I will sing. The word {xpaXX^iv) means to touch ; then to touch the cords of a stringed instrument, i. e. to play upon it ; then to sing or chant in harmony with such instrument ; and then to sing or chant. This last is its New Testament mean- ing. It appears from this as well as from other passages, that singing was from the beginning a part of Christian worship. Pliny, about forty years later, says, Christianos solitos fuisse canere antelucanos hymnos Christo.
16. 17. Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how bhaU he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he under- standeth not what thou sayest ? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
Else^ i. e. since in that case. That is, in case you do not speak intelligibly (tw vol as well as tw Trveij/xan). If thou shalt bless loith the spirit. That is, bless God, including praise and thanksgiving. The word translated to give thanks^ in the last clause of the verse expresses the same idea. By the Spirit^ i. e. under the influence of the Spirit, or in the exercise of your spiritual gift, as in the preceding verse. How shall he that occupieth the place of the unlearned^ i. e. (tStwrov) of a pri- vate person. The word is used to designate one out of office in opposition to officers ; and in general, one who does not possess the distinguishing characteristic of the class to which it is opposed. It here designates the ungifted in opposition to those who had the gift of tongues ; or rather, it is applicable to any one who was ignorant of the language used by the speaker. Comp. vs. 23.24. Acts 4, 13. 2 Cor. 11,6. The context shows that Paul does not refer to laymen in opposition to church officers ; for the officers were just as Hkely to be (iStorrai) unlearned as to the language used as others. To fill the place means to occupy the position ; not a particular part of the place of assembly assigned to laymen, but to sustain the relation to the speaker of one unacquainted with the tongue which he uses. Bay Amen at thy giving of thanJcs, i. e. assent or respond to it. Amen is a Hebrew adjective signifying true or faithful, often used adverbially at the end of a sentence to express assent to what is said, in the sense of so let it he. In the Jewish synagogue it was the custom for the people to respond to the prayers by audibly saying Amen, by which they signi-