1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 14vv23-40

OBSERVATIONS

****** EXCERPT FROM 1 COR 14:21-22 ******

or move to 1 Cor 14:23-40

(v. 21) "In the Law it is written: 'Through men of strange Tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me,' says the Lord.

(v. 22) Therefore Tongues, then are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers."

THE NT SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF TONGUES DEFINED

THE PURPOSE OF THE NT SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF TONGUES

Paul defines the purpose and hence the ceasing point for this category of gifts in chapter 14:

[1 Cor 14:21-22]:

(v. 21) "In the Law it is written:

'Through men of strange Tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people [Israel], (Isa 28:11-12)], but even then they will not listen to Me, ' says the Lord.

(v. 22) [Paul goes on to say after quoting this passage from Isaiah 28 as he defines the purpose of Tongues]:

Therefore Tongues, [Notice: Tongues = plural, signifying the entire category of the gifts of Tongues = multiple languages] then are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers."

[Isa 28:11-12]: A SIGN & A WARNING TO UNBELIEVING JEWS OF TEMPORAL JUDGMENT IS QUOTED IN 1 COR 14:21

(v. 11) "Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people [=Israel, (v. 5)]

(v. 12) to whom He said, 'This is the resting place, let the weary rest'; and, 'This is the place of repose'-- but they would not listen."

1 Cor 14:21 is a quotation of Isaiah 28:11: God's message of warning and judgment upon the Israel, hundred's of years before Paul became an Apostle. At that time God pled with the nation Israel and each time she rebelled He sent ever increasing judgment: drought, famine, pestilence and still the Israel rebelled. Finally, Isa 28:11 was God's final warning this time to the Southern Kingdom of Israel before suffering a final stage of judgment at the hand this time of the Assyrians. The message in effect was, 'You are going to hear men speaking in foreign languages at your 'doorstep' indicating severe temporal judgment a the hands of a foreign power.

As a matter of fact our Lord Himself predicted such a second downfall in Luke chapter 21:

[Lk 21:20-24]:

(v. 20) "[Jesus said] When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolaton is near

(v. 21) Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.

(v. 22) For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.

(v. 23) How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.

(v. 24) They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

When Titus sacked the city of Jerusalem and dispersed the Jews all over the world in 70 AD the purpose for the gift(s) of Tongues was thus completely fulfilled and so the gift immediately ceased in and of itself as the intransitive verb "pausontai" indicates in 1 Cor 13:8 and as history has recorded.

Notice that in the book of Acts, of the three instances of the gift of tongues being used, Jews were always present. ((Refs: Acts 2; 10, (v. 45); 19, (v. 18:28)).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF ISA 28:11

[G. W. Grogan states, (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, Zondervan Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1986, Vol 6., pp 5-6)]:

"The death of [Assyrian monarch] Tiglath-pileser in 727 B.C. raised false hopes of freedom for the little kingdoms on the Mediterranean seaboard. When Ahaz [King of Judah who aligned himself with Assyria for protection] dies about a year later... Isaiah uttered a prophecy warning Philistia of the consequences of revolt, and, by implication, counseled Judah against join her (14:28-32). It was some time later that Hoshea withheld tribute from Shalmaneser V, who for three years besieged [the Northern Kingdom of] Samaria, which was later taken by his successor, Sargon. According to the Assyrians, over twenty-seven thousand Israelites were deported at this time, being settled in the northern parts of the Assyrian empire... For about a decade the area was fairly quiet, Sargon being occupied with wars elsewhere; but then Egypt began to encourage the Philistines and others to form a new coalition against Assyria. This coalition was crushed by Sargon in 711 in a battle on Egyptian border. Judah under Hezekiah stayed out of this, heeding Isaiah's warning (20:1-6).

Sargon died around 705 B.C. and was replaced by Sennacherib. Immediately there was trouble in different parts of the Assyrian Empire, encouraged by the Ethiopian monarchs who were imparting new vigor to Egypt and also by Merodach-Baladan (Marduk-apal-iddina) of Babylon. This time, despite Isaiah's warnings (chs. 30-31), Hezekiah became involved and prepared Jerusalem for a siege (22:8-11). The Assyrian army invaded Judah, taking forty-six walled cities and devastating much of the countryside. It invested [surrounded for siege purposes] Jerusalem, but Isaiah encouraged Hezekiah to trust in the Lord; and the city was delivered (37:36)."

So Isaiah chapters 8-10 look forward to future Assyrian attacks (e.g., ch 36-37) and chapters 11-12 predict return from exile. Both are future at the time Isaiah writes. Likewise chapter 28 is looking forward, not backward. Israel mocks Isaiah's (God's) message in 28:10 and God mocks back in 28:11, predicting what will happen when He uses the Assyrians to judge His people. Isaiah ministered from about 740 to after 701 when Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem (and soon God destroyed his army. This was in the reign of Hezekiah.) Isaiah wrote about events before they transpired. In Isa 41:21-23,26; 42:9,23; 43:9,12;44:7f,27f; 45:3,11,13; 46:10f;48:3,5; 48:6-8,14-16 he looks back and says his predictions have now been fulfilled.

[John A. Martin states. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT, Walvoord & Zuck, Editors, Victor Books, 1987, p. 1029 )]

"The message to Israel of destruction by foreign invaders was also for Judah. Though she would not be completely destroyed, because Jerusalem would not be taken, Judah would face much suffering. The people of the Southern Kingdom had much the same attitude as their Northern brothers. They too were scoffing at God's revelation through Isaiah."

Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum stated, (Email dated 4/27/99) http://www.ariel.org/

"The historical background of Isaiah 28 has to do with the crises of the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah. King Hezekiah allowed himself to be talked into joining an alliance with Egypt and rebel against the Assyrian Empire, to which Judah had been subjugated under King Ahaz. Isaiah warned that such a rebellion against Assyria was contrary to God's will and although Hezekiah normally listened to Isaiah, in this one case he failed to do so. Isaiah states that because of this act of disobedience, the Assyrians will invade and they will hear the Assyrian language outside their walls. When they hear the Assyrian language, it will be a sign of their unbelief.... [of Isaiah's prophecy]

No special revelation came through the Assyrian language on that occasion. The point is that when they hear the Assyrian language in the land, that will serve to them as a sign of Judah's unbelief. [and hence temporal judgment would be at hand] Had Judah obeyed Isaiah the Prophet, there would have been no Assyrian invasion, and no Assyrian tongue in the Land. But because of disobedience, there was an Assyrian invasion and the Assyrian language was heard in the Land. The existence of the Assyrian language is a sign of Judah's unbelief...."

However, Hezekiah repented of his faithlessness and Isaiah interceded on his behalf and God delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrians, (2 Kgs 19) and thus the impending judgment in this particular case was not rescinded - unlike the Northern Kingdom and the rest of Judah.

THE APPLICATION OF ISA 28:11 TO 1 COR 14:21 = SIGN AND WARNING TO JEWS OF TEMPORAL JUDGMENT FOR A SPECIFIC DISBELIEF

Paul then applies this text in Isa 28:11 [ref. 1 Cor 14:21-22] to the existence of the gift of tongues in the Church in order to identify its specific purpose as a sign to unbelieving Jews. His application of this OT text parallels the historical implications of that text but it is not indicated as identical in every respect. It does however have certain points of identity: the message is to unbelieveing Jews, foreign language(s) is the sign, temporal military judgment in view as a result of unbelief of some specific kind. In the case of Paul's time: had Israel believed the Messiahship of Jesus Christ and accepted Him as such, there would have been no need for a new entity to come into being, the Church, with its spiritual gifts, such as the gift of tongues. But now the existence of the Church, with its spiritual gifts of foreign tongues being expressed, is a sign of Israel's unbelief in the Messiahship of Jesus Christ.

Notice that whenever there is an historical incident reported of the gift of tongues being legitimately exercised, Jews were present. Furthermore, foreign tongues to non-Jews would not be so much of a unique sign of unbelief as it would be to dispersed Jews coming from far away lands to Palestine who then heard their second language from that far away land spoken to them in Palestine instead of the customarily expected Aramaic or Hebrew.

The warning from Isaiah to Judah came about 784 years before the Apostle's letter to the Corinthians and Paul is now using it to explain that the 1st century expression of the spiritual gifts of Tongues is in the same manner a sign of unbelief and judgment on unbelieving Jews with a similar invasion of a foreign power in view. This time the judgment is to be Israel at the hands of Rome in 70 A.D. which did come to pass, unlike the Assyrian seige of Jerusalem which was destroyed by God after Hezekiah repented and trusted in God.

So the two scenarios are not identical but the use of Paul's reference to Isa 28:11 as a prophetic one is fulfilled in the sense that the foreign tongues were a sign of Israel's unbelief and that temporal judgment of the kind portrayed in Isa 28, (military from a foreign power) was in view. The OT passage is not identical as Isaiah's Judah repented and Assyria did not complete her destructive intent and the foreign language sign departed with the destruction by God of Assyria's forces at least so far as Jerusalem was concerned, (not so for the rest of Judah or Samaria).

Paul's message to the 1st century Church indicated Israel's disbelief with the impending potential destruction forthcoming this time from Rome which was not prevented by God since Israel did not repent of her rejection of her Messiah. Note that the Church taking over as God's messenger to the world of His revelation especially the gospel cannot be viewed as temporal judgment of the kind that is portrayed in Isa 28; so one must look for fulfullment of the judgment end elsewhere. So the Church could not be a judgment on Israel but rather a replacement, even a blessing - bringing the true message of the gospel and the Messiah to all nations including and especially Israel. The judgment that seems to be in view in this case seems to be AD 70 - also a military conquest as in the days of Assyria.

THE PURPOSE OF TONGUES AS A GENERAL SIGN OF UNBELIEF OF JEWS AND/OR GENTILES IS RULED OUT

Since God is sovereign and since He created the Spiritual Gifts of Tongues as a sign for something specific relative to a certain kind of unfaithfulness of Israel in accordance with Scripture with no other conditions to be met such as some kind of additional cooperation by believers not so stipulated in Scripture

and since we do not have historical evidence for the continued expression of the NT sign Gifts of Tongues in accordance with Scripture for the centuries following the 1st century AD,

and since there had never been a lack of widespread unfaithfulness amongst Jews and/or Gentiles throughout these same centuries

then we must conclude that the gift of tongues was not created by God as a sign of general unbelief and that they indeed have ceased.

So when they did cease is a good time to find the evidence for the precise judgment, and while it was being exercised, (A.D. 70), and it is a good time to find evidence for the precise content of unbelief, (rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus Christ).

[1 Cor 14:26c]:

"All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church [as a body is in view, not self-centeredly as an individual]."

[1 Cor 12:31]:

"But earnestly desire the greater gifts."

The seeking and desiring of spiritual gifts here is for a particular local body of believers to seek/desire an individual who has that gift in order to edify that particular body of believers in a way that is needful and not for the individual to seek a particular gift himself that he had not received at the point of salvation. Scripture indicates that the believer receives all spiritual blessings from God at the point of salvation, (Eph 1:3). It is just a matter for the individual to study and develop and use his gift(s) and for a local body to seek one with such of gift when needed."

