This verse is connected by and to the preceding as con- taining an additional reason for the injunction in v. 31. ' You need not speak together, because you can all have the oppor- tunity of speaking successively, and you are not compelled to speak by any irresistible impulse.' The spirits of the prophets. The word spirit is used here (corap. vs. 12. 14. 15) for the di- vine influence under which the prophets spoke. That influ- ence was not of such a nature as to destroy the self-control of those who were its subjects. It did not throw them into a state of frenzy analogous to that of a heathen pythoness. The prophets of God were calm and self-possessed. This being the case, there was no necessity why one should interrupt another, or why more than one should speak at the same time. The one speaking could stop when he pleased ; and the one who received a revelation could wait as long as he pleased. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, i. e. under their control. According to another interpretation the spirits of the prophets means their own spirits (or minds), considered as the organs of the Holy Spirit. But this is contrary to the use of the word in the context ; and moreover it is inconsist- ent with the sense assigned to the word by the advocates of this interpretation. They say that spirit means the higher powers of the mind in distinction from the understanding. In this sense every man, whether the subject of divine influence or not, has a spirit. In other words, according to their theory it is not because the higher powers of the mind are the organs of the Spirit of God that they are called spirits. It is there- fore inconsistent to assign that reason for the use of the word here. The interpretation above given of this verse is the one commonly adopted. Many commentators, however, under- stand the apostle to say, that the spirits of the prophets are subject to one another, i. e. to other prophets ; and therefore if one is speaking he should yield to another who wishes to speak. This idea is not suited to the context. It would sug- gest merely a reason why one ought to yield to the other. What the apostle says and wishes to prove is, that one can yield to the other. A prophet was not forced to speak by the spirit which he had received.
33. For God is not (the author) of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
This is the reason why the spirits of the prophets must be