Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 14:6
Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
6. by revelation ] That which comes directly to the spirit from on high.
by knowledge ] That which is gained by observation and study, see ch. 1Co 12:8.
by prophesying ] The outward expression of that which has come from above by revelation.
by doctrine ] Or rather, teaching, the outward expression of knowledge. See the distinction between the prophet and the teacher in ch. 1Co 12:28.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now, brethren, if I come unto you … – The truth which the apostle had been illustrating in an abstract manner, he proceeds to illustrate by applying it to himself. If he should come among them speaking foreign languages, it could be of no use unless it were interpreted to them.
Speaking with tongues – Speaking foreign languages; that is, speaking them only, without any interpreter. Paul had the power of speaking foreign languages 1Co 14:18; but he did not use this power for ostentation or display, but merely to communicate the gospel to those who did not understand his native tongue.
Either by revelation – Macknight renders this, speak intelligibly; that is, as he explains it, by the revelation peculiar to an apostle. Doddridge, by the revelation of some gospel doctrine and mystery. Locke interprets it, that you might understand the revelation, or knowledge, etc.; but says in a note, that we cannot now certainly understand the difference between the meaning of the four words here used. It is sufficient, says he, to know that these reruns stand for some intelligible discourse tending to the edification of the church. Rosenmuller supposes the word revelation stands for some clear and open knowledge of any truth arising from meditation. It is probable that the word here does not refer to divine inspiration, as it usually does, but that it stands opposed to that which is unknown and unintelligible, as that which is revealed apokalupsis stands opposed to what is unknown, concealed, hidden, obscure. Here, therefore, it is synonymous, perhaps, with explained. What shall it profit, unless that which I speak be brought out of the obscurity and darkness of a foreign language, and uncovered or explained! The original sense of the word revelation here is, I suppose, intended apokalupsis, from apokalupto, to uncover), and means that the sense should be uncovered, that is, explained or what was spoken could not be of value.
Or by knowledge – By making it intelligible. By so explaining it as to make it understood. Knowledge here stands opposed to the ignorance and obscurity which would attend a communication in a foreign language.
Or by prophesying – See the note at 1Co 14:1. That is, unless it be communicated, through interpretation, in the manner in which the prophetic teachers spoke; that is, made intelligible, and explained, and actually brought down to the usual characteristics of communications made in their own language.
Or by doctrine – By teaching ( didache). By instruction; in the usual mode of plain and familiar instruction. The sense of this passage, therefore, is clear. Though Paul should utter among them, as he had abundant ability to do, the most weighty and important truths, yet, unless he interpreted what he said in a manner clear from obscurity, like revelation; or intelligibly, and so as to constitute knowledge; or in the manner that the prophets spoke, in a plain and intelligible manner; or in the manner usual in simple and plain instruction, it would be useless to them. The perplexities of commentators may be seen stated in Locke, Bloomfield, and Doddridge.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. Speaking with tongues] Without interpreting.
What shall I profit you?] i.e. I shall not profit you;
Except I shall speak to you either by revelation] Of some secret thing; or by knowledge, of some mystery; or by prophesying, foretelling some future event; or by doctrine, instructing you what to believe and practise.-See Whitby. These four words are taken in different acceptations by learned men. The general sense of the terms is that given above: but the peculiar meaning of the apostle is perhaps not easily discerned.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God hath given me an ability to speak with tongues; suppose I should come to you speaking in the Arabian, Scythian, or Parthian language, what good would it do you? How should it any way
profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? Some make these four things distinct each from other; others think that they all signify no more, than the interpreting mentioned in the former verse. Those who distinguish them say, by revelation is meant the explication of the types and figures of the Old Testament; or some such revelation as John had in Patmos; or the expounding the mysteries of the gospel.
By knowledge they understand the knowledge of history, or any other ordinary knowledge.
By prophesying, the explication of the difficult texts of Scripture.