I) [1 Cor 14:23-40]:

(1 Cor 14:23 NASB) "Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?

(1 Cor 14:25 NASB) the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.

(1 Cor 14:26 NASB) What is the outcome then, brethren? 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.

(1 Cor 14:27 NASB) If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret;

(1 Cor 14:28 NASB) but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.

(1 Cor 14:29 NASB) Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.

(1 Cor 14:30 NASB) But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent.

(1 Cor 14:31 NASB) For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;

(1 Cor 14:32 NASB) and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

(1 Cor 14:33 NASB) for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

(1 Cor 14:34 NASB) The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.

(1 Cor 14:35 NASB) 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.

(1 Cor 14:36 NASB) Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

(1 Cor 14:37 NASB) 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.

(1 Cor 14:38 NASB) But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

(1 Cor 14:39 NASB) Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

(1 Cor 14:40 NASB) But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner."

A) [Commentary on 1 Cor 14:23-25]:

(1 Cor 14:21 NASB) "In the Law it is written: 'Through men of strange Tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me,' says the Lord.

(1 Cor 14:22 NASB) Therefore Tongues, then are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

(1 Cor 14:23 NASB) Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?

(1 Cor 14:24 NASB) But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;

(1 Cor 14:25 NASB) the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you."

1) Compare 1 Cor 12:27-31]:

(1 Cor 12:27 NASB) "Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

(1 Cor 12:28 NASB) And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

(1 Cor 12:29 NASB) All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

(1 Cor 12:30 NASB) All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 

(1 Cor 12:31 NASB) But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way."

So in light of Paul's statements in the verses above, especially in 1 Cor 14:23 as follows: (1 Cor 14:23 NASB) "Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?" For Paul stipulated that not all believers will have the same spiritual gifts, including and especially the gifts of speaking in tongues - which is evidently the least of the gifts especially because these gifts do not edify the body of believers very much if at all; but are supposed to be directed toward unbelieving Jews should they be attending the congregation - and they should be there when the gifts are exercised. And if all are speaking tongues at the same time, albeit via their version of tongues and not God's, the unbelievers in the congregation will think they are mad; and very little if any edification will occur under those circumstances.

On the other hand, Paul stipulated in 1 Cor 14:24-25 as follows: (1 Cor 14:24 NASB) "But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; (1 Cor 14:25 NASB) the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you." This result certainly proves out the value of properly reading Scripture via the normative rules of language, context and logic and following the instructions given therein without adding or omitting anything .

2) [(1 Cor 14:23-25) Compare Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"14:23-25. Tongues were of benefit in an assembly of believers only if they were interpreted. But this seems not to have been the Corinthians' practice. Instead they apparently poured forth their gift of tongues in unrestrained fashion. As a result believers with some other gifts were nonplussed by the behavior of the tongues-speakers (v. 16). Furthermore, newcomers (idiōtai, those who attended but were not believers) and other unbelievers (apistoi) who were aware of but as yet unconvinced by the gospel message (unlike those of vv. 21-22 who had forthrightly rejected it) would find their behavior positively ridiculous. Will they not say that you are out of your mind? This, Paul suggested, would certainly not advance the cause of Christ in Corinth. But prophecy was desirable because it would not only benefit believers (v. 3) but would also expose unbelievers not to a scene of chaos but to one of conviction (cf. John 16:8) and judgment (1 Cor. 2:15)—which would lead to personal disclosure (the secrets of his heart will be laid bare) and the worship of God.

B) [(1 Cor 14:26-33) Commentary on 1 Cor 14:26-33]:

(1 Cor 14:26 NASB) What is the outcome then, brethren? 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.

[So in view of what Paul has stipulated relative to each believer in a congregation having one or more spiritual gifts to edify others in that congregation - and others elsewhere, he asks the question, "What is the outcome then, brethren?" which he proposes: "When you assemble, each one has a psalm, [another] has a teaching, [another] a revelation, [yet another] a tongue, [another] an interpretation [of that tongue]. With the conclusion, "Let all things be done for edification" - the purpose of the gifts, even that of the gifts of tongues.]

1) [(1 Cor 14:26-40) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"(4) Propriety in the use of gifts (14:26-40).
In this section Paul drew to a conclusion his discussion of gifts (chaps. 12-14). He also concluded the whole section dealing with Christian liberty in relation to worship (11:2-14:40). What is most striking to a modern reader is the apparent lack of any fixed order of service and the absence of any reference to particular individuals being responsible for specific ministries. The whole church seemed to exercise their gifts by spontaneously ministering to one another.
14:26. As he had done throughout the letter, Paul addressed the Christian community in Corinth as brothers, a general term including both sexes (e.g., 1:10; cf. 1 Peter 5:9). When the church met, anyone was free to participate by contributing a hymn, or a word of instruction (cf. 1 Cor. 14:6; probably a lesson based on the OT), a revelation from one gifted in prophecy (cf. vv. 6, 29-32), or a word from one gifted in a tongue followed by an interpretation of what was said. The controlling principle in this free participation was the rule of love. All that was said and done was to have as its goal the need of strengthening (pros oikodomēn, "edifying") others (cf. vv. 4-5).

(1 Cor 14:27 NASB) If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret;

[So to clarify relative to tongues, Paul stipulates, "If anyone speaks in a tongue [a known language warning specifically to those who speak in that known tongue relative to turning back to God to avoid temporal punishment] "it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret;"

(1 Cor 14:28 NASB) but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.

