1 Corinthians 14:27

If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. LET IT BE BY TWO - at each time: not more than two or three might speak with tongues at each meeting. BY COURSE - in turns. LET ONE INTERPRET - who has the gift of interpreting; and not more than one....

27._If any one speak in another tongue _He now describes the order and limits the measure. _“If _you have a mind to speak with other tongues,_let only two speak, or, at most, not more than three, and let there be at the same time an interpreter sitting by _Without an interpreter, _tongues _are of no advantage: let them, therefore be dispensed with.” It is to be observed, however, that he does not _command, _but merely _permits; _for the Church can, without any inconvenience, dispense with _tongues, _except in so far as they are helps to prophecy, as the Hebrew and Greek languages are at this day. Paul, however, makes this concession, that he may not seem to deprive the assembly of believers of any gift of the Spirit. At the same time, it might seem as if even this were not agreeable to reason, inasmuch as he said before, (1 Corinthians 14:22,) tha

26-33 Religious exercises in public assemblies should have this view; Let all be done to edifying. As to the speaking in an unknown tongue, if another were present who could interpret, two miraculous gifts might be exercised at once, and thereby the church be edified, and the faith of the hearers confirmed at the same time. As to prophesying, two or three only should speak at one meeting, and this one after the other, not all at once. The man who is inspired by the Spirit of God will observe order and decency in delivering his revelations. God never teaches men to neglect their duties, or to act in any way unbecoming their age or station....

Verse 27. _SPEAK IN AN_ UNKNOWN _TONGUE_] The _Hebrew_, as has already been conjectured. Let it be _BY TWO; OR AT THE MOST_ by _three, and_ that _by course_] Let only two or three in one assembly act in this way, that too much time may not be taken up with one exercise; and let this be done _by course_, the one after the other, that two may not be speaking at the same time: _and let one interpret_ for all that shall thus speak....

LET IT BE BY TWO, OR AT THE MOST BY THREE - That is, two, or at most three in one day, or in one meeting. So Grotius, Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Bloomfield, and Locke, understand it. It is probable that many were endowed with the gift of tongues; and it is certain that they were disposed to exercise the gift even when it could be of no real advantage, and when it was done only for ostentation. Paul had shown to them 1 Corinthians 14:22, that the main design of the gift of tongues was to convince unbelievers; he here shows them that if that gift was exercised in the church, it should be in such a way as to promote edification. They should not speak at the same time; nor should they regard it as necessary that all should speak at the same meeting. It should not be so as to produce disorder and confusion nor should it be so as to detain the people beyond

EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1 _The_ _gift of preaching superior to the gift_ _tongues_. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1 FOLLOW AFTER CHARITY; literally, _chase; pursue. _The word is one of which St. Paul is fond (Romans 9:30, Romans 9:31; Romans 13:13; Romans 14:19;...

IF ANY MAN SPEAK IN AN UNKNOWN TONGUE,.... He begins with the gift of tongues, with speaking in an unknown tongue, as the Hebrew language, because this they were desirous of: and the rule for this he would have observed is, LET IT BE BY TWO, OR AT MOST BY THREE, AND THAT BY COURSE. The Arabic version reads it, "let him speak to two, or at most three, and separately"; as if it respected the number of persons he was to speak to at a time, and that in a separate and private manner: but the apostle's sense is, that two such persons as had the gift of speaking in an unknown tongue, or three at most, should be only employed at one opportunity, lest too much time should be taken up this way, and prevent a more useful and edifying exercise; and that these should speak not together, which would be a mere jargon and confusion, and make them took like madmen, and render them entirely useless indee...

4. PROPHECY AND SPEAKING WITH A TONGUE. CHAPTER 14 _ 1. Prophecy the better gift. (1 Corinthians 14:1 .)_ 2. Intelligibility demanded. (1 Corinthians 14:14 .) 3. Practical instructions for the public use of these gifts. (1 Corinthians 14:26 .) It is evident from the contents of this chapter that the Corinthians had unduly magnified the gift of speaking in a strange tongue. It had a spectacular aspect which they enjoyed. He therefore shows them that the gift of prophecy is more to be coveted than speaking in an unknown tongue. The speaking in an unknown tongue is intelligible to God, but he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, e

Paul now lays down the rules. At present at their assemblies all are eager to speak in one way or another. But the edification of the Church is to be the governing principle. Two may speak in tongues, three at most and in succession; an interpretation must be given; if no one of them has this gift, the gift of tongues must be restricted to inward utterance, it must not be vocally exercised. Two or three prophets may speak, while the others practise the gift of discernment on his utterance. The communication of a revelation to another is a token that the speaker must close his address. There is no hardship in the restriction of numbers or the abrupt close of an address; there will be future opportunities. Nor is such silence impossible, for each prophet has his gift in his own control. This is clear from the very nature of God; He is a God of peace and order, and can be the source of no i...

THE FALSE AND THE TRUE WORSHIP (1 Corinthians 14:1-19)...