1 Corinthians 14:26

“How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a revelation, hath a discourse in a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.”

The meaning of the question: How is it then? is the same as in 1 Corinthians 14:15. The apostle would lead his readers themselves to draw the conclusions which flow from the principles laid down. Fundamental rule: No gift should be set aside. Every manifestation of the Spirit ought to have its place; enough that all turn to edification. The ἕκαστος ἔχει, every one hath, should be understood like the similar phrase 1 Corinthians 1:12; every one has not all, but every one ought or at least may have something. The proposition may be taken interrogatively. But it is better perhaps to understand it in the sense of a tentative affirmation: “If so be.” The repetition of the verb brings out, as Bengel says, the distribution of gifts. The apostle enumerates five of these manifestations. The ψαλμός, psalm, is not here a chant in the form of a tongue, the singing in the spirit, of 1 Corinthians 14:15. For special mention is afterwards made of discoursing in a tongue and of its interpretation. It is therefore a psalm, like those spoken of in Col 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs); a singing ἐν νοΐ, with sober mind (1 Corinthians 14:15), as is suitable to the opening of worship. It seems to me improbable that Paul has in view an Old Testament psalm or an already existing Christian hymn, recited or sung. The word ἔχειν, to have, does not prevent its being an improvisation. For, as is observed by Holsten, the term is afterwards applied to a tongue and its interpretation, which are immediate products of the Spirit's working.

The διδαχή, doctrine, naturally comes after the psalm-singing, being the solid basis of worship. In a religion of light, everything ought to rest on clear and exact instruction. Here is the word of knowledge or wisdom spoken of 1 Corinthians 12:8.

According to the MS. L and the received text, there would now follow discourse in tongues, thanksgiving in the transport of ecstasy; but the Alex. and Greco-Lats. here place the ἀποκάλυψις, the revelation, expressed in a prophecy. In the first reading there would be a contrast: the calmest element, instruction, would be followed by the most emotional, the most excited, discoursing in a tongue. This order is less natural than that of the second reading, according to which doctrine is followed by a revelation, that is to say, a prophecy. The latter is already characterized by an immediate inspiration more pronounced and extraordinary. What further speaks in favour of this last reading, is the fact that it would be unnatural were speaking in tongues to be separated from interpretation by prophecy. The Byz. K, which almost always coincides with L, entirely omits the words γλῶσσαν ἔχει, hath a tongue; it is therefore probable that they were supplied in L, but misplaced by the corrector.

To revelation there is naturally attached speaking in a tongue; it is the highest degree of the ecstatic state, consequently the culminating point of worship; after which interpretation, which follows, closes by leading adoration back to that state of calm reflection in which the worship had begun (the psalm) and ought to finish. Thus it is that feeling rises by steps as to the third heaven, to return at the close to practical life. We have therefore in this series of actions the type of normal worship, in which all the elements of understanding and feeling are united, and in which every believer endowed from above can give free scope to his particular gift. It is a spiritual banquet, so to speak, to which every guest brings his quota, just as in the agapae (1 Corinthians 11:20 seq.).

The apostle now passes to the special rules relating to the exercise of glossolalia.