By doctrine, catechetical or practical doctrine. But these are all but uncertain guesses; the sense is plainly no more, than, if I should come speaking with unknown tongues, and no way by interpretation make what I say intelligible unto you.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. Translate, “Butnow”; seeing there is no edification without interpretation.
revelation . . .prophesyingcorresponding one to the other; “revelation”being the supernatural unveiling of divine truths to man,”prophesying” the enunciation to men of such revelations.So “knowledge” corresponds to “doctrine,” whichis the gift of teaching to others our knowledge. As the formerpair refers to specially revealed mysteries, so the latterpair refers to the general obvious truths of salvation,brought from the common storehouse of believers.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues,…. The apostle exemplifies this matter in himself, and supposes it his own case, that should he who was the apostle of the Gentiles, and to be received by them as such, when he came to them, come with this gift of tongues, which he was capable of, as much, or more than any, see 1Co 14:18 and only make use of that,
what shall I profit you? of what use would my ministry be to you? what instruction, comfort, and edification, could you receive by it?
except I shall speak to you, either by revelation; by the revelation of Jesus Christ, whereby he received the Gospel he preached; or by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, and the mysteries of his grace, by which they were made known unto him at first, or by a fresh immediate revelation from heaven:
or by knowledge; the word of knowledge, one of the peculiar gifts of the Spirit, 1Co 12:8.
Or by prophesying; the gift of prophecy, another of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, mentioned in the same chapter, 1Co 12:10 and already explained:
or by doctrine? the same with the word of wisdom, another gift of the same Spirit, in 1Co 12:8. The apostle intimates, that by the use and exercise of these gifts, he might be profitable to them, to lead them into a clearer view of the doctrines of the Gospel, and for the further improvement of their knowledge in the Scriptures of truth, which could never be done by bare speaking with tongues, and with tongues they understood not.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| On Spiritual Gifts. | A. D. 57. |
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
In this paragraph he goes on to show how vain a thing the ostentation of speaking unknown and unintelligible language must be. It was altogether unedifying and unprofitable (v. 6): If I come to you speaking with tongues, what will it profit you, unless I speak to you by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? It would signify nothing to utter any of these in an unknown tongue. An apostle, with all his furniture, could not edify, unless he spoke to the capacity of his hearers. New revelations, the most clear explications of old ones, the most instructive discourses in themselves, would be unprofitable in a language not understood. Nay, interpretations of scripture made in an unknown tongue would need to be interpreted over again, before they could be of any use.
I. He illustrates this by several allusions. 1. To a pipe and a harp playing always in one tone. Of what use can this be to those who are dancing? If there be no distinction of sounds, how should they order their steps or motions? Unintelligible language is like piping or harping without distinction of sounds: it gives no more direction how a man should order his conversation than a pipe with but one stop or a harp with but one string can direct a dancer how he should order his steps, v. 7. 2. To a trumpet giving an uncertain sound, adelon phonen, a sound not manifest; either not the proper sound for the purpose, or not distinct enough to be discerned from every other sound. If, instead of sounding on onset, it sounded a retreat, or sounded one knew not what, who would prepare for the battle? To talk in an unknown language in a Christian assembly is altogether as vain and to no purpose as for a trumpet to give no certain sound in the field or day of battle. The army in one case, and the congregation in the other, must be all in suspense, and at a perfect nonplus. To speak words that have no significancy to those who hear them is to leave them ignorant of what is spoken; it is speaking to the air, v. 9. Words without a meaning can convey no notion nor instruction to the mind; and words not understood have no meaning with those who do not understand them: to talk to them in such language is to waste our breath. 3. He compares the speaking in an unknown tongue to the gibberish of barbarians. There are, as he says (v. 10), many kinds of voices in the world, none of which is without its proper signification. This is true of the several languages spoken by different nations. All of them have their proper signification. Without this they would be phonai aphonoi—a voice, and no voice. For that is no language, nor can it answer the end of speaking, which has no meaning. But whatever proper signification the words of any language may have in themselves, and to those who understand them, they are perfect gibberish to men of another language, who understand them not. In this case, speaker and hearers are barbarians to each other (v. 11), they talk and hear only sounds without sense; for this is to be a barbarian. For thus says the polite Ovid, when banished into Pontus,
| Barbarus hic ego sum, quia non intelligor ulli, I am a barbarian here, none understand me. |
To speak in the church in an unknown tongue is to talk gibberish; it is to play the barbarian; it is to confound the audience, instead of instructing them; and for this reason is utterly vain and unprofitable.
