1 Cor. 14:1-25 How to Tell a Greater Gift from a Lesser

We American Christians like to apply democratic values to every aspect of our lives. We also have a very keen sense of "fair play," which sometimes we even apply quite rigorously to our theology. This is proper when it comes to our equality before God. But it can lead us into serious trouble when it is wrongly applied. More than once in his writings C.S. Lewis remarked that the man who was always saying to others "I'm as good as you" very probably was not, but kept saying that because he was aware of it.

Not only has God created each of us like unique snowflakes, even identical twins, but as Christians he has endowed each of us with various gifts of the Spirit, intending us to use them for the greater good of our brothers and sisters in Christ. The church in Corinth was richly endowed with such gifts and with individuals eager to use them. The problem came when those having a particular gift—one that was more "showy" than others—tried to magnify their own importance.

To remedy this defect, Paul wrote chapter 13 in which he reminded them that spiritual gifts must always be exercised in love. And those who trumpeted their gifts without love accomplished nothing in the service of God.

Paul used a literary device to frame chapter 13. I will try to demonstrate it schematically below.

12:31 [A] "Eagerly aspire to the greater spiritual gifts,"
12:31 [B] "and I will now show you the most excellent way."

[Chapter 13 here]

14:1 [B'] "Follow the way of love,"
14:1 [A'] "and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy."

Do you see how the frame works? A B B' A' In literary theory this is called chiasmus. And by means of it Paul indicates that, while chapter 13 is by no means an unimportant digression, it has not interrupted his train of thought about the importance of choosing the most helpful of the gifts available to you. I believe that is what he means by a "greater" gift—one that has more potential to be helpful to others. But he does not wish his readers to forget what he wrote in chapter 13 either! All gifts—to be truly useful—must be used as an expression of sincere brotherly and sisterly love.

Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues

1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

I like the NIV translation in 14:1 "follow the way of", instead of "pursue." The image is not of believers chasing after love! Rather, Paul has said that love is the "most excellent way [or 'path'; Greek hodos]". So now with the verb "pursue" or "follow" he is continuing the imagery of the pathway of love. All believers must use the gifts of the Spirit while they are moving along the pathway of love! And if they concentrate on that first, and only exercise their spiritual gifts out of that context, God's desired purposes will be fulfilled. Elsewhere Paul wrote "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). Love is the context in which and out of which we speak truth to others.

In 12:31 Paul urged them to eagerly desire not just any gift, much less the ones that were the most exotic and rare and spectacular, but the "greatest" ones. This might seem surprising—that Paul believed God's gifts to his people could be ranked. But, as I have said above, what he considered the "greatest" ones were those that were most helpful, most apt to create harmony and unity among the believers, and which instructed them and strengthened their faith in God. As Paul saw it, one could rank the gifts in this manner and state which ones were likely to be most helpful to a specific congregation at a specific time.

Now he states it quite openly: what you need is not the showy miracle of foreign tongues, especially when the incomprehensible speech was not immediately translated by another with that gift. What you need is the exercise of the gift of prophecy.

6 Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Pagans in Corinth understood the phenomenon of someone being possessed by a god and speaking in incomprehensible babbling, presumably the language of the gods. So they might be impressed by seeing and hearing one of the Christians under the spell of the Spirit, speaking incomprehensibly. But unless someone with the gift of interpreting could translate the "tongue", the pagan would gain no knowledge of God. And Paul isn't referring to someone "faking it" and inventing a "translation." He means a real miraculous translation, and one that might be verified by a visiting pagan who happened to know that language! The situation is similar to what we read of in Acts 2 about the miracle of "tongues" at Pentecost.

20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written:
"Through men of strange tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

Up to this point Paul has been reasoning with his readers. But now is the time for the coup de grace—he quotes the Scriptures (Isaiah 28:11-12)! By "the Law" Paul obviously means the entire Hebrew Bible, not just the books of Moses. Scripture refers to God speaking through foreign languages to a people that will not believe, even then. In its original context the reference is to God using the armies of Assyria and Babylonia to bring his discipline upon idolatrous Israel. They "spoke" to Israel with their military might, but at times even used foreign languages. Yet Israel would not listen to God speaking through these foreign nations. Paul uses this as an analogy: even when God uses exotic languages to speak to men's hearts, they often do not believe. If the gift of "tongues" has any value at all according to Scriptural precedent, he argues, it is in seeking to convince those who do not believe—that is, outsiders or pagans. But he may also be implying that, since in the quoted example the hearers did not believe, so also "tongues" may or may not be effective as an evangelistic tool for the Church.

Prophecy, on the other hand, by which Paul means the explanation of Scripture and helping believers and unbelievers alike to understand God's written words, has enormous value both for building up the Church, and for reaching unbelievers.

ⓒ2008 Harry Hoffner