“Be sure that everything is done properly and in order.” This last verse (vs. 40) of 1 Corinthians 14 is a great summary of God’s plan for church services.
And… “But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.” (vs. 26) God is a God of order and planning, Church services should be: orderly and planned with the purpose that everything planned should strengthen or build the people who participate.
Paul had discussed the gifts of the Spirit, and love from the Spirit; and now he concluded this section by explaining the government of the Spirit in the public worship services of the church. Apparently there was a tendency for some of the Corinthians to misuse the gifts as they exercised their gifts, and Paul had to remind them of the fundamental principles that ought to govern the public meetings of the church. There are three principles: building up, understanding, and order.
- Building Up (1 Cor. 14:1-5, 26b)
This was one of Paul’s favorite words, borrowed, of course, from architecture. To edify or “to build up.” This concept is not alien to the “body” image of the church; even today, we speak about “bodybuilding exercises.” There is an overlapping of images here, for the body of Christ is also the temple of the living God. Paul’s choice of the word edify was a wise one.
The mistake the Corinthians were making was to emphasize their own personal edification to the neglect of the church. They wanted to build themselves up, but they did not want to build up their fellow believers. This attitude, of course, not only hurt the other Christians, but it also hurt the believers who were practicing it. After all, if we are all members of the same body, the way we relate to the other members must ultimately affect us personally. “The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee” (1 Cor. 12:21). If one member of the body is weak or infected, it will affect the other members.
Paul detected that the church was neglecting prophecy and giving a wrong emphasis to tongues. We must not think of a New Testament prophet as a person who foretold the future, for even the Old Testament prophets did more than that. Prophets received God’s message immediately, through the Holy Spirit, and communicated that message to the church, usually in a tongue, but not always. Prophecy was not the same as our modern-day “preaching,” because today’s preachers study the Bible and prepare their messages. No preacher today should claim that he has immediate inspiration from God.
Paul explained the supreme value of prophecy over tongues by contrasting the two gifts.
Prophecy speaks to men, tongues to God (vv. 1-3). “If you are zealous for spiritual gifts, at least desire the best gifts,” was Paul’s counsel. Prophecy was best because it built up the church. It gave the listeners encouragement and comfort—something that everybody needs.
It is unfortunate that some translators chose unknown in 1 Corinthians 14:2, “differing” is a better translation. From the very beginning of the church, tongues were known languages, recognized by the listeners (Acts 2:4, 6, 8, 11). The tongue would be unknown to the speaker and to the listeners, but it was not unknown in the world (1 Cor. 14:10-11, 21).
It is also unfortunate that people have the idea that tongues were used to preach the Gospel to the lost. Quite the contrary was true: Paul was afraid that the excessive tongues-speaking in the church would convince the lost that the Christians were crazy! (1 Cor. 14:23) At Pentecost, the believers extolled “the wonderful works of God,” but Peter preached the Gospel in the Aramaic language his listeners could all understand.
The believer who speaks in a tongue speaks to God in praise and worship; but the believer who prophesies shares the Word with the church and helps those who listen. This leads to the second contrast.
Prophecy builds up the church, tongues without a translator, only builds up the speaker (vv. 4-5). Paul did not deny the value of tongues to the speaker, but he did place a greater value on building up the church. “Greater is he that prophecies than he that speaks with tongues” (1 Cor. 14:5). Unless the tongues are interpreted (1 Cor. 12:10, 30), the message can do the church no good. Paul pointed out that an interpreter must be present before the gift of tongues may be exercised (1 Cor. 14:28).
Keep in mind that the members of the Corinthian church did not sit in the services with Bibles on their laps. The New Testament was being written and the Old Testament scrolls were expensive and not available to most believers. God spoke to His people directly through the prophets, and the message was sometimes given in a tongue. The three gifts of knowledge, prophecy, and tongues worked together to convey truth to the people (1 Cor. 13:1-2, 8-11).
Paul emphasized the importance of doctrinal teaching in the church. Our worship must be based on truth, or it may become superstitious emotionalism. Christians need to know what they believe and why they believe it. The prophet shared truth with the church, and thereby edified the assembly. The person speaking in tongues (unless there is an interpreter) is enjoying his worship of God, but he is not edifying the church.
Whenever all of us as ministers have aimed at edification, more than entertainment, God has blessed and the people have been helped. A ministry that does not build up will tear down, no matter how “spiritual” it may seem. When we explain and apply the Word of God to individual lives, we have a ministry of edification.
