How Gifts Work
-16-
I Corinthians 14:1-25
As we begin to examine this chapter we can't help but notice that 'gifts' can be desired and received from God. We have just completed what is often referred to as the Love Chapter. He has indicated that there was not much love happening between the Corinthian groups. The gift of Love HAS to be put to work. The church was doomed to fail without it. As he offered correction regarding their miss-use of gifts, he pointed out to them that some of the gifts were going to cease soon. It would be better if they focused on gifts that would last.
Chapter divisions (i.e 13, 14 etc .) have been supplied by translators and they did not appear in the original manuscripts. So lets read a couple of verses as they were intended to 'flow'.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love. Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 1Co 13:13 and 1Co 14:1
Paul proceeds now to contrast prophecy with tongues. Why? Reading between the lines it becomes obvious that the gift of tongues was being elevated above all other gifts. This becomes clear as we look at the next few verses.
Before we do so, however, I want you to note that up to now there is nothing to indicate that tongues were unintelligible syllables. Also, up to this point there has been nothing to indicate that the gift of tongues was used as a prayer language. Some groups have put their own definition to tongues by calling it an 'ecstatic utterance'. The word utterance is OK, but the word ecstatic is totally assumed or fabricated. Why do people do it? Likely from a misunderstanding of this verse: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
Look closely at the end of the verse; we see that it does not invite the use of the word 'ecstatic' nor does it allow for unintelligible sounds and syllables. The verse clearly says … that we cannot utter the sounds … at all. But because of this verse some people have felt the need to try. This is not our job to 'try' to make sounds and hope that it is a language … an 'unknown' tongue. The Holy Spirit makes groanings which we cannot utter ... and he makes them to the Father, not to us or to those around us. The sounds that He makes are not available to us here on Earth.
There is nothing in the original Greek wording to indicate anything other than the word 'language'.
So for the purpose of our understanding this study we are simply going with the definition that Tongues stand for a natural language and the gift of Prophecy is defined as 'Words from God'.
Follow love, Paul says. If you are desiring an additional gift, he says choose prophecy over tongues. Why?
He gives these reasons.
Then he says every single tongue in the world is a known language and make complete sense … if you know the meaning … if you have an interpreter.
These are a lot of words on his part to try to make a point. What is obvious? The gift of tongues was being elevated above all others and it was being used without any interpretation.
He says … You are just talking to the air. (verse 9)
Now Paul adds a useful instruction that can fix this problem … “Let the one who has the gift of tongues … and who has just been given a message from God to share with the congregation, pray for the ability to interpret the message” (verse 13).
Even though Paul had said, to speak in a foreign language without interpretation was the same as just talking to the air, he now says, if you have the gift of tongues and decide to use the gift while praying, even though your spirit is praying, and your spirit is sincere, and the desire of your heart is real and sincere, even your own understanding is unfruitful without an interpreter. Not only are others not being 'led in prayer' (that is very unproductive and unfruitful) but you yourself are unfruitful. (14)
Paul simply says, “When I pray … I know my spirit is praying, but I will do it in my own language so that I will understand what I am telling God or asking God for”.
And “When I sing spiritual songs to God and others”, Paul says, “I will sing in my own language so that we all can benefit.”
“Otherwise”, says Paul, “Nobody gets blessed or built up.” In 16 and 17 Paul is noting that some of the people were thanking God in their gift of languages, but nobody could say 'Amen!', because nobody could understand what was being said.
Paul adds (18,19) that he, personally, spoke in tongues more that anyone. But not in church. In church he would rather speak 5 words in his normal language then 10,000 words in a foreign language with no one to interpret. What a way to make his point!
Next he makes a remark that goes back to chapter 13 where he said, 'When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 1Co 13:11
His remark now is … 'Grow up!' (20).
Finally Paul gives one reason only that the gift of languages should ever be used without an interpreter, and that already happened on the day of Pentecost. He quotes an Old Testament verse 1 (21), and the Corinthians would remember the story, how that, on the day of Pentesost people of many nations all heard the gospel in their own native languages ...EXCEPT those who did not want to believe. They heard only garble and even accused the speakers of being drunk. Little did they know that this was a judgment of God against them. God is saying, “I have spoken to you plainly through my only Son. You did not want to listen. Now this is all that you will hear. I am done speaking to you.”
“So”, Paul continues, “Tongues (ability to speak in the heart language of others) is a real blessing to those coming to faith (those who are not yet believers but are not rejectors) because they will hear the gospel …and know that you did not know their language … they will realize this must be a miracle! … and they will believe”. So Paul encourages … just use the gift for evangelism. On the other hand, (22-25) clear words from God in a language everyone can understand will give much needed direction in life.
1 Isaiah 28:11 But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language;
Chapter divisions (i.e 13, 14 etc .) have been supplied by translators and they did not appear in the original manuscripts. So lets read a couple of verses as they were intended to 'flow'.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love. Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 1Co 13:13 and 1Co 14:1
Paul proceeds now to contrast prophecy with tongues. Why? Reading between the lines it becomes obvious that the gift of tongues was being elevated above all other gifts. This becomes clear as we look at the next few verses.
