_Follow after love_ Namely, that love, the nature, necessity, and excellence of which are shown at large in the preceding chapter; pursue this, which far exceeds all extraordinary gifts, with zeal, vigour, courage, patience, otherwise you will neither attain nor keep it. _And_ In their place, as sub... [ Continue Reading ]
_I would that ye all spake with tongues_ In as great a variety as God hath imparted that gift to any man living; _but rather that ye prophesied_ For when we consider the different effects and tendencies of these different gifts, we must acknowledge that, with respect to the prospects of usefulness b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now, brethren_ As if he had said, I wonder whether that which you so much admire in others would please you in me: _if I come unto you speaking with tongues_ Supposing the next time I make you a visit at Corinth, I should address you in a variety of languages which you do not understand; _what shal... [ Continue Reading ]
_And even_ Greek, ομως, _in like manner_, (the word, it seems, being here used for ομοιως, as it sometimes is by the poets, see Beza and Macknight,) _things without life_ Inanimate things; _whether pipe or harp_ Or any other instrument of music; _except they give a distinction_ Greek, διαστολην φθογ... [ Continue Reading ]
_There are_ No doubt; _so many kinds of voices_ Or languages; _in the world_ As ye speak; _and none of them is without signification_ To those that are acquainted with them. _Therefore_ Nevertheless; _if I know not the meaning of the voice_ The import of the particular language which is used in my h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue_ Unknown to the congregation to which he would address himself; _pray that he may interpret_ That God would give him the gift also of expounding his discourse, in the common language of the place, a gift this distinct from the other. _For if I pray_, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
_What is it then?_ What is my duty in these circumstances? What must I do when the Spirit moves me to pray in the church in an unknown tongue? Why this: _I will pray with the Spirit_ Under his influence, uttering the words which he suggests; _and I will pray with the understanding also_ So that my m... [ Continue Reading ]
_I thank my God_, &c. As if he had said, I do not speak thus of foreign languages because I myself am deficient in them, for I must say, to the glory of that Being from whom all my gifts and talents are derived, _I speak with tongues more than you all_ More than the whole society taken together. “Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Brethren, be not children in understanding_ By exercising the gift of tongues in the manner you do, preferring the things which make a fine show and gain applause, above things more useful and solid. This is an admirable stroke of true oratory, and was a severe reproof to the Corinthians, who pique... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the law it is written_ The law here signifies the whole Jewish Scriptures. The passage quoted is taken from Isaiah 28:11, (where see the note.) _With stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people._ And so he did: he spake terribly to them by the Babylonians, (whose language, st... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore_ Since this was formerly threatened by God as a punishment, you should not so admire or magnify it, especially since _tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe_ Not to convince, edify, or comfort the faithful; _but to them that believe not_ To unbelievers, to whom ye speak in their... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet sometimes prophecy is of more use even to unbelievers than speaking with tongues. For instance: _if the whole church be come together_ On some extraordinary occasion; (it is probable in so large a city they ordinarily met in several places;) _and all_ That are endowed with such a gift; _speak wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_How is it then_, (rather, _what a thing is it,_) _brethren?_ This was another disorder among them. _When ye come together_ For the purposes of social worship, in which all hearts should unite, each of you is desirous himself to officiate publicly in such a manner as best suits his present inclinati... [ Continue Reading ]
_If any man speak_ That is, be moved to speak; _in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or, at the most, three_ Let not above two or three speak at one meeting; _and that by course_ That is, one after another; _and let one interpret_ What is said, into the vulgar tongue. It seems, the gift of tongue... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let the prophets speak_ In succession; _two or three_ And not more, at one meeting; _and let the others judge_ And compare one doctrine with another for the further improvement of all. Or, the sense may be, _Let the others_, who have the gift of discerning spirits, διακρινετωσαν, _discern_ whether... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let your women_, &c. The last clause of the preceding verse is by some critics, and among the rest Bishop Pearce, joined with this, so as to make this sense; _as in all the churches of the saints, let your women keep silence in the churches_, namely, of Achaia. According to this reading, by _the ch... [ Continue Reading ]
_What! came the word of God out from you?_ Are ye of Corinth, the first church in the world, by whose example all others should be modelled? _Or came it unto you only?_ Are you the only Christian society that has received the true gospel? If not, conform herein to the custom of all the churches. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore, brethren_ To conclude this long discourse, and sum up the whole in a few words; _covet to prophesy_ To discourse about divine things in a way that will edify others; _and_ yet _forbid not_ Those who are willing to do it under such regulations as have now been advanced; _to speak with ton... [ Continue Reading ]