II. Having thus established his point, in the two next verses he applies, 1. By advising them to be chiefly desirous of those gifts that were most for the church’s edification, v. 12. “Forasmuch as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, this way it will become commendable zeal, be zealous to edify the church, to promote Christian knowledge and practice, and covet those gifts most that will do the best service to men’s souls.” This is the great rule he gives, which, 2. He applies to the matter in hand, that, if they did speak a foreign language, they should beg of God the gift of interpreting it, v. 13. That these were different gifts, see ch. xii. 10. Those might speak and understand a foreign language who could not readily translate it into their own: and yet was this necessary to the church’s edification; for the church must understand, that it might be edified, which yet it could not do till the foreign language was translated into its own. Let him therefore pray for the gift of interpreting what he speaks in an unknown tongue; or rather covet and ask of God the gift of interpreting than of speaking in a language that needs interpretation, this being most for the church’s benefit, and therefore among the gifts that excel; vide v. 12. Some understand it, “Let him pray so as to interpret what he utters in prayer in a language unintelligible without it.” The sum is that they should perform all religious exercises in their assemblies so that all might join in them and profit by them. 3. He enforces this advice with a proper reason, that, if he prayed in an unknown tongue, his spirit might pray, that is, a spiritual gift might be exercised in prayer, or his own mind might be devoutly engaged, but his understanding would be unfruitful (v. 14), that is, the sense and meaning of his words would be unfruitful, he would not be understood, nor therefore would others join with him in his devotions. Note, It should be the concern of such as pray in public to pray intelligibly, not in a foreign language, nor in a language that, if it be not foreign, is above the level of his audience. Language that is most obvious and easy to be understood is the most proper for public devotion and other religious exercises.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
If I come ( ). Third class condition, supposable case (aorist subjunctive).
What shall I profit you ( ). Two accusatives with this verb (see 13:3).
Unless I speak ( ). Second condition (also third class) with the one conclusion (cf. 1Ti 2:5).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues,” (Nun de adelphoi ean eltho pros humas glossais lalon) “But now and hereafter brethren if I come to you continually speaking with tongues, a conglomeration of languages,” Paul posed a hypothetical absurdity of what would happen to the Corinth church if he came to them speaking in tongues only.
2) “What shall I profit you, except I speak to you either,” (ti humas opheleso, ean me humin laleso) “What to you shall I profit, if I do not speak to you intelligently, or in a comprehending manner.”
a) “By revelation” (he en apokalupsei) “By an unveiling,” or by making something clear and understanding -? else there would be no help.
b) “Or by knowledge” (he en gnosei) “in” (locative)–“in the realm of human understanding” -he should make known by some” understandable means.
c) “Or by prophesying” (he en propheteio) by means of speaking forth boldly the will of God.
d) “Or by doctrine?” (he didache?) By means of orderly teaching. The idea set forth is that men must speak to men in the language men can understand to be most helpful to them.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. Now, brethren, if I should come. He proposes himself as an example, because in his person the case was exhibited more strikingly (814) The Corinthians experienced in themselves abundant fruit from his doctrine. He asks them, then, of what advantage it would be to them, if he were to make use of foreign languages among them. He shows them by this instance, how much better it were to apply their minds to prophesyings. Besides, it was less invidious to reprove this vice in his own person, than in that of another.
He mentions, however, four different kinds of edification — revelation, knowledge, prophesying, and doctrine As there are a variety of opinions among interpreters respecting them, let me be permitted, also, to bring forward my conjecture. As, however, it is but a conjecture, I leave my readers to judge of it. Revelation and prophesying I put in one class, and I am of opinion that the latter is the administration of the former. I am of the same opinion as to knowledge and doctrine What, therefore, any one has obtained by revelation, he dispenses by prophesying. Doctrine is the way of communicating knowledge. Thus a Prophet will be — one who interprets and administers revelation. This is rather in favor of the definition that I have given above, than at variance with it. For we have said that prophesying does not consist of a simple and bare interpretation of Scripture, but includes also knowledge for applying it to present use — which is obtained only by revelation, and the special inspiration of God.
(814) “ Estoit plus propre pour leur imprimer ce qu’il dit;” — “Was the more calculated to impress upon them what he says.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) Now, brethren.Transferring these things to himself in an image the Apostle reinforces the preceding teaching. Now (i.e., seeing that these things are so), what profit would I be to come to you speaking in tongues? I have been telling you that you cannot profit others: I ask you, do you think I speaking in tongues could profit you?
