1 COR. 14:1-19: “Desire
Spiritual Gifts But Especially To Prophesy”
By
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study we finished up looking at Paul’s definition of
God’s agape love found in chapter 13, which was also the last of a four part
series which began in chapter 12 and deals with the subject of the body of
Christ and how it is to function together in love
1.1.1. We saw already that it was
no accident that chapter 13, which defines what God’s love is and does when it
works through our lives, would be stuck in between chapters 12 and 14 which
deal with how we are to express and regulate the gifts of the Holy Spirit in
the church
1.2.
In our study today we are going to look at how Paul writes to the
Corinthians now that they are to desire to have spiritual gifts in their lives
and working in their midst, but especially that they are to prophesy
1.2.1. As we will see the most
important aspect of the body of Christ meeting together is that we be built up
and established in our faith, or edified, and that when the body of Christ
meets together all expressions of spiritual gifts are to be used for the
edification of the body, as opposed to self-edification
1.2.2. We will see in this chapter
that it is intended by God that the gift of tongues bring the good result of
self-edification, however when the body of Christ comes together
self-edification must be set aside for the better result of edification of the
body as a whole
1.2.3. As I have mentioned before,
in the church at large today there tend to be two distinct groups regarding
spiritual gifts. One group believes that
the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for today, and they don’t have anything to do with them and then there
are other groups who believe that the gifts are for today, however to this
group any supposed expression of spiritual gifts is accepted at face
value. However, in the Calvary Chapel
movement we go right in between these two groups, for though we believe that
the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today, we also believe that we must follow
the clearly laid out guidelines for the use of those gifts within the
church. The guidelines for how those gifts
are to be used in the church comes more than any other Biblical source right
here within this chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians.
1.2.4. In team sports, many times
the good or benefit that might come to one player on a team must be sacrificed
by him in order that a better result might occur, the good of the team be
achieved.
1.2.4.1.For example, Michael Jordan
has been considered by many to have been the best basketball player to ever
play professional basketball, and certainly no one would argue that he is one
of the best. However, when Michael came
into the NBA he was drafted by and played for the Chicago Bulls, and even
though the management had done the best it could to provide a supporting cast
for Michael so that the team could win championships, for a few years the team
struggled. However, Michael Jordan’s
stats were incredible. He scored the
most points per game during that time than any other time in his career. After a couple of years the coach discovered
that the least number of points which Michael himself scored, the more likely
the team was to win. You see, when
Michael let other people do much of the scoring, then that allowed his team to
beat other teams. A team requires
everyone to participate in order for them to win. But their winning happened at the expense of
Michael’s personal scoring statistics.
In the same way, in the church when the Lord is moving and working
maximally in building the church and winning the lost, it will be when the
people in the church are able to set aside their own personal gain and benefits
for the sake of the good of the whole.
Paul writes in this chapter that the person who speaks in a tongue
receives self-edification, however the body itself is not edified. Self must be put aside, and self-edification
put aside, when the body of Christ comes together in order for the body of
Christ to be have the Lord do what He desires to do in building up and
equipping the church for the work of service.
2.
VS 14:1 - “1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly
spiritual gifts, but especially that
you may prophesy.” - Paul tells the Corinthians to pursue love yet
earnestly desire to have spiritual gifts, but especially the gift of prophesy
2.1.
First of all, in this verse Paul tells the Corinthians to ‘pursue love’
(agape), and the Greek tense for the word indicates that we ought to be
persevering diligently after “agape” love.
2.1.1. We Christians must be
careful to ‘pursue’ after walking in “agape” love, and this is because that
walk is not something that is easily obtained or easy to remain doing.
2.1.2. As we have seen in our study
thus far, walking in agape love does not just come naturally or effortlessly
for the Christian, but rather commitment, hard work, and effort are required in
order for Christians to walk in “agape” love.
2.1.3. As we have seen already
also, we Christians must always have “agape” love working in the exercise of
our spiritual gift.
