1 Corinthians 14:1-4 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Follow after love Namely, that love, the nature, necessity, and excellence of which are shown at large in the preceding chapter; pursue this, which far exceeds all extraordinary gifts, with zeal, vigour, courage, patience, otherwise you will neither attain nor keep it. And In their place, as subservient to this; desire spiritual gifts With moderation, and in submission to the divine will; but rather, or especially, that ye may prophecy The word here does not appear to mean foretelling things to come, but rather opening and applying the Scriptures, and discoursing on divine things in an edifying manner. For he that speaketh in a tongue Unknown to the auditory, to which he addresses himself; speaketh In effect; not unto men, but unto God Who alone understands him. Howbeit, or although, in or by the inspiration of the Spirit, he speaketh mysteries Such things as are full of divine and hidden wisdom. But he that prophesieth That is, who discourses of divine things, in a language understood by the hearers; speaketh to edification To the building up of believers in faith and holiness; and exhortation To excite them to zeal and diligence; and comfort Support and consolation under their trials and troubles. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself only On the most favourable supposition. The apostle speaks thus, because a person who spoke in an unknown tongue might possibly, while he spoke, find his own good affections awakened by the truths he delivered with fervency, and he might find his faith in Christianity established by the consciousness he had of a miraculous power working in him. From this it is plain that the inspired person, who uttered, in an unknown language, a revelation made to himself, must have understood it, otherwise he could not increase his own knowledge and faith by speaking it. But he that prophesieth While he edifies himself, edifieth the church also, the whole congregation.