EUMBC Bible Study Rev. Artis J. Bufford, Senior Pastor
~ Wednesday, May 13, 2015 ~
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14:6-19
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T HE C OMPREHENSION OF THE G IFTS ( VS .
6-19)
The use of spiritual gifts in the church is primarily focused and aimed to edify the corporate assembly.
This understanding had been lost in the Corinthian church during the time of Paul’s letter. They were more concerned about self-promotion and piety than they were with corporate edification and betterment. Therefore, Paul needed to give clarity as to how people comprehend the move and work of
God, as a result of the use of a spiritual gift, versus the personal benefit of user’s operation in the gift.
Paul uses the gift of speaking in tongues, as his perfect illustration.
Paul recognized that normally, when someone spoke in tongues, no one else could understand him.
The reason is simple: with the gift of tongues, the intention is to speak to God and not man. Therefore, it is fine if no one understands him, because God understands him. The exception is when the tongue is publicly interpreted. Even then, it is not the tongue itself that is understood, but the interpretation of the tongue.
Verses 6-9: An apostle, with all his faith and giftedness, could not edify, unless he spoke to the capacity of his hearers. New revelations, the clearest expositions of old ones, the most instructive discourses in themselves, would be unprofitable in a language not understood to the hearer. It would be altogether unedifying and unprofitable.
Paul recognized the gift of tongues was valuable for himself, because he says later in verse 18 “I thank my God I speak with tongues”, however, it was not valuable for him to speak to others with the gift of tongues. They could not understand him, so they could not be edified. The edification comes from comprehendible speech of revelation, knowledge, prophesy, and teaching.
Musical instruments must use a certain pitch and beat to communicate a song. If they do not, the music is not accessible to the listener. Sounds come forth, but they cannot be understood. The same is true for a trumpet that makes an uncertain sound . It is of no profit for others.
It may feel good for a child to bang on a piano, and they may like the sound, but for anyone else, it is unpleasant. Even so, someone talking to God with the gift of tongues may be blessed, but no one else is. Therefore, if someone is going to make an uncertain sound (speak in tongues unto God), let them do so unto themselves, and not among others. Speaking in tongues in a congregational setting benefits no one else; it is simply putting sounds into the air, not words and ideas into the minds and hearts of others. It may satisfy one’s curiosity to hear someone else speak in tongues, but it does not edify spiritually. We may think it is "neat" to hear others speak in tongues, but that is more of a soulish curiosity than a spiritual edification.
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EUMBC Bible Study Rev. Artis J. Bufford, Senior Pastor
Verses 10-14: Language itself is a gift from God. We can communicate with language because we are made in the image of God. Modern linguists know man could not have invented language, any more than we could have invented our own circulatory system. Language could not be the product of man putting together sounds all by himself. Language is so complex because languages exist as whole systems, not as small parts put together. Knowing language is a gift from God, and all languages have meaning, we can trust that if we speak in the gift of tongues, God understands, even if no one else - including ourselves - can.
Let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel : The goal must be mutual benefit at church meetings. If there must be tongues, there must be interpretation, so there can be edification. If tongues are directed to God, how can a legitimate interpretation be edifying to others? The same way our reading of Psalms can edify. The prayer, praise, or plea of another unto God can identify powerfully with our own heart before God, and we can agree with what someone else says to God.
Therefore Paul points to a way of giving the interpretation of the tongue, without necessarily speaking forth the tongue itself. He suggests the tongues' speaker himself prays that he may interpret. Then, the uncertain sound of 1 Corinthians 14:8 need never be public, yet the whole church is edified by the interpretation of the tongue. For speaking in tongues communicates with God on a spiritual level, passing by our understanding.
In saying my spirit prays , Paul again emphasizes the essential function of the gift of tongues: to communicate to God and not to man. For some, this “bypassing” of the understanding is undesirable.
They never want to relate to God except by and through their own understanding. While we value our intellect and understanding, and while we dedicate ourselves to loving God with all of our mind
(Matthew 22:37), we also appreciate the limitations of our understanding, and thank God for a way to relate to Him that goes beyond intellect.
If someone is perfectly satisfied with their ability to relate to God through their own understanding and comprehension, they really have no need for the gift of tongues. But if the day comes when they desire to relate to God beyond their ability to understand, they should seek God for the gift of tongues.
If our understanding is unfruitful, then how does one actually speak in tongues? Everyone's experience may be slightly different, but generally, we can make some observations.
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It doesn't happen as one just opens their mouth and God "takes over" their tongue
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It doesn't happen as they begin to wiggle their tongue and God "takes over"
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It doesn't happen as they are told to repeat a nonsense word or phrase faster and faster until God
"takes over"
Actually, the language of tongues works much like languages we understand. A word or a sound occurs to our mind, and we vocalize that word or sound. In the gift of tongues, one simply continues to speak the words and sounds coming into their mind, trusting God is prompting them, and He understands what they say, and that in the Spirit what we say is perfectly appropriate for the moment.
Verses 15-19: Paul concluded that the outcome of our use of the gift of speaking in tongues should be for personal worship and edification and not for public. Whether it is through singing or praying in private, the public doesn’t have the same benefit as the private. So Paul says, he would rather speak five words people can understand, rather than 10,000 in a tongue they cannot. Our witness in worship shouldn’t just benefit ourselves but others also.
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