1 Corinthians 14

Let the prime supreme care be to do good to others; and in order to that, of all spiritual gifts which you are to desire zealously, that of interpreting scripture is the most useful: (see note [n] Luke i.)

[i] all things] The word πάντα, all things, though it be an universal, is not to be taken in the utmost extent, but according to the use of the like phrases in all languages, wherein the universal sign, affixed either to persons or times or places or things, signifies only a greater number, but not all without exception. So when, psalm xiv. 4, it is said of the children of men, that they are all gone out of the way, all become abominable, it is manifest that it is not spoken of all men without exception; for, ver. 8, there is mention of God’s people, and, ver. 9, of the righteous. So for things, John xiv. 26, the Holy Ghost shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your memory; not absolutely all, but all that were useful to their office. So 1 Cor. x. 23. All things are lawful to me; that is, many of those things which are unexpedient, or all indifferent things. So Phil. iv. 13. I can do all things, is determined there to the things there spoken of, to want and to abound, &c., and so here the covering, and believing, and hoping, and enduring all things, is the concealing and burying in forgetfulness many considerable injuries and evils of other men, believing, and hoping, and enduring very many things, which they which have not this excellent divine grace of charity will never do.

1 Corinthians 14:2

For he that by the gift of God speaketh any unknown languages only to shew what he can do, must be supposed to speak to the understanding of none but of God, and then he speaks indeed by that gift or afflation, mysteries or hidden things, but nobody receives benefit by him.

communicating one’s knowledge in great mysteries, (see note [c] 2 Pet. i.); or, 3. interpreting of difficulties of scripture; or, 4. moral catechistical institution, teaching you what men ought to do and believe.

1 Corinthians 14:3

But he that declareth to others what himself understands of holy things, speaks to men’s profit and instruction, admonisheth and exhorteth them to all Christian practice, and comforteth them from the promises of Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:4

He that speaks a strange language can benefit nobody but himself; but he that interprets scripture doth that which much tendeth to the confirming and benefiting the congregation, improving them in spiritual knowledge.

1 Corinthians 14:5

I had much rather that ye had the gift of prophesying than of strange tongues; for expounding of scriptures is infinitely more useful to the church than the gift of tongues, unless he that useth that gift doth after tell them in plain words what he meant; for unless he do so, the church can receive no advantage by him.

1 Corinthians 14:6

For strange tongues are not at all profitable for them that are already Christians; that which is pro-

1 Corinthians 14:7

This you may discern by an ordinary similitude; for when sounds are made by instruments, unless those sounds are set to some tune, no man can tell what to make of it.

1 Corinthians 14:8

And particularly the trumpet, which is used to sound alarms, doth so by a particular distinct sound; and if that be not sounded, no man that hears a trumpet will think himself bound to make ready.

1 Corinthians 14:9

So if you, that have the gift of strange languages, do not by that means speak that which the auditors may understand, (for to that end sure were those languages given, that you might speak to every one in his own language, Acts ii. 6,) how shall any man be the better for your languages? your words shall be poured out into the air unprofitably.

1 Corinthians 14:10

There are, for example, seventy languages, and every nation speaks some or other, and understands that, but ordinarily no other.

1 Corinthians 14:11

And therefore if he that hath all these languages speak to me in any but that which I understand, he speaks to no more purpose to me, and I receive no more advantage from him, than if a couple of men of several countries should talk one to another, and neither understand a word of the other.

1 Corinthians 14:12

So ye also, seeing ye would fain have some of those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, (see note [c] Luke ix.,) seek those gifts especially by which the church may receive edification and advantage, that so you may do somewhat more than ordinary; and of that sort is prophesying.

1 Corinthians 14:13

And instead of amazing people with strange languages which they understand not, let him pray to God for the gift of expounding strange languages, that he may help others to understand them that speak thus.

1 Corinthians 14:14

For if by that gift of tongues I pray in an unknown language, my gift, or the gift of tongues which is given me, prays, but my understanding lies idle, (see note [e] Luke ix.,) does nobody else any good; I make use of my gift of tongues, which I myself understand, but I make no use of that understanding of mine to make others do so too.

1 Corinthians 14:15

What then is it that is most desirable? Why, that if in praying I make use of the gift of tongues, which is intelligible to myself, I pray also by my understanding, so as he that hath not the gift of tongues is wont to pray, that so my understanding may be useful to others, and help them to understand also; and so likewise that I may make use of the gift of tongues in singing psalms, and sing also by my understanding, so as he that hath not those extraordinary gifts is wont to sing, that is, so as shall be intelligible to others.

1 Corinthians 14:16

For if thou administer the sacrament in an unknown tongue, how shall the people that receive say Amen at thy administering of it, when they understand thee not?

