I Corinthians 14:29-40: "Prophecy and other Commands"

Paul concludes his discussion on the gifts with the procedure for prophecy as well as a couple other miscellaneous exhortations. He begins, "And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment". Paul, now addressing the gift of prophecy, gives them the same procedure as tongues, in which those who would speak would only be two or three at the most. MacArthur writes, "Those New Testament prophets spoke for the Lord in two ways. In some instances they gave new revelation from God to the church. And, by reiterating what the apostles taught, they also proclaimed what had previously been revealed, much as preachers and teachers of the Word do today". In addition to the limit of how many could speak, the other individuals gifted with prophecy were to "pass judgment". This would be in line with the gift of discernment in which the other prophets listening to what was being said would hold it in light with what had previously been revealed and what was written up to that point in Scripture. MacArthur points out that the prophets "were collectively to evaluate the validity of all prophetic messages. The Holy Spirit enabled those evaluating prophets to 'test the spirits to see whether they [were] from God' (I John 4:1). Since the prophets sometimes were entrusted with new revelation, it was especially vital that everything they preached and taught was absolutely true and consistent. Because they were helping build the foundation of the church, the validity of their teaching was of the utmost importance".

Paul also points out, in regard to prophecy, "if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first keep silent". This shows that a new revelation took precedence over a reiteration of what had already been revealed. This did not mean one was more important than the other, but rather, "at the moment, the new should be heard while it was fresh from the Lord", according to MacArthur. This was done in order to make sure everyone was paying attention to the one giving the new revelation. Another command of Paul to maintain order was to make sure that, "all prophesy one by one". Just as Paul commanded them about tongues, Paul wanted them to understand that there should be no confusion when congregating together, but rather, one who would bring the Word from God would be given complete attention. All of this had been laid out by Paul "so that all may learn and all may be exhorted". This was the point of all the commands that Paul had given in regards to the spiritual gifts. It was clear that the Corinthians were quite unorganized and immature in their exercising of the gifts. Paul wanted to give them rules so that they may be able to learn and be exhorted through the proper use of the gifts. Paul continues by reinforcing the prophet's role of judging one another's message, "and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets". MacArthur clarifies, "Not only are prophets to judge the authenticity of what other prophets say, but each prophet is to have control of his own spirit. The Bible knows nothing of out-of-spirit or out-of-mind revelations. Those to whom God revealed His Word did not always fully comprehend the message they were given, but they were always fully aware of what the message was and aware that it was given to them by God". Here Paul is reinforcing the statement that we are to exercise our spirit's as well as our minds in all things. The goal of all this is so that no one would leave confused but rather encouraged and exhorted by what they heard. In all we say and do in our worship we should reflect the nature of God which Paul explains, "God is not a God of confusion but of peace". Unlike the Corinthian's whose worship services were divisive, confusing, and full of strife, Paul is commanding them to change the one they are doing things that they may reflect confidence in the standard God has set for them in worship.

Paul moves from spiritual gifts and confronts another issue in the Corinthian church: the role of women. Paul sets a universal rule "in all the churches of the saints", towards the woman's role in church services. He clearly writes, "Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak". This command may seem harsh, but it was done in a spirit of love in order to accomplish the order and encouragement that Paul has been speaking of. Apparently in the Corinthian church it was an issue that the women were speaking up and adding their input in such a way to add to the confusion of the church. MacArthur writes, "One of the designs of creation, as well as one of the primary consequences of the Fall, was the submission of women (Gen. 3:16). Paul reflected that principle explicitly when he said, 'Let a woman quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet' (I Tim. 2:11-12). Paul's argument was not based on cultural standards but on two historic and foundational facts: (1) 'Adam . . . was first created, and then Eve" and (2) 'it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman' (vv. 13-14). Men are to lead in love; women are to submit in love. That is God's design". Paul even references that this command is from God's Word as he writes, "but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says". This was in no way a reflection on superiority or a woman's inability to do a good job, but rather, the natural chain of command set up by God. God has a perfect plan in all he does and it is when we pervert these plans because we think we know better that things go wrong. Again, it is not because men are more gifted than women, but rather that men have been put in charge and women must submit according to God's Word. MacArthur writes, "Women may be highly gifted teachers and leaders, but those gifts are not to be exercised over men in the services of the church. God has ordained order in His creation, an order that reflects His own nature and that therefore should be reflected in His church".

The next statement Paul gives is as much for the women as it is for the men, "And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church". If the Corinthian church had problems with women voicing their questions in a disruptive way, Paul was giving them the solution to it. A woman should submit to what is being said and taught in the church and if they have a question or an issue, they should bring it to their husbands outside of church. This is a call for husbands to be well versed in scripture to be able to lead and instruct their wives with the wisdom of the Word. If these rules are followed the church would be a more organized and beneficial place to go and learn.

