Are Uninterpreted Tongues A Scripturally Legitimate Feature Of Authentic Christianity?

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 3
KJV ---- But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
NIV ----- But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
NASB - But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 3 - Yet the one prophesying to humans is speaking edification, consolation, comfort.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 3

Notice the first word of this verse (v. 3) is "BUT"; and this word "But... " contrasts the thoughts expressed in Verse 2, and compares those thoughts with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 3.

Verse 3 is the exact opposite of Verse 2; by clearly understood grammatical language, one actually can communicate with mankind effectively. An interpretation of a tongue-utterance would also be understandable, like prophecy.

Prophecy is highly favored because it has the most tremendous immediate value...
It is understood!

STRENGTHENING (edification): To invigorate; confirm; establish; fortify; animate; encourage. (Intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement; enlightenment.) "Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him." -- Deut. 3:28

ENCOURAGEMENT (exhortation): The expression of approval and support - the act of giving hope. (A speech or discourse that encourages, incites, or earnestly advises.) "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone." -- 1 Thes. 5:14

COMFORT (consolation): To impart strength and hope to; to encourage; to relieve; to console; to cheer. (Strength and relief received while under affliction.) "That we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction." -- 2 Cor. 1:4

SUMMARY:
Paul says, that a believer who properly ministers a TRUE spiritual gift (Prophecy) ministers to other believers, not to some false god (An Uninterpreted [counterfeit] Tongue), and by that proper ministry (Prophecy) a believer accomplishes something spiritually and practically worthwhile, for an authentic spiritual gift is always meant to be of benefit to others.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 4
KJV ---- He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
NIV ----- He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
NASB - One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 4 - The one speaking a tongue, to (only) himself is edifying, yet the one prophesying is edifying the (called-out-ones) church (at-large).

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 4

SELF-EDIFICATION IS SATANIC! --- Read why...

Anything God will bless as a supplement, He will curse as a substitute.

This includes the acquisition and display of an uninterpreted tongue as a condition of acceptance or faith!

In the Greek text, the word "UNKNOWN" (Greek: "agnostos") does not appear in this verse and does not have a "Strong's" number attached to it, because the word "unknown" does not appear anywhere in Ch. 14.

Since, as a huge number Charismatic Pentecostals have affirmed, uninterpreted and non-grammatical utterances produce great and wonderful physical and emotional feelings in themselves, then THAT very effect, alone, should be sufficient to warn any Scripturally literate and spiritually mature authentic Christian (who truly resides IN Christ Jesus) that both the uninterpreted utterances and the resultant physical and emotional feelings emanate from and are derived from man's OWN, natural, human spirit. (Re: Verse 2 of this chapter.)

The result is SELF edification with no eternal perspective; producing only immediate rewards in the here-and-now (those wonderful physical and emotional feelings are your ONLY reward), producing nothing eternal. SELF edification yields nothing but spiritual wood, hay and stubble that will not survive the believer's "Bema Seat" judgment. (Rom. 14:10; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10)

Spiritual gifts were never given for self-gratification, self-satisfaction or self-edification (which is spiritual masturbation), while spiritual gifts ARE intended for service and ministry to others. We are never to think we are doing God's Will in seeking to serve self.

Self-edifiers had best read God's Word and understand the mind of the Lord concerning James 1:22-27; followed by Matthew 6:1-8. Christ Jesus said we are to deny self in order to be enabled to take up our own version of His cross daily.

Paul is not praising, advocating, tolerating or authorizing SELF edification specifically because uninterpreted babbling and jabbering produces great or wonderful feelings and emotions in ONLY the speaker.

Anyone who believes and teaches that this verse (v. 4) encourages, justifies or permits SELF edification has their beliefs and teachings rooted more in their OWN wishes and desires rather than having their beliefs and teachings rooted in God's Word, Will and Ways. And, such erroneous beliefs and teachings, combined with the Charismatic Pentecostal doctrine of spirit-baptism AFTER Salvation, are really "ANOTHER" gospel; a "DIFFERENT" gospel; not truly a Gospel at all.

A lack of Holy Spirit-guided understanding of God's Word, and a resultant lack of Holy Spirit-guided spiritual discernment, is the root cause of believing and teaching the validity of an uninterpreted or babble tongue. What most people know about Christ Jesus has been learned from other people who don't really know Him (either well, or personally) through His ENTIRE Word, Witness, Testimony and Counsel. Even many overtly "Religious" and "Churched" people-of-faith don't personally know Christ Jesus through His Word. And quite a few who do know Him still don't know Him entirely well at all because they don't know His ENTIRE Word.

Since Charismatic Pentecostals want to meet God on their OWN selfish spiritual terms, in their OWN self-centered way; please reflect, for a moment, on Matthew 11:25-30: Pleasing self, seeking happiness and satisfaction in self, is a very heavy spiritual burden.

Also, questing for more, greater and ever-higher spirituality is an even heavier burden. Burdensome yokes can be pleasures, possessions, power or wealth; but the truly hard yokes involve human-generated spirituality, religiosity (church-i-anity), worthless ceremonies, powerless rituals, suspect sacraments and man-made traditions; plus false, aberrant or heretical doctrines.

Christ Jesus frees us from all those natural, humanly-devised burdens and yokes, for His burden was to please The Father and His yoke was to redeem fallen mankind. He makes it perfectly clear that it is far easier to please God than it is to successfully and continuously please your self.

If you take-up His burden and yoke, which are light and easy, He will give you rest for your soul beginning in the here-and-now. In THAT rest, you will not seek or need an uninterpreted tongue; you will, instead, cross-over to God's authorized form of higher spirituality, where the Holy Spirit prays FOR YOU (on your behalf, NOT through you!) with spiritual groanings which no human could ever utter.

Spiritual groanings from God's Holy Spirit are NOT audible!
(See: Romans 8:26-27)

By comparison,
the spiritual fantasy-land of modern Charismatic Pentecostalism
is woefully infantile and amateurish.

REFLECT ON THESE SCRIPTURES:
Isaiah 14:12-14 - A focus on self is Satanic.
John 16:12-14 - The Holy Spirit focuses on Christ Jesus; glories and exalts only Him; prays to only Him.
Psalms 19:7-8 - God's Word (properly understood) convicts, coaches, cultivates and compensates.
Psalms 34:8 - Taste the Word of the Lord to see that it is good.
1 Thess. 4:13-18 - Sorrow not, even as others who have no hope... so comfort one another with these words.
Psalms 47:7 - We are commanded to praise God with understanding.
1 Cor. 14:15 - Pray and sing in the spirit with use of the mind.

The onus is on Charismatic Pentecostals to change their focus away from self, because the propriety of "Religious" self-edification is both a myth and a lie. The concept of self-edification flies in the face of passages like Matthew 6:1-8; and other Scriptural admonitions to be humble, or to deny self in order to be enabled to take-up your cross daily.

Here, in verse 4, Paul is not recommending or encouraging the use of an uninterpreted tongue for the purpose of self-edification, as many Charismatic Pentecostals are duped and suckered into eagerly believing. Paul is condemning the corruption of a valid spiritual gift (corruption by a lack of interpretation), and condemning the violation of the God-given purpose of interpreted tongues (violation by edification of only the speaker), because self-edification has a negative connotation throughout Scripture. (See: Isaiah 14:12-14)  

In 1 Cor. 8:10; the same Greek word used elsewhere for "edify" refers to strengthening the conscience to do evil.

In 1 Cor. 10:24; Paul says not to seek your own good (edification), but seek the good (edification) of your neighbor.

This is why the book of First Corinthians must be viewed and understood as a whole.

Knowing that the ENTIRE Book Of First Corinthians is corrective in nature, the evidence of Paul's meaning for Chapters 12 through 14 (against any uninterpreted tongue) is made abundantly clear in that context.

SUMMARY:
Paul's statement that an Uninterpreted (counterfeit) Tongue edifies only the speaker is biting sarcasm because he also says that the authentic Tongues have interpretation leading to full understanding by others, which understanding verifies that the interpreted Tongues are actually God-given and not bogus fakery.

