First Corinthians 14 Part 5 Speak Words Which Edify Believers In The Church

Keeping the right context about spiritual gifts. 

1 Corinthians 14:1=9  Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2)  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3)  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4)  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5)  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 6)  Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 7)  And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8)  For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9)  So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 

Some Corinthians abused spiritual gifts because they coveted attention and notoriety. 

Speaking in tongues happened as the Spirit of God enabled Christ's disciples to preach the gospel in a foreign language. 

God's pattern for the gift of speaking in tongues must be followed. 

Acts 2:7-11  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8)  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9)  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10)  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11)  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 

The first disciples at Jerusalem did not know any language but their own and they could not speak or understand other languages.

Remember that many Jews from other nations made the pilgrimage for the observance of Pentecost. 

They came from eighteen other locations where different languages were spoke.

They knew that the disciples were Galilean by hearing the language that they normally spoke.

However, when the Holy Ghost came at Pentecost, 120 disciples began speaking in tongues instead of their normal language. 

This event caught the attention of the Jewish pilgrims to the point that they were amazed and astounded.

They knew the disciples were ordinary, uneducated Jews, yet they were preaching the gospel of Christ in eighteen different languages. 

"We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." 

Speaking in tongues was a marvelous gift that facilitated spreading the gospel of Christ.

This is the first occurrence of speaking in tongues and it establishes the Divine pattern for this gift.

The Corinthians were filled with pride and coveted attention by speaking in tongues. 

They attempted to carry over pagan glossolalia by using unintelligible mutterings that no one could understand.

Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift that Paul said would cease to operate as God said it would. 

This gift was no longer needed when the church began having copies of the complete New Testament scriptures. 

Over time, Greek New Testament manuscripts were translated into many other languages.

Today, technology makes rapid translation from one language into another easy to do. 

If you live in a nation that does not speak English and you are reading this Bible study blog, it is because you can translate from English to your language with one click.

In a way, translation technology is a modern version of speaking on tongues. 

Plain and simple commentary I provide is comparable to interpreting tongues. 

That is, I seek to help all of our Readers understand what God is saying to us, to the best of my ability to do so.

The same truth that I teach on the blogs is truth that I need. 

I always include myself when making the application of these truths, for I want God to continue making me more like Christ. 

Disciples of Jesus Christ are to do Great Commission work. 

Matthew 28:18-20  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19)  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

How important is this translation technology for spreading the Word of God and telling people about Jesus Christ? 

Jesus gave His disciples, His church and all believers the Great Commission to fulfill.

Jesus said "Go ye therefore and teach all nations...to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." 

This blog ministry is my labor of love for Christ. This ministry allows me to share simple and clear lessons from scripture that God can use to speak to people all around the world.

Again, Paul said this particular gift would cease and it did. He said prophecy would fail and it did. 

These two gifts specifically, were no longer needed after the New Testament was completed.

In chapter 14, Paul has contrasted speaking in tongues with prophecy. Speaking in tongues does not edify anyone but prophecy edifies all who hear it.

The apostle used music are a reference point to show that an orchestra must be directed and must have musical notation to follow. If these are lacking, then the sound produced are random, chaotic and noisy.

Many voices, many languages but what God says is what truly matters.

1 Corinthians 14:10-11  There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11)  Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 

Paul acknowledges that there are many different languages, each with its distinct articulation, pronunciation, emphasis, and meaning.

Even in America where English is predominate, there are regional dialects that are spoken. 

If you listen to people from Boston speak you find that they pronounce words quite differently than we do in Ohio. 

If you travel to South Carolina you will hear words pronounced quite differently that in Ohio or Massachusetts. 

Some nations may have multiple languages spoken so that official documents may be recorded in more than one language. 

This is what Paul is telling us. There are many voices and many languages in the world and all are valid and have meaning.

However, those who hear someone speak in tongues do not understand the language, they cannot comprehend the meaning.

Paul said that in such a case, the one speaking is to the hearer like a barbarian because the words are not understood.

In like manner, when Paul spoke to that person in a language they did not know, he would seem like a barbarian to that person.

The word "barbarian" is an interesting word. It means speech that is rude, rough or harsh, Specifically it refers to speaking in a language no one understands.

The Greeks used the word "barbarian" in a derogatory sense to describe people who don't know the Greek language as being morally and mentally deficient.

To speak in the church in an unknown tongue is to talk gibberish. 

It is to be like a barbarian. It confounds the audience instead of instructing them about the things of God.  

For this reason speaking in tongues in the church is utterly vain and unprofitable.

This is a strong comparison made by Paul to get his point across to the Corinthians. 

Speaking in tongues in the manner they abused it must be avoided because no one is edified. No one can be led to Christ when they do not understand the gospel.

Interpreting tongues edifies and is better than speaking in tongues. 

1 Corinthians 14:12-13  Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13)  Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.  

Paul told the Corinthians that because they were zealous and vigorously contending to have spiritual gifts, they must have a right motivation.

The Corinthian's zeal for spiritual gifts stemmed from coveting the attention they received when speaking in tongues. 

They were filled with pride instead of having the mind of Christ (See Philippians 2:5-11).

Therefore, Paul admonished the Corinthians that they must seek to excel at desiring spiritual gifts that edify the whole church as God intended. 

Thus, the apostle taught the Corinthians to desire the gift of interpreting tongues over speaking in tongues, because interpreting them edifies the church.

Paul taught us that speaking in tongues and interpreting them are two different gifts  (See 1 Corinthians 12:10). 

Those who spoke in a foreign language were not able to translate it into their own language for the benefit of the church. 

Interpretation of tongues was necessary for the church's edification. 

Absent interpretation of tongues there could be no understanding of what was said in a foreign language. 

God gave spiritual gifts so that the church can be edified but this was not possible unless the foreign language was translated into its own. 

God spoke through the apostle Paul to give us valuable instruction about spiritual gifts in general and about tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy in particular. 

I pray that these simple truths will encourage us to see what God did to spread the gospel in the early church.

These truths will strengthen us so that we do not get deceived by false prophets and televangelists claiming to be speaking to God in unknown tongues.

God's Word is very clear and we must anchor our soul to what God says, not to what men claim. 

Bob