1 Corinthians 14:26

τί οὖν ἐστίν (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:15), ἀδελφοί; “How then stands the case, brothers?” οὖν is widely resumptive, taking in the whole state of the Cor [2143] Church as now reviewed, with esp. ref [2144] to its abundance of charisms, amongst which Tongues and Prophecy are conspicuous; education must once more be insisted on as the true aim of them all. ὅταν συνέρχησθε, “whensoever you assemble” (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:18 ff.): here pr.; the aor [2145] of 1 Corinthians 14:23 referred to particular occasions. “Each has a psalm (to sing) a teaching, a revelation (to impart) a tongue, an interpretation (to give).” The succession of the objects of ἔχει perhaps reflects the order commonly pursued in the Church meetings. For ἕκαστος, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12, etc.: every Cor [2146] Christian has his faculty; there is no lack of gifts for utterance or readiness to use them; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:5, also 1 Corinthians 4:6 ff. This exuberance made the difficulty; all wanted to speak at once women as well as men (1 Corinthians 14:34); ἔχει, in promptu habet (Mr [2147]) “iteratum, eleganter exprimit divisam donorum copiam” (Bg [2148]). The ψαλμὸς might be an original song (though not chanted unintelligibly, ἐν γλώσσῃ the latter is enumerated distinctly: see note on ψαλῶ, 15), or an O.T. Psalm Christianly interpreted (see parls.); similarly Philo, De Vita Cont., § 10, describing the Therapeutæ, ὁ ἀναστὰς ὑμῶν ὕμνον ᾄδει εἰς τ. Θεόν, ἢ καινὸν αὐτὸς πεποιηκώς, ἢ ἀρχαῖόν τινα τῶν πάλαι ποιητων. For N.T. psalms, see Luke 1:2; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:9 f., 12 f., 1 Corinthians 15:3 f. διδαχὴ and ἀποκάλυψις (see 6 above; 1 Corinthians 12:28 f.), the two leading forms of Christian edification. Beside the γλῶσσα is set the complementary ἑρμηνία, by which it is utilised for the Church: cf. 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:30; and 1 Corinthians 14:1-19 passim. πάντα πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδοὴν γινέσθω (pr [2149] impv [2150]), “Let everything be carried on with a view to edification”.

[2143] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2144] reference.

[2145] aorist tense.

[2146] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2147] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[2148] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[2149] present tense.

[2150] imperative mood.