6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Commentary
Vs. 6 "But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?"
The Apostle Paul now asks us all to consider that tongues speaking which are merely making a discordant noise are useless and unprofitable for one and for all. For the Apostle Paul says in the second half of verse six, "...what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?"
And so if anyone speaks with tongues the question must be asked what are they speaking? Are they bringing forth any sort of revelation and knowledge, prophesying or teaching? For all these bring God's truth too light so that men maybe saved and church maybe edified. And so any speaking in tongues which does not forward that, really need to be called into question, because publicly speaking in tongues is not just an activity that one does for oneself, rather Spirit given tongues speaking is always to be about the churches edification (which is the main thrust of the Apostles exhortation in these verses), which again comes through revelation, knowledge, prophesying, teaching etc.
Vs. 7-9 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.
The Apostle Paul's point here by way of analogy is that unless one speaks in such a way so as to be understood by all they are profitable to no one. For again "...unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air." Therefore words that are easily understood by one and by all are to always be the priority of any speaking within any church assembly.
Vs. 10 "There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance."
All languages have significance because it is through them that God communicates to us all His Word and His Will for us. This verse then serves as a strong reminder and endorsement of having the Gospel rendered into every known language, so that all people everywhere might be saved.
Vs. 11 "Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me."
The Apostle Paul continues his point that easily discernible speech is to be paramount in building up the church and being a witness for Christ. Otherwise as the Apostle says here we only become foreigners (gr. barbaros, lit. barbarians) to one another if we do not speak to each other in an easily discernible tongue. Now in light of Paul's choice of that specific word this also indicates he does want believers acting out wildly in any church assembly, for a fruit of the Spirit is self-control.
Vs. 12 "Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel."
Vs. 13 "Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret."
Again because the edification of the church (not just the individual), and thus the Spiritual growth of all is the goal, the Apostle Paul says that those who speak in tongues should pray that they may interpret. For in moving the emphasis away from the individual speaking in tongues, to the individual seeking interpretation, both the individual believer, and church collectively, will be edified if they do so.
Vs. 14 "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful."
Even prayer in a tongue is nominal at best because as the apostle Paul says here, "my spirit prays but my understanding is unfruitful." Thus your spirit maybe edified, but your understanding is unfruitful without interpretation.
Vs. 15 "What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
The Apostle Paul in not wanting to discourage the Corinthians now says, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding." Notice the balance between the two activities. Yet as we will see the Apostle Paul keeps the emphasis squarely on the "understanding" aspect of all spiritual activities.
Vs. 16-17 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
And so if one blesses God in the spirit (meaning via a tongue), how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen", since he does not understand what you say. And thus you may be edified in your doing so, but the other is not edified, and it's the edification of others that has priority over ones own (consider Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 10:24, 33; 2 Cor 12:19). For that is the mark of a Spiritual mature individual and assembly, when they seek the edification of one another (1 Thess 5:11).
Vs. 18-19 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
From the beginning the Corinthians had placed an inordinate emphasis on speaking in tongues. They had made it the mark of their being filled with the Spirit. And so the Apostle Paul now says, "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all." For if speaking in tongues was the Corinthians mark of being Spiritually endowed with gifts, and or being Spiritually "mature", than Paul was glad that he spoke with tongues more then them all, so that though an Apostle of Christ he would be unequivocally qualified in their sight to instruct them all on this gifts proper usage. Yet in saying that he spoke with tongues more then them all, that Apostle Paul makes it clear that tongues speaking was never his pursuit, nor his priority, for he says, "yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue."
Thus five words spoken with understanding are of far more value than ten thousand words spoken in a tongue. Because with five or six words one can easily say, "repent and believe in the Gospel", and thus at least teach the fundamentals of salvation which God can use, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue spoken to the speakers own exhaustion, and yet they would've communicated nothing.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Word Studies
foreigners, Str. 915; GK 975; TDNT 1.546; TDNTA 94; LN. 11.94-95
Additional Resources Consulted
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
The Apostle Paul now asks us all to consider that tongues speaking which are merely making a discordant noise are useless and unprofitable for one and for all. For the Apostle Paul says in the second half of verse six, "...what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?"
