MARCH 14, 2021
THE SUPERIORITY OF THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
INTRODUCTION:
1. The Apostle, in the foregoing chapter, had, himself, preferred Christian charity to all spiritual gifts, and it was his earnest desire that they should also prefer charity to all spiritual gifts.
2. One reason for this preference is not that spiritual gifts are of little value, but rather, because no gift is of any profit unless it is seasoned with the grace of love.
3. Another reason for this preference is that the only true motive in the exercise of spiritual gifts is love. It is the grace of the Holy Spirit that renders the gifts of the Holy Spirit pleasing to God.
4. In this chapter, he further established something that he has already implied, and that is, that of all of the gifts, those by which the Gospel is communicated are the most useful. Every Christian ought to desire such gifts as would be for the edification of the whole church, rather than those which would be for self-edification.
I. THE APOSTLE ESTABLISHES THE SUPERIORITY OF THE GIFT OF PROPHECY TO THAT OF TONGUES. (VERSES 1-5)
A. CONSIDERING THAT ALL GIFTS ARE DESIRABLE, SO LONG AS CHARITY IS THE MOTIVATING FORCE, AND THE AIM IS TO PROPHESY. (VERSE 1)
1. The exhortation here is to eagerly pursue this love – make it your aim; and earnestly desire and cultivate spiritual endowments, especially that you may prophesy.
2. Whatever gift one may possess, the purpose should be to convey the divine will to the church through inspired preaching and teaching.
B. CONSIDERING THAT HE WHO SPEAKS WITH TONGUES SPEAKS TO GOD, WHEREAS HE, WHO PROPHESIES, SPEAKS TO MEN. (VERSES 2, 3)
1. One that speaks in another tongue, if he does not interpret what is said, cannot benefit the church. (Verse 2) God is the only One Who understands him, and the Lord does not need to be edified. “Thou art my God: my goodness extendeth not to thee.” (Psa. 16:2)
2. It is not the gift of tongues that he censures, but the use of that gift when no one is present who understands the language employed.
3. He adds, “Howbeit, in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.”
a) Some understand this to mean simply things not understood by the hearers.
b) The meaning is that, although not understood, what is uttered is divine truth. It is therefore a shame that none should understand.
4. He who prophesies speaks in the common language of the hearers; the speaker with tongues in a foreign language. The one was understood, and the other was not. If what is spoken is not understood, there can be no edification, exhortation or comfort. (Verse 3)
5. Hearing with understanding is essential to the Christian faith.
C. CONSIDERING THAT HE WHO SPEAKS WITH TONGUES (without an interpreter) ONLY EDIFIES HIMSELF, BUT HE THAT PROPHESIES EDIFIES THE CHURCH. (VERSE 4)
D. CONSIDERING THAT HE WHO PROPHESIES NEEDS NO INTERPRETER. (VERSE 5)
1. Clearly, this verse disallows tongues without an interpreter. When he says, “I would that ye all spake with tongues,” it is understood that he means only if there be an interpreter.
2. In any case, he would prefer that they prophesy. The only benefit that tongues could give was if through the interpretation it became prophesying.
E. CONSIDERING THAT, EVEN SHOULD THE APOSTLES COME TO THEM SPEAKING IN TONGUES, THAT ALONE WOULD BE TO NO PROFIT. (VERSE 6)
1. Here again he shows the priority given to the gifts by which the Word of God is communicated.
2. How much preferable for him to, as a prophet, bring them a revelation from God; or, as a teacher, set before them a doctrine of the faith.
3. Even the Apostle with all of his bestowments could not profit the souls of men unless he spoke to the capacity of his hearers.
II. THE APOSTLE ILLUSTRATES THIS FACT BY VARIOUS ALLUSIONS. (VERSES 7-11)
A. SPEAKING IN UNINTELLIGIBLE LANGUAGES IS LIKE PIPING AND HARPING WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF SOUNDS. (VERSE 7)
1. To pipe in one tone, or to harp with one string can be of no use to those who dance. If there be no distinction of sounds how should they order their steps?
