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NASB | 1 Corinthians 14:6 ¶ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 14:6 ¶ Now, believers, if I come to you speaking in unknown tongues, how will I benefit you unless I also speak to you [clearly] either by revelation [revealing God's mystery], or by knowledge [teaching about God], or by prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], or by instruction [teaching precepts that develop spiritual maturity]? |
Subject: Acts 2:2 |
Bible Note: Dear Brother Mark, For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. (1 Cor 14:2-3 ESV) If you mean by "another purpose" what is commonly called a "private prayer language," then we've departed from the study of glosollalia in Acts. I don't find orthodox support for the notion of a kind of special way to talk to God as is taught in contemporary Pentecostal circles. In a strict sense I do find that it is "private" (i.e., of no significance or value to human hearers). And, obviously, God understands any language that is a language. And I find a possible connection to prayer in verse 14:16. Nevertheless, 14:21 clearly states God would use it to "speak to this people." To further our study, here is what a few commentators say about 1 Cor 14:2: "This verse is designed to show that the faculty of speaking intelligibly, and to the edification of the church, is of more value than the power of speaking a foreign language. The reason is, that however valuable may be the endowment in itself, and however important the truth which he may utter, yet it is as if he spoke to God only. No one could understand him." --Albert Barnes "Dr. Lightfoot thinks, that the Hebrew tongue, which was become a dead language, and understood but by few, is here meant, and that not without reason; seeing the public prayers, preaching, and singing of psalms among the Jews, were in this languages; in imitation of whom, such ministers, who had the gift of speaking this language, read the Scriptures, preached, prayed, and sung psalms in it, which were no ways to the edification of the people, who understood it not; upon which account the apostle recommends prophesying, praying, and singing, in a language that was understood: otherwise he 'speaketh not unto men;' to the understanding, profit, and edification of men: but unto God: to His praise and glory, and He only knowing, who knows all languages, and every word in the tongue what is said; excepting himself, unless there should be any present capable of interpreting." --John Gill Regarding the "mysteries" in this verse, they are "unintelligible to the hearers, exciting their wonder, rather than instructing them. Corinth, being a mart resorted to by merchants from Asia, Africa, and Europe, would give scope amidst its mixed population for the exercise of the gift of tongues; but its legitimate use was in an audience understanding the tongue of the speaker, not, as the Cor abused it, in mere display." --Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown "Greater is he who interprets scripture to edify the church than he who speaks tongues to recommend himself." --Matthew Henry "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 Cor like children, loved to shine in the assembly) he that so spoke, edified no one, for he was not understood." --John Darby "He reprehends their perverse judgment concerning the gift of tongues. For why was it given? The answer: so that the mysteries of God might be the better known to a greater number. By this it is evident that prophecy, which the gift of tongues ought to serve, is better than this: and therefore the Cor judged incorrectly, in that they made more account of the gift of tongues than of prophesying: because no doubt the gift of tongues was a thing more to be bragged of. And hereupon followed another abuse of the gift of tongues, in that the Cor used tongues in the congregation without an interpreter. And although this thing might be done to some profit of him that spoke them, yet he corrupted the right use of that gift because there came by it no profit to the hearers." --1599 Geneva Study Bible "He now shows from the effect, why it was that he preferred prophecy to other gifts, and he compares it with the gift of tongues, in which it is probable the Cor exercised themselves the more, because it had more of show connected with it, for when persons hear a man speaking in a foreign tongue, their admiration is commonly excited. He accordingly shows, from principles already assumed, how perverse a thing this is, inasmuch as it does not at all contribute to the edifying of the Church." --John Calvin I don't buy into the definition of tongues as "non-cognitive, non-language utterances;" i.e., what are sometimes called "ecstatic utterances." But neither am I comfortable with an "alternate purpose." I'd rather let the clear passages of Scripture explain those that are not so clear. In Him, Doc |