[Notice that if there is no interpreter available, the tongues speaker must keep silent while in the church. Thus it is implied that the tongues speaker must discern whether or not there is a tongues interpreter present before he begins to speak in a tongue. Whereupon Paul wrote that if there were no interpreter present:"and let him speak to himself and to God" in the sense of let him keep it to himself and to God since there is no one present in church [or elsewhere for that matter where there is someone - an interpreter who is with you and an unbelieving Jew(s) - who does (do) not speak your native language, but a language you did not previously know] in order to interpret / authenticate your message to that unbelieving Jew or Jews in order to make sure that that message in a foreign language actually did come from God and it is properly interpreted - which the individual who received the message from God ALSO understands and may be edified. Of course God does not need one to speak tongues to Him - He gave you that message if it indeed came via the Holy Spirit. So in the absence of an interpreter, the revelation in tongues is between oneself and God - if it came from God, but in the absence of an interpreter, there is certainly a question of the message in tongues being authentic] 

2) [(1 Cor 14:27-28) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"14:27-28. Though there was no established order for a service, it was to be conducted in an orderly way (v. 40). The services were to have balanced participation on the parts of gifted members. Those gifted with a tongue who wanted to contribute to a service could do so but only two or three at any one service and then only if individuals gifted in interpretation were present who could translate the language. If no interpreter were present, the tongues-speaker was to keep quiet. Though his gift was without benefit to the church if uninterpreted, it did have some other benefits (cf. vv. 4, 14-15, 22)."

(1 Cor 14:29 NASB) Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.

[Now on the matter of prophecy, Paul wrote, "Let two or three prophets speak" limiting the number so as not to create turmoil and confusion as the Corinthian believers were evidently creating. Then he wrote, "and let the others" - in the congregation - "pass judgment" on the validity of their message. Now this might be determined based on the fulfillment of what the prophet predicted would occur and whether or not his message edified others. Such teaching should be heard even from one who had not been on his feet to speak. In some way the person with this revelation was a spokesman for God in giving some edifying message to the church. The "spirits of the prophets" (v. 32) are the spirits of the prophets themselves who were guided by the Holy Spirit in using this special gift. And these prophetic utterances are subject to being checked (hypotasso) by other prophets for accuracy and orthodoxy. All this leads to the peace and order of which God is the author (v. 33).]

3) [(1 Cor 14:29) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"14:29. The directions for those exercising the gift of prophecy did not differ from those for tongues. Two or three prophets could speak at each service and what they said was to be carefully considered. Since they would speak in Greek the others in the congregation would understand and evaluate their messages. (Or perhaps "the others" referred to those with the gift to distinguish between spirits.) The words weigh carefully translate the verb diakrinetōsan, related to the noun diakriseis in 12:10, which speaks of distinguishing "between spirits." It was their responsibility to ascertain if the message delivered was indeed from God (cf. 1 John 4:1)."

(1 Cor 14:30 NASB) But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent.

[And Paul stipulated that if a revelation is made by God to another member of the congregation who was sitting down, the first one must keep silent - until it was his turn to speak after the one sitting down delivered his message]

4) [(1 Cor 14:30) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"14:30. A prophet might have received a revelation, probably in a vision or dream, sometime prior to the meeting of the church at which he subsequently related it. However, a prophet might also experience a revelation during the service. If such occurred, a prophet in the midst of speaking should draw his message to a close to let the other gifted member speak. Whatever the Corinthian services were, they were not dull."

(1 Cor 14:31 NASB) For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;

[For Paul indicated that all of the members of the congregation may have an opportunity to prophesy, but they are to do it one by one, and for the purpose of edifying others in the congregation and of learning themselves as well; and thereby be exhorted, i.e., encouraged to grow in the faith]

5) [(1 Cor 14:31) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

14:31. The principle which regulated the exercise of tongues applied similarly to prophets. What was said was to benefit everyone by way of instruction or encouragement in the Christian life (cf. v. 3).

(1 Cor 14:32 NASB) and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

[Paul evidently is addressing the potential misuse of the spirits of the prophets ["spirits" in the sense of the spiritual gifts of the prophets] who the latter are supposed to be in charge of those spiritual gifts which God has given them, and not to misuse their "spirits" for self-centered purposes such as to gain importance instead of edifying the body of believers, thus creating confusion instead of peace as Paul wrote in the next verse]:

(1 Cor 14:33 NASB) for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints

[So Paul is addressing the out of control behavior of the believers in Corinth which gives others the impression that God is a God of confusion instead of a God of peace]

6) [(1 Cor 14:32-33) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"14:32-33a. Paul apparently did not believe the prophets were any more restrained than their fellow members gifted in tongues. So he gave the prophets an instruction that was similar to what he gave the tongues-speakers (v. 28). The spirits referred to a prophet's spiritual gift, which did not control the gifted member, but he controlled it (cf. v. 30). If two or three prophets spoke in a particular service, others gifted and with something to say could do so on another occasion. The church was not a forum for personal pontification or self-glorification; it was a place where people were to be built up and God was to be honored (cf. 10:31-33). The service and those who took part in it should reflect the character of God. He is a God... of peace, not disorder, and His Spirit worked to produce the same fruit (Gal. 5:22) in believers' lives."

C) [(1 Cor 14:34-40) Commentary On 1 Cor 14:34-40]:

(1 Cor 14:34 NASB) The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.

[Whereupon Paul addresses the subject of women, that they are to keep silent in the churches, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.

1) [Compare Article by Denny Burk "Must Women Be Silent in Churches? (1 Cor 14:34-40]:

"Must Women Be Silent in Churches? (1 Corinthians 14:34)
By Denny Burk

Denny Burk is a Professor of Biblical Studies at Boyce College, the undergraduate school of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also serves as an Associate Pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church.

