1 Corinthians 14:1 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 14 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 Prophecy, for its greater tendency to edification, is preferred before speaking with tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:6-11 Tongues not understood, like indistinct musical sounds, are of no service to the hearers. 1 Corinthians 14:12-20 All gifts should be referred to edification. 1 Corinthians 14:21,22 Tongues are of use for the conviction of unbelievers, 1 Corinthians 14:23-25 but in the assemblies of the church prophecy is more useful. 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 Rules for the orderly exercise of spiritual gifts in the church. 1 Corinthians 14:34-38 Women are forbidden to speak there. 1 Corinthians 14:39,40 An exhortation to use each gift freely, but with decency and order. Follow after charity; that love to God and your brethren, concerning which I have been speaking so much, as preferable to all common gifts, follow that with your utmost diligence, as the persecutors follow you; for it is the same word that is ordinarily used to signify the violent prosecution of persecutors, though it be applied also to things which we ought eagerly to follow, Romans 9:31, Romans 14:19. But rather that ye may prophesy; but rather, or principally that you may be able to reveal the mind and will of God unto others. Some think, by foretelling things to come; but that is not very probable, such an ability of prophesying being given but to few under the New Testament: it is therefore more probable, that he speaketh of an ability to open the Scriptures, either by immediate revelation, (as to which they could use no means but prayer and a holy life), or by ordinary meditation, and study of the Scriptures. For though the former species of prophesying, by prediction of future things, when the truth of it was justified by such prophecies accomplishment, was of great use to confirm the doctrine of the gospel; yet the latter was of greater and more general use for the good of others, which makes the apostle put them upon the coveting and earnest desire of that faculty or ability, because, of all others, it made them most eminently and generally useful to others, as well those within the church, as those without; and this the apostle expoundeth himself, 1 Corinthians 14:3.