2.1.4. We saw in the last chapter
that if we do not have love working through our life then it does not matter
what zeal we might have for the Lord nor what ministry and sacrifice we might
perform for the Lord, it will profit nothing.
There is no excuse for walking in love as a Christian, and no acceptable
substitute that we might make having love working in our life.
2.2.
Paul tells the Corinthians here to earnestly ‘desire spirituals’. The word ‘gifts’ is in italics because it is
not included in the original text, however as in 1 Cor. 12:1, the context leads
us to conclude that spiritual gifts is what Paul is referring to.
2.3.
Paul says then that desiring and seeking after spiritual gifts is a
good thing, and something that each of us should do. God wants to use our lives in a mighty way
and this can only come about if we are in fact given gifts of the Holy Spirit
by the Lord.
2.3.1. After all, Jesus told us in
John 15:5 that without Him we can do nothing!
2.4.
Paul goes on to say that they should desire above all gifts to exercise
the gift of ‘prophesy’.
2.4.1. We will see that the reason
why we should desire that gift above all others is because the most important
thing that the church should concentrate on is the edification, or building up,
of the body of Christ, and this gift most promotes that result.
3.
VS 14:2 - “2 For one who speaks in a tongue does
not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.” - Paul tells
the Corinthians that when a person is speaking in an unknown tongue he is
speaking to God, his speech is not directed to men
3.1.
In each of the incidents in the book of Acts where there was a
manifestation of the gift of tongues in the book of Acts the believers were praising
or praying to the Lord in this tongue.
3.1.1. In Acts chapter two, on the
day of Pentecost the church was praising God in tongues or languages unknown to
themselves when all of a sudden the nonbelieving Jews who had come from all over
the world to Jerusalem for the Passover and Pentecost, ran together after
hearing a mighty rushing wind and then they began to each hear the believers
gathered there proclaiming the great things of God, each in his own native
language.
3.1.1.1.In Acts chapter two the
disciples did not get up to preach the gospel to the non-believers and began
speaking in a unknown tongue, as some believe, rather this verse teaches us
that on that day, as well as anytime the gift of tongues is employed, they were
just praying to and praising the Lord and began to speak in an unknown
tongue.
3.1.2. Then, in each instance in
Acts where the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers and baptized them causing
them to speak in tongues, they began to speak in praise to God in that unknown
tongue.
3.1.3. We do see some instances in
the book of Acts where the Holy Spirit fell upon people that the people did not
speak in tongues. See Acts 4.31 for
instance.
3.2.
Paul tells the Corinthians that when someone speaks in an unknown
tongue, ‘no one understands’, and in his or her spirit ‘he speaks
mysteries’. He himself has no idea what
he is saying to the Lord as he is praying and praising the Lord.
4.
VS 14:3-4 - “3 But one who prophesies speaks to men
for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies
himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.”
- Paul tells the Corinthians that the
person who prophesies is edifying the church, but when one speaks in an unknown
tongue he is edifying himself
4.1.
Paul in verse 3 speaks about how the gift of prophesy operates. He says that one who prophesies, or
‘forthtells the word of God’, speaks to men for ‘edification and exhortation
and consolation’:
4.1.1. Edification:
4.1.1.1.Strong’s Greek Dictionary has the following entry for
this Greek word ‘oikodome’ which is translated ‘edifies’
both places it is found in these verses:
4.1.1.1.1.The King James version
translates this word depending upon context as edifying, building,
edification, wherewith (one) may edify
4.1.1.1.2.The
word means:
4.1.1.1.2.1.(the act of) building,
building up
4.1.1.1.2.2.metaph. edifying,
edification
4.1.1.1.2.2.1.the act of one who promotes
another's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness
4.1.1.1.2.3.a building (i.e. the thing
built, edifice)
4.1.1.2.The scriptures are clear
that we are to build up or edify one another in the body of Christ:
4.1.1.2.1.Rom. 4:19, “19 So then
let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one
another”.