Except I shall speak to you either . . .Here is an expansion of the interpretation of tongues of the previous verse, and which is the condition on which depends any usefulness of the gift. The revelation and the knowledge are the internal gifts in the teacher himself which are the sources of his power to communicate prophecy (i.e., general exhortation), or doctrine (i.e., systematic religious instruction) to his hearers.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. If I St. Paul states, as often, the disparaging supposition as of himself. He makes this supposition in order at some length to unfold the lesser utility of tongues.
Either by Some process by which intelligent thought is conveyed. Of the four, revelation means some vision or announcement from the spiritual world; knowledge, some perception by the discerner of spirits; prophesying, some prediction or supernaturally heart-searching discourse; doctrine, or teaching, some exposition of the established truths of Christianity or of the Old Testament.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?’
He asks them to consider. What profit can he be to them when he comes to them speaking in tongues and nothing more? It may be that he knows that they would be delighted for him to come to them speaking in tongues in the church. He would then be supporting their stance, for the way he is speaking shows that they have been putting undue emphasis on tongues. What clearly matters to them is that tongues should be seen as giving status and seen as evidence of a special spirituality.
And yet he knows that their answer, if honest, must be ‘none at all’. For they will have to admit that it may please them but it would not profit them. He can in fact be of no benefit, he suggests, unless he also manifests another gift, one such as revelation, or knowledge, or prophesying, or teaching.
‘Revelation’ means a revealing of divine truth. The Book of ‘Revelation’ is the supreme example of this. In 1Co 14:30-31 it is closely linked with prophecy (as it is here). It is a prophetic function. And yet it is also distinguished from it. A revelation has precedence over prophecy (1Co 14:30). It is a special message from God of a more direct kind. Possibly the kind, for example, that Agabus received (Act 11:28). Paul also went up to Jerusalem by revelation in order to consult with the Apostles (Gal 2:2). When God was indicating a particular course for His people it came by revelation, and it would seem that in those days it was a fairly regular, but not common, occurrence.
‘Knowledge’ here parallels ‘revelation’ and indicates the building up of spiritual knowledge so that men might be founded in the truth. This is imparted through both prophecy and teaching.
But the main overall point is that if the hearers are to benefit, they must receive an understandable message in their own language. He will not use tongues just for the sake of it. They are no proof of special spirituality. He wants to be understood.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Co 14:6. By revelation, or by knowledge, &c. It is not to be doubted that the four distinct terms here used bythe Apostle had each its distinct signification in his mind and intention. Whether what may be collected from these epistles will sufficiently warrant us to understand them in the following significations, must be left to the judgment of others. First, Revelation;something revealed by God immediately to the person; see 1Co 14:30. Secondly, Knowledge;the understanding of the mystical and evangelical sense of passages in the Old Testament, relating to our Saviour and the gospel. Thirdly, prophesy; an inspired hymn, 1Co 14:26, or the prediction of some future event. Fourthly, doctrine;any truth of the gospel concerning faith, experience, or manners. But whether this, or any other precise meaning of these words, can be certainly made out now, it is perhaps of no great necessity to be over curious; it being enough, for the understanding thesense and argument of the Apostle here, to know that these terms stand for some intelligible discourse; tending to the edification of the church; though of what kind each of them was in particular we know not certainly.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 14:6 . ] But so , i.e. but in this condition of things , since, namely, prophecy is greater than the speaking with tongues when left without edifying interpretation, I, if I came to you as a speaker with tongues, would only then be useful to you when I united with it prophetical or doctrinal discourse. Hofmann is wrong in wishing to refer to the main thought of 1Co 14:5 ; in that case the second part of 1Co 14:5 is all the more arbitrarily overlooked, seeing that the in 1Co 14:6 is manifestly correlative to the in 1Co 14:5 . Others take it otherwise. But the key to the interpretation which is in accordance with the context and logically correct lies in this, that the two uses of are not co-ordinate (which was my own former view), so as in that way to give to the principal clause, , two parallel subordinate clauses (comp. on Mat 5:18 ); but, on the contrary, that , corresponding to the , 1Co 14:5 , is subordinated to the first . Paul might, forsooth, instead of have written simply: . Instead of doing so, however, he specifies the two kinds of discourse in which he might give an interpretation of his speech in tongues , and says: If I shall have come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, if I shall not have spoken to you (for the sake, namely, of expounding my speech in tongues, 1Co 14:5 ), either in revelation , etc. The apostle possessed the gift of glossolalia (1Co 14:18 ), but might also be his own , and might apply to the the other apostolic charismata which belonged to him for teaching, prophecy, and (1Co 13:9 ; Act 13:1 ).
