First Corinthians 14
Monday, March 9 1 Corinthians 14:1-12
“Prophecy andTongues”
In chapter 14 Paul concludes hisdiscussion of spiritual gifts by encouraging the Corinthians to prefer prophecyto tongues. But he acknowledges a placefor both, and for the other gifts, if they are made intelligible and exercisedin an orderly fashion. Verse 1 picks uptwo themes from the end of chapter 12: love and desiring the more helpful gifts,one of which is prophecy.
Verse 2 makes it clear that the misuse oftongues was one of the Corinthians’ problems in the exercise of their spiritualgifts. Apparently, some were speaking intongues without interpretation. Therefore, others could not understand what was being said, and this isnot helpful. However, when tongues areinterpreted they, like prophecy, enhance the worship of God’s people.
Unlike uninterpreted tongues, prophecyhelps the whole congregation, not just the individual speaker. New Testament scholar David Hill definesprophecy as “grasping the meaning of Scripture, perceiving its powerfulrelevance to the life of the individual, Church and society, and declaring thatmessage fearlessly.”
Your gifts are given, Lord, to strengthenthe whole church. Amen.
Tuesday, March 10 1 Corinthians 14:13-19
“What shall I do?”
So what must aperson do if God has given him or her the gift of tongues? First, the tongues speaker should pray forthe ability to interpret his or her own speaking in tongues. This benefits oneself first of all forwithout it the tongues-speaker has no way of personally knowing the meaning ofthe words he or she has just uttered. Second, when tongues are interpreted by the tongues-speaker or byanother who has the gift of interpretation, those who are present and hear whatis spoken (or, sung) are able to join in praise of God. Third, the person who has the gift of tonguesshould use the gift in personal prayer and in worship (again, as long as theyare interpreted), but he or she should also practice personal and corporateprayer in the locally known language.
Some of Paul’sreaders may have been surprised to learn that Paul himself had the gift ofspeaking in tongues, given his criticisms. But, he limits the use of his gift in the meetings of the congregation,emphasizing natural intelligibility over supernatural utterances.
Maywe be humble, Lord, in the use of the gifts you have given. Amen.
Wednesday, March 11 1 Corinthians 14:20-25
“Be mature in your understanding”
A preoccupationwith tongues without concern for their effect on oneself and others ischildish. There are ways Christians shouldbe childlike (e.g., being innocent of evil) but not in their use of spiritualgifts. As Paul proceeds further tojustify his appeal to prefer prophesy to tongues, he cites Isaiah 28:11-12 froma passage in which God uses the foreign empire of Assyria to disciplinerebellious Israel. Just as Israel didnot comprehend the “strange language” of the Assyrians, even though it was Godspeaking through their enemy, so those who do not understand the words of tongues-speakerswill not know what God is saying.
Unbelievers whovisit a service of worship where people are speaking in tongues with nointerpretation will go away shaking their heads at those crazy Christians. But, unbelievers who visit a service ofworship where people are prophesying will hear the word of God spoken, and havethe opportunity to confess their sin and accept Christ as their Lord andSavior.
When we wisely useyour gifts, Lord, others will be drawn to you. Amen.
Thursday, March 12 1 Corinthians 14:26-33
“For the strengthening of the church”
Paul’s desire for Corinthian worship isthat it be highly participatory, giving the opportunity for all whom the Spiritleads on any given occasion to contribute with a hymn, or a word ofinstruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. These are sample contributions; otherstandard elements of early Christian worship are given in Acts 2:42-47:apostolic instruction, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, miracles, sharingof finances, praising God, and evangelism.
In narrowing once again the focus to thetwo gifts of tongues and prophecy and their use in worship, Paul tempers thespontaneity described in verse 26 by regulating the exercise of these twoparticular gifts. The gifts of prophecyand speaking in tongues are not “ecstatic,” meaning that believers in theprocess of exercising their spiritual gifts are never so “out of control” as tobe unable to stop or regulate their behavior. Paul concludes this section by given his rationale for the regulation ofthese two gifts: orderliness and peace.
May what we do inworship, Lord, strengthen our life in you. Amen.
Friday, March 13 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
“Women should be silent”
Why does Paul seemingly interrupt hisdiscussion of the spiritual gifts of prophecy and speaking in tongues in orderto silence women? Many explanations havebeen put forth by scholars over the years of these words which, on the surface,seem to contradict what he clearly stated earlier in the letter when he spokefavorably of women praying and prophesying in worship (11:5). At one extreme is the view that this is the“real” Paul showing his highly chauvinistic side. At the other extreme is the idea that Pauldidn’t write the words at all.
When we examine these two verses withinthe context of Paul’s letter, we see that the sequence of topics in verses27-33 has been: tongues, their interpretation, prophecy, and its evaluation, inthat order. Continuing in verses 34-35with the issue of evaluation, it could be that Paul is saying that women shouldnot speak when the church leadership is evaluating prophecy for, at least inthe early church, the leaders were all men. The obvious drawback of this approach is that it must infer a meaningfor “speak” which Paul never spells out.
When unclear about Scripture’s meaning,Lord, we admit our uncertainty. Amen.
Saturday, March 14 1 Corinthians 14:36-40
“Did the word ofGod originate with you?”
Verses 36-38 challenge the Corinthians notto reject Paul’s counsel lightly. Ifevery other Christian church practiced what Paul preached on this matter, whoare they to be the sole exception? Thosewho contested Paul’s teaching undoubtedly justified their rebellion by claimingthe Spirit’s direction. So Paul addsthat if they are truly Spirit-led they will come to acknowledge his views asfrom the Lord. If they continue to gotheir own way, they demonstrate that they are out of touch with the Spirit, andthe Lord will continue to ignore them and to accomplish his work without them.
For Paul, unity and mutual edificationalways remains the overriding goals. Everything must be done decently and in order, but this does not meanthat Paul endorses a dead formalism. Thethrust of chapter 14 still highlights spontaneity and freedom. Church should be a place that exudes joy andlife, but never to such a degree that outsiders are repelled or insidersalienated from each other.
Wefind our congregational unity, joy and life in you, Lord. Amen.