1 Corinthians 14:1-19
Prophecy and Tongues
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Tongues Must Be Interpreted
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Tongues, languages unknown to the speaker, are supernaturally enabled so that the listeners whose languages those are may hear the prophetic words of the gospel in their own tongue. This is given so that the hearers may not miss some if they do not speak or are not fluent in the speaker’s native tongue that they hear and understand the meaning and nuances of the word of God preached to them. They are not random meaningless babbling taught by losing control and uttering gibberish as is taught today, but are meaningful existing languages spoken under the control of God’s Spirit of order and prophetic insight so that those there may (Acts 2:11) hear the gifted one speak in their own tongues the wonderful works of God. These then are not displays to prove salvation or a “full gospel” experience but are divine tools God uses to communicate truth of His glory and work in the gospel to those who may not have a chance to hear unless a fellow countryman who knew the gospel happened to visit and speak in an intellible way in their own tongue. This spiritual gift then is given by God, not taught or induced by man, for the purpose of teaching salvation and all God’s wonderful works to unbelievers or teaching and building up fellow believers in their own languages divinely enabled. If there then is no one there speaking that tongue, then some else must be supernaturally gifted to translate to the hearers there or it is but useless clanging brass cymbals without the motivation of God’s love. This is why Paul wisely began this discourse with the priority of prophetic explanation of God’s word given already as we see today in teach and preaching primarily, whether directly or through the added mechanism of a language divinely given for that purpose. To minister to the church, the one who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort and does not seek to cast a spotlight on himself or at the least, building himself up while neglecting others. The goal of all gifts then is said to be edi of the church body and not self. Much confusion has arisen with the modern day misunderstanding and misinterpretation of what tongues are and we see the self-exaltation that often follows false gifts of meaningless gibberish passed off as biblical tongues. We are called to pursue, to run after to catch hold of, love in all exercise of our gifts given to teach all things (Matthew 28:19-20) as the commission has been given to us all to run in this race of saving grace and sanctification. True exercise of the gift of languages then is seen in some divine revelation, knowledge, prophesying, or teaching to this end. A meaningful utterance is the only way to achieve this. If we use the analogy here of lifeless noise passed off as music by unskilled musicians misusing the instruments, we can understand the concern God gave Paul to correct the Corinthians. If we do not speak so others understand the things of God, we are not orchestrating anything of spiritual value. Words that are understandable are not meaningless gibberish taught by man but Spirit enabled words of known languages enabling understanding for salvation of the lost or spiritual growth of a believer. Why be a foreign to the hearer when we can be one who edifies in a true spiritual gift? We need understanding to exercise this gift and supernatural understanding must follow in the hearers or a translator provided to accomplish God’s work to convey the message. Anything else is discord noise and not the music of God’s spheres to hear. Understandable messages are the goal of gifts so that others are ministered to and helped to know good and make Him known. May we therefore aim to use whatever gifts from God we have been entrusted with in humility to teach others and impart understanding as we exercise them in love as beautiful music to communicate the gospel and edify the church.
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