Paul had so much that he had to deal with when it came to the Corinthians. The members seemed to only care about themselves and getting to exercise their rights, rather than submitting to the rules and following what God had set up as if somehow they were wiser than God. For this reason, Paul wants to shoot down all questions and arguments that may be raised by the Corinthians by rhetorically asking them, "Was it form you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?" MacArthur writes, "[Paul] said, in effect, 'If you didn't write Scripture then obey it. If you are not the sole receivers of God's Word, then subject yourselves to it as faithful children of God, as Christians everywhere else are obliged to do'. No believer has a right to overrule, ignore, alter, or disobey the Word of God. To do so is to put himself above God's Word". In addition Paul puts his apostleship foot forward to exclaim, "if anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment". Here Paul speaks with complete confidence, knowing that all he is writing is through the inspired Word of God, and are not his opinion, but the Lord's commandments. He was sick of the selfishness and immaturity of the Corinthian church and was in essence telling them that if they believed to have the spiritual gift of prophecy or tongues they would be obedient to exercise them the way God had commanded them to. Otherwise, "if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized". Fed up with the so-called wisdom of the Corinthians, Paul tells them the way it is. If you do not recognize the commands he is given as the commands of God and wants to do their own thing, then they will not be recognized as having any wisdom. Why would anyone listen to a so-called believer who doesn't listen to the commands of God?

In conclusion, to sum up, Paul writes, "Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues". Here Paul wanted to make sure they understood he was not undermining the true spiritual gifts given to them from God. He wanted them to earnestly desire to prophesy for those who had the gift, and to speak in tongues, for those who had been given the God-given gift. They were good things when exercised properly. However, his main point was that he wanted them to understand that if they truly did have the gift that"all things be done properly and in an orderly manner".

I Corinthians 14:20-28: "The Gift of Tongues, part 4

Paul continues his discussion on the gift of tongues, and in this section will give us the purpose for tongues, and the proper procedure for exercising the gift. Paul begins this section with the familiar "brethren" address that he likes to use to show his love and affection for them. Amidst Paul's strong exhortations and use of sarcasm against the Corinthians, his love for them has not decreased and he has not forgotten they are both brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul continues his exhortation and instruction to them with the warning, "do not be children in your thinking". The biggest reason the Corinthians were misusing the gift of tongues is because they were doing things without thinking. In the last section Paul told them that when we pray or sing that we must do it with both are soul and our minds. If we mindlessly give ourselves over to the emotions we feel from moment to moment, we will perform foolish and meaningless chatter. They were like children in their thinking, simply giving themselves over to their selfish motives. The Corinthians main problem is that they were immature in their understanding of love, and from that created all sorts of theological, moral and spiritual problems. To play off the illustration of being children in their thinking, Paul commands them to "in evil be babes". The Corinthians were no strangers to evil. According to MacArthur, "they were highly advanced in every sort of sin. They had virtually all the manifestations of the flesh and almost none of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-23)". Paul's desire was for them to remove themselves from evil thinking and to become foreign to their previous lusts. Not only this, but, Paul asked them to gain in maturity in the knowledge of Christ and their practice of love. If this would take place, they would be operating in the gifts properly and not need this instruction from Paul.

Here Paul will set out to show the Corinthians the purpose of tongues. Taken from Isaiah 28:11-12, Paul writes, "In the Law it is written, 'By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me', says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sing, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers". MacArthur explains, "Those strange tongues, Paul says, are what you now know and experience as the gift of languages. God has given that gift as a sign, not those who believe, but to unbelievers. Here is the heart of chapter 14 and the most important truth about this phenomenon: it was given as a sign, and as a sign to unbelievers, specifically unbelieving Jews, the unbelievers among this people. The gift of tongues was given solely as a sign to unbelieving Israel". MacArthur helps us understand that the sign was of cursing:

"Some 15 years or so before Isaiah prophesied about the strange tongues from the lips of strangers, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and taken captive by the Assyrians (in 733 B.C.) because of their unbelief and apostasy. . . . The proud religious leaders of Judah would not listen to Isaiah. his teaching was too simple. He talked to them, they claimed, as if they were babies, 'Those just weaned from milk' and 'just taken from the breast.' . . . God had indeed spoken to them simply, in order that the least mature among them could understand and so that no Israelite would have an excuse for not knowing the Lord's will and promise. The essence of His promise was, 'Here is rest, give rest to the weary,' and 'Here is repose'; yet Israel 'would not listen'. About 800 years before Isaiah, God had warned Israel that 'The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand' (Duet. 28:49). The strange language of their conquerors would be a sign of God's judgment. About 100 years after Isaiah, the Lord warned through Jeremiah, 'Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel, . . . a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say' (Jer. 5:15). The sign of judgment would be a language they could not understand". MacArthur also explains that when the apostles spoke at Pentecost and all the Jews from different countries heard them speak each in their own language it should have been a sign to them that judgment was imminent. How much more would they be held responsible for the sacrificing of Christ. He writes, "After the destruction of Jerusalem, and especially of the Temple, the reason for tongues ceased to exist. The judgment of which it was a sign to come. After the Pentecost manifestation of tongues, Peter, by implication, reminded his hearers of that judgment: 'Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified' (Acts 2:36; cf. vv. 22-23)".

MacArthur also points out that the gift of tongues was also a sign of blessing:

"The second sign was a residual benefit of the first. The gift of tongues was a sign that God would no longer work through one nation, and favor one people. The church of Jesus Christ was for all peoples of all nations, a church in which there are many languages but no barriers. 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus' (Gal. 3:28)". God gave the gifts of tongues as a sign that the Gentiles were included in the eternal church of Christ.

Lastly, MacArthur points out that the gift of tongues was also a sing of authority:

"Those who preached the judgment and promised the blessing were the apostles and prophets, whose authority was validated by 'signs and wonders and miracles' (2 Cor. 12:12; cf. Rom. 15:19). Among the authenticating signs was the gift of tongues, in which Paul spoke 'more than you all' (I Cor. 14:18).

It is for these three reasons that MacArthur says the gift of tongues has ceased and is no longer needed to point to the curse, the inclusion of the Gentiles, and the authentication of the apostles. All of this has been given to us in God's Word and it is no longer necessary for tongues to exist and therefore, they have ceased.

Once again, Paul will compare tongues as the inferior gift to prophecy. Paul writes, "but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe". This is not to say that prophecy is a sign as tongues was a sign for unbelievers. Nowhere else in scripture is prophecy mentioned as a sign for anything, but rather, is a gift given to various believers. In other words, prophecy is given as a gift to those who believe and is a superior gift to that of tongues. Paul has already explained why prophecy is more edifying, and here he will explain another reason. "If therefore the whole church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?" The way the Corinthians were misusing the gift would cause mass confusion and chaos in the church. This would be a huge distraction and turn off for a Jew or Gentile that was not a believer that was visiting this church. Imagine entering a church you have never been to before and you walk in to every individual speaking gibberish about something no one understands. This would not be conducive to them being edified or given the truth. Prophecy on the other hand, would be clear to understand and would be a conviction to them as they would come in and hear the truth of God spoken clearly. "But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed". MacArthur writes, "These judicial verbs indicate that preaching the Word brings men to conviction that the argument is true, and that they will be judged on the basis of their response. Paul continues to contrast tongues with prophecy, again showing prophecy's superiority. Prophecy is used here in its most general sense of speaking forth God's Word". A person which is an unbeliever, can come into a church in which the Word of God is preached and they can be convicted of their sin, have a clear understanding of the gospel, and be changed by God. Whereas tongues would cause confusion and no one would be edified, a man which hears the truth of the Word presented and it will illuminate "the secrets of his heart" as they would be shown to him and he can repent and "fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you". Tongues can not perform this function. It is for that reason that Paul can say as he has so many times to seek prophecy above tongues not only because they can edify and encourage the church, but because tongues can confuse and turn off unbelievers.

Paul will use the same phrase he had earlier in this chapter, "What is the outcome, then brethren?" In other words, now that we know this what should be our response. Paul will explain the proper procedure for using tongues. Paul explains, "When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification". Here Paul has to break down systematically how their church services should be run. The Corinthians had made a mockery out of their worship service and made it one of self-seeking, self-promoting and confusion. Paul's goal was to restore order by explaining to them the purpose of their coming together using their gifts. MacArthur writes, "The primary emphasis of verses 26-40 is that the biblical procedure for the use of languages is to be systematic and orderly, according to divine pattern - contrary to the confuse way in which the Corinthian believers seemed to do everything". The summary of all of this is captured in Paul's words "let all things be done for edification". This was not a time for each to seek after their own pleasures, their own tongue, their own psalm, etc. as they were now doing, but it was all done for mutual edification. By edification, Paul has in mind, growing, building, encouraging, and maturing, all things the Corinthians were not.

