Paul Describes Tongues

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Preferred Gifts 14:1-5

Remember what we learned in Chapter 12, the people in Corinth were striving to speak in "tongues" at the sacrifice of more desirable gifts. Here Paul tells them that if they were motivated by Love, they would desire those gifts which would do the most good for the whole church.

"Edification", is the key. Two forms are suggested. Preaching and the speaking in unknown tongues. Paul says that preaching is preferred. Notice why:

1. When you speak in an unknown tongue no one is edified, only God knows, without the presence of an interpreter, what you are saying. So there is no edification for the church.
2. When one preaches in the language of the listeners, there is edification, up building, encouragement and consolation.

So "edification is the key.

Even when we speak in the same language, we sometimes are not understood so Paul says to "keep it simple" and the Holy Spirit will use it.

Verse 4 gives us another point to ponder. He who speaks in unknown tongues, edifies himself only. No one else, unless their is an interpreter, will know what they are saying. Some people use this gift as a form of demonstration of their "religious abilities", this, Paul says, is what's wrong with speaking in unknown tongues.

Notice Paul does acknowledge the authenticity of speaking in unknown tongues, he also desires that all should experience this. We sometimes become critical of people who claim to be able to speak in unknown tongues, probably because the experience baffles and embarrasses us.

Language Barriers

These verses expound the necessity of speaking in the tongue of the listener. I believe Paul is speaking here of both known tongues and unknown tongues. There is little benefit in teaching or preaching unless there is some knowledge, prophesy or teaching imparted to the listener.

Paul uses musical instruments to prove his point. Any instrument that does not make a clear and distinct sound or note, is of little value. Communicating is the key here. Sometimes there is no communication between the minister and the congregation, even when they all speak the same language. Likewise teachers, academic or religious sometimes find themselves in this position of not communicating. Sense our sole purpose of preaching or teaching is to enlighten the listener, we should seek to communicate with clarity and the use of a "language" that is mutually understandable.

Gearing the Message

These verses also have to do with communicating. Again speaking about unknown tongues, Paul says, "If I pray in a (un) known tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful." This statement answers some questions as well as causes some questions. Do people speaking in unknown tongues know what they are saying? It would appear they do, but, as Paul says, "it is unfruitful." It bears no fruit because no one else can understand what they are saying.

But Paul says the solution is simple, speak with the mind and the spirit and do both in a known tongue. "If I pray in an unknown tongue, how can anyone say the Amen?" How will anyone know when you are finished? Public prayer is not only speaking to God but it is also edifying the listeners, so it must be done clearly, loudly and in an understandable tongue.

Notice what Paul thinks about unknown tongues. "I speak in (un) known tongues more than any of you, but, I would rather speak 5 words in a known tongue than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue." A truly consecrated preacher or teacher will speak for the good of the listener rather than their applause.

The Unbeliever

In these verses we leave the believer and consecrate on the unbeliever. Again, it has to do with communicating. Paul makes reference to Isaiah 28, the priests were drunk, their minds were confused, their vision was blurred, their tongues were slurred. Isaiah asks the question, "Who is going to bring the message?" The Lord answers, "The message will come by men of strange lips and in an alien tongue, and they will not understand."

Now how does this relate to what Paul is talking about? The "message" is the Gospel. The "men of strange lips" are those who speak in unknown tongues. If they speak in an unknown tongue, who will understand. There is not always an interpreter like there was in Daniel. In Daniel God sent word of his judgment in an "unknown" tongue. "Mene Mene Tekel and Parsin." Only Daniel could translate. Mene = God's judgment. Tekel = weighted and found wanting. Parsin = ultimate destruction. This message from the Lord needed interpretation but not so with the Gospel. If when the church is assembled and unbelievers are present, preach in the language of the unbeliever and he will be convicted and the secretes of his heart will be disclosed and falling on his face, he will worship God.

Confusion in Church

Paul, in these verses, gives us an insight into the nature of the worship services at Corinth. There was a great deal of confusion in the service and Paul reminds them that God is not a God of confusion. He was earnestly seeking to bring some order to their services.

Notice the suggested "order of service".