4.1.1.2.2.1 Thess. 5:11, “11 Therefore
encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing”.
4.1.1.2.3.Eph. 4:29, “29 Let no
unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to
those who hear”.
4.1.1.3.In Eph. 4:11-13, Paul
writes about how the various ministries and offices in the church really exist
so that the church can be equipped for ministry and built up in their faith, “11
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists,
and some as pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work
of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;13 until we all attain to
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature
man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.”
4.1.2. Exhortation:
4.1.2.1.Strong’s Greek Dictionary
has the following entry for this word ‘paraklesis’ which is translated ‘exhortation’:
4.1.2.1.1.In the King James version
it is translated depending upon context as ‘consolation,
exhortation, comfort, or intreaty.’
4.1.2.1.2.The word means:
4.1.2.1.2.1.a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
4.1.2.1.2.2.importation, supplication, entreaty
4.1.2.1.2.3.exhortation, admonition, encouragement
4.1.2.1.2.4.consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords
comfort or refreshment
4.1.2.1.2.4.1.thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call
the Messiah the consoler, the comforter)
4.1.2.1.2.5.persuasive discourse, stirring address
4.1.2.1.2.5.1.instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful
hortatory discourse
4.1.2.2.This is the verb form of the same word that was used
in John 14 by Jesus, and translated as ‘comforter’, to describe the Holy Spirit
whom Jesus promised would come to the church if He were to go away from them
and ascend up to heaven.
4.1.2.3.The person who is exhorting
another will be calling them near to God, making entreaty to them regarding
proper Christian conduct, admonishing them in the ways of the Lord, encouraging
them to do the right things, persuading them to make a right decision regarding
a personal choice, and giving them consolation and comfort to have faith in God
and His Word.
4.1.3. Consolation:
4.1.3.1.This Greek word ‘paramuthea’
means ‘to calm, console, comfort, or soothe someone.’
4.1.3.2.One of the things that the
Lord often does in the lives of His people is to console them. H.A. Ironside writes about how that
all three of the persons in the godhead are found in the scriptures consoling
men, “God the Father is called the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians
1:3). God the Holy Spirit is spoken of
four times in our Lord’s last discourse to His disciples as the “Comforter”
(John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). One
aspect of our Lord’s work and ministry is “to comfort all that mourn” (Isaiah
61:2). He is also called our “advocate
with the Father” (1 John 2:1) and the word translated “advocate” here is the
exact same Greek word as the one translated “Comforter” in John’s gospel.”
4.1.3.3.Just in the way that Jesus
came alongside of His disciples and comforted them in difficulties, and the way
that the Holy Spirit comes alongside of us Christians and gives us that peace
that passes understanding through our faith in the Lord and the hope that He
has for us, so may a person do for others when he prophesies.
4.1.3.4.There is a twofold blessing
whenever we end up going through very difficult and heart wrenching times in
our lives as believers:
4.1.3.4.1.When we come to the Lord
during those difficult times when our need is so great we get to receive the
comfort of the Lord in a way that we never have before, and in effect by doing
so we get to receive in our lives that in which the Lord can and should be in
every believer’s life!
4.1.3.4.2.Having received God’s
comfort and consolation in our own life
we can now help others by sharing the very comfort that the Lord gave to
us!
4.1.3.4.2.1.In 2 Cor. 1:3-4, we
read that the Lord allows us to go through difficulties and then receive His comfort
so that we can then turn around and comfort others with the same comfort that
we have received, “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;4 who comforts us
in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
4.2.
The church is edified, or built up, whenever someone properly uses the
gift of ‘prophesy’ because the person is used to ‘edify’, ‘exhort’, and
‘console’ their brother or their sister in Christ.
4.3.
This reveals why the gift of ‘prophesy’ is the superior gift of all,
namely, because when it is employed the body of Christ is always built up.
4.4.