- Understanding (1 Cor. 14:6-25)
Eight times in this section, Paul used the word understanding. It is not enough for the minister to impart information to people; the people must receive it if it is to do them any good. The seed that is received in the good ground is the seed that bears fruit, but this means that there must be an understanding of the Word of God (Matt. 13:23). If a believer wants to be edified, he must prepare his heart to receive the Word (1 Thes. 2:13). Not everybody who listens really hears. Too often we are quick to judge the sermon instead of allowing the Word of God to judge us.
Illustration (vv. 6-11). Paul used three simple illustrations to prove his point that there must be understanding if there is to be an edifying spiritual ministry: musical instruments, a bugle call in battle, and daily conversation.
If a musical instrument does not give a clear and distinct sound, nobody will recognize the music being played. Everyone knows how uncomfortable one feels when a performer almost plays the right note because the instrument is defective or out of tune.
If the bugler is not sure whether he is calling “Retreat!” or “Charge!” you can be sure none of the soldiers will know what to do either. Half of them will rush forward, while the other half will run back! The call must be a clear one if it is to be understood.
First Corinthians 14:10 gives us good reason to believe that, when Paul wrote about tongues, he was referring to known languages and not some “heavenly” language. Each language is different and yet each language has its own meaning. No matter how sincere a speaker may be, if I do not understand his language, he cannot communicate with me. To the Greeks, a barbarian was the lowest person on the social or national ladder. In fact, anybody who was not a Greek was considered a barbarian.
The musician, the bugler, and the everyday conversationalist cannot be understood unless their messages are. communicated in a manner that is meaningful to the listener. Having illustrated the principle of understanding, Paul then applied it to three different persons.
Application (vv. 12-25). Paul first applied the principle of understanding to the speaker himself (1 Cor. 14:12-15). Again, he reminded the Corinthians that it is better to be a blessing to the church than to experience some kind of personal “spiritual excitement.” If the believer speaks in a tongue, his spirit (inner person) may share in the experience, but his mind is not a part of the experience. It is not wrong to pray or sing “in the spirit,” but it is better to include the mind and understand what you are praying or singing. (Note that the word spirit in 1 Cor. 14:14-15 does not refer to the Holy Spirit, but to the inner person, as in 1 Cor. 2:11.) If the speaker is to be edified, he must understand what he is saying.
What, then, is the speaker to do? He must ask God for the interpretation of the message. Paul assumed that an interpreter would be present (1 Cor. 14:27-28) or that the speaker himself had the gift of interpreting. Of course, all of this discussion emphasized once again the balance and order needed in service.
Paul then applied the principle to other believers in the assembly (1 Cor. 14:16-20). He assumed that they would listen to the message and respond to it. But if they did not understand the message, how could they respond? (Apparently, saying Amen! in church was not frowned on in those days.) The “unlearned” person was probably a new believer, or possibly an interested “seeker.” He could not be edified unless he understood what was being said.
It was a matter of priorities. While Paul did not oppose the ministry of tongues, he did try to put it into a right perspective. The issue was not quantity of words, but quality of communication. The Corinthians were acting like children playing with toys. When it came to knowing about sin, Paul wanted them to be “babes”; but when it came to spiritual understanding, he wanted them to be mature men (1 Cor. 3:1-4; 13:11-13).
Some people have the idea that speaking in a tongue is an evidence of spiritual maturity, but Paul taught that it is possible to exercise the gift in an unspiritual and immature manner.
Paul’s final application was to the unsaved person who happened to come into the assembly during a time of worship (1 Cor. 14:21-25). Paul made here another point for the importance of prophecy over tongues: a message in tongues (unless interpreted) would not bring conviction to the heart of a lost sinner. In fact, the unsaved person might leave the service before the interpretation was given, thinking that the whole assembly was crazy.
However, tongues did have a “message” for the lost Jews in particular: they were a sign of God’s judgment. Paul quoted Isaiah 28:11-12, a reference to the invading Assyrian army whose “barbaric” language the Jews would not understand. The presence of this “tongue” was evidence of God’s judgment on the nation. God would rather speak to His people in clear language they could understand, but their repeated sins made this impossible. He had spoken to them through His messengers in their own tongue, and the nation would not repent. Now He had to speak in a foreign tongue, and this meant judgment.
As a nation, the Jews were always seeking a sign (Matt. 12:38; 1 Cor. 1:22). At Pentecost, the fact that the Apostles spoke in tongues was a sign to the unbelieving Jews who were there celebrating the feast. The miracle of tongues aroused their interest, but it did not convict their hearts. It took Peter’s preaching (in Aramaic, which the people all understood) to bring them to the place of conviction and conversion.
