The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 454

~he principle on which graces are preferable as gifts, but the principle on which one gift is preferable to another: 'Rather that ye may prophesy.' Now, the principle of this preference is Yery briefly stated. Of gifts, Paul prefers those which are useful to thoso that are showy. The gift of prophecy was useful to others whilst that of tonaues was only a luxury for self. The principle of this preference' is stated generally in tho twelfth Yerse: 'Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual 0aifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church.'" II. So~r_E EXDO\\"ME:,.Ts A~E SUPERIOR TO OTHERS. In the fifth verse the apostle says, :• ~reater 1s he that pr?phes_1eth than_he that speaketh with tongues.'' In this chapter 1t JS taught that the didactic faculty JS greater than the linguistic. Sense is better than sound, ideas are better than words. Ideas are the seed of character and the soul of history. Of all classes of ideas, religious ideas, ideas in relation to God 1 are the most ~alutary and sublime. .A. mau may pronounce "sun," "universe," " God," in fifty -different languages, and he is n?t n_ecessarily richer in ideas concerning these than the man who can only speak them m his own vernacular. It often happens that the man ~-ho has the most aptitude in acquiring la □ guages, and the most fluency in pronouncing them, has the least capacity either for attaining or communicatina great ideas. But the l:3-nguage of wh!ch t~~ apostle is here speaking seems to h~ve been of a very peculiar sort-an unmtelhg1ble vocal utterance. It was, perhaps, the inarticulate voice of new and strong emotions-an emotional language. It is not necessary to consider this gift as miraculous. We are so constituted that when there rises up in our souls -a strong rush of tender emotions, we feel utterly incapable to put them into words. Sometimes they choke us. If expressed at all, they can only be in the quivering lip and the gleaming eye and the convulsive chest. No stranger or stronger emotions can enter a man's soul than those which Christianity awakens when it first takes possession of him. The groans, the sighs, the rapturous shouts, cannot be "interpreted. Albeit they are a " gift," a gift of a high type, inasmuch as they are the expression of the most priceless states of soul. Such have been manifested in all great revivals of religion. In my younger <lays I have heard such untranslatable sounds under the mighty sermons of grand old ,velsh preachers. The words imply that these " tongues," unintelligible vocal sounds, are valuable. "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied.'' They are valuable: 1. Because they are symptomatic •of a new spiritual life. You can talk about the facts of history, the principles of science, and the doctrines of theology, but not about the deepest and divinest things of the heart. They only come out in "groanings that cannot be uttered." 2. Because in them the soul expresses its devotions. "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit JJrayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.'' It is delightful to think of the human :Soul, generally so immersed in the selfish and the sensuous, bathing itself in the rising tides of spiritual emotions. 3. Because by them the religious .,ympathy of the unbelieving is oflen excited. " Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.'' Sou□ ds expressive of human emotion often .strike potently on the heart of the listener. The emotions of others, revealed either in sounds or " signs,'' groans, sighs, or tears, seldom fail to strike the deepest chords in the hearts of others. Take the most thoughtless man into some vast congregation in \Vales, when all the people are singing their plaintive hymns in strains of weird music, and he will not be long, even if he understands not the language, before ho feels the influence. Deep emotion often speaks in the "unknown tongue." Unsyllabled speech is often the mightiest. There are melodies that carry into the soul that which no word can ex press. III. The highest endowment is the ADILITY FOR SPIRITUAL TEACHING. "Even su ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gHts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying -0f the Church.'' "I thank my Goel, I speak with tongues more than ye all.'' What do I mean by "teaching"? Not tbe mere impartation of the facts of the gospel, but rather the indoctrinating of the soul with its primary eleme □ ts and spirit-taking the spirit of the truth out of the letter and transfusing it into the souls of men. On this subject the apostle's language suggests three remarks. 1. That the gospel gives to its genuine disciples intelligent convictions that should be communicated to others. This is certainly implied in the words, "Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church.'' He who has accepted the gospel in -on. xrv. 1-40.] 'l'HE FIHST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. 463