Bible commentary: 1 Corinthians 14

            Bible commentary: 1 Corinthians 14

1. The chapter discusses importance of spiritual gifts of prophesy and speaking in tongues in edifying the church.
2. Verse 1: Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy
3. Gift of prophesy is more important than gift of speaking in tongues.
4. No matter your anointing or spiritual gift, if you don’t love your neighbour or practice/demonstrate love, you are empty.
5. Practice love. Be loving first, before desiring spiritual gifts.
6. Every Christian should desire spiritual gifts. It is not meant for Pastors alone.
7. Verse 2: For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries
8. When u are speaking in tongues, you are communicating with God not men.
9. When you are praying in the spirit no man understands what you are saying.
10. When you are praying in the spirit the enemy is confused.
11. When you are praying in the spirit the enemy becomes deaf and dumb.
12. When you are praying in the spirit is not your body that is praying it is the Holy spirit that is praying through you.
13. Verse 3: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
14. When you speaking in tongues you are speaking the mind of Holy Spirit to God, but when you prophesy, you are speaking the mind of God to men.
15. Verse 4: He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
16. Speaking in tongues makes you a stronger Christian, prophesying helps the church rather than men.
17. The gift of prophecy is a greater gift and edifies the church more than the gift of speaking in tongues.
18. It is possible to interpret tongues, unfortunately most people can speak in tongues but very few people can interpret tongue. As such this gift does not edify the church.
19. Verse 9: So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
20. If anyone is speaking in tongues and is not interpreting or no one can interpret in the church; he is on his own as the church is not edified as no one understands what he us saying
21. As many Christians that can speak in tongues should also pray for the gift of interpreting tongues, to understand the mysteries being uttered by the Holy spirit
22. Verse 15: What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
23. You can pray and sing both in tongues.
24. Verse 18: I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all
25. Apostle Paul was a master in speaking in tongues, and boosted no one else can match him in speaking in tongues.
26. Verse 19: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
27. If you speak in tongues and cannot interpret it is better you speak in understanding that every can hear and interpret.
28. Speaking is a sign of power and presence of God for unbelievers. Prophesying is a sign of the presence and power of God for believers.
29. Verse 23: therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
30. If the whole congregation is speaking in tongues in public and there is no interpretation, unbelievers may accuse them of madness
31. Verse 25: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth
32. Prophesying reveals deep secrets of every man.
33. It is better for two or three members of the church to speak in tongues and another person to interpret than for the whole congregation to be speaking in tongues at the same time and no one to interpret.
34. ²⁷ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
35. Manifestation of spiritual gifts must be done in orderliness. People should prophesy or announce revelation or interpret tongues one by one.
36. Verse 32-33: And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
37. Manifestation of spiritual gifts should not generate confusion and people should respect one another as the same spirit is in everyone with spirit gifts. And the Holy spirit can’t be speaking through two people at the same time or speaking contrary things through several people at same time
38. ³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
39. Paul ends by saying he does not forbid .speaking in tongues in churches and no one should forbid it. But Christians should also desire the gift of prophesy.