on the instinct of propriety, vs. 34. 35. The Corinthians were not to act in this matter as though they were the oldest or the only church, v. 36. The apostle requires all classes, no matter how highly gifted, to regard his directions as the commands of Christ, vs. 37. 38. He sums up the chapter in two sen- tences. 1. Earnestly to seek the gift of prophecy, and not to prohibit the exercise of the gift of tongues. 2. To do all things with decency and order.
26. How is it then, brethren ? when ye come to- gether, every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Hoio is it then? i. e. as in v. 15, What is the conclusion from what has been said ? What is the condition of things among you ? How, in point of fact, do you conduct your public worship ? When ye come together. That is, as often as ye come together. Every one of you hath^ &c. Every one is used distributively ; one has this and another that. A psalm^ a song of praise to God. This can hardly mean one of the Psalms of the Old Testament ; but something prepared or suggested for the occasion. One was impelled by the Spirit to pour forth his heart in a song of praise. Comp. v. 15. Hath a doctrine^ i. e. comes prepared to expound some doc- trine. Hath a tongue, i. e. is able and impelled to dehver an address or to pray in an unknown tongue. Hath a revelation, i. e. as a prophet he has received a revelation from God which he desires to communicate. Hath an interpretation, i. e. is prepared to give the interpretation of some discourse previ- ously delivered in an unknown tongue. This passage, and indeed the whole chapter, presents a lively image of an early Christian assembly. Although there were officers in every church, appointed to conduct the services and especially to teach, yet as the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were not confined to them or to any particular class, any member pres- ent who experienced the working of the Spirit in any of its extraordinary manifestations, was authorized to use and exer- cise his gift. Under such circumstances confusion could hard- ly fail to ensue. That such disorder did prevail in the public assemblies in Corinth is clear enough from this chapter. To correct this evil is the apostle's design in this whole passage. It was only so long as the gifts of tongues, of prophecy, of