With all that has been said, Paul wanted them to understand their purpose of coming together before he specifically gave them directions on how to properly use their gift. He wanted them to understand the general before they were given the specifics. Specifically, Paul writes, "If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn". Here Paul shows the Corinthians the proper way to use the gift that some of them had. Rather, than counterfeiting the gift by everyone seeking after it in a false manner, Paul sets out that tongues should only be spoken by two or three people, not everyone in the congregation, and when tongues are spoken they should be only be spoken one at a time. It does nobody any good if someone is singing while another is prophecying while ten more are speaking in tongues. No one can be edified, let alone understand what is going on. Not only was tongues to be limited to three people speaking one a time, but there also must be someone present to "interpret". The gift of interpretation was separate from the gift of tongues, and was necessary for anyone to get anything out of the one gifted with speaking in tongues. In the case that "there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God". MacArthur writes, "Although speaking in languages and translating those languages were distinct gifts, they were not to be used apart from one another. An interpreter could not exercise his gift unless there were speaking, and a speak should not exercise his gift unless there were interpretation. Paul's instruction presupposed that the congregation knew which believers had the gift of interpretation. If one of those persons was not present, there was to be no speaking in tongues. The rule was clear and simple: no interpreter, no speaking out loud. A person who still felts compelled to speak was to meditate and pray, to speak silently to himself and to God".

I Corinthians 14:13-19: "The Gift of Tongues, part 3"

In this section of the discussion of tongues, Paul wants to show the Corinthians the emotional rather than rational aspect of tongues. He begins, "Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret". Paul's thought here is not that the Corinthians actually pray that they can interpret tongues, for Paul has already made it clear that God sovereignly gives various gifts to various believers. Therefore, Paul's tone, as through much of this section is sarcastic. His point is for the Corinthians to desire to edify the church. He wants them to desire and pursue gifts that will help encourage and edify the church. He hates that they are seeking after an ecstatic speech that was practiced by the pagans around them. He wants them to understand that the point of the gift is to communicate and edify, and the only way in which tongues can accomplish this is if they are interpreted.

Paul continues, "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful". MacArthur helps us understand, "In the pagan rites with which the Corinthians were so familiar, speaking in ecstatic utterances was considered to be communing with the gods spirit-to-spirit. The experience was intended to bypass the mind and normal understanding. As noted above, its mysteries were meant to remain mysterious. Paul here may have used pnuema (which can be translated 'spirit', 'wind', 'breath') in the sense of breath. If so, he was saying, If I pray in a [self-manufactured] tongue, my [breath] prays, but my mind is unfruitful". Paul is basically saying that if he were to use the gift of tongues the way the Corinthians were, he would merely be blowing air out of his mouth, but there would be no thought to communicate, encourage, or edify the body. There is no fruit that will evidence itself through this gibberish, it is a waste of a breath.

"What is the outcome then?", Paul asks. What happens when what we are saying is done apart from rational thought and thinking? The answer has been shown to be that no one is edified and no one is encouraged and we are nothing but rambling fools. Paul's answer to what must occur is, "I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also". Paul's point is to say that all things must be done with your heart and your mind. You cannot be zealous for an irrational simply emotional gift that serves no purpose. That is like disengaging your mind from the process. Instead, as Paul says he will do, we must sing and pray and worship with our spirits and our minds. If our minds are engaged and we are thinking rationally about what we are doing, we will would not give ourselves over to foolish babbling. Matt. 22:37 says, "love the Lord your God with all your hearts, and with all your should, and with all your mind". You cannot take rational thought out of it. We are not to be carried away by our emotions only. Pointing out a simple illustration to prove his point, Paul writes, "Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?" MacArthur explains, "Ungifted (idiotes) is, I believe, better translated in its usual sense of ignorant, unlearned, or unskilled. A person who is ignorant of a language being spoken cannot possibly understand what he hears. In a worship service, for example, he could not know when to say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks. Prayers or songs of thanks could not include anyone else if they were given in unintelligible sounds". Paul is simply applying his mind to prove his very point. He is basically saying, "if no one can understand what you are saying when you pray or sing, what good is it?". How can anyone agree with you by saying "amen" if he has no clue what was said. Would God enable such a gift? Of course not. So the person doing the speaking may feel he is "giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified". Intentions are just that, intentions. Paul is calling the Corinthians to a higher standard. If no one else is edified or encouraged in the church by your speech, you are wasting your time and your "gift" has been exposed as counterfeit.