"The interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 has proven to be more than a little controversial over the years. The reason for that is due in no small part to the clash that this text brings to modern egalitarian sensibilities. Paul writes,

33b 'As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 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.'

What is going on in these verses? Does Paul really mean to say that women must never say anything in a worship service? That is how some people have read these verses over the years, but I think that is a misreading of the text. Why? For starters, it would create a hopeless contradiction with what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:5, which indicates that women were “praying and prophesying” in the church. Paul doesn’t rebuke their praying and prophesying in church. On the contrary, he gives them instructions on how to do it in the right way—in a way that allows them to speak but that at the same time honors male headship.

Women prophesying in the assembly was in keeping with what the apostle Peter said was characteristic of the New Covenant gift of the Spirit predicted in Joel 2, “‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…’” (Acts 2:17). Who’s going to prophesy? Sons and daughters.

So if you take verse 34 to be an absolute prohibition on women speaking at all in a worship service, then you have adopted an interpretation that makes chapter 14 to contradict chapter 11. And that cannot be, because God cannot contradict himself.

The alleged contradiction has led some interpreters to suggest that verses 14:34–35 were not really written by Paul. They argue that some scribe must have come along after Paul and slipped these verses into Paul’s letter. The only problem with this view is that every single Greek manuscript of 1 Corinthians that we have includes these verses. There are a handful of manuscripts in which the verses appear after verse 40. But that is not evidence that verses 34 and 35 aren’t original to Paul. It’s evidence that some scribes sought to preserve the flow of Paul’s argument about prophecy by moving these two verses to the end. They were wrong to do that, but we would be doing worse than they did to rip them out of the text altogether.

No, these verses are original to Paul. Does that mean we have a contradiction with chapter 11? Commentators like Richard Hays argue that there is in fact a clear contradiction between chapters 11 and 14. Hays writes,

With respect to the issue of women’s public leadership, there are good theological reasons to insist that we should be guided by Paul’s vision of Christian worship in which the gifts of the Spirit are given to all members of the church, men and women alike, for the building up of the community. The few New Testament texts that seek to silence women (such as 1 Cor. 14:34–35, and 1 Tim. 2:11–15) should not be allowed to override this vision.[1]

Hays not only posits a contradiction within scripture, but he also argues that readers need to choose which scripture is right and which is wrong. For Hays, the egalitarianism of 1 Corinthians 11 is clearly preferable to the subordination of women in 1 Corinthians 14:34–36. For that reason, he embraces the former and rejects the latter scripture as an error.

It is clear that Hays’ approach does violence to the inspiration and authority of scripture and must be rejected by serious Christians. His approach also fails to read these verses in context. Paul is commanding the women to keep silent in a certain setting—during the judgment of prophecies. Remember what Paul just said in verses 29 and 32:

29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said… 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Prophets are not only supposed to prophesy but also to evaluate other prophesies to see whether they are true. Why? Because the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. A prophet must submit to the evaluation of other prophets.

But this creates a potential problem for the headship principle. What happens if a husband prophesies, and his wife is a prophet as well? Is the husband supposed to be subject to his wife during the judgment of prophecies? Are husbands and wives supposed to suspend male headship during corporate worship? Paul’s answer to that question is a clear no.

Paul does not want anything to happen during corporate worship that would upset the headship principle that he so carefully exhorted them to obey in 1 Cor. 11:2–16. For that reason, he enjoins women in this context to refrain from the judgment of prophecies. He’s not commanding an absolute silence on the part of women. Indeed, he has already revealed that they are in fact praying and prophesying. He does, however, command them to be silent whenever prophesies are being judged. And the women are to do so out of deference to male headship.

Notice that the explanation in verse 34 indicates that headship is indeed the issue: “The women… should be in submission…” The Greek word translated as “submission” is the same one from verse 32. A woman cannot be subject to her husband while simultaneously expecting him to submit to her judgments about his prophecy. To avoid this conflict, Paul says that while women may prophesy, they may not participate in the judgment of prophesies.[2] In this case, the judgment of prophecies is tantamount to teaching, which Paul absolutely prohibits in 1 Timothy 2:12.

Paul then instructs:

35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

If a woman has a question about a prophecy, she should reserve all discussions for private conversations with her husband. She shouldn’t raise questions or objections during the worship service. Why? For it is shameful for her to “speak” in any way that might suggest a subversion of male headship. The word translated as “shameful” is only used one other time in 1 Corinthians—in chapter 11:6 where Paul once again is talking about potential violations of male headship.

Again, Paul is not against women speaking altogether. He acknowledges that they are praying out loud and prophesying out loud in the assembly (1 Cor. 11:5). He simply does not want them to evaluate prophecies in the assembly because that would violate the headship norm.

If this interpretation is correct, then there are at least two implications that we should heed during worship with our own congregations.

First, we go beyond the example of scripture if we foreclose what Paul clearly allows—women praying and sharing God’s revelation during worship services. I happen to be a cessationist, which means that I do not believe that prophecy is an ongoing experience in Christ’s churches. Having said that, God’s revelation still has a place in our worship services through scripture. Today, reading aloud God’s revelation from scripture is the functional equivalent of prophesying God’s revelation in Paul’s day. Biblically speaking, it would be totally in keeping with Paul’s instructions for women to be reading scripture and praying during the gathered assembly of God’s people. Both of those things can be done in a way that honors the headship principle (cf. 1 Cor. 11:2–16). There are a number of ways that this might be applied in a local church. In my own church, this means that we have women praying and reading scripture in our weekly prayer meetings and in special services (at Easter in Christmas). In our regular weekly worship, however, the service is directed and led by the men of the church.

