1 Corinthians 14 Study Notes
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14:21-22 Drawing on Is 28:11-12, Paul states that uninterpreted tongues serve as a sign of God’s impending “strange work” of judgment to unbelievers (Is 28:11,21). In Is 28, the leaders of Judah rejected as unintelligible nonsense Isaiah’s message that would have given Jerusalem rest from their enemies.
14:23-25 Paul warned the Corinthians that practicing other tongues carelessly would be harmful to outsiders and unbelievers. Churchwide prophesying, however, would serve to convict and convert visitors. Interpreters differ over exactly what was entailed by “prophecy” in NT times, but see vv. 29-32 and note.
14:26 When the church gathers for worship, everything done must be for edification.
14:27-28 Again Paul emphasizes the importance of self-restraint for the greater good; see note at 11:33-34.
14:29-32 That Paul instructed people with the gift of prophecy to speak in turn and then await evaluation by others in attendance suggests that the kind of “prophecy” in view here is not predictive or a foretelling of future events.
14:33 God is not the author of disorder in a worship service.
14:34-35 During assemblies of the church at Corinth, women were not permitted to speak in the process of evaluating prophetic utterances (vv. 29-30,37). For the sake of propriety and order, they were to ask their own husbands in private at home about what was spoken. These verses should not be taken as a prohibition against women speaking in church. To say otherwise contradicts Paul elsewhere (e.g., 11:5).
14:36 With rhetorical flair Paul reminded the believers at Corinth of his apostolic authority. He appealed to their own recollection about his role as an apostle who brought them God’s authoritative word.
14:37-38 Those who were truly prophets would discern that Paul’s principles for the orderly exercise of prophetic gifts were consistent with the Lord’s command. It is unclear exactly what is meant by will be ignored. Possibly it means those wishing to conduct services correctly will disregard those clamoring to do otherwise.