Now Paul has spent the last several verses bashing the counterfeit gift of tongues the Corinthians were using. However, he wanted to make sure they understood that he was in no way speaking against the true gift of tongues that God would give to those he chooses. Paul writes, "I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all". He wanted it to be known that he was not criticizing the true gift and, in fact, had the gift for himself. MacArthur points out the difference in the word "tongues" used here, than in the other portions of this text, "Here he uses the plural tongues. He is no longer speaking hypothetically (cf. vv. 6, 11, 14-15), and he is no longer speaking of a counterfeited gift". Paul obviously used his gift the way God had intended it to be used. And as Paul so often does after balancing out his argument (ie after speaking against the tongues the Corinthians were speaking, he praises God for his gift of tongues) he returns one last time to the main point, "however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind, that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue". Paul was portraying the attitude he wanted the Corinthians to have. One in which the main goal was not to have a showy gift that brought them praise and recognition or an ecstatic emotional state, but rather one that brought edification to the church. He would rather speak five recognizable, understandable words that could somehow encourage someone, than a thousand words of gibberish in an unknown tongue. This was a challenge to the Corinthians to check their motive when they were supposedly exercising their gift, and make sure that there mind was engaged in what they were doing, rather than just talking foolish non-sense.

I Corinthians 14:6-12: "The Gift of Tongues, part 2"

Paul continues discussing the inferiority of the gift of tongues, and the confronting the misuse of it in the church at Corinth. "But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?" Paul, being an apostle, uses himself in the illustration. The point being even as an apostle that tongues would be meaningless unless it was interpreted and made understandable to its hearers. The main issue that was taking place was the Corinthians were claiming some superior knowledge, speaking a mysterious language that no one could understand. To them, it was yet another divisive practice that was "supposedly" a special language between them and God. They had completely twisted the proper gift which was given by God to certain individuals to edify and encourage the church through proper translation. Tongues are pointless and meaningless without an interpretation.

Paul then gives an illustration to reiterate his point. "Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?" The purpose of a flute or a harp is that the musician makes meaningful and distinct sounds with it that those who listen may enjoy the sound. It will make sense to them and they can recognize it as music. If the flute or harp only made one meaningless tone, it would be worthless. In the same way, when you make meaningless sounds with your mouth that have no interpretation or meaningful purpose they are a waste of time and a mockery of the spiritual gift God intended it to be. MacArthur writes, "Rhythm, structure, harmony, and other such orderly qualities make a group of notes music instead of mere noise. For music to be music it must be intelligible in its own way; it must make musical sense. Each note, chord, and phrase has a musical purpose - to communicate joy, sadness, militancy, peace, strife, or whatever the composer intends". Paul then continues his illustration alluding to another musical instrument. "For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?" The bugle was used to produce distinct sounds that alerted its hearers to certain situations. If a soldier heard a bugle, yet it was playing random meaningless notes, it would merely be a distracting annoyance. However, if played properly, the soldier would be made aware of a "Call to Arms" or a "Charge". Therefore, we can see that just as notes must be distinctive and informative, so must the gift of tongues. It does not do anybody any good if what is being played or said is unintelligible. Paul confirms this, "so also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air". MacArthur explains, "The Corinthians were so carnally self-centered that they could not have cared less about communication. They were interested in impressing others, not communicating with them, much less edifying them. Paul compares those Christians to musical instruments blown into by one who is not a musician or a bugle played so poorly that what comes out is unrecognizable. From such incompetence, produced by pride and lovelessness, the Corinthian assembly could not have been other than it was: confused, disorderly, and unproductive (11:21; 14:23; etc)".

Paul continues his point, "There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning". Paul again reiterates the same point using language as the example. Language has a purpose in it, just as tongues does. Language by definition must be understood otherwise it is simply gibberish. There is no language in the world that is set up to be without meaning, otherwise, it is pointless and stupid. That is the point Paul wanted to get across, that the gift of tongues the Corinthians had perverted it into was pointless and stupid. Paul continues, "If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me". Here, Paul shows that language must be meaningful to both the speaker and the hearer. If the one speaking to another is not understood, no communication has occurred and nothing makes sense. MacArthur writes, "Barbarian was an onomatopoeic word derived from the twin syllables 'bar-bar'. To a person who does not know a language it often sounds as if the words are all alike and all meaningless. To most Greeks of Paul's day, anyone who did not speak Greek was a barbarian. His language was unintelligible". To wrap up his point that tongues are unintelligible he writes, "So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church". All along Paul's point has been that the so-called gift of tongues the Corinthians were practicing were not able to be understood by anyone and therefore would be pointless. If the point of having a spiritual gift was to edify and encourage the church, and the tongues being spoken could not be understood by anyone, they completely missed the point. Therefore, the Corinthians have to recognize that what they were doing was sin, and Paul wanted them to see it for what it was. The Corinthians were zealous for spiritual gifts, but obviously they were zealous for gifts that brought them attention, praise, or caused them to stand out. Their zeal was for themselves rather for the edification of the church. Paul's goal was to point this out to them and show them the foolishness of what they were practicing. Paul's charge to them is to seek after those gifts which can edify the church (ie prophecy). MacArthur comments, "The purpose of the gift of tongues, just as the purpose of all languages, was to communicate. Although it was a miraculous sign gift, it also was a communicative gift. From its first occurrence at Pentecost the Lord intended it to be a means of communication. The very miracle of tongues at Pentecost was in the fact that everyone present, though from many different countries, heard the apostles 'speak in his own language' (Acts 2:6, cf vv. 8, 11)". There is only one type of tongues that which is intelligible for edification. Every other form of it is not from God.

