1 Corinthians 14:27,28

“If any man speak in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and each in his course; and let one interpret. 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the Church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.”

In Greek this verse begins with the word εἴτε, whether, to which there should be a corresponding εἴτε applied to prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:29). This form very pointedly betrays the accidental (by no means indispensable) character of glossolalia in worship.

The apostle gives three rules regarding this gift. The first relative to number: two or at most three; as if two were quite sufficient. The κατά is distributive: two or three each meeting. Edwards thinks that what is referred to here is an antiphony, expressed by ἀνὰ μέρος, in turn, as if a duet of glossolaletes was intended. It was this style of performance, in his view, which gave rise to the later antiphonic chants, such as those of which Pliny speaks in his letter to Trajan. How far will the imagination go! Certainly Paul would never have approved of the simultaneous utterance of several discourses, the one hindering the effect of the other. Besides, ἐν μέρει would have been required to express the sense given by Edwards (see Passow).

The second rule relates to order: ἀνὰ μέρος, each in course, consequently: one at a time. The contrary, no doubt, sometimes happened at Corinth. The form ἀνὰ μέρος signifies, like ἐν τῷ μέρει : in determinate order, in his turn, but not: answering one another.

The third rule fixes the mode; the tongue ought to be followed by an interpretation. The expression εἷς, one, seems to signify that one and the same interpreter ought to act for the two or three discourses in tongues; no doubt to prevent discussions as to the meaning of any one of the discourses. The apostle does not say whether this interpreter is himself one of the glossolaletes, as might be held in accordance with 1 Corinthians 14:5; 1 Corinthians 14:13, or if he is some other inspired one, as might be supposed from 1 Corinthians 14:28 and 1 Corinthians 12:10. Both cases might occur. Holsten alleges that interpretation took place only in the case of one of the three tongues, and by the same man who had spoken in it. But this meaning is contrary to 1 Corinthians 14:5; 1 Corinthians 14:28, which expressly exclude the use of a tongue without interpretation.

Vv. 28. The first words have sometimes been translated: “But if he is not an interpreter.” But it would be impossible to say to which of the two or three glossolaletes the words should be applied, and the position of the verb ᾖ before the predicate shows that it is the idea of being which is emphasized. The simple ᾖ is therefore for παρῇ; comp. Luke 5:17; and the translation must be: But if there be no interpreter. Holsten objects that it was impossible to know beforehand the absence of all interpreters, because interpretation was not an office invariably attached to this or that person. But, on the contrary, the necessary conclusion from the passage is that the gift was more or less permanent, whether it belonged as a rule to one of the glossolaletes or to some other of the members of the Church. This view is confirmed by 1 Corinthians 12:10.

If every believer known to be endowed with this faculty is absent, and the glossolalete does not himself interpret, he is to keep silence in the congregation. But the apostle would not have him to suppress the moving of the Spirit; for himself he may yield to the impulse to thanksgiving and mental prayer which has taken possession of him and raises him to God.

There follow the rules regarding the exercise of prophecy.