1 Corinthians 14:20-40

God is not a God of disorder, but a God of peace.

 

(1 Corinthians 14:20-40) Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the LORD. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If 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? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all : And thus are the secrets of his heart his made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 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. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace his. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 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.Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commands of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.

 

The Corinthian church was noisy with many things. There was a commotion within the church (chapter 1), incest case (chapter 5), litigation case (chapter 6), idol sacrifice (chapter 8), and communion conflict (chapter 11), but chapter 14 was disturbed by the gift of the Holy Spirit (chapters 12-14). Paul's advice in this regard was clear.

We can divide the text into three parts. First, problems with tongues. Second, tongues and personal application of Paul. Third, it is the purpose of tongues and prophecy.

We should understand that there are two main types of dialects.

One is a local language that people from other countries can understand in Acts 2, that is, a dialect of another country, and the other is a tongue, a spiritual language spoken by God only heard in 1 Corinthians 14. Tongues about the kingdom of God become stories about the spirit. What the Apostle Paul wants to talk about is the story of the Spirit. However, since people do not understand the story of the Spirit, it is regarded as a foreign language (tongue) and an interpreter is needed.

Second, Paul introduces his experience of faith in order to help us understand the language in tongues. “I give thanks to God, because I speak in tongues more than all of you.” Paul himself presupposes that he has a deeper experience with tongues than any of the Corinthians. Prayer and singing with the spirit and the heart means giving the spirit to God with the help of the Holy Spirit what my heart has thought and understood.

Third, about the purpose of prophecy and tongues; The Apostle Paul said, "Those who boast of themselves and look down on others because they have received the gift of tongues hope to be innocent like children, and to glorify God and benefit the church like adults."

While clearly teaching the purpose of tongues and prophecy, Paul emphasizes the unity of tongues and prophecy. Prophecy is given so that believers may hear and understand Christ, but tongues are stories of the kingdom of God given to unbelievers to repent through the miraculous work of tongues that took place on the day of Pentecost. If the church talks about the kingdom of God, they will turn away from it because they do not understand it. But if you prophesy, you will hear and repent and give glory to God, because you will understand the instruction and reproof. The Apostle Paul gave the Saints of the Corinthian church a correct enlightenment very easily by comparing tongues and prophecies.

In the church, men and women are male after separating their bones from the first man, Adam, and females, who are people of bones separated from the first man, Adam. Therefore, the male is the Christ who came to seek the lost sheep, and the male is the image of spirits who want to leave the kingdom of God and try to achieve their own righteousness. So, female symbolizes those who are in the church but have not entered into Christ. When the Bible tells females to remain silent in the church, it is to sound an alarm to those who first come to the church, who do not know the Bible well, and who speak erroneously about the kingdom of God.

“As all the saints do in the church.” It is to do as all the saints believe in Christ as Lord and walk in the church. When all the saints speak in tongues or prophesy, do not think and act as if they have received great power, but thank God that they have received such grace, remember why the saints are living on this earth, and realize that they have left the kingdom of God.

『And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 』

It is the wife, not the male, who asks the husband. The wife is a married male. That is, it symbolizes those who enter into Christ. So when they ask  anything from the Bible, ask Jesus Christ. But the Bible points out that it is not right for males (those outside Christ) to talk about the kingdom of God in the church.