Paul says in verse 4 that one who speaks in a tongue ‘edifies
himself’. Thus, the gift of tongues is
good for a believer to exercise if he has been given it because in doing so he
will have his own faith and walk encouraged and strengthened.
5.
VS 14:5 - “5 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.” - Paul tells
the Corinthians that he would rather that everyone prophesied than that they
spoke in tongues
5.1.
Whenever the Holy Spirit is working within the church it is a good
thing that is happening. We need the
Holy Spirit to work in and through God’s people in the body of Christ.
5.2.
We want people to come away having felt as though they had come before
the very throne of God, and that they actually take away with them some of
heaven. However, we must realize that
though people may have get worked up into some great emotional experience at
church, if they do not receive things that are intelligible and therefore edify
them, then their experience on Sundays is not going to help them through the
rest of their week. You see, a great
emotional experience in church on Sundays isn’t in the long run going to help
anyone if they do not receive something that will be with them on Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday of the next week.
5.3.
However, we must realize that the Holy Spirit is not going to lead us
to do anything that is directly against what the word of God says that we are
to do or not to do.
5.3.1. God does not contradict
Himself.
5.3.2. He does not say one thing
one time and the opposite the next.
5.3.3. He is always consistent and
His, ‘yes’, is always, ‘yes’, and visa versa.
5.4.
Paul tells the Corinthians that it is a good thing to speak in tongues,
and therefore he would be blessed if they all spoke with tongues, however, Paul
tells them that he wishes more so that they would all ‘prophesy’, so that the
church should be built up.
5.5.
Paul says that if one speaks in a tongue when the church is gathered together,
he ought to pray that he can interpret his tongue so that the church can be
edified.
5.6.
Paul says that one is greater who ‘prophesies’, than he who speaks in a
tongue, and the reason is just that the church is edified whenever someone
prophesies, for this is what is most important about those times when the
church meets.
5.7.
In “agape” love, each of us as Christians ought to always be determined
to set aside our selfish desires and motives and making ourselves the center of
attention, and consider rather than self-edification how that God might want to
use us in the body to edify others.
6.
VS 14:6 - “6 But now, brethren, if I come to you
speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by
way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?” - Paul asks
the Corinthians how he might be able to profit them if he spoke in tongues
unless he was able to reveal some knowledge, teach, or prophesy?
6.1.
Paul tells the Corinthians that even if he came to them speaking in an
unknown tongue, he would not profit, or edify, them in a spiritual sense unless
he spoke to them by way of ‘revelation’ from God, a word of ‘knowledge’, with a
‘prophesy’, or with a ‘teaching’. This
is because each of those ministries are ministries which will be profitable in
Christian’s lives, for they edify others.
6.2.
We Christians must out of “agape” love for our brethren, hold back from
speaking in an unknown tongue when the church is all assembled. This is because when someone speaks in a
tongue in a church service, the people do not get edified because they do not
know what the brother or sister is saying, and, they must have some
understanding about what they are saying in order for the body as a whole to be
edified.
6.2.1. That is to say, that it is
only by understandable things that the church is able to be edified.
7.
VS 14:7 - “7 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?” - To illustrate his point, Paul uses the
metaphor of a musical instrument only being able to communicate something
musical if there is a distinction between the notes that are played
7.1.
Paul uses the analogy of a musical instrument, such as a flute or a
harp, in order to show that if those instruments do not play some sort of a
tune that can be followed, then their musical value cannot be appreciated, and,
in the same way a person who speaks in an unknown tongue does not do anything
that can have a positive edifying effect on our lives as long as we do not
understand what they are saying.