. . . .] not four , but two charismatic modes of teaching are here designated prophecy and didascalia . For the former, the condition is ; for the latter, . See Estius in loc. The prophet spoke in an extempore way what was unfolded and furnished to him by revelation of the Spirit; the teacher (if he did not simply deliver a , 1Co 12:8 ) developed the deep knowledge which he had acquired by investigation, in which he was himself active, but yet was empowered and guided by the Spirit. This twofold division is not at variance with 1Co 13:2 , from which passage, on the contrary, it is plain that there belonged to prophecy and , the latter of which was not included as a condition of the didascalia ; so that the characteristic mark of distinction in prophecy is thus the . Comp. 1Co 14:30 .
denotes the inward ( ., .) and outward ( ., ) form in which the takes place. Comp. Mat 13:3 .
Note further the use of the first person , in which Paul comes forward himself with all the more convincing force in support of what he says.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
Ver. 6. If I come unto you, &c. ] This you would not like in me. And is that Venus in Caio Venus in Gaius, that is Naevus in Titio? a mole in Titius, a blemish in one that is a beauty in another?
By revelation, or by knowledge, or, &c. ] Piscator reads it by revelation or by knowledge; that is, either by prophesying or by doctrine. The apostle expounding himself.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6. ] Example of the unprofitableness of speaking with tongues without interpreting , expressed in the first person as of himself.
] ‘ quod cum ita sit ’ viz. that there is no edification without interpretation.
] Chrys. understands the first person to imply ‘not even I myself should profit you,’ &c. But then or some expression similarly emphatic would have been used.
The second is parallel to the first, not dependent on . It is the negative side of the supposition, as . . . was the affirmative. On this double apodosis Hermann remarks, Soph. Aj. 827, ‘Est enim hc verborum complexio ex eo genere, cujus jam apud Homerum exempla inveniuntur, quod duplicem habet apodosin, alteram prmissam, sequentem alteram: qu ratio ibi maxime apta est, ubi in magno animi motu, quasi non satis sit id quod prmissum est, aliud infertur secunda apodosi, quod gravius sit et fortius.’
] It seems best here, with Estius, to understand ‘duo juga, ut conjugata sint revelatio et prophetia, ac rursus conjugata scientia et doctrina.’ So also Meyer, who observes that the ground of is , and that of , : the former being a direct speaking in the Spirit, and the latter a laying forth by the aid of the Spirit of knowledge acquired. Thus , as referred to . and ., denotes the internal element : as referred to . and ., the external element, of the spiritual activity.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 14:6 . What the Ap. has said touching the criterion of edification , he applies to his own approaching visit (1Co 4:18 ff., 1Co 16:5 ff.): “But at the present time, brothers,” , temporal , as in 1Co 5:11 , etc.; not logical , as in 1Co 7:14 , 1Co 13:13 , etc. (see Hf [2030] , against most interpreters). It is the situation at Cor . which gives point to this ref [2031] : what help could the Ap. bring to his readers in their troubled state, if he were to offer them nothing but confused mutterings and ravings? ( cf. 1Co 14:7-11 ) an appeal to common sense. The hypotheses are parl [2032] (expressing by actual possibility, cf. 1Co 14:18 ; not mere conceivability) the second the negative of the first: “if I should come to you speaking with tongues, wherein shall I profit you if I do not speak in (the way of) revelation or knowledge, or prophesying or teaching?” In the four clauses, the second pair matches the first: revelation comes through the prophet, knowledge through the teacher ( cf. 1Co 12:8 ; 1Co 12:10 ; 1Co 12:28 , etc.). For with ptp [2033] of the character or capacity in which one comes “a (mere) speaker with tongues,” unable to interpret (see 5) cf. Act 19:18 , Mat 11:18 f., Mar 1:39 , Luk 13:7 .
[2030] J. C. K. von Hofmann’s Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht , ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).
[2031] reference.
[2032] parallel.
[2033] participle
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Co 14:6-12
6But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? 7Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8 For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. 11If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. 12So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.