Second, it would be a violation of headship for women to teach or to exercise authority in corporate worship. In Paul’s terminology, “teaching” involves explaining and applying an already-given revelation. The judgment of prophecies would have included evaluations and corrections which are the functional equivalent of teaching. That is why Paul does not wish for women to judge prophecies in the gathered assembly. It would be like allowing them to teach and to exercise authority—something that he clearly prohibits in 1 Timothy 2:12: “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.”

Paul has one last item that is worthy of commenting on:

36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

Remember that Paul begins his command with an appeal to how things are done “in all the churches” (v. 33b). Why was that a relevant consideration? The word of God is not the exclusive domain of any one church. The word of God did not originate in Corinth, nor was it the only place that it came to. The word of God is abroad in the churches. The Corinthians need to pay attention to how the Spirit of God is moving and working in all the churches. If all the churches are hearing from the Spirit one thing, but the Corinthians are practicing another thing, then that’s a good indication that the Corinthians are the outliers, not everyone else. Everyone else is observing male headship. So also should Corinth. As Paul writes about headship in 1 Corinthians 11:16, “We have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.”

Paul wishes to emphasize that his teaching about male headship is not something that is good for some people but not for others. No, it is a part of God’s creation design, and it is the pattern that must prevail in every church. Verse 36 confirms that the word of God is not the exclusive domain of the Corinthian church. God’s word came to them and to all the other churches. If that is true, then the Corinthians ought to be honoring male headship just as all the other churches do.

The Bible’s teaching may be controversial but it’s not self-contradictory. Paul doesn’t forbid women from praying and prophesying in the assembly. On the contrary, he wishes for them to do it in a way that honors male headship (1 Cor. 11:2–16). Among other things, that means that women may prophesy but that they may not judge prophesies (1 Cor. 14:34–36). This teaching reflects Paul’s very practical concern for women who minister in churches and how they might do so in a way that honors headship. That very same concern should mark every congregation—even ours.

[1] Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, Interpretation (Louisville, KY: John Knox, 1997), 249.

[2] D. A Carson, “‘Silent in the Churches’: On the Role of Women in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36,” in Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1991), 140–53."]"

(1 Cor 14:38 NASB) But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

[Furthermore, Paul warns that "if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized" in the sense of being authoritative in speaking accurate revelations from God. The tone of this thought reflects what is evidently going on in the congretation in Corinth which needs to be corrected, namely one individual overriding what another says relative to pronouncing what they view as revelation from God - often without warrant or evidence that God has given them revelation such as performing a miraculous sign gift such as healing]

(1 Cor 14:39 NASB) Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

[Therefore Paul addresses his brethren - in a brotherly tone - telling them to desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues; with the thought in mind that prophecy is the more desirable gift to have as opposed to tongues.

2) [Compare 1 Cor 14:3-5]:

(v. 3) "But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

(v. 4) He who speaks in a tongue [this way] edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

(v. 5) I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified."

3) [Compare Eph 1:3-6]:

Note that scripture indicates that the believer receives all spiritual blessings from God even before the point of salvation which includes spiritual gifts - even before the foundation of the world:

(Eph 1:3 NASB) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who [did bless] us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

(Eph 1:4 HCSB) for He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight [in love],

(Eph 1:5 NKJV) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

(Eph 1:6 NASB) to the praise of the glory of His grace, [of] which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [One].

For in Eph 1:3 there is an aorist, nominative participle "eulogEsas" rendered "who did bless" followed by the next phrase in Eph 1:3, "[God] Who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," which literally means, 'having blessed.' It points to God's having blessed all believers in a one time completed action in the past - eternity past - before the foundation of the world which includes spiritual gifts. So all saints, those who have believed in Christ Jesus including the apostle Paul are thereby blessed by God their Father with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms - every spiritual enrichment needed for the spiritual life in the temporal life and for all eternity with God. Since these benefits have already been bestowed on believers, they should not ask for them but rather appropriate them in their temporal lives by earnestly desiring them as it says about prophesying in 1 Cor 14:39 - those particular gifts which God has given to them. So incorporating their spiritual gifts is accomplished in their lives by continuing in the faith, evidently through a study and obedience to God's Word so that they might maximize the use of those spiritual gifts that God has given to them. This is NOT to say that you can eagerly desire to prophesy (or possess any gift) and be successful in legitimate prophesying if God has not given you that gift. For it is by God's sovereignty and His prompting of the believer to choose to eagerly desire each gift God has given him  which desire evidently comes through the prompting of God albeit via the volition of the believer - his success in using that gift which is dependant upon God and the volition of the believer to desire the gift and to legitimately prophesy in accordance with a faithful following of the leading of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise the exercise of whatever gift one attempts perform will be for naught.

(1 Cor 14:40 NASB) But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner."

[Finally, Paul summarizes the proper use of spiritual gifts: "But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner." This rules out ones own personal interpretation of their spiritual gifts if they are real or imagined. One must follow the rules as stipulated by Paul]

4) [(1 Cor 14:37-40) Bible Knowledge Commentary]:

"14:37-40. These verses were Paul's conclusion not only to the immediately preceding directives (vv. 33b-36) but also to all his discussion about Corinthian irregularities in worship and the needed correctives (11:2-14:36). He expected some opposition (cf. 11:16; 14:36), but warned that those who opposed him did so at their own peril (cf. 4:18-21). Anyone who ignores the Lord's commands would find himself... ignored by Him at the last day (cf. 3:17; Gen. 9:6; Matt. 10:32-33), because his actions would show that he never knew the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 8:3; Matt. 7:22-23; 1 John 4:6).
The conclusion was that the Corinthians should give special attention to the gifts which were most beneficial to the church as a whole (12:31; 14:1) without denigrating the other gifts. They should see that their services were conducted in a fitting (cf. 11:2-16; 14:34-36) and orderly (cf. 11:17-34; 14:26-33) way."