And, he says that to believe that spiritual self-edification is a good-thing is to take a step backward from Christianity into pagan heathenism. For to suppose (imagine) that a self-styled Uninterpreted Babble-Tongue has some make-believe devotional use is entirely delusional according to Paul, no matter what ancient, paganistic, heathenistic myths and fables today's Charismatic Pentecostals falsely preach and teach.

In spite of the fact that today's Charismatic Pentecostals have completely re-written this chapter of the Bible, engaging in Scripture-twisting in order to make these Verses seem to say the exact opposite of what they actually mean, Paul says that an Uninterpreted Tongue was never intended by God. By falsely preaching and teaching the spiritual validity of an Uninterpreted Babble-Tongue, Charismatic Pentecostals are preaching and teaching ANOTHER (different) Gospel.

The natural, human, flesh-fed level of spiritual satisfaction attained by the abuse of an Uninterpreted (counterfeit) Tongue is self-satisfaction derived from pride-induced emotion and is not derived from authentic, God-given, spiritual blessing, according to Paul. He says that an Uninterpreted Tongue is illegitimate and self-centered, producing nothing more than a super-saint, holier-than-thou, spiritually-prideful attitude in foolish, flesh-focused, short-cut-seeking, spiritistically-inclined believers.

Whereas, unselfishly, the believer who authentically Prophesies edifies others, ministering FOR God. Not attempting a misdirected ministry TO God in some make-believe, beautiful, heavenly, spiritual, prayer-language understood by no one, neither angels nor even God Himself. Paul makes it clear that prophecy accomplishes what an Uninterpreted Tongue can never accomplish, the edification of others.

Today's speakers in an Uninterpreted (counterfeit) Tongue glory in the lack of interpretation(s) and do not care that no one understands, not even themselves. They shamelessly delude themselves into believing that God understands and they willfully fantasize that a lack of interpretation validates the spiritual authenticity of their Uninterpreted Tongue...

.... eagerly believing the exact OPPOSITE of what these Scriptural passages teach.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 5
KJV ---- I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
NIV ----- I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
NASB - Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 5 - I am willing you speak tongues, rather that you may be prophesying, greater the one prophesying than one speaking tongues, unless he may interpret, that the (called-out-ones) church (at-large) may be getting edification.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 5

The identifying mark of a counterfeit spiritual tongue-gift is the lack of interpretation.

Notice, most especially, what this verse declares about interpretation and edification; for, it is the modern uninterpreted tongue movement (along with Charismatic Pentecostalism's bastard offspring, the "Word-Of-Faith" movement) that is sweeping and rampaging over disturbed humanity. All types of "Religiously" oriented, but un-Scriptural, people are finding that talking in an uninterpreted or gibberish tongue is the rage (rave), the "IN" thing.

From so-called Christians, to Roman Catholic devotees of the Virgin Mary, to demon-possessed people, to mentally-challenged people, to heathenistic tribalists, to shamanistic witch-doctors, to spiritistic mediums, they all can AND DO! speak in an uninterpreted or gibberish tongue.

Paul says that the tongue-talker should be able to interpret his own utterance, or else he should prophesy in a known human language to obtain the required edification of others, even church-wide.

Here (v. 5), the depreciation of all tongues was not Paul's intention, he only wished to depreciate the uninterpreted or gibberish tongue because it was of no use in edifying anyone other than the jabbering tongue-talker. (See: vv. 2, and 4) Paul did not discourage truly God-given tongues (an authentic spiritual gift), for not only did interpretations of God-given tongues demonstrate their validity but, by analyzing the content of the interpretation, the quality of being able to edify others proved that God was actually moving in that congregation through His Holy Spirit.

In Paul's personal opinion, he imagined it would be a good thing if all true possessors of genuine salvation could be enabled to speak in God-given interpreted tongues. But, keep the thought clearly in your mind that Paul personally felt that un-married Christians should all practice celibacy also. (Re: 1 Cor. 7:7). Just don't try to develop a large ministry centered on the celibacy concept.

The only things about which Charismatic Pentecostals are universally complying-with among themselves are the very opposites of the things Paul taught and advocated:

• Paul insisted that interpreted tongues could be as equally exalted as was genuine prophecy.

But, what do Charismatic Pentecostal tongue-talkers do today?
They ecstatically babble and jabber unintelligible gibberish.

• Paul proclaimed that interpretations and the resultant edification of others validated and authenticated any manifestation of a tongues-gift as being actually and truly God-given, as being "Of God".

But, what do Charismatic Pentecostal tongue-talkers do today?
They perform an invalid and inauthentic charade because they freely and openly admit that they use their uninterpreted or gibberish tongue in order to edify themselves with great and wonderful feelings.

Charismatic Pentecostals feel neither ashamed nor selfish in their self-edification, and since this is absolutely contrary (diametrically opposed) to Paul's teaching, this Charismatic Pentecostal practice must be considered to be outside the pale of authentic Holy Spirit-filled Christianity. (Re: Commentary on v. 4 - "Self-Edification")

It is mystifying how Charismatic Pentecostals can enthusiastically engage in such a spiritually spurious practice as self-edification when Scripture militates so very earnestly against that practice. It is not as if God's Word is silent on the subject, and the explanation is that individual Charismatic Pentecostals either "lack knowledge" or they have "had their consciences seared, as with a hot iron".

Charismatic Pentecostals either don't know or they don't care that the doctrines of spirit-baptism after salvation and babble-for-devotions are Charismatic Pentecostal lies.

Personal edification and exhilaration were never a reason for the exercise of spiritual gifts. For what, after all, is so spiritual about pleasing one's self? Were Christians not instructed to deny ourselves to be eligible to take-up our cross daily and follow Christ Jesus?

Just like the concept of loving only those who love you,
self-induced ecstatic euphoria is a devotional feature of lost pagan heathens.
 

It is quite obvious that the meaning of this verse is another one of the many Biblical passages that are totally ignored by Charismatic Pentecostals. Their spiritistic and mediumistic practices violate this portion (Ch. 14) of the Word Of God at every turn; and, whether Charismatic Pentecostals are pitifully deluded dupes or willfully rebellious shills, it is simply shameful and entirely unrighteous that Charismatic Pentecostals CLAIM to be spiritually anointed Christians without having possession of the God-given spiritual power to both acknowledge and obey God's Word.

For it is because Charismatic Pentecostals are not being conformed, by God, to His Word that this is the foremost indicator that God's Holy Spirit is not present in Charismatic Pentecostal ecstatic, non-grammatical utterances, their uninterpreted or gibberish tongue.

SUMMARY:
The Apostle Paul expresses his personal wish that believers who are desperately questing-after the Tongues-Gift and engaging in bogus fakery (An Uninterpreted Tongue) would receive from God the authentic Interpreted-Tongues-Gift, so that they would see the difference and be ashamed of their make-believe, natural, human, fleshy, imitation, counterfeit babble-tongue.

Back in 1 Cor. 7:8-9; Paul expressed his personal wish that all believers who were not (currently) married would remain celibate (for authentic spiritual-enhancement purposes), like himself. While eschewing Paul's call to enhanced spirituality via celibacy, those drawn to jabbering gibberish in an Uninterpreted Tongue (today) whole-heartedly embrace what they mistakenly perceive as Paul's recommendation that all believers should receive the Tongues-Gift.

This mistaken attitude betrays their flesh-driven, natural, human, spiritistic urges, the same flesh-driven, natural, human urges that compel them to refuse embracing the spiritual benefits of celibacy among the un-married.

Paul says he would prefer they prophesy, that Church-wide edification would be realized by both prophecy and interpreted-tongues, and that a tongue was never to be exercised without interpretation.

Paul says that the identifying mark of a counterfeit tongue is the lack of interpretation.

SUMMARY - VERSES 1 -THRU- 5

Now, WHAT? could possibly be more clear and concise?

Verse 1 - Pursue love, not gifts, and God will endow you (in HIS Way) with the much-desired spirituality you seek.
Verse 2 - No one, NOT EVEN GOD understands mysterious gibberish emanating from man's own, natural, human spirit
Verse 3 - An authentic spiritual gift is always meant to be of benefit to others than your self.
Verse 4 - The one uttering mysterious gibberish edifies only them self, this is not God's plan or intention.
Verse 5 - A tongue was never to be exercised without interpretation. The identifying marks of a counterfeit spiritual tongue-gift is the lack of interpretation and the lack of edification of others.

