Two verses in this chapter 14 demand a little attention-the 3rd and the
6th. Verse 3 is the effect, or rather the quality, of that which a prophet
says, and not a definition. He edifies, he encourages, he comforts, by
speaking. Nevertheless these words shew the character of what he said.
Prophecy is in no wise simply the revelation of future events, although
prophets as such have revealed them. A prophet is one who is so in
communication with God as to be able to communicate His mind. A teacher
instructs according to that which is already written, and so explains its
import. But, in communicating the mind of God to souls under grace, the
prophet encouraged and edified them. With regard to verse 6, it is plain
that coming with tongues (by the use of which the Corinthians like
children, loved to shine in the assembly) he that so spoke, edified no one,
for he was not understood. Perhaps he did not understand himself, but was
the unintelligent instrument of the Spirit, whilst having the powerful
impression of the fact that God spoke by his means, so that in the Spirit
he felt that he was in communication with God, although his understanding
was unfruitful. In any case no one could speak for the edification of the
assembly unless he communicated the mind of God.
Of such communication the apostle distinguishes two kinds-revelation and
knowledge. The latter supposes a revelation already given, of which some
one availed himself by the Holy Ghost for the good of the flock. He then
points out the gifts which were respectively the means of edifying in these
two ways. It is not that the two latter terms (v. 6) are the equivalents of
the two former; but the two things here spoken of as edifying the church
were accomplished by means of these two gifts. There might be"prophecy"
without its being absolutely a new revelation, although there was more in
it than knowledge. It might contain an application of the thoughts of God,
an address on the part of God to the soul, to the conscience, which would
be more than knowledge, but which would not be a new revelation. God acts
therein without revealing a new truth, or a new fact. "Knowledge," or
"doctrine," teaches truths, or explains the word, a thing very useful to
the assembly; but in it there is not the direct action of the Spirit in
application, and thus not the direct manifestation of the presence of God
to men in their own conscience and heart. When any one teaches, he who is
spiritual profits by it; when one prophesies, even he who is not spiritual
may feel it, he is reached and judged; and it is the same thing with the
Christian's conscience. Revelation, or knowledge, is a perfect division and
embraces everything. Prophecy, and doctrine, are in intimate connection
with the two; but prophecy embraces other ideas, so that this division does
not exactly answer to the first two terms.
The apostle insists largely on the necessity for making oneself understood,
whether one speaks, or sings, or prays. He desires-and the remark is of all
importance in judging men's pretensions to the Spirit-that the
understanding be in exercise. He does not deny that they might speak with
tongues without the understanding being at all in it-a thing of evident
power and utility when persons were present who understood no other
language, or whose natural language it was. But, in general, it was an
inferior thing when the Spirit did not act upon, and therefore by means of,
the understanding in him who spoke. Communion between souls in a common
subject, through the unity of the Spirit, did not exist when he who spoke
did not understand what he said. The individual speaking did not himself
enjoy, as from God, what he communicated to others. If others did not
understand it either, it was child's play to utter words without meaning to
the hearers. But the apostle desired to understand himself that which he
said, although he spoke in many tongues; so that it was not jealousy on his
part. He spoke more foreign tongues, by the gift of the Holy Ghost, than
they all. But his soul loved the things of God-loved to receive truth
intelligently from Him-loved to hold intelligent intercourse with others;
and he would rather say five words with his understanding, than ten
thousand without it in an unknown tongue.
What a marvellous power, what a manifestation of the presence of God-a
thing worthy of the deepest attention-and, at the same time, what
superiority to all carnal vanity, to the lustre reflected upon the
individual by means of gifts-what moral power of the Spirit of God, where
love saw nothing in these manifestations of power in gift but instruments
to be used for the good of the assembly and of souls! It was the practical
force of that love, to the exercise of which, as being superior to gifts,
he exhorted the faithful. It was the love and the wisdom of God directing
the exercise of His power for the good of those whom He loved. What a
position for a man! What simplicity is imparted by the grace of God to one
who forgets self in humility and love, and what power in that humility! The
apostle confirms his argument by the effect that would be produced on
strangers who might come into the assembly, or on unenlightened Christians,
if they heard languages spoken which no one understood: they would think
them mad. Prophecy, reaching their conscience, would make them feel that
God was there-was present in the assembly of God.
Gifts were abundant in Corinth. Having regulated that which concerned moral
questions, the apostle in the second place regulates the exercise of those
gifts. Every one came with some manifestation of the power of the Holy
Ghost, of which they evidently thought more than of conformity to Christ.
Nevertheless the apostle acknowledges in it the power of the Spirit of God,
and gives rules for its exercise. Two or three might speak with tongues,
provided there was an interpreter, so that the assembly might be edified.
And this was to be done one at a time, for it appears they even spoke
several at once. In the same way as to the prophets: two or three might
speak, the others would judge if it really came from God. For, if it were
given to them of God, all might prophesy; but only one at a time, that all
might learn-a dependence always good for the most gifted prophets-and that
all might be comforted. The spirits of the prophets (that is to say, the
impulse of the power in the exercise of gifts) were subject to the guidance
of the moral intelligence which the Spirit bestowed on the prophets. They
were, on God's part, masters of themselves in the use of these gifts, in
the exercise of this marvellous power which wrought in them. It was not a
divine fury, as the pagans said of their diabolical inspiration, which
carried them away; for God could not be the author of confusion in the
assembly, but of peace. In a word we see that this power was committed to
man in his moral responsibility; an important principle, which is
invariable in the ways of God. God saved man by grace, when he had failed
in his responsibility; but all that He has committed to man, whatever may
be the divine energy of the gift, man holds as responsible to use it for
the glory of God, and consequently for the good of others and especially
for the assembly.
Women were to be silent in the assembly: it was not permitted to them to
speak. They were to remain in obedience and not to direct others. The law
moreover held the same language. It would be a shame to hear them speak in
public. If they had had questions to ask, they might inquire of their
husbands at home.
With all their gifts, the word did not come out from the Corinthians, nor
had it come unto them only; they ought to submit to the universal order of
the Spirit in the assembly. If they pretended to be led by the Spirit, let
them acknowledge (and this would prove it,) that the things which the
apostle wrote to them were the commandments of the Lord: a very important
assertion; a responsible and serious position of this wonderful servant of
God.
What a mixture of tenderness, of patience, and of authority! The apostle
desires that the faithful should come to the truth and to order, conducted
by their own affections; not fearing, if necessary for their good, to avail
himself of an authority without appeal, as speaking directly from God-an
authority which God would justify if the apostle was forced unwillingly to
use it. If any were ignorant that he wrote by the Spirit with the authority
of God, it was ignorance indeed; let such be given up to their ignorance.
Spiritual and simple men would be delivered from such pretensions. Those
who were really filled with the Spirit would acknowledge that what the
apostle wrote came immediately from God, and was the expression of His
wisdom, of that which became Him: for often there may be the recognition of
divine or even human wisdom when it is found, where there was not the
ability to find it, nor, if it were perceived in part, the power to set it
forth with authority. Meanwhile the man of pretension, reduced to this
place, would find the place profitable, and that which he needed.
We shall also observe here the importance of this assertion of the
apostle's with regard to the inspiration of the epistles. That which he
taught for the details even of the order of the assembly, was so really
given of God, came so entirely from God, that they were the commandments of
the Lord. For doctrine we have, at the end of the Epistle to the Romans,
the same declaration that it was by means of prophetic writings that the
gospel was disseminated among the nations.
The apostle resumes his instructions by saying, that they should desire to
prophesy, not forbid to speak with tongues, and that all should be done
with order and propriety.
