An Exposition of 1Cor. 12-14 Study 5: Earnestly Desire that You may Prophesy (14:1-19)
a.
Chapter 14 picks up the exhortation "but earnestly desire the best
gifts" (12:31) after a slight digression in chapter 13. There the apostle
Paul lays down some foundational truths directly related to the spiritual
problems in the church at Corinth, ie. i. Love (agape) is indispensable, distinct
in character, and permanent. All the special revelatory gifts (prophecy,
tongues and knowledge) are temporary, confined to the infant stage of the NT
church, and were abolished when the revelation of the NT was completed.
b.
In chapter 14, the apostle singled out prophecy and tongues for comparison.
-
He shows the superiority of the gift of prophecy. However, the gift of tongues
(singular gift but plurality of languages) was always more dramatic and
spectacular. It attracts awe and attention - despite the fact that the hearers
were often not edified. Many crave the gift and those who had the gift
often abuse it, for they didn't care whether they edify others or not. cp 14:4
& 12:7.
-
They ignored and despised the less dramatic and spectacular but far more
excellent gift of prophecy.
#
This lust for the dramatic and showy is still everywhere. This is what attracts
the childish and the gullible.
#
Prophecy (understanding and making known God's word) does not attract believers
anymore. Many despise the prophetic ministry of sound doctrine (1Cor 1:21ff)
but crave for emotional experiences (2Tim 4:3ff).
c.
"Follow after charity (as outlined/defined in 13:4-8), and desire
spiritual gifts..."
-
Apostle Paul emphasizes the priority of pursuing spiritual love (agape) and the
intimate and vital relationship between love and spiritual gifts. Spiritual
love will desire spiritual gifts for the edification, exhortation and
comfort of other believers in the church body.
-
'follow after-pursue' is in the imperative and an action word: meaning to run
after in order to overtake and capture. It requires our active resolve and
determination to attain. It is a divine command and ought be obeyed.
-
'and' marries charity and spiritual gifts together. We can't separate the two.
What God has joined… True spiritual love will cause a believer to desire to
utilize the spiritual gifts (the apostle says, 'and especially that you may
prophesy'), not to edify himself (agape is not self-seeking) but that he may be
a blessing to others in the body (church).
-
'desire' is a volitional word, the exercise of the will, 'meaning to burn with
zeal for something'. Spiritual gifts are sovereignly bestowed, not earned or
merited, but believers are commanded to seek from the Lord... We are to seek
spiritual gifts from the Lord and earnestly desire the edification,
exhortation and comfort of the body of Christ, the church. Most believers don't
desire... much less EXERCISE the gifts they have.
#
Do you earnestly desire to exercise your gifts?
Many don't care whether they benefit the body of Christ or not!
1.
Prophecy Always Edifies the Church
a.
'but covet earnestly the best gifts...but rather that you may prophesy (1)...
but rather that ye prophesied... (5)
-
by this exhortation, the excellency and superiority of the gift of prophecy is
asserted right from the start. This all-important gift was ignored and
neglected (all too common today!!) because it was 'normal' in contrast to
genuine tongues (the ability to speak languages which you have not learnt before).
-
'Are all prophets?' (12:29) No! Not all are given the special revelatory gift
of prophecy - of receiving fresh revelation
from God to His people. This special gift was abolished when the special revelation
was completed.
-
But all believers are exhorted to desire the ordinary spiritual gift to
prophesy. 'I would rather…that ye prophesied' is directed to all believers. The
spiritual gift of prophecy is the gift of understanding the Scripture and to
the ability to communicate the same to others - for 'edification, exhortation
and comfort'.
b.
'he that prophesieth speaketh unto men unto edification, and exhortation, an3)d
comfort” (v
-
'edification': oikodomè means the act of building up, (oikos - a house, dõme -
to build). oikodomè is used only figuratively in the NT to mean the building up
of spiritual growth of the church, the house of God.
-
exhortation: paraklèsin means calling alongside, (para - alongside, kaleõ - to
call) a person to urge him to pursue some course of conduct, ie. to turn from
ungodliness and to pursue godliness. Exhortation is always prospective, looking
to the way ahead of us, in contrast to comfort, which is retrospective, having
to do with trials experienced.
-
'comfort': paramuthion denotes a heart-to-heart talk to a person, (para -
alongside, muthos - consolation), ie. to console or comfort with tenderness a
person who faces trials.
*
All these are brought about by means of prophecy - the spiritual truth
communicated to and understood by the hearers. God's revealed truth (the word
of God) alone can accomplish all these. There is no substitute! Mt 4:4
*
The excellency and superiority of the gift of prophecy - it effects and
achieves all these. cp 2Tim 3:16-17.
*
He who prophesies edifies the church - the whole body is built up. This is love
indeed!! cp 14:12.
2.
Tongues Do not Edify Unless Interpreted
a.
'he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret...' (5): some evil
implications of this practice is listed.
-
'speaketh not unto men...' : why? because what was spoken was not intelligible
to the hearers. No one understands him, not because the content was nonsense or
mysterious, but because the medium (foreign tongues) through which the truth of
God is conveyed is not intelligible. What an insult
-
This is a stern rebuke upon a most serious failure. The gift was given in order
to declare God's revealed truth to men. The exact opposite was the result of
the abuse of the gift of tongues! Hearers in their right mind ought to be offended because they were treated with
contempt - not spoken to or edified. Addressing you in an unknown
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'speaketh to God...': a true statement but a statement of rebuke and ridicule.