I Corinthians 14:1-5: "The Gift of Tongues, part 1"

Paul finished the last section exhorting the Corinthians to seek love above any of the gifts. Confronting them on their lack of love, he now turns to their sin of misusing the spiritual gifts they have. The Corinthians were selfish and divisive, and it showed in their use of their spiritual gifts. Their misuse of their spiritual gifts were a direct result of their inability to seek out and practice love among each other. It is because of this that Paul will confront the Corinthians on their misuse of tongues. In this section, Paul will get to the heart of the reason why we have gifts like prophecy and tongues.

Paul begins, "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophecy". Paul reiterates the importance of love. However, he also wanted to stress the importance of the spiritual gifts that had been given to them as well. Paul is not telling them to forsake their ministries and their gifts and simply seek out love. Instead, he wants them to understand that they need to exercise these gifts with the love Paul has spoken of in the last chapter. MacArthur points out, "The strong desire the Corinthians had for gifts was not wrong in itself but wrong in that it was selfishly directed only toward 'the greater gifts' (12:31), the showy and attention-getting gifts. They were right to have desired spiritual gifts, but their concern should have been for using the gifts they had, not for enviously wanting gifts that others had". Paul then turns his attention to specific gifts. He wanted them as a church to make sure they were seeking out the gift of prophecy. In no way was Paul speaking to individuals to go after this gift as if it were up to them which gift they had, for he has spoken against this in previous sections. Instead, he is asking the church to look at themselves and make sure they were seeking after. This gift is brought up in contrast to seeking after tongues. Because tongues was a showy gift that may have given the speaker an emotional high, this selfish act was sought after by the immature Corinthians. Paul writes, "For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries". Paul is showing that the purpose of spiritual gifts are to edify and encourage the church. The point was not what you could get out of the gift, but rather, what you could give to the church through your gift. MacArthur writes, "The type of tongues the Corinthians practiced had no edifying value at all. It could not speak to men; it could give them no instruction or exhortation. It could only speak to God. I believe a better translation, however, is 'to a god.' The Greek has no definite article, and such anarthrous constructions usually are translated with an indefinite article (see Acts 17:23, where the same form of theo [god] is used in reference to 'an unknown god')". In other words babbling in tongues the way the Corinthians was as effective as speaking unknown words to an unknown god. Because of their attitudes and the way they were misusing the gift, they had rendered that gift meaningless for the body of Christ. If other believers, yourself, and God do not understand what is being said, what value is it? On the other hand, "one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation". MacArthur writes, "The purpose of prophecy is to build up by edification, to encourage through exhortation, and to comfort through consolation. Spiritual gifts are meant to accomplish something spiritually and practically worthwhile, and are always meant to be of benefit to others, believer or unbeliever". For this reason, prophecy was a superior gift because it served its purpose in encouraging and edifying the church because it was spoken in a way to be understood by all.

In contrast to serving others with the gift of prophecy, Paul writes, "one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself". MacArthur believes Paul's tone here is sarcastic. He writes, "Because even true tongues must be interpreted in order to be understood, they cannot possibly edify anyone, including the person speaking, without such interpretation. They cannot, therefore, be intended by God for private devotional use, as many Pentecostals and charismatics claim. Paul here is referring to the supposed value the Corinthians placed on their self-styled tongues-speaking. The satisfaction many of the believers experienced in their abuse of tongues was self-satisfaction, which came from pride=induced emotion, not from spiritual edification". So, in a sense Paul is reiterating what he had said before that no one is done any good by what the Corinthians had been doing in regard to tongues. That is why he is putting the emphasis on prophecy. Paul continues, "but one who prophecies edifies the church". That is the very purpose that God has gifted us with spiritual gifts, not to hoard to ourselves, but to edify the church.

