1 Corinthians 14:26

Consequent Instructions For The Church Meeting (14:26-33).

'What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to edifying.'

So being satisfied that he has satisfactorily dealt with that question Paul now moves on to positive instructions. He asks them to consider a typical gathering of Christians on the assumption that they are all coming inspired by the Spirit and filled with love and concern for one another. What is the situation? They will all come inspired in a different way. One will have a psalm that has been laid on his heart so that they can sing together rationally, another will have some teaching that he feels the Spirit wishes the church to know, another may have a revelation that God has given him about some matter, another has a tongue, and another its interpretation. All will have as their main aim and desire the edifying of the whole church. What a difference from if they all come in to speak in tongues, each for his own individual benefit.

Nevertheless even then they must act thoughtfully and considerately. They must exercise their gifts with a view to edifying others.

It is noteworthy that he does not mention prophecy which up to now has been prominent, and especially so in view of 1 Corinthians 14:31. This would suggest that he considers that what he has mentioned adequately covers the same ground as prophecy, possibly the psalm and/or teaching. The psalm may signify a prophetic psalm. Note how the prophecies in Luke 1:2 read like psalms. ‘Revelation' would appear to be an exceptional and not too common gift (see below), although it would also arise out of prophesying.