Standing alone, these five verses fully and sufficiently discredit the Charismatic Pentecostal practice of an uninterpreted tongue. The remainder of Chapter 14 simply adds more weight and emphasis to Paul's basic instructions: Prophecy is best; self-edification is wrong; an uninterpreted tongue is not "of God"; congregational or Church-wide edification is an absolute requirement.

Edification means growth toward Christian maturity and growth toward mortal spiritual perfection, the building-up of the spiritual wealth and treasure of others. Here, edification is neither great and wonderful physical or emotional feelings in your self, nor happiness and acceptance on the part of others because you have ecstatically babbled some uninterpreted, non-grammatical gibberish.

1 - Once you actually receive empowerment directly from God to exercise the spiritual gift of prophecy, and if you actually possess God's "Agape" love, you will prophesy in an intelligible language. Once you are spiritually endowed at your born-again conversion, go ahead and desire to be authentically spiritually empowered. Then, favor prophecy!

2 - When you babble unintelligible gibberish, not even God knows if you uttered anything meaningful at all. When no one can reveal the meaning of your utterance through an interpretation, it means your utterance has no relevance to the Church. Mankind's OWN, natural, human spirit is capable of imitating the genuine Tongues-Gift by uttering uninterpretable jabberings that will never be interpreted, by either God or man, because they are meaningless prattle in their origin; i.e. they did not originate with God, and can never edify due to their eternal meaninglessness.

3 - Clearly understandable and scripturally accurate prophecy is much preferred for its genuine edifying qualities.

4 - An uninterpreted gibberish tongue is only SELF-edifying and is labeled as worthless for true Godly spiritual growth. Prophecy is capable of edifying entire congregations and the Church-at-large, which is God's Will and Way.

5 - Since many of the ancient Corinthians wished to possess the authentic Tongues-Gift, and since quite a few of them had retained their former pagan practice of uttering uninterpreted and unintelligible babbling during ecstatic states; Paul expressed his own personal wish that all Corinthians who desire authentic Tongues would wait to get them from God, instead of endowing themselves with an imitation spiritual gift, a gibberish-tongue which has no part in the Church because of its pagan (natural) origin. And, because an uninterpreted and unintelligible gibberish-tongue is not from God they are not capable of being interpreted.

Without a scripturally accurate interpretation that righteously edifies the entire congregation by building-up their spiritual wealth and treasure toward Christian spiritual maturity, an uninterpreted tongue is invalid and inauthentic; an uninterpreted tongue is not "Of God" and cannot withstand the scrutiny of truth!

If Charismatic Pentecostals really believe in an uninterpreted and unintelligible gibberish-tongue, despite what Paul clearly states here, they have become turned-on to a poor counterfeit of authentic Christianity. This is the difference between a "Said" (claimed) faith and a "Real" (saving) faith, for Charismatic Pentecostals have compromised THE Faith that was delivered unto the Saints of the earliest Christian Church.

All of this (the commentary on vv. 1-5, above) is:

WHY YOU MUST KNOW THE ENTIRE WORD OF GOD

When Christ Jesus was made manifest on earth 2,000+ years ago, as "Immanuel" (God among us), all the scriptural (Torah, Tanakh) scholars and reverently devout Israelites, who KNEW! what their own Holy Scriptures said, should have been lurking-about in Bethlehem (Beit-Lechem); and should have been checking-out all pregnant women who were of the House Of David; who were residents of Nazareth (Nat-ser'et); and who were about to give birth shortly after Yom Kippur (precisely, on 15 Tishri; the High Holy Day and Annual High Sabbath that is the first day of The Feast Of Tabernacles, or Sukk'ot).

At the very least, those Torah scholars and reverently devout Israelites who KNEW the prophecies and the times should have been waiting for news from Bethlehem, because in Scripture they had all the information needed to keep an annual watch to see when the predicted conditions and events would be fulfilled in one Israelite woman and her male-child.

Most especially, when Rabbis arrived in Jerusalem from Babylon (the so-called "Wise-Men", the ones in Matthew, Chapter 2, that non-Israelite pagans mistakenly refer to as "The 3 Kings"), asking where they could see the new-born "King Of The Jews", those Hebrew Priests who were at Herod's side (priests who correctly identified Bethlehem) should have gone with those Rabbis (who had seen a sign in the heavens) to find and worship the prophesied Messiah. It has been suggested that those Levitical Priests in Herod's court had no excuse for not hopping on the backs of those sojourner's camels to go to Bethlehem along with the Babylonian Rabbis.

Hebrew prophets foresaw the coming of Messiah, they foresaw the "Day Of The Lord", they foresaw the "Millennial Kingdom", and they foresaw the eternal "Glory" to follow. Hebrew prophets looked through the darkness of a stubborn, prideful and spiritually rebellious nation to the dawn of a new era. In that night of sin, those Hebrew prophets foresaw the light of a coming Saviour and Sovereign.

THIS! is why you must know ALL! of God's Word, Witness, Testimony and Counsel.

THIS! is why being a "New-Testament-only babe-in-Christ" leaves you at a scriptural and spiritual disadvantage, which is neither mortal Christian maturity nor mortal spiritual perfection.

THIS! is why an uninterpreted tongue is forbidden as not being "Of God"; because the message of the Hebrew prophets must be understood (interpreted properly) before an application of the Kingdom in the New Covenant can be attained. The correct perspective of the Kingdom, as explained by God, must be gained through the eyes of the Hebrew prophets; and this is also why you must know "The Law And The Prophets" which Christ Jesus proclaimed He has come to fulfill.

Individual Christians - YOU! - absolutely, positively MUST! know the ENTIRE! Word Of God!

The Apostle Paul unequivocally focuses on (harps on) the necessity of group-edification if any interpreted tongues are to be accepted as being "Of God"; and, with extreme prejudice, Paul disallows self-edification completely. Scriptural (group) edification means building-up the spiritual wealth and treasure of entire congregations along with the whole extended Church-at-large; a growing-up in God's grace, in His Word, progressing on toward mortal Christian spiritual maturity and perfection.

Just as the content of prophecy is analyzed to see if it lines-up with the Word Of God, the content of the interpretation of a tongue is to be similarly analyzed. Unless and until one KNOWS! God's entire Word, one is neither able nor eligible to rightly divide God's Word; and this partial (or, complete lack of) knowledge of God's Word is where errors, heresies, sects and cults find their source and origin. When one does not KNOW! enough of God's Word, and when one is unable to recognize errors and heresies on sight, one will end-up tolerating, accepting and believing errors and heresies in one's OWN "Religious" practices.

It is a pity that so many (too many!) scriptural and spiritual "babes" are brought into the Charismatic Pentecostal sect and are taught Charismatic Pentecostal doctrine BEFORE they can discern truth by God's Word. Those Christian "babes" are propagandized to believe in an uninterpreted tongue and to believe in spirit-baptism; those "babes" will, then, seek to justify such beliefs with narrowly selected scripture passages, for it is human nature to want to stick-with and confirm your first profound beliefs. The urge to resist change is quite powerfully strong, yet God asks you to change your way of thinking to His way of thinking. (Romans 12:1-3)

______________
From: John 17:3; "This is eternal life, that they (the disciples) may (can) know You (God, The Father), the only true (living) God, and (can also know) Jesus Christ whom You (God) have sent." Literal Expanded Version (LEV)

Knowing God IS! eternal life! (John 17:3) God's Word stresses knowledge and understanding, scripture focuses on "KNOWING" God so that you will be enabled to conform to His Will and Ways; so that you will know and believe His promises; so that you will perceive His power and His determination to accomplish his ends.

_______________
From: John 17:17; "Sanctify them (the disciples) in the (God's) truth; Your (God's) word is (the) truth." (LEV)

God's forgiveness of your sins cleanses you from the sin of Adam and makes you fit for sanctification, but it is only God's Word that sanctifies you (sets you apart from the world even while you are still in the world) for His Holy use in witnessing the Gospel of the Resurrection, and sets you apart for truly acceptable worship and prayer. (See, also: John 17:19; 1 John 1:7; and Eph. 5:26)

______________
From: John 15:3: "You (the disciples) are already clean because of the (God's) word which I (Christ Jesus) have spoken to you (the disciples)." (LEV)

Before the cross, before Pentecost (not just at some future time), those who had heard and believed Christ Jesus were sanctified, and had developed a genuine purity of heart toward The Father, God.

