1 Corinthians 14:21
In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
The verse recalls that God warned His people under the prophets that He would speak to them through people of other tongues and lips, yet they would still refuse to hear. The true gift it points to is the power to preach the gospel in a real, intelligible foreign language, understood by the speaker even when not understood by the hearers, not the pouring forth of words intelligible to no one. Tongues so given are a sign for unbelievers that they may hear in a language they understand, as at Pentecost, while in the church prophesying that teaches and speaks for God is greater because it edifies the whole body and he who speaks in a tongue edifies only himself unless it is interpreted. Speaking or praying in an unknown tongue without an interpreter must therefore not be used in the assembly where believers and unbelievers come to listen and learn, but all is to be joined to understanding and done decently and in order because God is not the author of confusion. The gifts of the Spirit set forth in 1 Corinthians 12-14 were given for the completeness and unity of the body of Christ and have not ceased, with the best gift of prophecy to be expected in the closing work that develops a people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Setting and Sense of Tongues
1 Corinthians 14:1-28 gives particular directions on how to use the gift of tongues to edification. It was written to the Corinthians after their amazing conversion from gross immoralities when they abounded in spiritual or miraculous gifts. They handed it down to posterity as a sacred treasure. It belongs to instruction about order in church courts for discussion and debate on church matters, not to ordinary regular public worship.
The instruction addressed confusion where many men spoke at once. Speaking was to be by two or at most by three in turn. Prophets were to speak two or three while the others judge qualifications in choosing church officers. Because God is not the author of confusion, women were told to keep silence in those courts and ask their husbands at home, which does not forbid women preaching in regular services authorized in 1 Corinthians 11.
The verse belongs to counsel about disorderly meetings and meaningless noises. Worshippers are to join heartfelt expression with understanding, so that passionate praise may be expressed aloud but its meaning is made clear. Worship is to be conducted decently and in order, because God is not the author of confusion. The verse shows that the Jewish people were under the teaching of the prophets sent from God, who instructed, reproved, and corrected them by divine authority.
The true gift of tongues is power to preach in real foreign languages, not pouring forth words unintelligible to anyone. A Spirit-given tongue is an intelligible earthly language, which the speaker understands even if listeners do not. Paul's admonitions about the gifts are to be carefully studied because the same abuse made then is found now. Those who claim the gift yet fail to preach in China, in Canton, and in Palestine, drawing a crowd at first but making no converts except one who had already learned the language by years of labor, prove their efforts a total failure and repeat the Corinthian abuse.
God gave the gift of tongues so unbelievers could hear the gospel in a language they understood, as happened at Pentecost. This purpose is stated in the next verse by saying that tongues are a sign for unbelievers. Tongues used without interpretation in a church assembly would be meaningless to an unbelieving observer. Their manifestations attended the early spread of the gospel.
Gifts, Prophecy, and Continuance
The verse stands within the sustained argument of 1 Corinthians 12-14 that the various gifts of the Spirit are necessary for the completeness and unity of the church, which is set forth as Christ's body. Speaking with tongues is not reckoned among the important gifts, which God bestows as His church has need. It remains an unimportant thing unless someone interprets and makes very clear what is meant by the one speaking in the foreign tongue. He that speaks in a tongue edifies himself, while he that prophesies, teaching and speaking for God, edifies the church. Paul was willing that all should speak with tongues, but rather that they should prophesy, for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
The chapter establishes the gift of prophecy as the best of all the gifts because of its purpose and use. Its exercise is therefore to be expected in the closing work that develops a people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. The chapter stands as evidence that spiritual gifts were exercised in the Christian church after this dispensation began, and their manifestations attended the early spread of the gospel. They were intended to continue, since the same need for such gifts exists now, and no passage of Scripture teaches that they have ceased.
Order and Worship Practice
The chapter gives particular directions on how to use the gift of tongues to edification, having been handed down as a sacred treasure after amazing conversion from gross immoralities when miraculous gifts abounded. It belongs to counsel about disorderly meetings and meaningless noises, calling for worshippers to join heartfelt expression with understanding so that passionate praise may be expressed aloud but its meaning is made clear. Worship is to be conducted decently and in order, because God is not the author of confusion. That order was instruction about church courts for discussion and debate on church matters, not ordinary regular public worship, addressing confusion where many spoke at once by requiring speaking by two or at most by three in turn. Prophets were to speak two or three while the others judge qualifications in choosing church officers.
Speaking or praying in an unknown tongue without an interpreter must not be used because listeners who do not understand are not edified. Prayer in the assembly must therefore be spoken in intelligible language for edification, applying to prayer in public meetings where believers and unbelievers come to listen and learn. Prayer is thus a public audible act in the place of public meeting, not only silent secret communion of one's own spirit with God. Women were told to keep silence in those courts and ask their husbands at home, which does not forbid women preaching in regular services authorized in 1 Corinthians 11.
The verse is part of Paul's admonitions about the gifts that are to be carefully studied because the same abuse made then is found now. The true gift is power to preach in real foreign languages, not pouring forth words unintelligible to anyone. Those who claim the gift yet fail to preach in China, in Canton, and in Palestine prove their efforts a total failure and repeat the Corinthian abuse. Though drawing a crowd at first, they make no converts except one who had already learned the language by years of labor.