[a] Amen] The word Amen is an expression ordinarily used by the people, by way of assent to the prayer made by another before them, being an Hebrew adverb of affirming, and so rendered by Symmachus πεπιστωμένως, faithfully. For, as Maimonides saith, it was a custom of the Jews in their daily prayers, that he that had not skill or ability to pray himself, should say Amen, but he that had ability should pray himself. The former of these was he that is here called ἰδιώτης, the private or vulgar person, νεώτερος, 1 Pet. v. 5, the younger, as dLucian defines ἰδιώτης, Πολὺς ὅμιλος, οὐς ἰδιώτας καλοῦσιν οἱ σοφοί, “the multitude or congregation, which the wise men call idiots.” This custom is clearly deduced from Deut. xxvii, where all the people of Israel join in this; and so in the Psalmist, particularly on this occasion of εὐλογία, blessing of God: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and world without end; and let all the people say, Amen. So Neh. viii. 7. All the people answered, Amen, λαός, the laity peculiarly, (as that differs from the priests,) who therefore in all reason are here meant by ἰδιώτης. The Talmudists have a threefold Amen: 1st, Amen pupillum, saith eCaninius, when one prays, and another that understands not what he saith gives answer to him, parallel to this of the idiot in this place; 2dly, Amen surreptitium, a stolen Amen, when it is before the end of the prayer; and, 3dly, sectile, when he cuts it into two parts, A-men, as he that yawns, or is a doing or minding something else.

d Περὶ πενθ. p. 788. e Loc. N. T. c. 5.

1 Corinthians 14:17

And in that case, how well so ever that be done which thou dost, yet it is clear it is not for the advantage of others or benefit of the church.

I have the gift of tongues more than any of you hath it:

1 Corinthians 14:19

But for the benefit of others it were much better that I spake, though never so little, from my own understanding, so as he that hath not the gift of tongues is wont to speak, so that others may understand and be instructed by me, than never so much by the gift of tongues, when no man knows what I say.

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brethren, it is a piteous thing to be thus childishly affected, (see note on Luke i. 5,) to brag or boast of useless, gainless things, such as is speaking what no man understands. In respect of sin, be as like children, that is, as innocent as you will, but be more mature and manly in your affections.

1 Corinthians 14:21

In the Old Testament, in the prophecy of Isaiah, ch. xxviii. 11, it is mentioned as a miracle shewed to the people, that God would send prophets to them in languages which they understood not, and

1 Corinthians 14:22

By which it appears, that the use of the gift of tongues is principally as a miracle, and that for the converting of unbelievers; but interpreting of scriptures and teaching Christian doctrines is that that is most proper for believers.

1 Corinthians 14:23

If therefore in a society of Christians and none else, all that speak shall speak strange languages, what will an ordinary man or an unbeliever think or say? would he not think them all mad, if he should casually come among them?

1 Corinthians 14:24

But if that which they are about be the interpreting of scripture, promulgating the doctrine of Christ, this may probably work upon them that hear, though they came in unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14:25

And coming to a sight of their sins they will be forced to do reverence, and confess that God is in such a congregation as that.

1 Corinthians 14:26

If then ye demand how ye shall behave yourselves in church meetings; take care especially that whatever ye do, whether by the afflation of the Spirit ye compose psalms (see note [g] Ephes. v.) for the praising of God, as was used especially in the eucharist, vv. 15, 16, or whether ye make use of your gift of languages (see note [h] ch. xii.), or whether ye explain the figures of the Old Testament (see note [b]), or whether ye interpret what others have spoken in an unknown tongue, all be done so as may be most to the benefit and advantage of others.

1 Corinthians 14:27

And whensoever any use the gift of tongues, let not above two or three do it at one time, and they one by one, and let one of them interpret all that the rest have spoken.

¹⁷ vulgar persons: ver. 16. ¹⁸ discovered, ἐλέγχεται. really among you, ἀπαγγέλλων ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ὄντως ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστι.

¹⁹ proclaiming that God is ²⁰ ἀνά μέρος.

1 Corinthians 14:28

And if none present be able to do that, let not him that hath the gift of languages speak in the church, the place of believers, (but reserve his tongues for the converting of strangers,) and in the mean time keep his languages to himself, to be used at his own home betwixt God and him in private.

1 Corinthians 14:29

And as for the gift of tongues, so next for prophesying, let that be done by those who are endowed with that gift, two or three in a day, the rest of those who have the like gift of prophecy passing judgment on that which is done by them.

1 Corinthians 14:30

And if, while one that hath that gift is reading or expounding any part of scripture, another that sitteth by, and hath the like gift, be able to give any exposition of a sacred figure or other emergent difficulty, let it be free for him to do so; and in the mean while let the other that was speaking give way to him.

1 Corinthians 14:31

For ye all that have the gift of prophecy may give your sense of scripture one after another; and if ye do so, that will be the best way to instruct and exhort all others.

1 Corinthians 14:32

And it cannot be objected against this, that they that are thus inspired cannot thus stop themselves; for the afflations or inspirations of such prophets as are here spoken of may be ruled by the prophets, that is, by them that have them; the Christian gifts of expounding &c. being not like the afflations of evil spirits which put them into ecstasies, God’s gifts to the church are (as even prophecy itself appeared to be in Jonah) such as it is in their power to restrain, and consequently they may prophesy one after another, ver. 31.

1 Corinthians 14:33

For the Spirit of God is not a violent, ecstatic, impetuous, but a quiet, soft spirit, as appears by the effects in all well-tempered, constituted churches:

1 Corinthians 14:34

As for your women, let them be so far from teaching, that they do not so much as speak by way of asking questions in the church, but acquiesce in the judgments of their superiors, particularly their husbands, as the law of God commands, Gen. iii. 16.

1 Corinthians 14:35

What therefore they desire to be instructed in they must seek it by their husbands, by whom it may be conveyed to them (if not from their own skill, yet from those that are able to instruct, the officers of the church) much more decently than by their speaking