The issue of spiritual gifts had caused much disunity in the church at Corinth so Paul wrote to bring clarity to this area of contention. Although God gives each believer spiritual gifts, some of the Corinthians were not satisfied with the gift they had been given and sought after the more visible gifts; furthermore, it appears that some of the Corinthian believers were mixing God-given spiritual gifts with pagan practices, especially with the gift of tongues. Tongues were initially given to the apostles as a sign to unbelievers to hear the message of salvation in their own language, even when the deliverer did not speak that language (Acts 2:1-13). Some in the Corinthian church took God’s initial gift of tongues and combined it with pagan ecstatic utterances, saying that it was a special language from God. Paul brought the Corinthians back to the basics of spiritual gifts by reminding them that spiritual gifts are always to be done with love and for the benefit of the entire church (1 Corinthians 13, 14:1-5). The gift of tongues, as being practiced by the Corinthians, had become a spectacle and Paul warned against this abuse.
In a hypothetical argument Paul writes, “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?” (14:6). Even if Paul chose to speak in tongues, it would not benefit the church. He then argues that what is spoken with the tongue must be discernible to those who are listening or it is just “speaking into the air” (14:7-12). Paul knew that they were “zealous for spiritual gifts,” but he challenged them to “let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel” (14:12).
Paul, referring to the counterfeit gift of tongues, continues to speak hypothetically saying, “Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful” (14:13-14). These ecstatic utterances could not even be understood by the speaker so, in essence, Paul was declaring the counterfeit gift of tongues a waste or pointless because no one is edified (14:15-17). Although Paul had every right to use the proper gift of tongues (14:18), he wrote that he “would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue” (14:19). Paul’s words here should cause the reader to re-examine his view toward the spiritual gift which has been given to him and commit to using it for the benefit of the church.
Dear God, may the gifts you have given me be used to build up the church and bring more attention to You.
