“1 Corinthians 14:6-12”

Friday, April 27, 2018

“But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? 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? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 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. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.”

---End of Scripture verses---

To boil Paul’s argument down to just a few words, he is saying that unless he spoke to them in a language they could understand, he couldn’t TEACH them anything (verse 6). He used the illustration of “lifeless things” to prove his point (verse 7). You can play any musical instrument you like. It’s going to sound like a bunch of NOISE unless you play a clear, distinct melody (kind of like the way it sounds when I try to play ANY musical instrument). This is another argument from “the lesser to the greater”. If this was true with lifeless things, how much more so with human beings?! The Holy Spirit wanted Christians to teach and impart useful knowledge to people when they spoke with His Power.

“If the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle” (verse 8)? What if an army trumpeter grabbed his horn and just started blaring random notes with no intention or meaning? The troops wouldn’t know whether to hold their position or muster for battle. There would just be mass confusion because they would have no clue whatsoever what was expected of them. That’s kind of the way it was with the worship services at the church in Corinth. With all the NOISE of the “tongue-speakers” rattling off their unintelligible words in unison, it was chaotic and confusing (verses 23, 27, 28).

The solution to their problem was, first of all, to utter “speech that is clear” so that the listeners could understand what was being spoken. He also commanded them to speak “one at a time” in verse 27, and to “keep silent” if there was no one to interpret (verse 28). Without these “regulations” or “measures” in place, the end result would just be “speaking into the air” or “wasting their collective breath.” Sound that doesn’t convey information is just useless noise (at least when it comes to worshiping and serving God!).

“There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning” (verse 10). This serves to further demonstrate that “tongues” were actually established, intelligible “languages”. Not ecstatic “gibberish”. These tongues (languages) were for a “sign” to the people who could hear the Gospel taught in their “native tongue” from the mouth of a person who had never studied their language (Acts 2:5-8; 1 Corinthians 14:22). But for those who could not understand the language, it would be the speech of a “barbarian”. This word “barbarian” merely referred to anyone who spoke a “strange” language other than Greek. So, even a barbarian was one who actually spoke a foreign language, further demonstrating that “tongue-speaking” was not “gibberish”. Even though it would SOUND like gibberish to someone who didn’t understand it.

“So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church” (verse 12). This is the goal when brothers and sisters assemble together to worship and serve the Lord. To build one another up, not to exalt self or create confusion. “Let all things be done for edification” (verse 26).

Please read 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 for tomorrow.

Blessings!

- Louie Taylor

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