Paul continues, "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues". Now it may seem odd that Paul would write such a statement after he has been warning about the abuses of the gift, and the inferiority of the gift compared to prophecy. Why would Paul say he wishes they all spoke in tongues, when he knows they are not able to. MacArthur explains, "Paul was wishing the impossible for the sake of emphasis. He knew that all Christians do not have the same gifts. 'All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?' (12:30). The apostle certainly was not suggesting that his wisdom was greater than that of the Holy Spirit, who 'works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills' (12:11). To have wished literally that all the Corinthian believers had the gift of tongues would have presumed to improve on the Spirit's wisdom. Paul simply was making it clear that he did not despise the genuine gift of tongues, the true manifestation of which is of God". Paul was basically making an exaggerated statement to show that tongues serves its purpose as well if done properly, however, prophecy is superior, as he reiterates, "but even more that you would prophecy".

MacArthur points out for this section, "It is an interpretive key to this chapter to note that in verse 2 and 4 tongue is singular (cf. vv. 13, 14, 19, 27), whereas in verse 5 Paul uses the plural tongues (cf. vv. 6, 18, 22, 23, 39). Apparently the apostle used the singular form to indicate the counterfeited gift and the plural to indicate the true. Recognizing that distinction may be the reason the King James translators supplied unknown before the singular. The singular is used of the false because gibberish is singular; it cannot be gibberishes. There are no kinds of pagan ecstatic speech; there are; however, kinds of languages in the true gift, for which the plural tongues is used. The only exception is in v.27, where the singular is used to refer to a single man speaking a single genuine language".

Paul will again reiterate his main purpose in explaining why prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues that the Corinthians so desired. "Greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying". Here Paul mentions that it is only proper with the genuine gift of tongues that there be an interpreter whether it be the speaker or someone else. Only when someone else can translate to the church what is being said can the church be edified, which is the whole point Paul is trying to make. It was clear that the Corinthians were speaking in a confusing and meaningless tongue without interpretation, and for this no one understood nor was edified.

I Corinthians 13:8-13: "Love Never Fails"

The last section closed with the words, "love endures all things". In this section, Paul begins with this thought and builds on it as he writes, "Love never fails". This is not referring to love always being successful, but rather to the permanence of it. MacArthur writes, "Fails (from pipto) has the basic meaning of falling, especially the idea of final falling, and was used of a flower or leaf that falls to the ground, withers, and decays. Never refers to time, not to frequency, and the idea is that at no time will divine love ever fall, wither, and decay. By nature it is permanent. It is never abolished". To a Christian, love is life, it encompasses all aspects of life. For a Christian, God is their center, He is their everything and God is love, therefore, it will never cease. To the Corinthians who sought after so many earthly treasures and praise, Paul wanted to make them aware that love was the most important thing they should seek out, because it was the one thing that would "never fail". Paul points out that, "if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away". The Corinthians were eagerly seeking after the gift of prophecy, as it was a popular gift that Paul spoke of earlier. Here Paul is telling them that prophecy is temporary. At one point in time prophecy will no longer be necessary, however, love will never fail. Paul's point here was to show them that they ought to seek love above the gift of prophecy as one is temporary and the other is permanent. MacArthur points out, "done away is from katargeo, which means 'to reduce to inactivity', or 'to abolish'. The gifts of prophecy and knowledge one day will be made inoperative. Both forms of this verb in verse 8, as well as its form in verse 10, are passive; that is, something or someone will cause them to stop". Therefore, Paul wanted to downplay the importance of the showy gifts that the Corinthians were seeking after, in order to lift up a more important thing to seek after: Love. Paul had already established the importance of love in the previous verses of this chapter, he now had given them another reason because of its permanent nature.

Paul also mentions the gift of tongues, however, he uses a different word than he did for prophecy or knowledge. He writes that tongues "they will cease". MacArthur explains the distinction from these other gifts. "Cease is from pauo, which means 'to stop, to come to an end.' Unlike katargeo, this verb is here used in the Greek middle voice, which, when used of persons, indicates intentional, voluntary action upon oneself. Used of an inanimate object it indicates reflexive, self-causing action. The cause comes from within it is built in. God gave the gift of tongues a built-in stopping place. 'That gift will stop by itself,' Paul says. Like a battery, it had a limited energy supply and a limited lifespan. When its limits were reached, its activity automatically ended. Prophecy and knowledge will be stopped by something outside themselves, but the gift of tongues will stop by itself. This distinction in terms is unarguable". The point is that tongues was created for a specific time and place to establish the early church and the authentication of its apostles. It was not predicated on an outside force to end its time, as in the case of knowledge and prophecy, which is said to be done away when the "perfect" comes.