______________
From: John 15:7: "If (and only if) you (the disciples) abide (spiritually) in Me (Christ Jesus), and (only if) My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (LEV) - (Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7)

_______________
From: John 15:20: (Last part) ".... if they (other hearers) kept My (Christ Jesus') word, they will keep yours (the disciples words) also." (LEV)

_______________
From: John 15:26: "When the Helper (The Holy Spirit) comes, whom I (Christ Jesus) will send to you from the Father (God), that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He (The Holy Spirit) will testify about Me (Christ Jesus)," (LEV)

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 6
KJV ---- Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
NIV ----- Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
NASB - But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 6 - Yet now brothers, if ever I may be coming toward you tongue-speaking, what shall I be benefiting if ever not (to you) I should be speaking either revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in teaching?

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 6

Notice the pregnant "IF" (".... if I come...")

"IF" means: "SUPPOSE, even if... "

Here, "IF" proposes an hypothetical supposition, wherein Paul illustrates clearly that an uninterpreted tongue has no value at all and is scorned.

Paul is showing that an uninterpreted tongue is worthless and useless in the Church, and that there is no warrant anywhere is Scripture to establish either an uninterpreted or gibberish tongue as a form of praise and worship of God.
(See: Psalms 47:7 - We are commanded to praise God with understanding.)

Consider the entire content of verses 1-5, as you also consider what, exactly, Paul means to convey with the opening declaration (in v. 6) " Now, brothers... " Paul expects the reader to digest the information in verses 1-5, where he has established edification as absolutely paramount, and the reader is to realize that verse 6 reinforces verses 1-5, showing that edification through either prophecy or the valid interpretation of an authentic tongues-gift is fully required.

Then, in verses 7-8, Paul clarifies the utter uselessness and meaninglessness of an uninterpreted tongue; for without producing SOME revelation, knowledge, prophecy or instruction, an uninterpreted tongue is as worthless as are untuned or uncoordinated musical instruments (v. 7), or as worthless as is a trumpet blast without a clear meaning and purpose attached to its call (v. 8).

SUMMARY:
Even an apostle can not edify unless he is understood by his hearers. Paul explains that when he exhibits the authentic tongues-gift (from God), before any interpretation is given his words are as meaningless as the Uninterpreted (counterfeit) tongue. But that by God-given interpretation of the authentic tongues-gift, revelation, knowledge, prophesying, or doctrine are provided to the spiritual benefit of hearers.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 7
KJV ---- And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
NIV ----- Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?
NASB - Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 7 - Likewise, soul-less things giving sound, whether flute or lyre, if ever distinction to the utterances not it may be giving, how shall it be being known the (music of the) fluting or the lyreing?

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 7

Notice the first word of this verse (v. 7) is "EVEN" (Likewise); and this word "Even... " ties together the thoughts expressed in Verse 6, and combines those thoughts with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 7.

Melody, harmony and rhythm all make music out of what would have been discordant sounds that are meaningless, horrible sounds that can be highly offensive to both tender and brutish sensibilities alike.

Without melody, harmony and rhythm, musical instruments are as worthless at communicating meaning as are any uninterpreted tongue.

And, how will you ever solve the dilemma of the discordant, meaningless, horrible sounds; or of the uninterpreted tongue?

SUMMARY:
Paul utilizes the fact that all things can be made to give-off distinctive and recognizable sounds to illustrate that an Uninterpreted (counterfeit) tongue is bogus fakery precisely because it cannot be understood.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 8
KJV ---- For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
NIV ----- Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?
NASB - For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 8 - Also, for if ever unevident (dubious) trumpet sound may be giving, who shall (bother to) be preparing himself for battle?

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 8

Notice the first word of this verse (v. 8) is "AGAIN" (Also); and this word "Again... " repeats the thoughts expressed in Verse 7, and emphasizes those thoughts together (again) with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 8.

Should a trumpeter edify only himself with strange (new, unknown) tunes, tones and cadences; no one else knows (or cares about) the meaning of the trumpet blast, and will not react appropriately or respond favorably.

At best, the unclearness of the trumpet blast would produce only alarmed confusion; at worst, it would produce no reaction at all beyond the acknowledgment of having heard a strange and unknown series of sounds issue forth from a trumpet. One might think that a trainee trumpeter was attempting to learn to sound calls and alarms, but cannot yet hit any correct tones, sounds or series of notes which would produce meaningful reactions.

In Palms 47:5; 1 Cor. 15:52; and 1 Thes. 4:16; God's shout is the sound of a trumpet.
In Rev. 1:10; The glorified Christ Jesus' voice is as a trumpet.

Without a clearly discernible call, a trumpet is as worthless as is an uninterpreted tongue.

SUMMARY:
For without distinctive and recognizable sounds there is no comprehension at all.

SUMMARY - VERSES 6 -THRU- 8

Paul is laying it on heavier as he builds his case against an uninterpreted tongue.

6 - When your uninterpreted tongue does not bring some revelation; or some knowledge; or some prophecy; or some teaching, it is worthless and useless in the Church.
7 - Even lifeless musical instruments must make distinguishable sounds which are melodious, harmonious and rhythmic to produce true music. The discordant clamor of an orchestra tunning-up is like an uninterpreted tongue.
8 - A call to battle must be a clear distinctive call, or it will be misunderstood --- even ignored.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 9
KJV ---- So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
NIV ----- So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
NASB - So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 9 - Thus also you. Through the tongue, if ever no intelligible expression you may be giving, how shall it be being known the (thing) being spoken? You shall be into air talking.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 9

One of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith is the fact that Charismatic Pentecostals can read and absorb vv. 1-8, here, and then attempt to sneak past this verse (v. 9) while they continue to embarrass themselves in trying to ignore this verse, and in continuing to desperately find some justification for the use of an uninterpreted tongue in their imagined praise and worship of God despite the existence of THIS verse.

The facts expressed in Verse 9 are highly disturbing to those Charismatic Pentecostals whom are serenely comfortable with their uninterpreted devotional-tongue, and the Charismatic Pentecostal remedy is to ignore verse 9.

Notice the first words of this verse (v. 9) are "SO IT IS WITH YOU." (Thus also you.); and these words tie together the thoughts expressed in Verses 6, 7, 8; they combine those thoughts together with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 9.

And, notice the next word of this verse (v. 9) is "UNLESS" (except); and this word "Unless... " focuses on the thoughts expressed in Verses 6, 7, 8; and those thoughts are emphasized by these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 9.

And, also, notice the first word of the question asked in the middle (v. 9) is "HOW"; and this word "how... " reminds one of the thoughts expressed in Verses 6, 7, 8; and that those thoughts are applied to these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 9.

This verse (v. 9) is a very pleasant and gentle way to label uninterpreted tongue-talkers as over-blown, loud-mouthed wind-bags; as purveyors of purposeless prattle.

God, speaking to Job, asked:
"Who is this that darkens my counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38:1)

Our darkening the counsels of God's wisdom with our folly is a great provocation to God. Humble faith and sincere obedience see farthest and best into the will of the Lord. (Job 38:4-11)

A large number of scripturally deficient "babes" (spiritual novices), in the Christian Church-at-large, are perfectly willing to fall for anything that seems somewhat (or slightly) spiritual in order to have a "Religious" experience which they imagine to be highly spiritual. If their experience actually is spiritual (rather than, likely, just emotional), their experience is not necessarily from God's Holy Spirit unless their experience proves to be fully scriptural.

This verse (v. 9), combined with the previous seven verses (vv. 2-8), establishes truly solid confirmation and assurance that an uninterpreted tongue is not scriptural. According to these eight verses, an uninterpreted tongue emanates from man's own, natural, human spirit, NOT from God's Holy Spirit; that an uninterpreted tongue is NOT "Of God" in Paul's anointed opinion.

Using either an uninterpreted language-tongue or an unintelligible gibberish-tongue, Charismatic Pentecostals only speak to God in their imaginations while they speak into the air purposeless prattle in an ecstatic frenzy induced by delusional wishful-thinking.

Self-delusion and wishful-thinking was, once, solely the purview of children and fools.

