If therefore. The inference from the preceding representa- tion is, that speaking in languages not understood by the peo- ple is undesirable and useless. To show the justness of this conclusion the apostle supposes the case which follows. If the whole church he come together in one place. That is, if all the Christians of the place, or the whole congregation, be as- sembled. This is one of the conditions of the hypothesis. Another is, that all should speak with tongues. This does not necessarily imply either that all present had the gift of tongues, or that all who possessed the gift spoke at one and the same time, although from vs. 27 and 30 it maybe inferred that this was sometimes done. All that the words here require is that all who spoke used foreign languages. To speak loith tongues must mean to speak in languages unknown to the hearers. The third condition of the case supposed is, that unlearned and unbelievers should come into the meeting. Who are the (iStcoTat), the unlearned here intended? 1. Some say they were Christians ignorant of the gift of tongues, because they are distinguished from unbelievers^ or those not Christians. 2. Others say that the unlearned are those who were ignorant of Christianity, and the (aTrtorroi) unbelieving^ are those who knew and rejected it, i. e. infidels. This is giving to the word a force which it has not in itself, and which the context does not give it. 3. The simplest explanation is that the unlearned were those ignorant of the language spoken, and the unbeliev- ing those not Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles. Such persons were doubtless often led, from curiosity or other mo- tives, to attend the Christian assembhes. The two classes (the unlearned and the unbelieving) are not so distinguished that the same person might not belong to both classes. The same persons were either tSiwrat or a-maroL^ according to the aspect under which they were viewed. Viewed in relation to the languages spoken, they were unlearned ; viewed in rela- tion to Christianity, they were unbelievers. The apostle asks what impression such persons, in the case supposed, would re- ceive ? Would they not say ye are mad f John 12, 20. Acts 12, 15. 26, 24.
24. 25. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or (one) unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all : and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so falUng down on (his)
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