Comments on 1 Corinthians 14

     After telling the Corinthians that Charity, or agape, is the
ideal spiritual gift, Paul goes on to comment on a spiritual gift
that is apparently popular and misunderstood among them: speaking
in tongues.
     Paul tells them to pursue love, and that they should be
desiring more the prophesy than to speak in tongues (v. 1).  This
because whoever is speaking in tongues is speaking only to God
because nobody else can understand what they are saying (v. 2). 
Rather, it is better to prophesy in the language of the people so
all are edified (v. 3) rather than just the speaker (v. 4). 
     It would be nice if all of the ecclesia could speak in
tongues, but he prefers they would prophesy instead (v. 5)
because unless the meaning of that spoken in a foreign language
is revealed to them (v. 6) then it is just so much noise (v. 7-
11).  
     So, if they are zealous for spiritual gifts they ought to
seek to edify the whole ecclesia by speaking in a language they
all understand (v. 12-19).  
     He exhorts them to all prophesy rather then speak in tongues
because they are a sign for unbelievers who can understand them
rather than confuse them (v. 20-25).
     He then gives rules governing the use of tongues if they
still occur and admonishes them to the avoid confusion such
things can cause when not used properly (v. 26-33).
     Paul addresses the matter of women encroaching on the
Priesthood addressed in ch. 11 as that apparently arose as a
result of their prophesying, and perhaps speaking tongues as well
(v. 34-35). 
     Paul points out to them that the word of God came first to
them from him (v. 36).  He then indicates what he has given them
is the Lord's commandment, and if anyone presumes to be a prophet
they will recognize this (v. 37).  If anyone refuses to recognize
this then they should not be recognized (v. 38).
     He then closes by encouraging them to prophesy over speaking
in tongues, but to not forbid tongues (v. 39).  Just use tongues
judiciously (v. 40). 

v2  See The LDS Edition KJV footnote on the IV/JST.

v5  Paul's desire to have them speak in tongues is so they may
communicate with people with other languages, cf. v. 11.

v21 is a compound paraphrase of Lev. 26:17-18 and Deut. 28:49.
Also on that general subject cp. Isa. 28:11, Isa. 33:19, Isa.
36:11 (2 Kings 18:26).

v22  Tongues are a sign to unbelievers as was the case in Acts
2:6-12.

v34-35  The IV/JST makes it clear the matter at hand is that of
the Priesthood by emending the "to speak...to speak" to "to
rule...to rule".  This subject is dealt with extensively in ch.
11.  

     The reappearance here of that subject indicates to us the
source of the contention, namely that the exercising of spiritual
gifts by women resulted in them assuming the Priesthood and
matters of ecclesiastical authority were not exclusively for
males.

v38  There are manuscript differences in this verse.  The KJV
reflects the more ancient manuscript readings.  The more widely
attested to reading provided by the NAS is:

     But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not
     recognized.




Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller <kurtn@cybcon.com>.  All rights 
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