1 Corinthians 14:1-5

¹ Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ² For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ³ But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. ⁴ He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵ I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Commentary

Vs. 1 "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." 

The Apostle Paul having already expounded love and it's virtues or qualities as being the pinnacle of Christian faith and living (1 Cor 13), now says that we should all pursue love first. For in putting love first one by default must put in check the carnal and selfish desires of the flesh which led to so much discord within the Corinthians ranks. That said, the Apostle Paul does not say we are to abandon Spirit gifts, rather we are to desire them. And so instead of pursuing Spirit gifts first (as was the case in Corinth, which only led to everyone trying to supplant each other), we are all to first pursue love. And having put love first, we are to desire Spirit gifts, especially the gift of prophesy, not tongues. 

Now the Apostle Paul will go on to explain why the gift of prophesy excels the gift of tongues, and thus why we are all to desire the gift of prophecy, as well as explain why the gift of prophecy is to have pre-eminence amongst all believers everywhere when we are collectively gathered. That all said not all will be given the gift of prophecy, for it is the Spirit who distributes gifts too each one as He wills (1 Cor 12:11). And so instead of trying to a pursue a Spirit gift which you may not get, and thus end up frustrated or discouraged, first pursue love, (the greatest gift), while desiring spirit gifts, (and thus leave your Spirit giftenedness in the hands of God) so that you may attain to all things that lead to true Christian faith, life, love and maturity. 

Vs. 2 "For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries."

The Apostle Paul now explains why the gift of prophesy (not tongues) is the Spirit gift to be desired. 
First is that "he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no-one understands him..." Thus we see the very first limitation of tongues speaking after Pentecost, it seemingly moved from easily discernible known languages to "tongues of angels". And thus tongues speaking now needs to be interpreted if it is to be of any value to the church collectively, or individual personally. Because when one speaks in a tongue given by the Spirit of God, one is not speaking to men, but to God. And so it is that God must give the interpretation through those whom He has equipped to do so, because no one understands him when he is speaking in a tongue. Nonetheless the Apostle Paul says, "in the spirit he speaks mysteries". That is he speaks those things which have not yet been revealed to either the individual speaker or the assembly. Yet this is not new Scriptural Revelations, rather it is mysteries which are in accord with the Word of God, as this pertains to the Kingdom of heaven, which the believers assembled there have not yet heard nor understood. And so it is tongues speaking has it's limitations, and effectiveness, and even duration, because if no interpretation is present, then one must speak silently to himself and God (vs. 28), because no one understands him. 

Vs. 3 "But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men."

In contrast to tongues the one with the Spirit gift of prophesy speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men, and this in a language that is easily understood by all! And so right away one clearly sees why the emphasis is placed on us all to desire the greater gift of prophecy over tongues. Because with prophesy one not only speaks to men in an easily discernible language, but one speaks edification, exhortation, and comfort to them. All which are critical for individual believers, as well as the churches collective well-being. For if individual believers are not first built up and established in their faith, (which is what edification and exhortation is about doing) then the whole assembly will only be weak and anemic in it's collective faith, witness, and ultimately it's ministry work in and for the Gospel. Thus he who prophesies is far better than he who speaks in a tongue. Because he who prophesies can readily speak from the Word of God edification and exhortation and comfort to men. While he who speaks in a tongue speaks mysteries that need interpretation. 

Vs. 4 "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church."

And so it is the one who speaks in a tongue only edify themselves, while the one who prophesies edifies the church. And that is what the Apostle Paul is stressing in these verses the churches edification which comes through prophesy, not the individual speakers edification, which may come through tongues. Indeed if a tongue is not interpreted all it really becomes is a distraction to the Word, which is easily understood by all. 

Vs. 5 "I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification."

Now the Apostle Paul saying he wished the Corinthian believers all spoke with tongues has to do with the divisiveness that they had all experienced through the miss-use of this Spirit gift. Not that he was now elevating this gift's prominence after he had already corrected the Corinthians error in doing so, when he listed it last of all the Spirit given gifts (see 1 Cor 12:28). Therefore if they all did (not that Paul thought they all would, or that they all should), but if they all did, (as in a hypothetical situation) maybe then they would all see each other as necessary and beloved brethren. Because all believers everywhere have Spirit given gifts and talents meant to contribute to the whole Bodies edification in love. Therefore the Apostle Paul goes onto to say of wishing they all spoke with tongues, "...but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification." Therefore the Apostle Paul is not stressing tongues, but prophesy, because it is given in an easily understood language that requires no interpretation, and so the church, not just the individual, receives edification through it. Similarly then tongues is useful (but not preferred) for the churches edification, if there is interpretation. Otherwise all tongues are to be spoken silently, to oneself and God alone (1 Cor 14:28). Now all these things are incumbent upon the Spirit still working in this fashion, which is not nearly the case now as it was in the Biblical Apostolic era when Christ's Revelations for the entire church was still an active and ongoing ministry. For we now have all the commandments of Christ (Acts 1:2) and all the Revelations from God given us all already and recorded for us all in the written Word of God (Rev. 22:6-21). These gifts then cannot now bring any new Revelations from Christ for us all. Instead they expound what has already been revealed, and thus through them Christ can speak edification, exhortation, and comfort to us all through the written Word of God (Rom 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim 3:16-17 etc.). That is the primary use of the gift of prophecy today to bring forth Scriptural truth, exhortation, teaching, and comfort to one and to all through the Word of God. 


Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.