May 19, 2024 ~ Pentecost
1 Corinthians 14:13-25
“Tongue Tied”
Service Overview: It’s no secret Paul was a fan of speaking in tongues, but he was an even greater fan of things that advanced the mission of Jesus. In this text, Paul provides further insight on the gift of tongues, and in doing so, points people toward one of the greater goals of the church; helping those far from God enter the family of God.
Memory Verse for the Week:
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Hebrews 13:15 (NIV)
Background Insights:
- (v.16) The Greek word for inquirer (ἰδιώτης, idiōtēs) is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.
- The mistake the Corinthians were making was to emphasize their own personal edification to the neglect of the church. They wanted to build themselves up, but they did not want to build up their fellow believers. This attitude, of course, not only hurt the other Christians, but it also hurt the believers who were practicing it. After all, if we are all members of the same body, the way we relate to the other members must ultimately affect us personally. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 149)
- Verses 18–19 probably surprised Paul’s original readers, who may even have been criticizing him for not using glossolalia. If Paul refrains almost entirely from its public exercise, these verses surely substantiate his extensive private use of tongues as a “prayer language.” (Craig L. Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 361)
- There is a long tradition of interpreting this text as though Paul only grudgingly allowed the practice of tongues-speaking—as though he were damning this gift with faint praise and implicitly trying to root it out. Such a reading, characteristically advocated by interpreters whose own ecclesiastical traditions have no experience of the gifts about which Paul writes, fails to do justice to the specific language of the passage. What Paul actually says is that the person who speaks in tongues is praying, under the inspiration of the Spirit, to God (v. 2). In some mysterious way, this sort of prayer does spiritually build up the individual (v. 4). Paul himself prays and sings in tongues more than all of the Corinthians (v. 18) and wants all of them to enjoy this gift as well (v. 5). He gives constructive directions for how tongues might play a role in community worship (vv. 26–28) and explicitly directs that speaking in tongues should not be prohibited (v. 39). His major concern is simply to counteract the excessive valuation and undisciplined practice of tongues-speaking in the community. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 234)
Why does Paul place such a premium on understanding when it comes to worship?
- Because corporate benefit is fundamental to corporate worship.
(vv. 3, 17, 19, 23 | Rom. 1:12; 14:19; Eph. 4:12, 16; 1 Thes. 5:11; 2 Peter 1:5-8)
Just as two foreigners cannot understand each other’s language, so those speaking in tongues cannot be understood by the congregation. Thus, their speaking is not beneficial to the church. (Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 199)
- Because spiritual maturity is contingent on it.
(vv. 19-20 | 1 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:13-15; Hebrews 6:1-3 ; 2 Peter 3:18)
Spiritual maturity would never under any circumstance stress something that is non-cognitive over what is cognitive. It would never emphasize what is unintelligible over that which is intelligible (Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 270).
It cannot be overemphasized that spiritual gifts are not gifts primarily for our enjoyment but for God’s employment. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 270)
- Because the mind often serves as the checkpoint of change to the heart.
(vv. 14, 24-25 | Romans 8:5-6; 12:1-2; Philippians 4:6-8; Colossians 2:8; 1 Peter 5:8)
Truth renews the mind. Indeed, the truth which would affect the heart, which moves the heart, which changes the heart, must first enter through the vestibule of the mind if it would enter the sanctuary of the heart. The intention of truth preached is to affect the emotions and the will and the heart and the whole of our humanity…and thus preaching must come first through the mind. It makes its appeal through the mind; it enters through the mind – but it doesn’t simply stop with the mind. (John Armstrong, Feed My Sheep, 168)
There is no question that in this passage Paul is putting a premium on understanding because edification comes through the mind and through understanding (Schreiner, 1 Corinthians, 289)
- Because our mission to help those far from God draw near is dependent on it.
(vv. 22-25 | Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8 ; Romans 10:15; 1 Peter 3:15)
Verses 21–25 remind us that Christian worship must at least periodically relate directly to the unbeliever. This in turn presupposes that non-Christians will regularly be present at Christian worship, most commonly no doubt because Christian friends have invited them. Without denying the central scandal of the cross (1:18–2:5), worship leaders and participants must reflect on how they can best “package” their ministry and message so as to make Christianity attractive rather than repulsive to interested outsiders. (Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 366)
Conclusion… What cross-cultural challenges are contained in a text like this?