There is no excuse for scripturally astute Christians to obstinately insist on engaging in unscriptural spiritual practices. There is no excuse for a hard-headed, hard-hearted and self-centered attitude of widespread spiritual individualism. There is also no excuse for those Christians whom are scripturally proficient to act as shills for unscriptural "Religious" doctrines, thereby duping scripturally deficient Christian "babes" into a sectarian side-track which leaves those Christian "babes" stagnant, ingrown spiritual novices.

The purpose of God's Word is to bring about a Christian believer's transformation into a spiritually pure, Holy and acceptable "Living" (Levitical) sacrifice by the renewal of the believer's mind, so that believers will have the mind of Christ Jesus. The Word Of God is not only for a believer's comfort and aggrandizement, but it mainly is for a believer's righteousness and holiness.

Once one actually HAS! the positional and practical righteousness and holiness provided by (and in) God's entire Word, one can easily feel secure, comfortable and fulfilled. Once one enters into the promise of God's Kingdom, as an heir (as a son), one enters into God's rest; and in God's rest, tongues are non-existent because they are unnecessary.

SUMMARY:
In the same way as expressed in vv. 6-8, you Christian believers, unless you display the authentic tongues-gift (from God), along with the legitimate (God-given) interpretation, how will any other believer understand and be edified? Otherwise, you are an embarrassment to yourself, an embarrassment to the church-at-large and an embarrassment to Christ Jesus.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 10
KJV ---- There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
NIV ----- Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
NASB - There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 10 - So many, if so it be happening, breeds (species) of sounds (voices) there are in world (system) and nothing unsound (unknown).

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 10

WORDS MEAN THINGS!

Notice the word "voices" (Greek: phóné = G5456) meaning sounds (or noises, utterances) is used in this verse (v. 10), and not the word "languages" (Greek: glosse).

An uninterpreted language-tongue and an unintelligible gibberish-tongue mean nothing; they are not spiritually significant.

Paul claims to know of NO! unknown sounds (utterances, even languages); for all of the many there are in the world have meaning, importance, consequence, significance, they all make sense in their own way. Even all of the grammatical languages are fully interpretable, but not so unintelligible babble and fabricated gibberish.

And, just in case you imagine (fantasize) that 1 Corinthians 13:1; refers to a heavenly language of angels, keep in mind that Paul never claimed to know of its actual existence. Paul said: "Suppose, even if I spoke in the language of men and angels... ". Paul hypothetically proposed that any righteous works he managed to accomplish without being empowered to do them by God's own "Agape" love were worthless; a waste of time; spiritual wood, hay and stubble that would be burned-up at the "Bema Seat" judgment.

Paul never said that there actually was a "Real" language of angels, he simply proposed the supposition that EVEN IF there were a heavenly language, and EVEN IF Paul could speak that heavenly language as a so-called tongue, that hypothetical language of angels would have no righteous effect on anyone (even Paul) without Paul being endowed with God's Holy Spirit and empowered to speak by God's "Agape" love as Paul's sole motivation.

1 Corinthians 13:1; is only designed to illustrate that humans can be SELF-endowed with eternally worthless, meaningless imitations of God's genuinely authentic spiritual gifts; showing that humans can perform "Religious" works without God's power, approval or leading; and that those SELF-endowed gifts or works are entirely unrighteous.

Matthew 7:15-29; shows that anyone can claim to work miracles in Christ Jesus' Name, even while unsaved. This verse (v. 10), specifically refers only to meaningful human vocal sounds which are in the world (on the earth), yet nowhere in scripture do we find angels communicating in a heavenly language; and, specifically, not with or among humans.

To believe in such an heavenly (spiritual) language of angels is to believe in fantasy while, mentally, residing in a delusional Charismatic Pentecostal dream-world.

DREAMERS BEWARE:
The stronger the imagination the MORE realistic the result of dreaming. And, the dreamer with a very strong imagination ends-up living in a dream-world of SELF-delusion!

SUMMARY:
All languages have distinction and meaning.
Legitimate words mean things, while illegitimate babbling and jabbering-in-gibberish are meaningless.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 11
KJV ---- Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
NIV ----- If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.
NASB - If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 11 - If ever, then, no I may be perceiving the ability (power, importance) of the sounds, I shall be to the one talking barbarian, and the one speaking, in me barbarian.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 11

ALL UNINTERPRETED TONGUES ARE, EFFECTIVELY, BABBLE-TONGUES!

Notice the pregnant "IF" ("If then..." or "If ever, then...") "IF" means: "Suppose, even if... ?"

Here, "IF" proposes an hypothetical supposition, wherein Paul illustrates clearly that an uninterpreted tongue has no value at all and is scorned as barbarity.

Again, notice the word "voices" (Greek: phóné = G5456) meaning sounds (or noises, utterances) is used in this verse (v. 11), and not the word "languages" (Greek: glosse).

Paul declares ecstatic non-grammatical utterances to be a practice of pagan heathen barbarians.

In 1 Corinthians 12:2; Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of their recent pagan past, and that ecstatic non-grammatical utterances - an uninterpreted gibberish tongue - had once been part of their pagan heathen "Religious" practices.

SUMMARY:
Paul insists that barbarity does not edify, it repulses. And, Paul confirms that an uninterpreted tongue is foreign (barbaric) to the hearers, that an uninterpreted tongue is NOT "Of God".

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 12
KJV ---- Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
NIV ----- So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
NASB - So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 12 - Thus also you, since zealots you are of (being) spiritual, toward the edification of the (called-out-ones) church (at-large) be you seeking that you may be exceeding (bountiful).

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 12

EDIFY THE CHURCH: Edify others in the Church with your spirituality, DO NOT SEEK TO EDIFY YOUR SELF!

The opening words: "Even so ye" - "So it is with you." - "So also you" - "Thus also you"; refer back to verse 11; barbarians who cannot be understood and cannot edify members of the Church. Paul instructs that you should not act like barbarians.

The Greek word for "GIFTS" (Greek: "charisma") does not appear in this verse.

The Greek word used is "SPIRITS" (Greek: "pneuma"), referring to "spiritual things" (spirituality) in a very broad and general sense.

This verse confirms that 1 Cor. 12:31; does not encourage or justify impatient self-endowment of showy, more flamboyant, displays of spirituality. For Paul says that the "more excellent way" to practice authentic, God-given spirituality is to restrict and subdue the overwhelming urge to impatiently self-endow a highly desired, specific spiritual gift which God has NOT (yet) bestowed upon you.

1 Corinthians 12:31
"But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way." (NASB)

Throughout 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14, Paul makes it abundantly clear that PROPHECY is the "more excellent way".

Also, 1 Cor. 1:7; makes clear that Corinthian believers already possessed God-given, Holy Spirit-assigned spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 1:7
".... you are not lacking in any gift... " (NASB)

While you are encouraged to desire spirituality, once you have already become spiritually endowed there is no warrant for or need to have spiritually endowed and gifted saints seeking additional (highly desired) spiritual gifts that God has NOT (yet) granted. You must, first, develop and use that first spiritual gift God has selected and assigned so that you can be empowered (energized) to help build-up the spiritual wealth and treasure of others than your self.

If you are not a good custodian of your initial spiritual gift, God will not bestow on you any additional spiritual empowerment.

Remember that there is no inherent harm in a desire to be spiritual,
as long as you let God direct and control your spiritual development.

You are to desire God's "REAL" Holy Spirituality, not an imitation,
not that natural spirituality which humans can easily produce and display.

It is OK! to desire authentic spirituality, and most especially that you should desire to authentically prophesy. Christians are to continuously desire to be authentically spiritual, and most especially that Christians are to continuously desire to authentically prophesy.

The main problem that Paul addresses in Corinth, is that these recently converted Corinthians, who are "new-born Christian babes", lack spiritual discernment:

1 Corinthians 12:1
"Now concerning spiritual things (spirituality), brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant (buffoons)." (LEV)
[The word "GIFTS" (Greek: "charisma") is not in the text of the original Greek manuscripts.]

And, here, Paul insists that the Christian Corinthians are selfishly and indiscriminately seeking ANY spiritual contact possible. Since the Holy Spirit will produce authentic (Godly) empowerment of a spiritual gift that will lead to the edification of others, seek only God's Holy Spirit.