7.1.1. I personally like listening
to instrumental music a lot, especially with guitars and jazz or fusion
orientation, and a couple of years ago I picked up a CD at the local Disc Go Round
place by one of my favorite jazz guitar players. However, on this particular two disc CD the
musicians had determined that they were not going to write any melodies for any
of their pieces. Instead, on the CDs
each musician just made different types of sounds and notes on their
instruments, each of which was highly digitally produced. I listened to about ½ of both of the CDs in
the set and then took them out of their case and broke them with my hands and
threw them in the trash. You see, when I
listened to the music it produced the opposite effect that music normally
creates for me. The music I like to
listen to normally relaxes and soothes me, however these CDs made me agitated
and distracted, and ultimately even angry that I had paid good money for
something that was just junk. In the
same way, Paul is saying that if a person in the church is speaking in an
unknown tongue and no one is interpreting their words, then the result is not
what is desirable and good in the church (not musical or beneficial), and thus
the people in the church are not edified and built up in their faith.
8.
VS 14:8-9 - “8 For if the bugle produces an
indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 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.”
- Paul tells the Corinthians that if a
bugle does not produce a distinct tone then the army will not prepare for
battle when it is blown
8.1.
In an army, a trumpet is blown to signal troops to get out of bed, to
attack in battle, to retreat in battle, etc.
However, the trumpet blows a specific tune in order to signal each of
those commands to the troops. Paul says
here that if the army’s bugle doesn’t produce a distinct sound, then no one
will know to wake up, prepare himself for battle, retreat, etc.
8.2.
In the same way, if a person speaks in an unknown tongue in the church,
then no one will know what the Lord might want them to do, that is, unless
someone interprets the tongue.
8.2.1. The person speaking in
tongues will be purposelessly speaking into the air if no one interprets what
they are speaking in the unknown tongue.
8.3.
Several years ago now when I was pastoring, I used to meet with a group
of local pastors each week. When we got
together one week to meet one of the pastors told us about this new thing that
was happening up in a certain church in
8.4.
We Christians should want our lives to count for the Lord. We shouldn’t let our lives simply be
purposeless, and our ministry just be a ‘speaking into the air’, as Paul talks
about in these verses.
8.5.
Allowing the Lord to use us to edify the body will cause our life to
count to the maximum.
9.
VS 14:10-11 - “10 There are, perhaps, a great many
kinds of languages in the world, and no kind
is without meaning. 11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be
to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian
to me.” - Paul tells the Corinthians that if someone
does not understand our speaking that we will be like a barbarian to him, and
he to us
9.1.
Paul says in these two verses, that if someone speaks in an unknown
tongue, then the one who is listening will think that he or she is a barbarian,
and the person speaking will think that the listening person is a barbarian.
9.2.
Strong’s Greek Dictionary has the following entry for this word ‘barbaros’ which is translated ‘barbarian’:
9.2.1. The King James version
translates this word depending upon context as barbarian, barbarous
9.2.2. The
word means:
9.2.2.1.one whose speech is rude,
rough and harsh
9.2.2.2.one who speaks a foreign or
strange language which is not understood by another
9.2.2.3.used by the Greeks of any
foreigner ignorant of the Greek language, whether mental or moral, with the
added notion after the Persian war, of rudeness and brutality. The word is used
in the N.T. without the idea of reproachfulness.
9.3.
Visitors may think we are barbarians when they come into the
church. In many of the Pentecostal
oriented churches in the world, they promote everyone in the congregation speaking
in tongues at the same time, as Paul says in this chapter the church should not
allow. When someone comes into this type
of church for the first time, especially if they are a non-believer, they tend
to think that everyone has gone out of their mind. The type of chaos that is experienced by many
actually can push them away from the Lord, and it certainly keeps many from
being able to receive anything from the church service which they might
otherwise receive.
10.
VS 14:12 - “12 So also you, since you are zealous
of spiritual gifts, seek to abound
for the edification of the church.” - Paul tells the Corinthians to turn their zeal
for spiritual gifts into a more pure zeal for the body of Christ being edified
10.1. Paul tells the Corinthians
that since they were so zealous to move in the gifts of the Spirit, they ought
to be zealous and seek to abound (overflow abundantly) in edifying the
church.
10.2. The way they were to do this
was to allow the Lord to give them the gift of prophesy, and not to speak in
tongues in the general assemblies unless someone could interpret their tongue
so that they body could be edified thereby.