A. The challenge to throw off self-interest in pursuit of unity and maturity.
(Psalm 133:1; Prov. 18:1; Rom. 12:10 ; 1 Cor. 1:10; 10:24; Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Peter 3:8)
Self-serving needs are not meant to be satisfied; they are meant to be put to death. (Edward Welch, When People are Big and God is Small, 162)
Like Adam and Eve, most of the time the real object of our worship isn’t some creature out there, it’s this creature right here. In the end, my idolatry centers on me. What’s more, if I can persuade you or bully you or manipulate you, my idolatry will include you worshiping me as well. (Michael Lawrence, Biblical Theology, 135)
Living God’s way means putting away your self-centeredness and committing yourself to follow God’s Word in spite of any feelings to the contrary. (John Broger, Self-Confrontation Manual, Lesson 5, Page 5)
It is all right to be as innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but there is no place for constant immaturity in the Christian life. (Grant R. Osborne, Life Application Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians, 203)
B. The challenge for the church to be a place where the lost can understand how to become found.
(Psalm 119:130; Proverbs 18:2; 25:11; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; Hebrews 4:12)
Every generation of Christians has this problem of learning how to speak meaningfully to its own age. It cannot be solved without an understanding of the changing existential situation which it faces. If we are to communicate the Christian faith effectively, therefore, we must know and understand the thought forms of our generation. (Francis Schaeffer, Escape from Reason, 7)
While Paul did not oppose the ministry of tongues, he did try to put it into a right perspective. The issue was not quantity of words, but quality of communication. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 154)
Fervor is important, but people’s minds must be engaged in order for them to be edified. (Osborne, 200)
Clarity with the claims of Christ certainly will include the translation of the gospel into words that our hearer understands, but it doesn’t necessarily mean translating it into words that our hearer will like. Too often, advocates of relevant evangelism verge over into being advocates of irrelevant nonevangelism. A gospel that in no way offends the sinner has not been understood. (Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, 64)
Gospel Connection…
Core to our call as Jesus’ followers is making the good news and goodness of Him both knowable and known.
(Proverbs 13:17; 15:28; Isaiah 55:6-7; John 14:6; Romans 1:16-17; 10:9-13; 2 Timothy 3:16)
Evangelism is the perpetual task of the whole church, and not the peculiar hobby of certain of its members. (Wilson Carlisle, Quoted by Curtis C. Thomas, Practical Wisdom for Pastors, 176)
We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all. (Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, 112)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- What did Paul mean by the term edifying or building up the church?
- What mistake were the members of the Corinthian church making?
- How does Paul define speaking in tongues and prophecy? What is their purpose? Why is prophecy the more desirable gift?
- What role does the mind play in worship? Why is the engagement of the mind crucial to worship?
- What can we do to be mindful and communicate well with those who may be new to the faith?
Quotes to note…
On Sundays God wants us to do more than sing songs together and have wonderful worship experiences. He wants to knit the fabric of our lives together. For many, church has become all about me – what I’m learning, what I’m seeking, what I’m desperate for, what I need, how I’ve been affected, what I can do. We see ourselves as isolated individuals all seeking personal encounters with God, wherever we can find them. Sadly, this reflects our individualistic, me-obsessed culture. Rather than seeing ourselves as part of a worship community, we become worship consumers. We want worship on demand, served up in our own time, and with our own music. (Bob Kauflin, Worship Matters, 126)
Paul is correcting an error of some in the church in Corinth who were using the gift of tongues selfishly rather than selflessly—seeking to build themselves up through pride or arrogance rather than seeking to exercise the gift in a way that builds others up. Thus, we might paraphrase 1 Corinthians 14:4 this way: “The one who insists on speaking in a tongue in church without interpretation is selfishly trying to edify himself, but the one who prophesies is properly edifying the church.” (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 207)
The exercise of any spiritual gift should always be for the glorification of God, the edification of the church, and (ultimately) the evangelization of the lost. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 265)
The “unlearned” person was probably a new believer, or possibly an interested “seeker.” He could not be edified unless he understood what was being said. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 154)
The value in both charismatic and noncharismatic circles of a clear proclamation of God’s Word over and above more unusual phenomena like tongues remains indisputable. (Craig L. Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 368)
[We] must understand that Christianity is not served by mindlessness, but by the knowledge of God through the Word of God. Such knowledge engages our minds, stirs our hearts, and transforms our lives. This knowledge is personal. How is it fostered? By listening to what He says (the priority of preaching), by engaging Him in conversation (the emphasis on prayer), by spending time in His company (the need for a devotional life), and by being with others who know Him too (the need for gathered worship). This knowledge is progressive and dynamic, not static. At the end of our journey, we should still be exclaiming with Paul: “I want to know Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:2). (Alistair Begg, Made For His Pleasure, 22)
We should not allow people to see the church as a weekly service they attend to make God happy. The gathering of the church is preparation for heavenly battle. We “huddle together” for a few minutes each week to worship God together and build each other up so that each of us can more effectively run the “missional play” throughout the week. (J.D. Greear, Gaining by Losing, 106)