Paul advises that by confining your selfish demands to only Godly spiritual empowerment, any and all OTHER spurious spiritual manifestations can easily be rejected and spurned as being totally worthless from God's OWN perspective.

So, Paul says that since Christians already possess a God-assigned spiritual gift, and that since even spiritually empowered Christians still yearn for enhanced spirituality, you are to subdue all overly-eager, selfish, spiritual desires and conform your self to what is proper and orderly, acquiring additional spiritual gifts only as God sees fit to authentically bestow any (more) of them upon you.

SELFISHNESS BETRAYS A FALSE SPIRITUALITY
SELFISHNESS IS A DISTINCTIVE MARK OF UNREGENERATE PAGAN IDOLATERS

Before their Christian conversion, in their idolatrous pagan past...

1 Corinthians 12:2
"You (fully-well) know that when you were consummate pagans,
you were influenced by and led astray to lifeless mute idols (false gods)." (LEV)

.... these Corinthian uninterpreted tongue-talkers desired to be just as outwardly super-spiritual when they were still pagans, and in the same ways, as they were now trying to be outwardly hyper-spiritual as Christians.

SUMMARY:
The Corinthians were laboring under the pagan-inspired delusion that it is the "tonguing" which sufficiently edifies the speaker, whereas in Christianity, it really is only the content (interpretation) of an authentic God-given tongue that will be of benefit to the entire Church. Persisting in a tongue without an interpretation is the rebellious spirit of pagan idolatry, i.e. barbarians.

Either build-up the spiritual wealth and treasure of others as a result of your interpreted tongues, or else keep your former pagan uninterpreted tongue practices out of Christ Jesus' Church. You will excel, spiritually, only IF your gift edifies (builds-up) others than your self.

Keep in mind that "GIFTS" are not really the subject of verse 12; the Greek word "charisma" is not found in the original manuscript's text of this verse. The subject is the impropriety of seeking (clamoring-for) ANY spiritual contact possible.

Paul says, if you seek only authentically edifying spiritual contact, you will only want to receive contact from God's Holy Spirit. But if you open your self up to ANY kind of spirit(s), just because you deeply desire to manifest SOME form of spirituality, you are most likely to receive a demon spirit posing, convincingly, as God's Holy Spirit.

Christians are commanded to "try the spirits" to see whether or not they are "Of God"; but spiritistically and mediumistically inclined people, motivated by impatience, are eagerly attracted to any and all spirits, and those indiscriminate spiritual "seekers" only perceive the the more obvious beautiful side of the true evil nature those ungodly spirits cleverly conceal.

SUMMARY - VERSES 9 -THRU- 12

".... the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth;
for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers." (John 4:23)

"We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us.
By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6)

If it is not yet clear (to you) that an uninterpreted tongue is NOT "Of God", then you probably will never come to acceptance of the fact. If the preceding twelve verses cannot reach and convince you that an uninterpreted tongue is NOT "Of God", then you just might be unreachable by God and completely out of His Will in this matter.

For there are many more spiritually independent, head-strong and rebellious Christians alive today, who will not collectively bow their knees to God concerning this particular spiritual matter, than there ever were stubborn, hard-hearted Israelites from the Exodus up to this present day.

If you stubbornly insist on remaining committed to an uninterpreted or gibberish-tongue, one wonders, though, just which other spirit guides and leads you, for it certainly is NOT God's Holy Spirit of "Truth" (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13 - 1 Peter 1:22 - 1 John 4:6; 5:6).

Remember, God's "Agape" Love rejoices in the truth (1 Cor. 13:7); God must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 13
KJV ---- Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue pray that he may interpret.
NIV ----- For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.
NASB - Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 13 - (Wherefore) through which one speaking to language, let him be praying he may be interpreting.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 13

In the Greek text, the word "UNKNOWN" (Greek: "agnostos") does not appear in this verse and does not have a "Strong's" number attached to it, because the word "unknown" does not appear anywhere in Ch. 14.

Also, in the Greek text, the word "TONGUE" (Greek: "glossa" Strong's #G1100) refers by implication to a language, specifically one not natively acquired.

Notice the first word of this verse (v. 13) is "FOR (Therefore, Wherefore)"; and this word "For... " ties together the thoughts expressed in Verse 12, and combines those thoughts with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 13.

Paul could easily have written verse 13 in the form of a question. Paul could have asked: Why? would anyone desire to speak in an uninterpreted tongue ONLY? when, through prayer first, both interpretation and edification can be had also?

Spiritually building up the members of the body of Christ Jesus, toward spiritual maturity and mortal perfection in their faith (v. 12), is the reason given here (v. 13) for the prayers to receive interpretation.

SUMMARY:
Notice that Paul continues to harp, excessively, on the absolute necessity of edification.

Verse 13 gives no warrant (no permission) to constantly go on babbling and jabbering gibberish when one does not receive an interpretation; when no one else interprets; and when the interpretation proves to be either worthless or scripturally suspect (fallacious, spurious), for under those conditions all tongue-talking must cease.

This line of thought is continued for three (3) more verses (vv. 14-16).

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 14
KJV ---- For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
NIV ----- For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
NASB - For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 14 - If ever I may be praying to language, the spirit of me is praying yet the mind of me unfruitful is.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 14

WHOSE SPIRIT PRAYS?

Notice the pregnant "IF" (".... For if I pray...")

"IF" means: "SUPPOSE, even if... "

Here, "IF" proposes an hypothetical supposition, wherein Paul illustrates clearly that an uninterpreted tongue has no value at all and is scorned.

In the Greek text, the word "UNKNOWN" (Greek: "agnostos") does not appear in this verse and does not have a "Strong's" number attached to it, because the word "unknown" does not appear anywhere in Ch. 14.

Also, in the Greek text, the word "TONGUE" (Greek: "glossa" Strong's #G1100) refers by implication to a "language", specifically one not natively acquired.

So, WHOSE? spirit prays?
Notice that it is Paul's own, natural, human spirit.

In the Greek text, the word "spirit" (Greek: "pneuma" #G4151) has a lower-case "s" referring to Paul's own, natural, human spirit, NOT to God's Holy Spirit.

Elsewhere in the Bible (e.g. I Cor. Ch. 12), references to the "Holy Spirit" always utilize an upper-case "S". Even when the word for God's Holy Spirit is simply the "Spirit", it is always capitalized.

SUMMARY:
Notice that Paul continues to harp, excessively, on the absolute necessity of edification.

And, notice that Paul says it is only "IF" his OWN natural, human spirit prays in some non-native language there would be no understanding; and, so, based on what Paul says in the next two [2] verses (vv. 15-16), Paul would not pray or sing in any non-native language unless it was done with understanding (interpretation).

For Paul did not claim to speak, pray or sing in any uninterpreted language. Paul did say that it would only be a mortal human's own, natural, human spirit involved IF he were to blurt-out some unintelligible babble. He would never call that gibberish a prayer or a song since it would be with no interpretation and no understanding.

This line of thought is continued for two (2) more verses (vv. 15-16).

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 15
KJV ---- What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
NIV ----- So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
NASB - What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 15 - What then it is? I shall be praying in my spirit, yet also from my mind: I shall be making song in my spirit, yet also I shall be making song yet also from my mind.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 15

So, WHOSE? spirit prays?
Notice that it is Paul's own, natural, human spirit.

In the Greek text, the word "spirit" (Greek: "pneuma" #G4151) has a lower-case "s" referring to Paul's own, natural, human spirit, NOT to God's Holy Spirit.

The answer to the opening question, "So what shall I do?" ("What is it then?" - "What is the outcome then?"), is much more definite in the original Greek text. The conjunctive "yet" ("but", "and") is followed immediately by the declarative "with my mind" ("with the understanding also") denoting (from v. 14) that "IF" Paul was to pray or sing in his OWN, natural, human spirit in a non-native language, it would only be done after praying for understanding (v. 13) and, then, continue to pray or sing in his OWN, natural, human spirit only if there were an understanding received.

NOT otherwise! And, certainly, NOT repetitively if without interpretation.

In the above, a case can NOT be made for the justification of an uninterpreted or babble-tongue.