The principle of edification encourages us to major on sharing the Word of God so that the church will be strengthened and grow. The principle of understanding reminds us that what we share must be understood if it is to do any good. The private use of spiritual gifts may edify the user, but it will not edify the church; and Paul admonished us to “seek those gifts that strengthen the whole church” (1 Cor. 14:12).
But a third principle must be applied: the principle of order.
- Order (1 Cor. 14:26-40)
Two statements in this section go together: “Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Cor. 14:26), and, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). When a building is constructed, there must be a plan, or everything will be in chaos. I know of a church that had terrible problems building their parsonage, until someone discovered that the lumberyard had a different set of plans from that of the contractor. It was no wonder that the materials shipped to the site did not fit into the building!
The Corinthian church was having special problems with disorders in their public meetings (1 Cor. 11:17-23). The reason is not difficult to determine: they were using their spiritual gifts to please themselves and not to help their brethren. The key word was not edification, but exhibition. If you think that your contribution to the service is more important than your brother’s contribution, then you will either be impatient until he finishes, or you will interrupt him. Add to this problem the difficulties caused by the “liberated women” in the assembly, and you can understand why the church experienced carnal confusion.
First Corinthians 14:26 gives us a cameo picture of worship in the early church. Each member was invited to participate as the Lord directed. One would want to sing a psalm (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Another would be led to share a doctrine. Someone might have a revelation that would be given in a tongue and then interpreted. Apart from some kind of God-given order, there could never be edification.
Note that the tongues speakers were the ones causing the most trouble, so Paul addressed himself to them and gave several instructions for the church to obey in their public meetings.
First, speaking and interpreting, along with judging (evaluating the message) must be done in an orderly manner (1 Cor. 14:27-33). There must not be more than three speakers at any one meeting, and each message must be interpreted and evaluated in order. If no interpreter was present, then the tongues speaker must keep silent. Paul’s admonitions to the Thessalonian congregation would apply here: “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thes. 5:19-21).
Why were the messages evaluated? To determine whether the speaker had truly communicated the Word of God through the Holy Spirit. It was possible for a speaker, under the control of his own emotions, to imagine that God was speaking to him and through him. It was even possible for Satan to counterfeit a prophetic message (see 2 Cor. 11:13-14). The listeners would test the message, then, by Old Testament Scriptures, apostolic tradition, and the personal guidance of the Spirit (“discerning of spirits,” 1 Cor. 12:10).
If while a person is speaking, God gives a revelation to another person, the speaker must be silent while the new revelation is shared. If God is in charge, there can be no competition or contradiction in the messages. If, however, the various speakers are “manufacturing” their messages, there will be confusion and contradiction.
When the Holy Spirit is in charge, the various ministers will have self-control; for self-control is one fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23). Our own self-control is one of the evidences that the Spirit is indeed at work in the meeting. One of the ministries of the Spirit is to bring order out of chaos (Gen. 1). Confusion comes from Satan, not from God (James 3:13-18). When the Spirit is leading, the participants are able to minister “one by one” so that the total impact of God’s message may be received by the church.
How do we apply this instruction to the church today? For one thing, we must use the Word of God to test every message that we hear, asking the Spirit to guide us. There are false teachers in the world and we must beware (2 Peter 2; 1 John 4:1-6). But even true teachers and preachers do not know everything and sometimes make mistakes (1 Cor. 13:9, 12; James 3:1). Each listener must evaluate the message and apply it to his own heart.
Here’s a controversial passage: “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. If they have any questions to ask, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.” (vs. 34-35 NLT)
| Does this mean that women should not speak in church services today? It is clear from 11:5 that women often prayed and prophesied in public worship. It is also clear in chapters 12-14 that women are given spiritual gifts and are encouraged to exercise them in the body of Christ. So what did Paul mean? It would be helpful to understand the context and the use of the word “silent.” |
In the Greek culture, women were discouraged from saying anything in public, and they were certainly not allowed to confront or question men publicly. Apparently, some of the women who had become Christians thought that their Christian freedom gave them the right to question the men in public worship. This was causing division in the church. In addition, women of that day did not receive formal religious education as did the men.