God gave the gift of tongues so that the gospel truths may be spoken to men, but
the abuser of the gift ended up speaking to God! Crazy and foolish
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'howbeit in the spirit, he speaketh mysteries...': indeed, a person who has the
gift of tongues speaks the gospel truth revealed to him. He does not speak
gibberish nonsense (as is the case with charismatics!).
-
'Mysteries' in the Bible refer to the secret purposes of God relating to the
redemption of His people. Rm
16:25-27; 1Cor 2:7, 4:1; Eph 3:9, 6:19; 1Tim 3:9; Col 1:25-27, etc. Cp with an exposition on 13:2. Beware of wild interpretation with equate 'mysteries' with
gibberish nonsense.
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'edifieth himself...': also a true statement but a statement of rebuke. The
believer who spoke in a tongue was truly edified by the gospel truth revealed
to him in a tongue, but he alone was edified by the truth.
:
the apostle was rebuking the selfishness and abuse of the gift. Note the
contrast in 14:4. cp 12:7 and 14:12.
:
he who spoke in a tongue did edify himself... therefore he understood what was
revealed to him.
-
'speak into the air' (9): not to the hearers but vainly and foolishly into the
air, not achieving the purpose.
-
'will be a barbarian to me': a barbarian is a foreigner to me not because he
makes senseless gibberish but speaks in a real language, but in a language
which does not make any sense to me because I don't know the language!
-
'his understanding is unfruitful': not because he does not understand what was
revealed to him through tongues, but because his understanding of the truth revealed to
him does not benefit or edify others in the body.
b.
Three examples to prove the point:
-
Their experience with apostle Paul: Paul spoke with tongues more than all the
Corinthian believers(v18). But what was their experience when Paul was with
them? With the believers, 'yet in the
church' (14:19) it was always either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophecy
or by teaching that apostle Paul edified/profited them. It was never with
tongues - because 'tongues are for a sign to unbelievers' (more of this next
study).
-
The lifeless musical instruments: the obvious purpose of this illustration is
the necessity to make a sound which can be distinguished and understood. Unless
they make distinct sounds, they cannot be understood.
-
The many kinds of languages spoken by foreigners: all foreigners speak real
languages of their own... none of them is without meaning, unintelligible. They
can all be understood - through interpretation.
#
Therefore always speak the truth in order to be understood, that the hearers
may be edified.
3.
Some Applications
a.
In light of what has been said, apostle Paul draws out some applications,
'Wherefore...' 14:13ff.
-
'let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret... that
his understanding may not be unfruitful': Without interpretation, his
understanding of the truth revealed to him will not edify others. Believers
must cease to be unfruitful - but benefit other believers with the good
gifts received from the Lord. cp 14;17.
-
'I will also pray (sing) with the spirit... and I will also pray (sing) with
the understanding...'
-
'you are zealous for spiritual gifts...
seek to excel with the same zeal (even so) zeal for the edification of
the church.' Seek to edify the church, not just your selfish interest, if
indeed you belong to the body.
-
'how will he... say "amen" since he does not understand what you
say?': without the exercise of the mind and understanding to grasp the revealed
truth of God, there can be no true fellowship. True fellowship is always built
upon the revealed truth. The Spirit of truth will draw God's people together
with the truth.
- A
lesson about saying “amen” – expressing agreement and fellowship.
-
'I would rather speak ... with my understanding that I may teach other also...'
: without the use of mind and understanding no revealed truth can be imparted
nor received.
*
No understanding, no edification! Spiritual truth is the basic building block
for spiritual edification. Without it,
there may be lots of superstition and religiosity, but no true spirituality.
Eph 4:11-24.
Conclusions
a.
Prophecy is the best gift because it edifies the church. It speaks plainly to
build up the believers in the truth of
God... to exhort believers to shun evil ways and to live godly and
righteously... to comfort believers in their
trails, to encourage them to persevere in their race to heaven.
-
the charismatics and many professing believers today despise the objective
revealed truth of God and its proclamation. Their attention is upon 'childish
things' (13:11) which God has abolished.
b.
Understanding of the revealed truth is indispensable for spiritual edification
- spiritual growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Emotionalism and
sensationalism do make people feel 'giddy' but they do not edify, or build them up
in the most holy faith, Jude 20.
c.
To dispense with the proper use of the faculty of mind and understanding is the
most satanic delusion of our time. When
the mind is indifferent to the revealed truth, it will begin to believe
anything the devil wants it to believe. This explains the most bizarre and
crazy things happening among the charismatics.
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Questions
1. 'Without understanding the revealed truth of God, there can be no true edification.' Discuss.
2. What is the connection between 1Cor 14:15 and John 4:24?
3. Does a person who speaks in a tongue understand what is being spoken? Prove.
4. Apostle Pail laid great emphasis upon edification with knowing and understanding the revealed truth. Why?
5. What are some practical implications of 14:15 for public worship?
6.
Why does God give a believer a sound mind? 2Tim 1:7.
7. What is it to be 'renewed in the spirit
of your mind'? Eph 4:23.
