holy Spirit being used in an unorderly and confused fashion.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35…
34 “Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.”
For these two verses I will rely again on what I found in the “Expositor’s Bible Commentary,” so before there is any misunderstanding to the meaning of these verses, we must remember Paul was talking about the order in which things happened in the church gathering. In verse 14:26 Paul states, “When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.”
So, here’s what I found in the “Expositor’s Bible Commentary:”
- Paul now turns to the role of women in public worship, the implication being that men were to lead in worship. Paul indicates that his instruction for Corinth was followed in all the churches, thus emphasizing the universality of the Christian community. All the churches were composed of “saints” (those set apart for God), and should be governed by the same principle of orderly conduct.
- The command seems absolute: Women were not to do any public speaking in the church. This restriction was not to be construed as demoting women, since the expressions “be in submission” and “their own husbands” are to be interpreted as simply consistent with God’s order of administration. A woman’s request for knowledge was not to be denied, since she was a human being equal to the man. Her questions could be answered at home rather than by asking her husband in the public service and so possibly interrupting the sermon.
- The word “woman” has the general meaning of an adult female, but it also means “wife.” Paul uses the word here in the general sense when he states that “women should remain silent in the churches.” That he assumes there were many married women in the congregation is evident from his reference to “their husbands.” He does not address himself to the question of where unmarried women were to get their questions answered. We may assume, however, that they were to talk in private with other qualified persons, such as Christian widows, their pastor, or elders who were able to teach. At any rate, a woman’s femininity must not be disgraced by her trying to take a man’s role in the church.
So, any ladies reading this passage should not take offense. Remember what we read earlier, verse 14:33, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…” It is quite possible that the believers in Corinth were doing things in their church gatherings that were chaotic and confusing. So, Paul needed to set the record straight as to how a service should be conducted.
Paul ends this chapter with verses 14:39-40…
1 Corinthians 14:39-40…
39 “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.”
I believe this is great advice for every church and even in-home Bible Study groups. Orderly worship and the demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s gifts should be done in an orderly fashion. This brings the type of encouragement the church desperately needs, especially in today’s darkening world.
To summarize…
Pursue LOVE as your highest goal! (vs. 14:1)
Eagerly desire the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives! (vs. 14:1)
Especially desire to prophecy! (vs. 14:1)
For personal strengthening ask for the gift of speaking in unknown languages! (vs. 14:4a)
My prayer is that each one of us would desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It should be considered a humble privilege to be used by the Lord in a magnificent way. Ask the Holy Spirit for the gift or ability that He has for you and start serving in that power. God’s Kingdom will rejoice in the Salvation of non-believer’s as well as come together with heavenly support to help us reveal His mysteries.
~AMEN~