1Co 14:6 “if” There are four third class conditional sentences in the paragraph, 1Co 14:6-12, which implies potential action (cf. 1Co 14:6-8; 1Co 14:11). Both 1Co 14:6-7 are questions that expect a “no” answer (as does 1Co 14:9).
“by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy” These terms seem to reflect different gifts, but the distinctions are uncertain. Possibly since several gifted leaders are mentioned in Eph 4:11 each proclaiming the gospel, but with different emphases, so too, here. God reveals His truths in differing ways, but the same content. Many gifts, one gospel; many gifted believers, one purpose (i.e., edification of the church and the growth of the church, cf. Mat 28:19-20; Luk 24:47; Act 1:8).
1Co 14:7-8 Paul uses musical instruments to make his point, flutes and harps in 1Co 14:7 and a military bugle in 1Co 14:8. Musical instruments are used for differing purposes (i.e., to make music or to signal). If the instrument makes the wrong sound it causes confusion. The human voice is meant to communicate information to other humans. If it makes sounds that have no significance to other humans it fails in its purpose (cf. 1Co 14:9).
1Co 14:10 This is a rare Fourth class conditional sentence. This verse cannot be used to prove that tongues are a known language. Paul uses a different term (i.e., phn not glssa) in both 1Co 14:10-11. It is an illustration of the difficulty in understanding an improperly spoken language or foreign language. Human language is meant to be understood.
1Co 14:11
NASB, NJB”barbarian”
NKJV, NRSV,
TEV”foreigner”
This was an onomatopoetic word (i.e., barbaros) for the strange sounds of other languages to the Greeks and Romans, especially the tribal groups to the north of the Roman Empire. The Greeks and Romans said that these tribal languages sounded like “bar, bar” to them. Hence, the term “barbarian.”
1Co 14:12 “since you are zealous of spiritual gifts” Paul does not criticize their zeal (cf. 1Co 14:1), but tries to channel it for the edification of the entire church (cf. 1Co 12:7).
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV, NIV”spiritual gifts”
RSV”manifestations of the Spirit”
TEV”the gifts of the Spirit”
NJB”spiritual powers”
This is not the same Greek word as in 1Co 12:1 (i.e., pneumatikn), but the genitive plural of pneuma (see Special Topic: Spirit in the Bible at 1Co 12:1), which means “breath,” “wind,” “spirit.” This form is also found in 1Co 12:10, where it refers to a particular gift (i.e., discerning of spirits, cf. 1Jn 4:1). In context it seems that it refers to different spiritual gifts given by the Spirit (cf. 1Co 12:11) for the common good of the body (cf. 1Co 12:7).
“seek to abound for the edification of the church” This is a present active imperative plural. The goal of spiritual gifts is not the elevation and glory of an individual, but the health and growth of the body of Christ, the church.
For “abound” see Special Topic at 2Co 2:7.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
if. App-118.
unto. App-104.
except = unless. Greek. ean (App-118) me (App-105).
by = in. Greek. en. App-104.
revelation. App-106.
knowledge. App-132.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
6.] Example of the unprofitableness of speaking with tongues without interpreting,-expressed in the first person as of himself.
] quod cum ita sit-viz. that there is no edification without interpretation.
] Chrys. understands the first person to imply not even I myself should profit you, &c. But then or some expression similarly emphatic would have been used.
The second is parallel to the first, not dependent on . It is the negative side of the supposition, as … was the affirmative. On this double apodosis Hermann remarks, Soph. Aj. 827,-Est enim hc verborum complexio ex eo genere, cujus jam apud Homerum exempla inveniuntur, quod duplicem habet apodosin, alteram prmissam, sequentem alteram: qu ratio ibi maxime apta est, ubi in magno animi motu, quasi non satis sit id quod prmissum est, aliud infertur secunda apodosi, quod gravius sit et fortius.
] It seems best here, with Estius, to understand duo juga, ut conjugata sint revelatio et prophetia, ac rursus conjugata scientia et doctrina. So also Meyer, who observes that the ground of is , and that of , : the former being a direct speaking in the Spirit, and the latter a laying forth by the aid of the Spirit of knowledge acquired. Thus , as referred to . and ., denotes the internal element:-as referred to . and ., the external element, of the spiritual activity.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 14:6. , , , , either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in doctrine) Here are four kinds of prophecy broadly so called; the two former refer to the person himself, who rejoices in the gift; the two latter at the same time show more of a leaning towards the hearers.[122] On the difference of prophecy (which corresponds to revelation) and of knowledge (with which doctrine agrees) see 1Co 12:8; 1Co 12:10 : and on the whole subject, below at 1Co 14:26, etc. Prophecy has relation to particular points, formerly not well understood, to mysteries to be known finally [and only] by revelation. Doctrine and knowledge are brought from the common storehouse of believers, and refer to things obvious in the matter of salvation.