*****

5) [Compare Expositor's Bible Commentary Summary Of 1 Cor 14]:

"Summary [of 1 Cor 14]
At this point a summary of the place of speaking in tongues in the apostolic community of the first century A.D. and also a discussion of tongues in the post-apostolic period and the relevance of tongues in the twentieth-century church is in order. First, in Paul's discussion of this and other gifts in chapters 12 to 14, he emphasizes priority of love over "tongues" and the other gifts (1Cor 13).
Second, in the list of offices (those of apostles, prophets and teachers) and gifts for the church (12:27-31a), the office-gifts are listed first, with other gifts following, the last being "tongues." This implies that Paul gives priority to office-gifts over "tongues." Furthermore, among the office-gifts, that of apostles, who were unique in having seen the Lord, ceased to exist in the first century A.D.
Third, in his treatment of tongues and prophecy in chapter 14, Paul again shows his preference for prophecy over tongues, since the former was the gift that brought edification to the church (vv. 1-5). He minimizes the importance of the gift of tongues when he says, "In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousands words in a tongue"(v. 19).
Fourth, in his discussion in chapter 12 regarding the diversity of gifts and their functions in the church, the body of Christ, Paul uses the analogy of the human body with its various parts functioning in unique and distinct ways without each one trying to usurp the function of another part. So he shows that the gifts, including tongues, were not to be sought for the sake of the gifts nor was everyone to seek to have the same gift, such as tongues.
Fifth, God does not have to work by miraculous means to accomplish his purposes; he usually uses ordinary natural means—e.g., in the production of crops, he uses the sun, the rain, and the nutrients of the ground, as well as the hard work of men in farming the land. In connection with charismata (the Greek word from which we get the current term "charismatic"), which is translated "spiritual gifts" in NIV (1Cor 12:4), it is significant that in 1 Corinthians 12:5-11 not all of the charismata mentioned are miraculous, as, e.g., the gifts of wisdom and knowledge (v. 8), which are mentioned before the miraculous ones, including tongues. It is not essential that everyone have a miraculous gift; see 12:29, 30, where Paul uses rhetorical questions to show that not all Christians had, or were to have, one particular gift in common. The questions in the Greek sentences that comprise 12:29, 30 begin with me negative, which expects a negative response.
Sixth, on the basis of the phenomenon of foreign languages spoken of in Acts 2:5-12, we have argued that the tongues referred to in 1 Corinthians 14:13-15, 20-25 were also foreign-language tongues—not ecstatic utterances, gibberish, or nonunderstandable erratic variations of consonants and vowels with indiscriminate modulation of pitch, speed, and volume.
Seventh, the essential offices for building up the body of Christ, the church, are, according to Paul (Eph 4:11-16), those of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors-teachers (the one Greek article unites the pastor-teacher gift and office). He says nothing there about the necessity of miraculous gifts either in evangelism (Eph 4:11) or in the teaching-edifying ministry of the church (vv. 12-16).
Eighth, the other NT passages in which Christian worship patterns are set forth do not include, or as in the exceptional case of the Corinthian church, do not emphasize, miraculous gifts and functions. This is true not only for worship in the developing church under Paul's ministry as portrayed in the last half of Acts and in the epistles, but also in the worship of the OT and early NT periods involving predominantly Jewish Christians—worship patterns taken over largely by the developing Jewish-Gentile Church. These important elements of worship were: the reading of Scripture and expounding it with understanding (Neh 8:1-8; Luke 4:16-30; Acts 2 and other sermons in Acts); prayer (1 Kings 8:10-61; Acts 14:23; 16:25); singing (1 Chron 25; Acts 16:25; Eph 5:19); Christian koinonia or fellowship (2 Kings 23:1-3; Acts 2:42); Christian ceremonies or sacraments (as the Passover [Exod 12] and the Lord's Supper [Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1Cor 11:17-32]); and fasting (Acts 14:23). Miraculous gifts, including tongues, are (apart from the unique situation at Corinth—1Cor 14:26), absent from these contexts, the conclusion being that they were not to be a necessary part of the general worship patterns of the church.
Ninth, miraculous activity, including speaking in a tongue, did come in biblical times from other sources than the Lord. Witness such activity induced by evil spirits and satanic forces—the Gerasene demon-possessed man (Luke 8:26-39), the spirit-possessed girl (Acts 16:16-18), the image of the evil beast that is given the power to speak by the other satanic beast (Rev 13:15). Psychological factors were involved in the superhuman strength and tongue-speaking activity of the Gerasene demon-possessed man, for upon his deliverance from the demons, he was found to be in his "right mind" (Luke 8:35). Therefore caution and balance are needed in relation to such miraculous activities as speaking in tongues.
Having pointed this out, we must also recognize that the Bible shows that other gifts were also perverted by Satan. The OT speaks more than once of false prophets, as does the NT. The Bible speaks of false pastors (e.g., "worthless shepherd," Zech 11:17; "hirelings," John 10:12, 13) and frequently warns against false teachers. Yet no one would insist that either prophecy in its valid sense of speaking out for God to the people or the pastoral-teaching ministry is no longer valid. Misuse of a gift does not invalidate the gift itself. However, because of their intimate psychological nature, "tongues" must be viewed with special caution and not be overstressed.
Tenth, it is to be noted that directly after the first-century-A.D. apostolic period legitimate miraculous gifts, such as tongues, practically ceased. According to Warfield,
There is little or no evidence at all for miracle-working during the first fifty years of the post-Apostolic Church; it is slight and unimportant for the next fifty years; it grows more abundant during the next century (the third); and it becomes abundant and precise only in the fourth century, to increase still further in the fifth and beyond. (Miracles: Yesterday and Today [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953], p. 10.)