11.
VS 14:13 - “13 Therefore let one who speaks in a
tongue pray that he may interpret.” - Paul tells the Corinthians that if a person
should speak in a tongue in the church that he should also pray that he might
be able to interpret for the body what he has said
11.1. Paul tells the Corinthians
that if someone speaks or prays in a tongue during the assembly of the church,
then he ought to pray for the interpretation of the tongue which he just
spoke. If the brother or sister can
interpret his or her own tongue, then the church can be built up and edified.
11.2. In some of the Pentecostal
oriented churches that I attended several years ago I observed an interesting
thing. A person would stand up and speak
in a tongue, and then someone else would stand up and interpret the tongue,
however the interpretation was sort of an exhortation from the Lord to the
church of things that they should or should not be doing. However, since Paul describes in verse 2 the
one who speaks in a tongue as speaking to God, how then could the
interpretation been an exhortation from the Lord? The interpretation should have been of
something prayed for or a praise to the Lord.
11.2.1.I have concluded that the
person speaking in the tongue might have in truth been praising the Lord in
that tongue, however what was supposedly an interpretation of that tongue was
not one. It was perhaps an exhortation
from the Lord, but the person interpreting the tongue was in error calling it
an interpretation.
12.
VS 14:14 - “14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit
prays, but my mind is unfruitful.” - Paul tells the Corinthians that if he prays
in a tongue that his mind doesn’t understand what he prayed via his spirit
12.1. Paul tells the Corinthians
that if anyone prays in a tongue, that their spirit is actually praying. They do not understand what they are saying,
and therefore their ‘mind is unfruitful’.
13.
VS 14:15-17 - “15 What is the outcome then? I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray
with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind
also. 16 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? 17 For you are
giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.” - Paul tells
the Corinthians that therefore he would pray with his spirit, but also with his
mind, or understanding, and that he would sing with his spirit, but also with
his mind, or understanding
13.1. In these verses, Paul draws
some conclusions from the point that he has previously made concerning the need
for the church to hear intelligible things in order that they might be edified
and built up in their faith.
13.1.1.Paul says that as a result,
in the church he chooses to ‘pray with the spirit’, however to also know what
it is that he is praying when he prays out-loud in the church.
13.1.2.Paul also says that as a
result if he should happen to ‘sing with the spirit’, that he will also know
what it is that he is singing to the Lord in the church.
13.1.2.1.We must surmise from these
verses that the gift of tongues can be manifested not only by praising and
praying to the Lord by the Holy Spirit, but also by singing to the Lord by the
Holy Spirit.
13.2. Paul tells the Corinthians
that if they bless the Lord only in the Spirit, then the others will not know
if or when they should say ‘Amen’ (so be it), a statement of agreement in
prayer, to what is being said in the Spirit, since it is unintelligible to
him.
13.2.1.I have been in prayer
meetings with believers and as we are praying for different things one or more
in the group began to pray in a tongue, and during those times I was happy that
the brother or sister had the gift of tongues that came from the Lord, however
I had no idea what they were praying about, nor whether or not I could agree
with them in prayer, since I didn’t understand what they were saying. Thus, I couldn’t say, ‘Amen!’ in agreement to
their prayer.
13.3. The end result is that even
though a person may be giving thanks to God in the Spirit, if the words are
unintelligible, then the church cannot be edified.
14.
VS 14:18-19 - “18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more
than you all; 19
however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind, that I
may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.” - Paul tells
the Corinthians that in the church he would rather speak 5 intelligible words
that ten thousand in a an unknown tongue
14.1. To emphasize the importance
of ministering only in intelligible ways, Paul tells the Corinthians that he
thanks the Lord that he speaks in tongues more than any one of them, however in
the church he would rather speak five words that he understands than 10,000
words in an unknown tongue.
14.2. The reason why he says this
is because Paul’s desire was to instruct and build up others in their
faith.