Before we do so, however, I want you to note that up to now there is nothing to indicate that tongues were unintelligible syllables. Also, up to this point there has been nothing to indicate that the gift of tongues was used as a prayer language. Some groups have put their own definition to tongues by calling it an 'ecstatic utterance'. The word utterance is OK, but the word ecstatic is totally assumed or fabricated. Why do people do it? Likely from a misunderstanding of this verse: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
Look closely at the end of the verse; we see that it does not invite the use of the word 'ecstatic' nor does it allow for unintelligible sounds and syllables. The verse clearly says … that we cannot utter the sounds … at all. But because of this verse some people have felt the need to try. This is not our job to 'try' to make sounds and hope that it is a language … an 'unknown' tongue. The Holy Spirit makes groanings which we cannot utter ... and he makes them to the Father, not to us or to those around us. The sounds that He makes are not available to us here on Earth.
There is nothing in the original Greek wording to indicate anything other than the word 'language'.
So for the purpose of our understanding this study we are simply going with the definition that Tongues stand for a natural language and the gift of Prophecy is defined as 'Words from God'.
Follow love, Paul says. If you are desiring an additional gift, he says choose prophecy over tongues. Why?
He gives these reasons.
- Without an interpreter the person who speaks in a foreign language is not benefiting the church … and in a church service EVERTHING is supposed to be for the benefit of the church and NOT for the individual. Paul uses words to make the gift of tongues, used in a church service without an interpreter, sound like something ridiculous. Then he contrasts it with prophecy.
- Prophecy (words from God) builds people up, calls them to a closer walk with God, offers words of comfort when people need it most. (verse 3)
- Tongues builds up the individual who is speaking in the tongue. (verse4) That is something you should never do. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1Th essalonians5:11 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. I Corinthians 10:24
- Prophecy is a 'greater' gift than tongues, says Paul. This would be surprising news to the Corinthian church. It can be a bit surprising to us, that God would actually call prophecy a better gift. But he does give this exception, 'unless there is an interpreter'. In that case the person would be prophesying (words from God) but in a different language. Once the language is interpreted, the message is as clear as a prophecy that did not come in a tongue, and the benefit is for the good of all the people present.
Then he says every single tongue in the world is a known language and make complete sense … if you know the meaning … if you have an interpreter.
These are a lot of words on his part to try to make a point. What is obvious? The gift of tongues was being elevated above all others and it was being used without any interpretation.
He says … You are just talking to the air. (verse 9)
Now Paul adds a useful instruction that can fix this problem … “Let the one who has the gift of tongues … and who has just been given a message from God to share with the congregation, pray for the ability to interpret the message” (verse 13).
Even though Paul had said, to speak in a foreign language without interpretation was the same as just talking to the air, he now says, if you have the gift of tongues and decide to use the gift while praying, even though your spirit is praying, and your spirit is sincere, and the desire of your heart is real and sincere, even your own understanding is unfruitful without an interpreter. Not only are others not being 'led in prayer' (that is very unproductive and unfruitful) but you yourself are unfruitful. (14)
Paul simply says, “When I pray … I know my spirit is praying, but I will do it in my own language so that I will understand what I am telling God or asking God for”.
And “When I sing spiritual songs to God and others”, Paul says, “I will sing in my own language so that we all can benefit.”
“Otherwise”, says Paul, “Nobody gets blessed or built up.” In 16 and 17 Paul is noting that some of the people were thanking God in their gift of languages, but nobody could say 'Amen!', because nobody could understand what was being said.
Paul adds (18,19) that he, personally, spoke in tongues more that anyone. But not in church. In church he would rather speak 5 words in his normal language then 10,000 words in a foreign language with no one to interpret. What a way to make his point!
Next he makes a remark that goes back to chapter 13 where he said, 'When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 1Co 13:11
His remark now is … 'Grow up!' (20).
Finally Paul gives one reason only that the gift of languages should ever be used without an interpreter, and that already happened on the day of Pentecost. He quotes an Old Testament verse 1 (21), and the Corinthians would remember the story, how that, on the day of Pentesost people of many nations all heard the gospel in their own native languages ...EXCEPT those who did not want to believe. They heard only garble and even accused the speakers of being drunk. Little did they know that this was a judgment of God against them. God is saying, “I have spoken to you plainly through my only Son. You did not want to listen. Now this is all that you will hear. I am done speaking to you.”
“So”, Paul continues, “Tongues (ability to speak in the heart language of others) is a real blessing to those coming to faith (those who are not yet believers but are not rejectors) because they will hear the gospel …and know that you did not know their language … they will realize this must be a miracle! … and they will believe”. So Paul encourages … just use the gift for evangelism. On the other hand, (22-25) clear words from God in a language everyone can understand will give much needed direction in life.
1 Isaiah 28:11 But he will speak to this nation with stammering lips and in another language;