To quickly summarize MacArthur's view on the cessation of tongues:
1. Tongues was a sign gift and, as with the gifts of healing and miracles, it ceased to operate when the New Testament was completed.
2. Its purpose as a judicial sign of Israel's judgment ceased to apply at that time. Because Israel refused to listen and believe when God spoke to them in clear language, the prophet said the day would come when He would speak to them in a language they could not understand, as a testimony against their rejection of Him (I Cor. 14:21; cf. Isa. 28:11-12).
3. Tongues ceased because they were an inferior means of edification. When properly interpreted, tongues had the ability to edify in a limited way (I Cor. 14:5; 12-13; 27-28).
4. Tongues has ceased because its purpose as a confirming sign of apostolic authority and doctrine ended when the New Testament was completed. Revelation of God's Word was completed when the New Testament was completed, and to that nothing is to be added or subtracted (Rev. 22:18-19).
5. It is reasonable to believe that tongues have ceased because their use is mentioned only in the earlier New Testament books. Most of the books, in fact, do not mention it.
6. Since the apostolic age, it has reappeared only spasmodically and questionably throughout nineteen centuries of church history. The gift of tongues is nowhere alluded to or found in any writings of the church Fathers".

Paul continues, "for we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away". Here Paul refers back to the two gifts that he says will be "done away with", knowledge and prophecy. Paul has placed love as an eternal thing to be sought after, he then placed prophecy and knowledge as temporary gifts that would cease when the perfect comes, and tongues as a gift that ceased at the end of the early church. The problem with the Corinthians spending so much time and effort seeking after these inferior gifts, was not only that they were temporary, but they were only partial. We can only know "in part" and "prophecy in part". MacArthur writes, "God's gifts are complete, but those to whom He gives them are limited. Paul included himself in the we. Even the apostles knew in part and prophesied in part. Paul had cautioned the Corinthians that 'if anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know' (I Cor 8:2). . . . Through God's Word and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, we can have 'a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,' but even our true knowledge is still imperfect knowledge, because only in Him 'are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge' (Col. 2:2-3)".

Therefore, Paul has set up that tongues will cease on their own, and knowledge and prophecy we have only in part, and will cease when the "perfect comes". In this context the "perfect" refers to the eternal state. MacArthur briefly explains what the perfect is not:

1. It is not the completion of Scripture other wise prophecy and knowledge would have already been stopped, and believers since that time would have been without benefit of two of the most important gifts for proclaiming, interpreting, and understanding Scripture.
2. It is not the rapture because if knowledge and prophecy have been permanently done away, they could no more be resumed after the rapture and during the Tribulation or the Kingdom.
3. It is not the maturing of the church because such a completion would amount to the rapture, which this view eliminates.
4. The perfect is not the second coming because "perfect" is in the neuter in the Greek (teleion), eliminating the possibility that it relates to a person.

Therefore, we can see that "the perfect" refers to the eternal, heavenly state of believers. MacArthur writes, "The eternal state allows for the neuter form of the perfect and allows for the continuation of knowledge and prophecy during the church age, the Tribulation, and the Kingdom. It fits the context of Paul's emphasis on the permanence of love. It also fits his mention of our then seeing "face to face", which will come about only with our glorification, when we will be illumined by the very glory of God Himself (Rev. 21:23). Finally, only in heaven will we 'know fully just as [we] also have been fully known' (I Cor. 13:12)."

To further emphasize the superiority of love over the gifts the Corinthians so coveted, Paul writes, "When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child, when I became a man, I did away with childish things". Paul is showing us that right now we are living as children. Our gifts and understanding of all that is happening is limited by our finite, imperfect minds. In essence we are living as spiritual children, who seek after what we think is wise, but clearly is not. However, when the "perfect comes", when we are in our glorified state, we will be able to understand and see more clearly as a spiritual adult. Paul concludes, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known". MacArthur writes, "In this present life, even with God's Word completed and the illumination of His Spirit, we see in a mirror dimly. In our present state we are not capable of seeing more. But when we enter into the Lord's presence, we then will see Him face to face. Now we can only know in part, but then [we] shall know fully just aw [we] also have been fully known".

To reiterate his main point Paul reminds the Corinthians, "But now abide, faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love". Paul mentions three of the greatest spiritual values we can have. It is evident the importance of our faith in Christ, our hope in His promises, however, the greatest most supreme thing we can seek out is love. Specifically our love for God and others. MacArthur concludes, "Because faith and hope will have no purpose in heaven, where everything true will be known and everything good will be possessed, they are not equal to love. Love is the greatest of these not only because it is eternal, but because even in this life, where we now live, love is supreme".