In First Corinthians 14, Paul gives the Corinthians God-inspired instruction concerning the use of miraculous gifts in their assemblies. In the early part of this chapter, Paul emphasizes the value of understanding what is being said to the edification of the church. The reason why this was important is because the Corinthians had a special attraction to speaking in tongues. However, it seems that their motives were carnal (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-4), and their use of miraculous gifts in general, and speaking in tongues in particular, was adding to their division. Knowing the importance of understanding what is being said is necessary for us as well.

Understanding the Words of Singing

After declaring that using languages that are unintelligible yields to "unfruitful" understanding, Paul writes, "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also" (1 Cor. 14:15). The word "spirit" in "pray with the spirit" and "sing with the spirit" has been taken by some to mean the Holy Spirit, but the context indicates the human spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 14:14), parallel to the "understanding."

The verb "singing" (from the Greek word psallo) has an interesting history that must be understood, lest one is mislead by those who want to justify the use of mechanical instruments of music in worship. In Classical Greek (8th to 4th centuries BC), the word meant to pluck the strings of a harp. The word then evolved to mean singing with the accompaniment of an instrument. However, when the New Testament was written (1st century AD), the word was used exclusively for singing without accompaniment (also known as acapella). We must realize that a word must be defined by what it meant in the context when it was written, not by what it meant hundreds of years before the context under consideration. For example, if we find the English word "gay" in something that was first written in the 1950s, such as in a Patsy Cline song, we are to understand "gay" from the 1950s perspective, which meant "happy." However, if we were to find that word in 2007, such as in a description of Rosie O'Donnell's sexual preference, it means "homosexual." Words must be understood as they were defined in the context when they were first written! Therefore, "singing" (1 Cor. 14:15) means "singing" (without mechanical accompaniment)!

Understanding the Words of Prayer

Understanding what is being said in prayer is essential for another to join in and participate. Those without miraculous spiritual gifts cannot approve of what is being prayed: "Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?" (1 Cor. 14:16). "He that occupieth the room of the unlearned" has been understood in various ways. The word "unlearned [uninformed, NKJ; ungifted, NAS]" basically refers to an untrained or unlearned person (Acts 4:13). In some sources outside the Bible, the word is used of those who stood between unbelievers and "full-fledged Christians" as a kind of proselyte, or perhaps inquirer, and in other religious associations the word is used for non-members who may participate in the religious ritual (cf. God-fearing Gentiles in Acts 17:4, 12).1 Since the word is found again in First Corinthians 14:23, distinguished from unbelievers, the word seems best in the present context to mean one who regularly attended the church's assemblies, but without the miraculous ability to understand the tongue. "Amen" is transliterated from the Greek word amen and shows agreement so that the one who "Amens" the prayer makes that prayer his own (cf. Neh. 8:6). If the prayer is unintelligible, then how can it be "Amened"? The one speaking in tongues is actually giving thanks, but the one who cannot understand is not being edified (1 Cor. 14:17).

Few Words Understood Are Better Than Many That Are Not

Paul's minimizing the importance of speaking in tongues does not come from frustration or his inability to speak in tongues. In many ways, Paul could out-speak them all. He writes: "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (1 Cor. 14:18). When assembled with the saints, however, Paul would rather speak a few intelligible words than thousands of words that could not be understood. "Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue" (1 Cor. 14:19). The goal of teaching is to impart knowledge, not to multiply words (cf. Mt. 6:7). Thus, it is better to say one sentence that is understood and can edify the church than to give a long flowery speech that no one can understand.

This section closes with an admonition to be spiritually mature. "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men" (1 Cor. 14:20). "Children" is an adequate word to describe their current behavior level (cf. Jer. 4:22). "To desire showy and comparatively worthless gifts was like children, pleased with toys."2 "Men [mature, NKJ]" is from a word that means "complete, whole, full-grown, mature" (1 Cor. 13:10; Eph. 4:13; Col. 4:12; Heb. 5:14). Only through words that can be understood when taught can the church grow to the maturity God desires.

Conclusion

Today's "tongue speakers" would do well to compare their claims with Biblical teaching. Not only were New Testament "tongues" real languages that the speakers did not study to learn, but as Paul points out God puts a premium on language that is understood. Who understands the so-called tongues today?

End Notes

1 Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 2nd rev. ed. by William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979) 370.

2 J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, Standard Bible Commentary: Thessalonians, Corinthians, Galatians, and Romans (Cincinnati, OH: Standard, n. d.) 139.