Only the spiritually rebellious babbling Charismatic Pentecostals believe that this verse says the exact opposite of its literal meaning. It requires a strong, but extremely misdirected, faith to be able to hold error and lies as dogma and doctrine. THAT misdirected Charismatic Pentecostal faith is one more proof that God's Holy Spirit of "Truth" is NOT involved in any uninterpreted or babble-tongue, in spite of Charismatic Pentecostal claims.

Please consider Psalm 47:6-9; most especially verse 7; for this verse in First Corinthians (v. 15) does NOT cancel-out, supersede or negate Psalm 47; where we are instructed to praise God with understanding. And consider Psalm 47:9; because God is already greatly exalted, even without any form of YOUR praise.

We are commanded to praise God, to clap our hands, to shout with the voice of triumph,
to sing our praises of God WITH understanding...
NOT with mindless mutterings.

In this verse (1 Cor. 14:15), Paul declares there is no such thing as "Blind Faith". God's (saving) faith is not attached to darkness, for genuinely authentic Christian faith has to be enabled to knowledgeably see and grasp its spiritual object in order to assume dominion and authority over evil.

Christians are to root-out and throw-down spiritual principalities and powers BEFORE Christians try to sow or water with God's Word.

To be "Religious" SHOULD mean to be entirely Scriptural.
If your "Religion" is not Scriptural, your "Religion" is weird and bizarre.

SUMMARY:
Notice that Paul continues to harp, excessively, on the absolute necessity of edification.

The Apostle Paul was freed from "Religion" on the road to Damascus, and received further Christian theological instruction for several years in the back-side of the desert from Christ Jesus. The Galatians were liberated from an attempt to place them under "Religious" bondage, and their spiritual freedom derived from the realization of Scriptural truth. This is because New Covenant believers are set free from "The Law", from sin and from eternal death.

What was so dangerous about the widely individualistic spiritual practices of the Corinthian congregation was that they CLAIMED to be Christian believers while they were not collectively willing to bow their knees to God's authentic form of spirituality.

God's genuine tongues-gift is composed of known grammatical languages and dialects, it is far more powerful, effective and impressive than are the ecstatic non-grammatical utterances of an uninterpreted gibberish-tongue.

Interpreted grammatical language-tongues truly ARE miraculous, indeed!

The Old Covenant teaches that all God-fearers are to do spiritual things God's way, and with no changes, additions or individualism, in order for them to receive any spiritual blessing(s) at all. If one's own spirituality has no Scripturally divine pattern there will be no divine result. Humans CAN achieve spiritual results without God or His divine pattern, but THOSE spiritual results will not be divine results.

This line of thought is continued for one (1) more verse (v. 16).

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 16
KJV ---- Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
NIV ----- If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
NASB - Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 16 - Suppose if ever you may be blessing in spirit, the one filling-up the place of the ordinary (plain) person, how he shall be declaring the AMEN on the your thanking, since in fact, what you are saying not he is aware.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 16

Paul clearly states: Without an interpretation, no one knows what you are saying.
What could be more clear than that statement by Paul?

Another hypothetical situation is proposed, and in the Greek text it is rendered as: "Suppose, even IF you are praising God with YOUR spirit... "

This hypothetical supposition in neither a depiction of reality nor a warrant or encouragement to practice any hypothetical situation described, here, by Paul. This verse (v. 16) fairly well clarifies verse 15, since Paul clearly refers to man's OWN, natural, human spirit, here, also.

The lower-case letter "s" in "YOUR spirit" refers to mankind attempting to bless or praise (worship) God, in the sanctuary, in front of a congregation that included scripturally unlearned babes-in-Christ, proselytes (new believers) and even unbelievers.

But, Paul declares, praising God in an uninterpreted or babble-tongue can not elicit an "AMEN" from anyone; not even from highly learned, scripturally and spiritually mature saints; for no one at all understands a single sound uttered.

SUMMARY:
Notice that Paul continues to harp, excessively, on the absolute necessity of edification.

Remember, verses 1-12; established that understanding unto beneficial edification authenticates interpreted tongues, while a lack of interpretation and the resultant lack of understanding or edification invalidates ecstatic non-grammatical utterances.

No one can say "TRUTH" (Amen!) to uninterpreted jabberings and gibberish.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 17
KJV ---- For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
NIV ----- You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
NASB - For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 17 - You indeed for ideally are giving thanks, but the different (other) one not is being edified.

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 17

Idealism is NOT realism!

According to Paul, the idealistic intention to praise God in an uninterpreted tongue is NOT Christian reality, and idealists live in a dream-world where they find that conforming to reality is exceedingly difficult, even boring. (See: "DREAMERS BEWARE" in Commentary, Verse 10, above.)

Notice the first word of this verse (v. 17) is "FOR (Therefore, Wherefore)"; and this word "For... " ties together the thoughts expressed in Verse 16, and combines those thoughts with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 17.

Since spiritual gifts were meant by God to edify others, not to praise God, a lack of edification demonstrates your exercise of an uninterpreted or babble tongue is a bogus, fake spiritual gift that is only self-endowed, that it is NOT a God-given spiritual gift.

By mankind's imaginative and capricious standards you might (possibly?) truly give thanks to God. But God's righteous standards are quite a bit higher than man's.

For respecting, acknowledging and honoring God indicts you!
It does not justify you!

It is an indictment against you when you don't walk in His paths, and when you don't serve Him in the way He wishes to be served. It is an indictment against you when you don't have a COMPLETE commitment to His Word, which is knowing, honoring and even loving every part of His Word. It is an indictment against you when you act contrary or opposed to Scripture in a spirit of rebellion; in this case, continuing to indulge your self in an uninterpreted or babble-tongue which does not edify others. It is an indictment against you when you continue to glory in a fabricated babble-tongue for devotions, which can never righteously edify anyone at all.

For what difference does it make that mankind imagines that you might have truly given thanks well, when mankind finally realizes that a lack of genuinely righteous edification means there is a complete lack of Scriptural support for any uninterpreted or babble-tongue?

You can NOT truly give thanks well in your attempted praise of God when you dishonor Him by ignoring or countermanding God's Word in your determined and purposeful ABUSE (imitation) of the tongues-gift. This is true whether you possess the genuine Holy Spirit-assigned tongues-gift; and, yet, you continue to utter an uninterpreted or babble-tongue; or whether you have simply fabricated (conjured-up) a fake tongue from your OWN, natural, human spirit because your sect (or cult) demands a babble-tongue for full acceptance and inner-circle fellowship, as DO Charismatic Pentecostals.

Praise and worship, alone, does NOT establish the close personal relationship with God that God's ENTIRE Word, Witness, Testimony and Counsel establishes.

EVEN demons fear and tremble before God, demons know and recognize God as "Almighty God". Demons acknowledged and respected Christ Jesus as Messiah, as the Son Of God, and this is the best that demons can do in honoring God. Demons cannot give thanks, though, because demons do not have salvation, demons do not have a "Right Relationship" with God.

Most worshipful believers who are only nominal so-called Christians (cultural Christians), and even many genuinely saved saints, do NOT truly give thanks well because they don't have a "Right Relationship" with God. They truly give thanks because they ARE saved (or they IMAGINE they are saved); but, from God's perspective, that thanks is not given truly WELL because of their rebellion against God's Word.

It is God's express will that tongues be interpreted unto edification,
or there should be no tongues (v. 28).

Edification is instruction, exhortation and comforting (building-up) of entire congregations, edification is NOT the filling of the uninterpreted or babble-tongue speaker with great and wonderful emotional feelings. The use of an uninterpreted or babble-tongue for public or congregational devotions and praise is SELF-edification, it is entirely unscriptural specifically because this very verse (v. 17) explicitly declares that a lack of edification automatically invalidates any manifestation of an uninterpreted or babble-tongue.

This verse (v. 17) makes it perfectly clear that an uninterpreted or babble-tongue is NOT authentic, it is
NOT OF GOD!
They are only a manifestation of mankind's OWN, natural, human spirit which has always sought transcendental contact.

Egotistic, rebellious self-indulgence is the most sinister type of idolatry possible. Remember that in Matthew 5:23-24; there are times when God will not accept your prayers, worship, devotions, tithes and offerings. An otherwise righteous person can, temporarily, be outside of a "Right Relationship" with God, where God will not accept your praise.