[122] What Ernesti approves in Moldenhauer evidently agrees with these views.-Bibl. Theol., T. viii., p. 673.-E. B.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 14:6
1Co 14:6
But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation,-Paul now transfers the matter to himself-that if even he, though he was an apostle, came speaking with a tongue, they would receive no profit unless he interpreted the words of the tongue as conveying some revelation received from God.
or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?- Knowledge, as here conceived, is the matter ordinarily communicated by teaching. Some who spoke in tongues could not interpret what they spoke.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
what shall I: 1Co 10:33, 1Co 12:7, 1Co 13:3, 1Sa 12:21, Jer 16:19, Jer 23:32, Mat 16:26, 2Ti 2:14, Tit 3:8, Heb 13:9
revelation: 1Co 14:26-30, Mat 11:25, Mat 16:17, 2Co 12:1, 2Co 12:7, Eph 1:17, Phi 3:15
knowledge: 1Co 12:8, 1Co 13:2, 1Co 13:8, 1Co 13:9, Rom 15:14, 2Co 11:6, Eph 3:4, 2Pe 1:5, 2Pe 3:18
prophesying: 1Co 14:1, 1Co 13:2
doctrine: 1Co 14:26, Rom 16:17, 2Ti 3:10, 2Ti 3:16, 2Ti 4:2, 2Jo 1:9
Reciprocal: Act 20:20 – profitable 1Co 1:5 – in all 1Co 13:1 – I speak 1Co 14:17 – but 1Co 14:30 – revealed 1Ti 4:13 – to doctrine
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 14:6. If I come. The apostle uses himself only as an example as if he said, “suppose I come,” etc. To speak with tongues would not profit the church unless they were so used as to bestow upon it some of the following results. Revelation means a communication of some new truth; knowledge denotes the super natural kind that had not been previously recorded; prophesying refers to the kind described in verse 3; doctrine means teaching in general.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 14:6. But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?four things nominally, but in reality only two distinct ways of edifying by the exercise of spiritual gifts: the first pair (revelation and knowledge), those by which the speaker received supernaturally what he had to impart to others; the second pair (prophesying and teaching), those by which he gave it forth to his audience.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
One Must Be Able to Discern To Learn
If the people in the assembly could not learn from what was said, what good was the sound? Even in musical sound, there must be a distinct sound made in order to make sense. There are certain rules of beat and harmony that must be followed. A child just playing with an instrument seldom makes a hit record.
McGarvey says, “Moreover, some instruments, such as the trumpet, because of the fixed and established laws of tone, are used to convey a language as well defined and unmistakable as that of the voice. Thus, certain notes on the trumpet command a charge, others the joining of battle, and yet others the retreat, etc. Now, if the trumpet or trumpeter fails to produce this tone/language intelligibly, the army is thrown into confusion” ( 1Co 14:6-8 ).
In the same way, tongue speaking that was not understood by the listener was wasted effort. At best, it was like talking to oneself. At its worst, it could create confusion. Languages are useful only when they make sense. They are not for mere display. Both the speaker, who used a language, and the listener, who could not understand the language used, were as ignorant foreigners to one another ( 1Co 14:9-11 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
1Co 14:6. Now, brethren As if he had said, I wonder whether that which you so much admire in others would please you in me: if I come unto you speaking with tongues Supposing the next time I make you a visit at Corinth, I should address you in a variety of languages which you do not understand; what shall I profit you Who are supposed not to understand me; except I speak to you In a language with which you are acquainted; either by revelation Of some gospel mystery; or by knowledge Explaining the ancient types and prophecies; or by prophesying Foretelling some future event; or by doctrine For the regulation of your tempers and lives. Perhaps this may be the sense of these obscure expressions.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 6. But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in doctrine?