2. Speaking in languages not understood cannot give direction to man how he is to order his life.
B. TO TALK IN AN UNKNOWN LANGUAGE IN THE ASSEMBLY IS AS CONFUSING AS A TRUMPET THAT SOUNDS NO CERTAIN SIGNAL. (VERSES 8, 9)
1. If the sound of the trumpet is so uncertain that it cannot be discerned whether its signal is to charge or to retreat, how would the troops know what to do? (Verse 8)
2. Likewise, if words spoken in the assembly are not understood, how can the church hear or heed the exhortation? (Verse 9)
C. HE COMPARES SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES TO THE GIBBERISH OF THE BARBARIANS. (VERSES 10, 11)
1. There are, as the Apostle says, many kinds of voices in the world, none of which are without proper signification. This is true of the several languages spoken by different nations. Even within a single nation there can be many dialects. All of them have their proper signification. Without this they would serve no purpose. It is no language which does not communicate. But whatever proper signification the words of any language may have in themselves, and to those who understand them, they are only gibberish to those of another language, who do not understand them. (Verse 10)
2. In this case, the speaker and hearer are not of the same language, which, according to the Apostle, makes them as barbarians (foreigners) to each other. (Verse 11) They talk and hear only sounds without sense.
3. His point is this: To speak in the church in an unknown tongue is to talk gibberish. It is to play the barbarian. It is to confound the audience, and is therefore vain and without profit.
III. THE APOSTLE EXHORTS THEM TO EXERCISE THEMSELVES TO THE PROFIT OF ALL. (VS. 12-17)
If this should be so,…
A. THEY MUST DESIRE SPIRITUAL GIFTS ONLY AS THEY MIGHT EXCEL IN EDIFYING THE WHOLE CHURCH. (VERSE 12)
B. THOSE WHO HAD THE GIFT OF TONGUES MUST EXERCISE IT ONLY IF THEY OR SOMEONE COULD INTERPRET. (VERSES 13, 14)
1. They were zealous for spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of tongues, but unless there was an interpreter, the church would not profit. (Verse 13)
2. He who prays in another tongue could not himself profit unless he understood what he prayed. (Verse 14)
3. This contradicts what some today think regarding tongues. They value the experience and the feeling as a great blessing, even though they pray not with understanding.
C. THEIR PRAYERS AND PRAISES MUST BE MORE THAN SPIRITUAL, THEY MUST BE INTELLIGIBLE. (VERSES 15-17)
1. “What is it then?” What is the practical conclusion? That conclusion is expressed by Paul’s avowal of this own purpose. He vows to both pray and sing with the spirit and with the understanding. (Verse 15)
a) We must pray not only with the higher powers of our nature, but with the understanding.
b) Or, as some say, not only with the heart but with the understanding.
c) Or, he means, “I will pray not only in the exercise of my spiritual gift, but so as to be understood by others.”
d) In any case, the idea of placing oneself into some sort of trance, or state of being out of control is not allowed.
2. Again, it is only in this way that others present can be blessed and edified. (Verses 16, 17)
a) The unlearned means those who understand not the language spoken.
b) How can one agree in prayer, if he does not know what is being prayed? “…say Amen at thou giving of thanks.”
IV. THE APOSTLE ALLEGES HIS OWN EXAMPLE TO MAKE THE GREATER IMPRESSION. (VRS. 18, 19)
A. HE DID NOT COME BEHIND ANY OF THEM IN SPIRITUAL GIFTS, INCLUDING THE GIFT OF TONGUES. (VERSE 18)
1. He spoke with tongues more than they all. Not only more than any other, but more than all of them combined.
2. They could not accuse him of censuring them in this matter out of envy. They had more reason to envy him than he them. He spoke more languages than they all.
B. HE HAD RATHER SPEAK FEW WORDS WITH UNDERSTANDING THAN VOLUMES WITH TONGUES NOT UNDERSTOOD. (VERSE 19)
1. Paul’s true apostolic spirit is here manifest. He labored in the Gospel for the benefit of those who heard him. (Gal. 6:6) He was selfless and even self-sacrificing for sake of the church.
2. His whole life was given to instruct and edify others. For this reason he was careful to be understood. Even as he spoke in the common language, he was careful to use great plainness of speech.
C. HE INTIMATES THAT THEIR FONDNESS FOR THE GIFT OF TONGUES WAS AN INDICATION OF THEIR IMMATURITY. (VERSE 20)
1. Children are more apt to be struck with novelty and appearances than substance.
2. The fact that there was jealousy over gifts was childish behavior as well.
3. Paul would tell them to be children in malice, but men in understanding.
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