27---32.
ὁσιγάτω } ἐν 5 ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ Θεῶ. gitar δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι 1 * διακρινέτωσαν: 30. ἐὰν δὲ GAAw " ἀποκαλυφθῇ καθηµένω, ὁ πρῶτος "σιγάτω": 31. δύνασθε γὰρ ‘kal "ἕνα πάντες "προφητεύειν, ἵνα πάντες µανθάνωσι καὶ πάντες παρακαλῶνται: 32. καὶ πνεύματα” Ἱ" προφητῶν
r See vi. 5. s See ii. 10. xii. 5; Mk. xiv. το; Jo. viii. ο. Mt. xi. 29; Jo. vi. 45. this sense. x Rev. xxii. 6.
u See xi. 5.
onS
o Rom. xvi. 25; Six times in Lk. and Acts. For change of subject, see Wr., p. 787.
p See xi. 18,
q See xii. 29.
20. Ἱπρο-
t See νετ. 27. For καθ᾽ ενα, add Eph. v. 33; Jo. xxi. 25; καθ’ εἰς, Rom.
v Absol., Col. i. 7; 1 Tim. ii. 11; 2 Tim. iii. 7;
w Frequent throughout P.; in Acts rarely; in GG., only Lk. iii. 18 with πνευµατα, 886 Xil. 10.
1 Om. ot αλλοι D*GL—an example of Western license.
2 wvevxpa, DG, 673”, latt. (not ~g.), syrsch-., Epiph., Latt. Ff.
number to prophesy at any meeting it limited to ‘‘two or three,’ like that of the Tongue-speakers; the condition avé µέρος (27) is self-evident, where edifica- tion is consciously intended (3, etc.). ‘‘The others’? are the other prophets present, who were competent to speak (31); these silent prophets may employ themselves in the necessary ‘ discern- ment of spirits’ (see xii. το)---διακρινέ- τωσαν, acting as critics of the revelations given through their brethren. The powers of προφητεία and διάκρισις appear to have been frequently combined, like those of artist and art-critic. It is noticed that in the Didaché a contrary instruc- tion to this (and tor Thess. v. 20 f.) is given: πάντα προφήτην λαλοῦντα ἐν πνεύματι οὐπειράσετεοὐδὲ διακρινεῖτε.--- The above regulation implies pre-arrange- ment amongst the speakers; but this must not hinder the free movement of the Spirit; if a communication be made ex tempore to a silent prophet, the speaker should give way to him: ‘ But if anything be revealed to another seated”’ (the prophesier stood, as in Synagogue reading and vexhortation: Luke iv. 1, Acts xiii, 16), ‘‘let the first be silent’’. σιγάτω does not command (as σιγησάτω might) an instant cessation; ‘‘some token would probably be given, by mo- tion or gesture, that an ἀποκάλυψις had been vouchsafed to another of the προ- φῆται; this would be a sign to the speaker to close his address, and to let the newly illumined succeed to him”’ {El.). Even inspired prophets might speak too long and require to be stopped !
Ver. 31. By economy of time, every one who has the prophetic gift may exer- cise it in turn; so the Church will enjoy, in variety of exhortation, the full benefit of the powers of the Spirit conferred on all its members: “‘ For you can (in this way) all prophesy one by one (xa@’ ἕνα:
singulatim, Cv.), in order that all may learn and all may be encouraged”. Stress lies on the repeated πάντες (cf. xii. 12 f.): let every prophet get his turn, and every hearer will receive benefit (cf. 266) ; even if the Church members were all pro- phets, as Paul imagined in ver. 24, and thinks desirable (1-5), by due arrange- ment, and self-suppression on the part of the eloquent, all might be heard.
Ver. 32. The maxim πγεύµατα προφη- τῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται, is coupled by καὶ to νετ. 31 under the regimen of γάρ; it gives the subjective, as ver. 31 the main objective, reason why the pro- phets should submit to regulation. ‘“‘ How can I prophesy to order ?”’ one of them might ask; ‘how restrain the Spirit’s course inme?” The Ap. replies: “ (for) also the spirits of the prophets are sub- ject to the prophets’’; this Divine gift is put under the control and responsibility of the possessor’s will, that it may be exercised with discretion and brotherly love, for its appointed ends. An unruly prophet is therefore no genuine prophet; he lacks one of the necessary marks of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling (see 33, 37). This kind of subjection could hardly be ascribed to the ecstatic Glossolalia. On the pl. πνεύματα, signifying manifold forms or distributions (xii. 4, 11) of the Spirit’s power, see note on xii. 10.— ὑποτάσσεται is the pr. of a general truth: ‘“‘a Gnomic Present” (Bn., § 12); of. 111.113, 2 Cor.ix. 7.