The Greek word for “silent” used here is also used in 14:28, referring to the silence commanded on the one who desired to speak in tongues but without an interpreter present. Obviously, that did not mean that this person was never to speak in the church, only to remain silent when certain conditions were not met so that the church service would not be disrupted. The same Greek word is also used in 14:30 for the prophet who is asked to stop speaking (“be silent” in the Greek) when another has been given a revelation. Again, this obviously does not mean that the prophet was never to speak. This would negate his or her gift. Because women as well as men were gifted with tongues, interpretation, or prophecy, they would need to speak in order to exercise their gifts.
The “speaking” to which Paul referred was the inappropriate asking of questions that would disrupt the worship service or take it on a tangent. Therefore, the women should be silent during the church meetings, not because they were never to speak, but because they were not to speak out with questions that would be ineffective in edifying the entire church. If they have any questions, says Paul, let them ask their husbands at home. That they should be submissive compares with Paul’s words in 11:7-12—to keep the believers in obedience with God’s commanded lines of authority (just as the law says). There is no clear reference to an Old Testament passage. Paul may have been referring to a generally accepted interpretation of Genesis 3:16. Apparently, the women believers in Corinth, newly freed in Christ to be able to learn and take part in worship, had been raising questions that could have been answered at home without disrupting the services. In this entire chapter, Paul had been dealing with various forms of disorder and confusion taking place in the Corinthian church in particular. His words are corrective. In this instance, Paul was asking the Corinthian women not to flaunt their Christian freedom during worship. The purpose of Paul’s words was to promote unity, not to teach about the role of women in the church.
Next, participants must beware of “new revelations” that go beyond the Word of God (1 Cor. 14:36-40). “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20). The church had the Old Testament as well as the oral tradition given by the Apostles (2 Tim. 2:2), and this was the standard by which all revelations would be tested. We today have the completed Scriptures as well as the accumulated teachings of centuries of church history to help us discern the truth. The historic evangelical creeds, while not inspired, do embody orthodox theology that can direct us.
In these verses, Paul was answering the church member who might say, “We don’t need Paul’s help! The Spirit speaks to us. We have received new and wonderful revelations from God!” This is a dangerous attitude, because it is the first step toward rejecting God’s Word and accepting counterfeit revelations, including the doctrines of demons (1 Tim. 4:1ff). “The Word did not originate in your congregation!” Paul replied. “One of the marks of a true prophet is his obedience to apostolic teaching.” In this statement, Paul claimed that what he wrote was actually inspired Scripture, “the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37).
First Corinthians 14:38 does not suggest that Paul wanted people to remain ignorant; otherwise, he would not have written this letter and answered their questions. The New International Version translates it, “If he ignores this [Paul’s apostolic authority], he himself will be ignored [by Paul and the churches].” Fellowship is based on the Word, and those who willfully reject the Word automatically break the fellowship (1 John 2:18-19).
Paul summarized the main teachings of 1 Corinthians 14 in verses 39-40. Prophecy is more important than tongues, but the church should not prohibit the correct exercise of the gift of tongues. The purpose of spiritual gifts is the edification of the whole church, and therefore, gifts must be exercised in an orderly manner. Public worship must be carried on “in a seemly manner,” that is, with beauty, order, and spiritual motivation and content.
Before leaving this chapter, it might be helpful to summarize what Paul wrote about the gift of tongues. It is the God-given ability to speak in a known language with which the speaker was not previously acquainted. The purpose was not to win the lost, but to edify the saved. Not every believer had this gift, nor was this gift an evidence of spirituality or the result of a “baptism of the Spirit.”
Only three persons were permitted to speak in tongues in any one meeting, and they had to do so in order and with interpretation. If there was no interpreter, they had to keep silent. Prophecy is the superior gift, but tongues were not to be despised if they were exercised according to Scripture. We should not believe that every instance of tongues is divinely energized or that all instances of tongues are either satanic or self-induced.
It is unfortunate when believers make tongues a test of fellowship or spirituality. That in itself would alert me that the Spirit would not be at work. Let’s keep our priorities straight and major on winning the lost and building the church.
Paul urged the Corinthians to conduct their worship in an orderly way. Worship is vital to individuals and to the whole church. The quality of our worship forms a powerful expression of the reality of our conversion. Having been loved by God, we seek to love God back with our whole being. Our gatherings should be conducted in an orderly way so that we can worship, be taught, and be prepared to serve God. Believers should be encouraged to prepare for the expected in worship but also to anticipate God’s ability to do the unexpected. Those who are responsible for planning worship should make sure it has order and direction rather than chaos and confusion. Opportunity for the expression of many gifts should be included.
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Sources:
Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Corinthians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “1 CORINTHIANS 14”.
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 1, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2001), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 612-616.
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