The first example Paul offers to the Corinthians is that of his own person; they all knew what power his presence in a Church exercised; many of them promised themselves considerable edification from the visit he announced to them. Well! there was a way of making this visit utterly useless: in place of prophesying and teaching, let him set himself to play among them the part of glossolalete; and if this holds in Paul’s case, how much more in all others!
The is adversative; it contrasts the glossolalia without translation, which Paul by hypothesis ascribes to himself in 1Co 14:6, with glossolalia with interpretation in 1Co 14:5 b.
, now: things being so. Hofmann gives this word the temporal meaning: If I come now among you; but this connection of with is forced.
By the address brethren, he appeals to their good sense. Meyer thinks that the second , if [ , if not = except], is subordinate to the first, and that the speaking, referred to at the close of the verse, relates to the interpreting of the discourse in a tongue, so that the meaning of the verse would amount to this: Wherein shall I be useful to you if I speak to you in a tongue, but without giving an interpretation in the form either of prophecy, or doctrine, of what I at first said in an unintelligible form? This meaning is inadmissible; for nowhere are prophecy and doctrine represented by Paul as the interpretation of a tongue. The meaning is this: Wherein should I be useful to you if I figured among you only as one speaking in tongues, and not besides as prophet or teacher? Of course he speaks of glossolalia in itself and apart from interpretation.
The four terms at the end of the verse evidently form two parallel pairs. On the one hand: revelation and knowledgethese are inward Divine gifts; on the other: prophecy and doctrinethese are the external manifestations of the twofold Divine communication: revelation expressing itself in prophecy, and knowledge in doctrine. Revelation, which makes the prophet, is a sudden and lively perception, produced by the Spirit’s operation, of some aspect of the Divine mystery, the work of salvation; this view, immediately expressed in its first freshness, forms prophecy (1Co 14:27). Knowledge is the result of an exercise of thought directed by the Holy Spirit (1Co 12:8 : , according to), which leads to the distinct understanding of some element of salvation and of its relation to all the rest; this knowledge is expressed in a doctrinal discourse. In the two first terms, the meaning of the , in, is therefore this: a speaking resting on a revelation, on an act of knowledge, and, in the two last terms: a speaking taking effect by a prophecy, by a doctrine. Heinrici’s objections to this double correlation of the four terms: revelation, prophecy, knowledge, doctrine, seem to me without force. Modern commentators are unanimous in recognising it.
To this decisive example, the apostle adds others, taken from ordinary life. And first he instances musical instruments:
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? [The gift of tongues had a subordinate use in the church of God, as an evidence of the presence of the Spirit of God. Moreover, it was a reserve of power, liable to be brought into active use at any time by the scattering of the church through persecution. For these reasons, and also to show that he writes in a spirit of generous good-will, Paul expresses a wish that all the churches in Corinth might be endowed with this gift. But, as a more practical wish, he prefers that they shall be able to prophesy, since the church would not be edified by the use of the gift of tongues, unless the foreign language used was interpreted. If Paul came to them as a visitor or missionary, his profit to them would not lie in his speaking with tongues (even though he, a Jew, spake to them miraculously in their own Greek language); but it would lie in the subject-matter of his utterance, in the edification which he conveyed. Paul names the four ways in which men may be edified by the use of words, and all these four manners were as much at the command of prophecy as they were at that of the gift of tongues. Revelation is the unveiling of divine truth to a prophet, and prophecy is the impartation of that truth to others. Knowledge is the divine illumination of the mind as to the bearing and significance of a truth, and doctrine is the impartation to another of the truth thus grasped. These are all matters of sense, and not of sound only. But speaking with tongues in the presence of those not understanding the language spoken, is sound without sense, and fails to convey any prophecy, doctrine, etc. Paul goes on to show that sound without sense is not only profitless, but may even be baneful.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 6
By revelation, or by knowledge, &c. The specific meaning of these expressions is not understood. The general idea is, that it would be of no avail for him to speak unless what he should say was made intelligible.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Supporting analogies 14:6-12
Paul illustrated his point that hearers do not benefit at all from what they do not understand. He used musical instruments as examples and clarified more about foreign languages.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
This verse sets the scene for what follows in this pericope. "Revelation," "knowledge," "prophecy," and "teaching" are all intelligible utterances. These words probably refer to a new revelation (cf. 1Co 12:8), an insight into truth, a word of edification, exhortation, or consolation from the Lord (1Co 14:3), and instruction in the faith.