the Week of Proper 27 / Ordinary 32
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Read the Bible
1 Corinthians 14:1
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- Today'sContextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Follow: Proverbs 15:9, Proverbs 21:21, Isaiah 51:1, Romans 9:30, Romans 14:19, 1 Timothy 5:10, 1 Timothy 6:11, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 3:11-13, 3 John 1:11
charity: 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 1 Corinthians 13:13, 2 Timothy 2:22, 2 Peter 1:7
desire: 1 Corinthians 12:1, 1 Corinthians 12:31, Ephesians 1:3
prophesy: 1 Corinthians 14:3-5, 1 Corinthians 14:24, 1 Corinthians 14:25, 1 Corinthians 14:37, 1 Corinthians 14:39, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 13:9, Numbers 11:25-29, Romans 12:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 1 Timothy 4:14
Reciprocal: Acts 19:6 - and prophesied 1 Corinthians 11:4 - or 1 Corinthians 12:10 - prophecy 1 Corinthians 14:5 - for 1 Corinthians 14:6 - prophesying 1 Corinthians 14:12 - forasmuch 1 Corinthians 16:14 - General Ephesians 4:16 - edifying 1 Thessalonians 5:15 - ever 1 Timothy 1:5 - charity 1 Peter 3:13 - followers 1 Peter 4:8 - fervent
Cross-References
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
The children of Shem; Elam, and Ashur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud and Aram;
The sones of Sem weren Elam, and Assur, and Arfaxath, and Lud, and Aram.
Sons of Shem [are] Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Follow after charity,.... The apostle having so highly commended charity, or love, in the preceding chapter, presses here to an eager pursuit after it; that is, to an exercise of it, and after those things which make for it, and will serve to maintain and increase it: and everything he has said in praise of it before serves as an argument, or reason, to follow hard after it, with an eagerness used in hunting, and with such violence as persecutors express in pursuing and laying hold on those they seek after, to which there is an allusion in the word here used:
and desire spiritual gifts: for though he had given charity the preference to them, he did not mean that they should despise and neglect them, or treat them with indifference, and be unconcerned about them; but, on the other hand, that they should be very zealous for them, ambitious of them, and earnestly covet them; since being rightly used and kept in their proper place, they were greatly beneficial and profitable to the churches of Christ, and the glory of God:
but rather that ye may prophesy: of all the gifts of the Spirit, the apostle prefers prophesying, and recommends this to the Corinthians, as what they should be chiefly desirous of, and more desirous of than of speaking with tongues, which many among them were so very fond of: by which he means, not so much the gift of foretelling future events, though there was such a gift bestowed on some persons in those times, and, in certain cases, was very profitable to the churches; but a gift of preaching the word, or explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament, and of praying and singing of psalms, all which, as appears from some following parts of this chapter, were included in it; and that not in an ordinary, but in an extraordinary way; a person possessed of this gift could at once, without the use of means, or help of study, preach the word, and open the more difficult parts of Scripture; he had an extraordinary gift of prayer, which he could make use of when he pleased, and at once compose and deliver out a psalm, or hymn, in the public congregation.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Follow after charity - Pursue love 1 Corinthians 13:1; that is, earnestly desire it; strive to possess it; make it the object of your anxious and constant solicitude to obtain it, and to be influenced by it always. Cultivate it in your own hearts, as the richest and best endowment of the Holy Spirit, and endeavor to diffuse its happy influence on all around you.
And desire spiritual gifts - I do not forbid you, while you make the possession of love your great object, and while you do not make the desire of spiritual gifts the occasion of envy or strife, to desire the miraculous endowments of the Spirit and to seek to excel in those endowments which he imparts; see the note at 1 Corinthians 12:31. The main thing was to cultivate a spirit of love. Yet it was not improper also to desire to be so endowed as to promote their highest usefulness in the church. On the phrase “spiritual gifts,” see the note at 1 Corinthians 12:1.
But rather that ye may prophesy - But especially, or particularly desire to be qualified for the office of prophesying. The apostle does not mean to say that prophecy is to be preferred to love or charity; but that, of the spiritual gifts which it was proper for them to desire and seek, prophecy was the most valuable. That is, they were not most earnestly and especially to desire to be able to speak foreign languages or to work miracles; but they were to desire to be qualified to speak in a manner that would be edifying to the church. They would naturally, perhaps, most highly prize the power of working miracles and of speaking foreign languages. The object of this chapter is to show them that the ability to speak in a plain, clear, instructive manner, so as to edify the church and convince sinners, was a more valuable endowment than the power of working miracles, or the power of speaking foreign languages.
On the meaning of the word “prophesy,” see the note at Romans 11:6. To what is said there on the nature of this office, it seems necessary only to add an idea suggested by Prof. Robinson (Greek and English Lexicon, under the article, Προφήτης Prophētēs), that the prophets were distinguished from the teachers (διδάσκαλοι didaskaloi), “in that, while the latter spoke in a calm, connected, didactic discourse adapted to instruct and enlighten the hearers, the prophet spoke more from the impulse of sudden inspiration, from the light of a sudden revelation at the moment (1 Corinthians 14:30, ἀποκάλυφθη apokalupthē), and his discourse was probably more adapted, by means of powerful exhortation, to awaken the feelings and conscience of the hearers.” The idea of speaking from “revelation,” he adds, seems to be fundamental to the correct idea of the nature of the prophecy here referred to. Yet the communications of the prophets were always in the vernacular tongue, and were always in intelligible language, and in this respect different from the endowments of those who spoke foreign languages.
The same truth might be spoken by both; the influence of the Spirit was equally necessary in both; both were inspired; and both answered important ends in the establishment and edification of the church. The gift of tongues, however, as it was the most striking and remarkable, and probably the most rare, was most highly prized and coveted. The object of Paul here is, to show that it was really an endowment of less value, and should be less desired by Christians than the gift of prophetic instruction, or the ability to edify the church in language intelligible and understood by all, under the immediate influences of the Holy Spirit.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER XIV.
We should earnestly desire spiritual gifts; but prophesying
is to be preferred, because it is superior to the gift of
tongues, 1, 2.
Prophesying defined, 3.
How to regulate this supernatural gift of tongues, in teaching
for the edification of the Church, 4-13.
In praying and giving thanks, 14-17.
Those who speak with tongues should interpret that others may
be edified, 18-22
What benefit may accrue from this in the public assemblies,
23-28.
How the prophets or teachers should act in the Church, 29-33.
Women should keep silence in the church, 34, 35.
All should be humble, and every thing should be done in love,
36-40.
NOTES ON CHAP. XIV.
Verse 1 Corinthians 14:1. Follow after charity — Most earnestly labour to be put in possession of that love which beareth, believeth, hopeth, and endureth all things. It may be difficult to acquire, and difficult to retain this blessed state, but it is essential to your present peace and eternal happiness. This clause belongs to the preceding chapter.
Desire spiritual gifts] Ye are very intent on getting those splendid gifts which may add to your worldly consequence, and please your carnal minds-but labour rather to get the gifts of God's Spirit, by which ye may grow in grace, and be useful to others-and particularly desire that ye may prophesy-that ye may be able to teach and instruct others in the things of their salvation.