In discussing the witness of the apostolic fathers (the early Christian writers of the late first century A.D. and the first half of the second century) Warfield goes on to say,
The writings of the so-called Apostolic Fathers contain no clear and certain allusions to miracle-working or to the exercise of the charismatic gifts, contemporaneous with themselves. (Ibid.)
In the place of these authentic apostolic miraculous gifts, including tongues, there arose in later centuries reports of many preposterous miracles. One such story is told in Los Evangelios Apocrifos (ed. Aurelio de Santos Otero, 2nd ed. [Madrid, 1963], p. 219). According to the story, the infant Jesus, on the trip to Egypt, caused a palm tree "to bow down" so that a coconut might be picked for his mother. Such so-called miracles occur in the writings of the NT Apocrypha, both in the apocryphal gospels and the apocryphal apostolic and early church writings (E. Hennecke, New Testament Apocrypha, ed. W. Schneemelcher, Engl. trans. R. McL. Wilson, vols.1, 2 [London: Lutterworth Press, 1963, 1965]). The questions to be asked are these: Why did the authentic miraculous gifts cease? Are such miraculous gifts to be sought today?
The first question leads us to ask why there was a preponderance of miraculous gifts, including tongues, at the time of the ministries of Jesus Christ and his apostles. Certainly, miraculous gifts do not appear as a part of God's working among the believers in all parts of the biblical record. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs did not possess or use miraculous gifts (apart from receiving the Word of God in visions and dreams in a day when the Scriptures were being given). The same is true of David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others. However, when certain prophets of God needed particular support and verification, then God performed great miracles through them, as with Moses and Joshua (Exod 12-40; Joshua 1-7, et al.) and Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17-2 Kings 13).
Likewise, in the time of Jesus' ministry and that of his apostles, God verified the message and work of Jesus and the apostles, who had witnessed to God's work in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, by performing mighty miracles through the apostles, including speaking in tongues. Then miracles ceased when the need for the particular witness was ended and the writing of the Scriptures was complete. Thus Warfield argues when, in speaking about the charismatic gifts, he says,
It is required of all of them [the gifts, such as tongues] that they be exercised for the edification of the church; and a distinction is drawn between them in value, in proportion as they were for edification. But the immediate end for which they were given is not left doubtful, and that proves to be not directly the extension of the church, but the authentication of the Apostles as messengers from God. This does not mean, of course, that only the Apostles appear in the New Testament as working miracles, or that they alone are represented as recipients of the charismata. But it does mean that the charismata belonged in a true sense, to the Apostles, and constituted one of the signs of an Apostle. (Miracles, p. 21.)
Now as to the relevance of tongues-speaking in the church today, we may observe, in addition to the foregoing discussion, first, that the requirements Paul gives for the important offices of elder and deacon (1Tim 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9) say nothing about the necessity that the bearers of these offices have such gifts (cf. also Eph 4:11-13).
Second, the instructions given Christians as to how they are to live together in the various units of society (Eph 5:21-6:9; Col 3:18-4:1; 1 Peter 2:13-3:7; 5:1-7, et al.) say nothing about the exercise of these kinds of gifts.
In conclusion, the writer believes that the best answer to the question of the relevance of the gifts of tongues today is found in the principle that God used this and other miraculous gifts in OT and apostolic times to authenticate the messengers of His Word, and that the present-day Christian is not to seek such gifts. This is not to say, however, that the churches collectively and individually should not pray that if it is God's will, the sick may be healed by his power, or that the church should not pray for deeper illumination in understanding God's inerrant written Word.
Having said this, the writer realizes that there are many Christians of orthodox and evangelical commitment who hold that the gift of tongues as set forth in Acts and 1 Corinthians 12-14 is relevant today. Some of them would no doubt recognize that speaking in tongues is the least of the gifts, as suggested in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, where Paul placed it last in the list, or in 14:5, 18-20, 22-24, where he subordinates it to prophecy. But they would insist that the gift is not completely ruled out for this modern era, since Paul declares, "Do not forbid speaking in tongues" (14:39).
Moreover, some Christians who accept the present validity of tongues would doubtless say that contemporary conditions seem to point to the end time and are the reason for a resurgence of tongues. For corroboration, they point to actual instances of tongues speaking, especially on the mission field. (For examples of the latter, see David Howard, By the Power of the Holy Spirit [Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973], pp. 29, 30, 107-110.) Also, they would emphasize that any practice of tongues-speaking today must be done in accordance with the guidelines laid down by Paul (14:26-40). Perhaps most would say that tongues-speaking may best be practiced in private (especially when there is no interpreter) where one can speak in a tongue to God alone (14:2, 8).
These present-day advocates of tongues would undoubtedly agree that this gift, as well as any of the other gifts, is not to be considered an end in itself but must be exercised in love (1Cor 13:1-3)—not as a spiritual ornament to be seen or as a test of spiritual attainment. Rather, they would say, it is to be used as an instrument for the service and glorification of God."

Continue to 1 Cor 15