And so if anyone speaks with tongues the question must be asked what are they speaking? Are they bringing forth any sort of revelation and knowledge, prophesying or teaching? For all these bring God's truth too light so that men maybe saved and church maybe edified. And so any speaking in tongues which does not forward that, really need to be called into question, because publicly speaking in tongues is not just an activity that one does for oneself, rather Spirit given tongues speaking is always to be about the churches edification (which is the main thrust of the Apostles exhortation in these verses), which again comes through revelation, knowledge, prophesying, teaching etc.
Vs. 7-9 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.
The Apostle Paul's point here by way of analogy is that unless one speaks in such a way so as to be understood by all they are profitable to no one. For again "...unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air." Therefore words that are easily understood by one and by all are to always be the priority of any speaking within any church assembly.
Vs. 10 "There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance."
All languages have significance because it is through them that God communicates to us all His Word and His Will for us. This verse then serves as a strong reminder and endorsement of having the Gospel rendered into every known language, so that all people everywhere might be saved.
Vs. 11 "Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me."
The Apostle Paul continues his point that easily discernible speech is to be paramount in building up the church and being a witness for Christ. Otherwise as the Apostle says here we only become foreigners (gr. barbaros, lit. barbarians) to one another if we do not speak to each other in an easily discernible tongue. Now in light of Paul's choice of that specific word this also indicates he does want believers acting out wildly in any church assembly, for a fruit of the Spirit is self-control.
Vs. 12 "Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel."
In light of the Corinthians zeal for spiritual gifts, the Apostle Paul wants the Corinthians to focus their zeal for Spiritual gifts on the edification of church. Thus seeking Spiritual gifts for the sake of practicing them is not what we are to do. For Spirit given gifts are not given for the individuals sake, but for the churches edification in love. Therefore if speaking in tongues is not interpreted and done in an orderly fashion how will the church be edified, or bless God along with you through it?
Vs. 13 "Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret."
Again because the edification of the church (not just the individual), and thus the Spiritual growth of all is the goal, the Apostle Paul says that those who speak in tongues should pray that they may interpret. For in moving the emphasis away from the individual speaking in tongues, to the individual seeking interpretation, both the individual believer, and church collectively, will be edified if they do so.
Vs. 14 "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful."
Even prayer in a tongue is nominal at best because as the apostle Paul says here, "my spirit prays but my understanding is unfruitful." Thus your spirit maybe edified, but your understanding is unfruitful without interpretation.
Vs. 15 "What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
The Apostle Paul in not wanting to discourage the Corinthians now says, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding." Notice the balance between the two activities. Yet as we will see the Apostle Paul keeps the emphasis squarely on the "understanding" aspect of all spiritual activities.
Vs. 16-17 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
And so if one blesses God in the spirit (meaning via a tongue), how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen", since he does not understand what you say. And thus you may be edified in your doing so, but the other is not edified, and it's the edification of others that has priority over ones own (consider Rom 15:2; 1 Cor 10:24, 33; 2 Cor 12:19). For that is the mark of a Spiritual mature individual and assembly, when they seek the edification of one another (1 Thess 5:11).
Vs. 18-19 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
From the beginning the Corinthians had placed an inordinate emphasis on speaking in tongues. They had made it the mark of their being filled with the Spirit. And so the Apostle Paul now says, "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all." For if speaking in tongues was the Corinthians mark of being Spiritually endowed with gifts, and or being Spiritually "mature", than Paul was glad that he spoke with tongues more then them all, so that though an Apostle of Christ he would be unequivocally qualified in their sight to instruct them all on this gifts proper usage. Yet in saying that he spoke with tongues more then them all, that Apostle Paul makes it clear that tongues speaking was never his pursuit, nor his priority, for he says, "yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue."
Thus five words spoken with understanding are of far more value than ten thousand words spoken in a tongue. Because with five or six words one can easily say, "repent and believe in the Gospel", and thus at least teach the fundamentals of salvation which God can use, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue spoken to the speakers own exhaustion, and yet they would've communicated nothing.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Word Studies
foreigners, Str. 915; GK 975; TDNT 1.546; TDNTA 94; LN. 11.94-95
Additional Resources Consulted
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
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