How much more when you rebelliously ignore His express Word and Will?

And don't be (or remain) the type of "Religious" fool who imagines that because others are pleased and happy that you speak in some uninterpreted or babble-tongue that this happiness or pleasure on their part is edification. It is NOT!

If you truly are a child of God; a spiritual son of Abraham; an heir to the Kingdom Of Heaven, you will want and desire to do ALL of God's Will. If you are spiritually mature, you will be perfectly pleased and comfortably satisfied to confine your "Religious" devotional urges to only that which is in God's Will and Ways.

An uninterpreted or babble-tongue that does not righteously edify others is outside God's Will for you. (See: Verse 5, above)

Now, WHOSE will is it that you will serve?
And, WHOSE kingdom is it that you will advance and exalt?
Yours, or God's?

SUMMARY:
If you don't serve God in the way He demands, then you might not be saved from out of the flames. While Hell has flames for the lost, for the "False Professors" of salvation; the "Bema Seat" judgment of saved believers also has flames where all egotistic, self-centered, rebellious works and devotions of the "True Possessors" of salvation will be burnt-up as wood, hay and stubble.

When there is no ETERNAL perspective there is no ETERNAL reward.

Most professing Christians are only "so-called" Christians (self-appointed Christians) because they don't know how to "Do Religion" or "Have Church" by the Book. Learn from God's ENTIRE Word, Witness, Testimony and Counsel how God wants you to give thanks truly well, for it is HIS opinion of how thanks are given truly well that really matters the most.

Man is infinitely capable of only IMAGINING how to worship God, but God says that you (mankind) cannot righteously worship Him in any way that you could possibly imagine. (Re: Joshua 24:19-24); you must follow God's Will and Ways, you must obey His voice.

You cannot acceptably worship God while you are spiritually polluted (ritually unclean); while you are ceremonially scattered among the nations; while in captivity to a charisma-focused sect; while in bondage to the false doctrines of spirit baptism as a mark of faith and an uninterpreted babble-tongue for devotions, that are all contrary or opposed to God's Word. (Re: Ezekiel 20:21-44)

Learn from God that ALL tongues absolutely MUST edify others,
OR THERE SHOULD BE NO
AUDIBLE, PUBLIC TONGUES!

SUMMARY - VERSES 13 -THRU- 17

Truly, your OWN, natural, human spirit is thankful, but your desire to relate well that thanks, to God, turned out to be an exercise in self-gratification (self-aggrandizement) since your secret prayer-language remains a complete secret, and remains frustratingly meaningless to all; even to your self.

Paul continues to build a very effective case, and here we are about to approach the mid-point of his legal brief on the case against an uninterpreted tongue.

Notice that Paul continues to harp, excessively, on the absolute necessity of edification.

1 - The uninterpreted tongue-talkers should pray for interpretation.

2 - For, without interpretation, the mind is unfruitful.

3 - Paul would never pray, praise or sing in either his OWN spirit, or in "The Holy Spirit", without understanding (Psalm 47:7) because God does NOT operate in that fashion.

It would be un-Christian and un-Godly.

And, God is already greatly and highly exalted, even without YOUR praise. (Psalm 47:9)

4 - No one can tell if you are speaking Biblical (Scriptural) truths when no one understands.

5 - Without edification, an uninterpreted tongue is invalidated as NOT being "Of God".

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 18
KJV ---- I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
NIV ----- I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
NASB - I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all;

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 18 - I am thanking the God, of all of you more to languages I am speaking

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 18

Paul says: "Thanks to The God In Heaven, I am not producing an imitation (false, bogus) spiritual gift".

Since Paul has already described righteous, interpreted, edifying tongues (as opposed to an unrighteous, uninterpreted, unedifying tongue), he is declaring here that he speaks in genuine God-given language tongues that are immediately understood by the hearers (or, by a single hearer / interpreter); which are exactly like those occurrences of tongues reported in the Book of Acts, Chapters 2, 10 and 19.

"More than all of you" refers to "Better" or "More Authentically" than all of those ecstatic non-grammatical jabberers, or even all of those uninterpreted babblers, in Corinth. Paul is thanking the "REAL" God that he is genuinely endowed and empowered to correctly practice the authentic spiritual gift of tongues; and that he has not been tempted, in a misguided zeal to be hyper-spiritual or super-spiritual, to conjure-up a fake spiritual gift.

The pagan, heathen imitation of spiritual gifts, a quest for higher and ever higher spirituality, has no place in Christianity; the urge to follow that spiritual quest is part of the world and the flesh, which must be put off with the "old" man that is crucified in Christ Jesus. You are to be transformed by renewal of your mind (to God's way of thinking, believing, doing), not by the bypassing of your mind with uninterpreted babbling and mindless muttering.

In the Greek text: "I am thanking the God," a definite article is present, the word "THE" precedes the word "GOD", meaning "The God (of Abraham)".

This concept of "The True And Living God" is the exact opposite of the concept expressed in Verse 2, where there is no definite article present and, in Verse 2, reference is made to some unknown (false) deity, not to "The God (of Abraham)".

Verses 18 and 19 must be read together, as a unit.
18 - I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 - however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

SUMMARY:
Paul thanks God that he speaks in tongues "Better" and "More Authentically" than all of those in Corinth who practice the fake, bogus, gibberish tongue that any human can easily produce without God's involvement.

Prophecy is "THE" Superior Gift (vv. 1-25)

VERSE 19
KJV ---- Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [unknown] tongue.
NIV ----- But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
NASB - however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

LITERAL GREEK TEXT:
Verse 19 - but in ecclesia (congregation) I am willing five words to the mind of me to speak, that also others I should be instructing, then ten thousands words in language (not learned)

Click Here - See Greek-English Interlinear - 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14

COMMENTARY - VERSE 19

In the Greek text, the word "UNKNOWN" (Greek: "agnostos") does not appear in this verse and does not have a "Strong's" number attached to it, because the word "unknown" does not appear anywhere in Ch. 14.

Notice the first word of this verse (v. 19) is "BUT" (Yet, however); and this word "But... " contrasts the thoughts expressed in Verse 18, and compares those thoughts with these thoughts expressed, here, in Verse 19. This verse (v. 19) is a continuation of the sentence begun in verse 18. The two verses must be read together, as they make up a whole sentence.

When speaking to those in the Corinthian congregation whom are already converted Christian believers, Paul says that he prefers to use short edifying words of wisdom, knowledge and even prophecy, rather than filibuster for hours and hours in meaningless, unedifying babble.

EDIFICATION (Revisited)

Even if multitudes of the devoutly "Religious" were to jabber gibberish in unison, Paul says that he would still prefer anything else that truly edifies the congregational assembly (instead of senseless babbling) due to the fact that clearly intelligible language is immediately understood by all. Notice that Paul continues to harp, excessively, on the absolute necessity of edification.

SUMMARY:
This verse, standing alone, should be more than enough to convince the most stubborn, recalcitrant and hard-hearted Charismatic Pentecostal tongue-talker that uninterpreted tongues have no eternally valuable place in the Christian Church.

That is, assuming that the Charismatic Pentecostal babble-tongue talker is open to hearing the Word of God from Paul, and does not remain stubborn, recalcitrant and hard-hearted while following the lusts of their flesh and the dictates of their Charismatic Pentecostal sect.

SUMMARY - VERSES 18 -and- 19

In the original Greek text, Paul does not claim to speak in ecstatic non-grammatical utterances. Paul does claim that his God-given tongues-gift is a supernatural linguistic ability through which he is enabled and empowered to preach the Word of God, in any necessary dialect required, throughout his missionary journeys.

Paul insists that because his tongues-gift is authentic, he actually speaks in real language-tongues much MORE authentically than do all of the Corinthian babbling imitators put together. Paul insists that he "does" tongues BETTER because it is not bogus fakery. It is not uninterpreted babbling, as is the false pagan spirituality of the Corinthians, which Paul has identified as being left-over from their recent pagan "Religious" past.

Because clear concise language is short and sweetly to-the-point, Paul says it is preferred to any tongue which would require a separate interpretation, and is totally, completely preferred over any uninterpreted tongue.

Verses 20 through 40 - Coming Soon!

On The Subject Of An Uninterpreted Tongue