6 But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching?
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
But praise be to God that though you were the servants of sin, you have now given yourselves freely to that form of teaching under which you were placed;
Anyone who goes on and does not keep to the teaching of Christ, has not God: he who keeps to the teaching has the Father and the Son.
But be increased in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May he have glory now and for ever. So be it.
Do not be turned away by different strange teachings, because it is good for your hearts to be made strong by grace, and not by meats, which were of no profit to those who took so much trouble over them.
This is a true saying; and it is my desire that you may give certain witness about these things, so that those who have had faith in God may give attention to good works. These things are good and of profit to men;
Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching, for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness:
But you took as your example my teaching, behaviour, purpose, and faith; my long waiting, my love, my quiet undergoing of trouble;
Then let us all, who have come to full growth, be of this mind: and if in anything you are of a different mind, even this will God make clear to you:
By the reading of which you will be clear about my knowledge of the secret of Christ;
As it is necessary for me to take glory to myself, though it is not a good thing, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
And do not go from the right way turning to those false gods in which there is no profit and no salvation, for they are false.
What is it then, my brothers? when you come together everyone has a holy song, or a revelation, or a tongue, or is giving the sense of it. Let everything be done for the common good. If any man makes use of a tongue, let it not be more than two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let someone give the sense: But if there is no one to give the sense, let him keep quiet in the church; and let his words be to himself and to God. And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say. But if a revelation is given to another who is seated near, let the first be quiet.
Go after love; still desiring to have the things which the Spirit gives, but most of all that you may have the prophet's power.
Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end. For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:
And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.
But to every man some form of the Spirit's working is given for the common good. For to one are given words of wisdom through the Spirit; and to another words of knowledge through the same Spirit:
Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.
And I myself am certain of you, brothers, that you are full of what is good, complete in all knowledge, able to give direction to one another.
And they kept their attention fixed on the Apostles' teaching and were united together in the taking of broken bread and in prayer.
And Jesus made answer and said to him, A blessing on you, Simon Bar-jonah: because this knowledge has not come to you from flesh and blood, but from my Father in heaven.
At that time Jesus made answer and said, I give praise to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have kept these things secret from the wise and the men of learning, and have made them clear to little children.
See, I am against the prophets of false dreams, says the Lord, who give them out and make my people go out of the way by their deceit and their uncontrolled words: but I did not send them or give them orders; and they will be of no profit to this people, says the Lord.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 14
In this chapter the apostle directs them about the use of their spiritual gifts, preferring those that are best and fitted to do the greatest good.
1Cr 14:1-5
The apostle, in the foregoing chapter, had himself preferred, and advised the Corinthians to prefer, Christian charity to all spiritual gifts. Here he teaches them, among spiritual gifts, which they should prefer, and by what rules they should make comparison. He begins the chapter,
1Cr 14:6-14
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.
1Cr 14:15-20
The apostle here sums up the argument hitherto, and,
1Cr 14:21-25
In this passage the apostle pursues the argument, and reasons from other topics; as,
1Cr 14:26-33
In this passage the apostle reproves them for their disorder, and endeavours to correct and regulate their conduct for the future.
1Cr 14:34-35
Here the apostle,
1Cr 14:36-40
In these verses the apostle closes his argument,