1. A hymn.
2. A lesson, scripture.
3. A revelation, sermon.
4. A tongue, unknown.
5. An interpretation of that unknown tongue.

This order of service could be repeated over and over again as they were led of the Spirit, but only one at a time. The deciding factor was to be, "Do only those things that edify the membership and glorify God."

Then Paul set some limits on the uttering of "unknown tongues". "No more than two or three at any one meeting and this should be done one at a time, not all at the same time. And this should be done only if there was an interpreter present. If no one was there to interpret, the speaker was to remain silent.

Then Paul set some limits on preaching. Two or three speakers would be allowed at each meeting. The question that cam into my mind was why have that many speakers? According to Paul, this was a system of "checks and balances". One would speak and the other would evaluate, agree or disagree, with what the first one said. This would help eliminate false teaching for even sincere preachers or teachers can sometimes be mis-guided or mis-informed.

Then Paul set some limits on the "rebuttal". If someone had a "revelation" while someone else was speaking, they must hold their silence. Then claim their right to speak after the other was finished.

All of these "limits" established order to a service that before was held in complete confusion. Matthew Henry says, "Divine inspirations are not like diabolical possessions but are sober and calm and capable of regular conduct." "The man inspired by the Holy Spirit may still observe the rules of order and respect in the delivering of his revelations."

Then Paul gave some reasons for these regulations. They were for the churches benefit, instruction and consolation. No mode of worship should throw the assembly into confusion. It would have been particularly bad for a church as gifted as Corinth to be disorderly in its services and in the exercising of these gifts.

Women in the Church

"The women should keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak." How do we justify our present day attitude toward women in the church, in light of this instruction from Paul? Some have justified their disobedience to this instruction on the basis that it is "old fashion". They claim that this instruction by Paul was oriented to a certain period where society placed these restrictions on women and to do otherwise in the church would make a poor witness.

But Paul did not just pull this instruction out of the air. We believe that all that Paul wrote, 13 books in all, was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Much that he writes in this book were in answer to questions sent to him from the members at Corinth. Some were in answer to charges placed by "Cleo's people" concerning things that they observed going on at the church at Corinth. Chapter 11:5, suggests that women were praying in church with unveiled heads.

For women to pray in church, they had to speak. This brought up the question as to weather it was proper for women to speak in church. Society said no. Paul said no. Then he gave instructions as to the order of things in relation to this.

1. The woman's duty was to be silent in church, but, she certainly should be allowed to have her questions answered.
2. The man's duty was to keep informed so as to be able to answer any questions that the woman might have.

These instructions appears to relate to husband and wife, but the condemnation is clear, it is "shameful" for a woman to speak in church.

Shame is described as the minds uneasy reflection on having done something that was not right. Paul suggests that the shame lies in the fact that the woman who speaks, forgets her place. Paul always contended that women should keep their station in the order of things and be content with it.

The Evil of Pride and Conceit

In these verses, Paul rebukes any pride or conceit that comes as the result of the gifts of the Spirit. Pride and conceit often takes over when a person is particularly gifted. Leadership often brings self-conceit. Spiritual gifts should cause people to be humble, but they often don't.

Corinth was one of the few churches that was given the gift of "revelation". Revelation came from God, through the Holy Spirit. This gift was greatly envied to the point that it was difficult to determine who was inspired of God to speak and who wasn't. Many spoke out of envy and pride. Who was inspired and who was not?

Paul suggests a way to tell. "If their revelations contradict mine, (Paul's) they do not come from the Spirit of God." Today, we can use the same yardstick. If their revelations contradict the Word of God, they do not come from the Spirit of God. This may have sounded as though Paul was boasting, but he was not for what Paul said, he was led of the Spirit to say, it was not of himself.

He further suggests that those who speak falsely, will probably remain in their ignorance because they have closed their minds to the truth. Then he gave them some final instructions:

1. They were to desire first, the gift of prophecy or preaching.
2. They were not to forbid the speaking in unknown tongues.
3. They were to do all that they did in a orderly manner, doing nothing childish, nothing that appears insane and nothing confusing. Do all things in an orderly manner.

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