The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 450

implies "chnnce" is recognized. The word "Et resonaturum ferit aethera vooibue- ·•chance" itself ( .-vx~) docs not occur in the Amen." New Testament. So many kinds of voices. Being the answer of the congregation, the This does not seem to mean "so many lan- "Amen" was 1·egarded as no less impo1·tant gua~es." The Jews always asserted that than the prayer itself. the langunges of the world were seventy in Ver. 17.-Well. It is good and honouz. number. It seems to mean "classes of able for thee to utter the voice of Eucharist;. exprcssirn sounds." None of them is with- but if this be done in the unintelligible out signification. The words rendered tongue, what does the Church profit? The "without signification," literally mean other. The "layman" or "ungifted per- 11"111/J. The meaning must either be that son.'' "nothing-no creature-is dumb," or that Ver. 18.-I speak with tongues; rather,. " en~rv _., class " of sounds has its own distinct with a tongue. More than ye all. This ruean1ug-. is exactly what we should expect of the Ver. 11.-A barbarian; in other words, emotional, impassioned nature of St. Paul, unintelligible, according to the definition of who was so wholly under the influence or· the word by Ovid- the Spirit of God. But it is clear from all • ,. Barbarus hie ego sum, quia non intelligor that he has been saying that, while the ulli." personal and evidential value of this gift of· yielding his whole being to the spi.t'itual Unto me; rather, in my eyes. impulse, which expressed and relieved itself Ver. 12.-Even so ye. A general form of by inarticulate utterance, was such as to ~onclusion from the previous remarks. Of make him "thank God" that he possessed spiritual gifts; literall~-, since ye are zealots it, he must either have exercised it only in of spirits. That ye may excel to the edify- private gatherings or must ha'l'e always. ing of the Church; rnther, seek them to the accompanied it by interpretation. edifying of the Church, that ye may abound. Ver. 19.-Yet in the Churoh. In any The same word is used in Matt. v. 20 public assembly of Christians. Five words. ("exceed"); eh. viii. 8 (" are we the No disparngement of the prominence given better"). to glossolllly could be more emphatic. Ver. 13.-Pray that he may interpret; "Rather he.If of ten of the edifying sort either, so pray as to be able to interpret, or, than a thousand times ten of tl!e other " pray u:ith the object of afterwards interpret- (Besser). That . . . I might [mny] teaoh ing. The meaning," pray to have the power others also. The word rendered " teach " is of interpretation given him," seems excluded rathe1· in,truct, the root of our "catechize " by the next verse. (Luke i. 4; Rom. ii. 8; Gal. vi. 6, etc.). Ver. 14.-My understanding is unfruitful. Ver. 20.-Be not childre::i in understand- I am only aware that I am praying. I ho.ve ing; rather, in your minds. Your tendency no definite consciousness as to what I rny. to overvalue glossolaly shows you to be Ver. 15.-What is it then l A phrnse somewhat childi8h. It is remarkable that like the L1tin quorsum ha:c f What is the this is the only verse of the New Testament purport of my exhortations? I will sing. in which the common Greek word "mind,,. This shows that the glossolaly sometimes (ph,·en) occurs. Howbeit in malice be ye took the form of singing. With the under- children; better, but in 1viclcedness be standing also. When ,ve worship or sing babes. 'l'he Authorized Version misses the we must indeed "worship in spirit," but climax involved in the change of the word. also worship and "sing prnisea with under- The Christian should always be childlilm standing" (Ps. xlvii.. 7; Joh1.•. iv. 24). (Matt. xi. 25; xix. 4), but never childish Ver. lG.-That occupieth the room of the (eh. xiii. 11; Eph. iv. 14). Be men; rather,. nnlearned; that is, "one in the position of become or prove yourselves full-grown; liter, an ordinary worshipper, who bas no spiritual ally, perfect. gifts." An idiotes is a privato person; one Ver. 21.-In the Law. The quotation is who does not possess the sldll or the know- from Isa. xxviii. 11, 12, but the term " the ledge which is immediately in question. Law" was npplied generally to the Old Say Amen ; rather, say the Amen. The cus- Testament, as in John x. 34; xii. 34; xv. 25; tom of ratifying prayer and praises with the Rom. iii. 19). With men of other tongues, "Amen" of hearty assent and participation etc. The application of this Old Testament exiRted in the Jewish (Deut. xxvii. 15. quotation furnishes one of the many singu- Neh. v. 13; Rev. v. 14; Philo, 'Fragm.,' lar instances of quotation which prove thllt p. G30) as weJI as in the Chri,tiun Church the Jews often referred to the words without (Justin Martyr, 'Apol.,' ii. 97). 'l'!Je sound any direct reference lo their context oi of the loud unanimous "Amen" of early original meaning. He here wishes to sho\V Christian congregations is compared to the that glossolaly had little or no vuluc except. echo of distant thunder. as an eviJence to unbeliever;, un<l illustrntes, cu. xiv. 1-40.J THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. 45,