ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for 1 Corinthians 14

1 Cor. 14:1 earnestly desire. God gives spiritual gifts for the good of the church (see v. 12; 12:31). that you may prophesy. See note on 12:10.

1 Cor. 14:2 Speaks not to men but to God indicates that Paul views tongues as a form of prayer and praise in a language the speaker does not understand (contrast Acts 2:1–13). On tongues and prophecy, see note on 1 Cor. 12:10.

1 Cor. 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself because his spirit prays to God even though he does not understand what is said (see vv. 2, 14, 28).

1 Cor. 14:5 I want you all to speak in tongues. Paul’s desire to set bound­aries on speaking in tongues does not mean he thinks the Corinthians should abandon this gift. It builds up the individual who has it (v. 4) and, if interpreted, it builds up the church. (See also vv. 13, 18, 27, 39.) Still, prophecy is greater because it needs no interpretation. It is more directly useful to the church. Unless someone interprets implies that, when there is an interpreter, prophecy and tongues have equal value.

1 Cor. 14:6–19 Paul uses several illustrations to show that speaking in tongues without interpretation does not strengthen the faith of anyone other than the speaker; such edification requires understanding.

1 Cor. 14:14 The comparison between my spirit and my mind shows that Paul is not speaking here of the Holy Spirit but of his own human spirit. “Spirit” in reference to human beings means an inner, invisible faculty that can be especially open to the things of God (see 2:10–15; 5:3–5; Rom. 1:9; 8:16).

1 Cor. 14:16–17 with your spirit. That is, with your spirit only (in tongues) but not understanding with your mind (see note on v. 2). outsider. An interested inquirer into Christianity (see vv. 23–24).

1 Cor. 14:18 tongues. See note on 12:10.

1 Cor. 14:20 Paul tells them not to speak in tongues in church without interpretation, for that would be acting like children and not caring for the needs of others. Compare 3:1–3.

1 Cor. 14:21 Paul refers to Isa. 28:11. There, God’s word of judgment against Israel is spoken in a foreign language.

1 Cor. 14:22–25 Thus tongues are a sign . . . for unbelievers. As in Isa. 28:11, quoted in 1 Cor. 14:21, uninterpreted tongues are a negative sign of God’s judgment on the unbelieving: unbelievers may conclude from hearing uninterpreted tongues that Christians are out of their minds and may therefore leave the church, never to return. prophecy is a sign . . . for believers. Prophecy primarily benefits believers. It also convicts the unbeliever. It exposes the secrets of his heart and causes him to worship God. This, in turn, shows the believers that God is at work among them.

1 Cor. 14:26 When you come together. Worship in the early church included a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. The goal of building up is like the building of the temple (see 3:16; compare Ex. 25:8).

1 Cor. 14:27 Each in turn implies that those speaking in tongues could control themselves and take turns. And let someone interpret could include either the person speaking in tongues (see v. 13) or someone else.

1 Cor. 14:28 And speak to himself and to God means the speaker would use the gift of tongues privately in prayer.

1 Cor. 14:29 let the others weigh what is said. “The others” means the whole church, not just those with gifts of prophecy or discernment (see 1 Thess. 5:20–21; 1 John 4:1–3). Those who claimed to speak under the Spirit’s prompting could be mistaken. It was important for the assembly to decide whether the prophecies were really from the Lord.

1 Cor. 14:32 the spirits of prophets. The Holy Spirit’s work through the prophets (see Rev. 3:1; 4:5 for similar usage).

1 Cor. 14:33b As in all the churches of the saints is connected to v. 34.

1 Cor. 14:34–35 the women should keep silent in the churches. Since Paul seems to permit wives to pray and prophesy as long as they do not dishonor their husbands by the way they dress (11:5, 13), it is difficult to see this as an absolute prohibition of their speaking in church meetings (compare Acts 2:17; 21:8–9). Paul is likely forbidding women to speak up and judge prophecies (this is the activity in the immediate context; see 1 Cor. 14:29), since such an activity would undermine male headship. Law also says. Paul is probably thinking of the woman’s creation “from” and “for” the man (see 11:8–9; Gen. 2:20–24), as well as a general pattern of male leadership among the people of Israel in the OT.

1 Cor. 14:37 a command of the Lord. When he wrote to the churches, Paul’s words as an apostle had authority equal to the OT Scriptures (see also 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:15–16).