The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 455

ceality becomes instinct with mighty and irrepressible ideas-ideas which he "cannot but speak," for" necessity is laid" upon him to do so. They are given to him to com- municate, not to monopolize, and on their communication the spiritual life, growth, and perfection of mankind depend. Paul assumes in the whole of these verses, not only that the members of the Corinthian Church ought to do so, but that they did so. •• How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a torigue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all thin;?;s be done unto edifying." 2. That these intelligent convictions can only be conveyed to -0thers by intelligible language. "Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? " The apostle proceeds to say that mere "sound" is not worLh much. "Things without life," such as the "pipe" and the "harp," produce sound. Nay, more, unless the sound gives out clear and distinct ideas, it is not only useless, but injurious. "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" If in battle the trumpet does not sound clearly the" advance" or "retreat" when intended, it is worse than useless. "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known ,vhat is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air." ·whatever might be the unin- telliyible utterances, whether an unvemacular language or the unsyllabled expressions of emotion, he indicates their inadequacy without interpretation to convey to the hearer intelligent convictions of gospel truth. 3. That the use of a language which the listener cannot understand should not be indulged in. (1) Not in public devotion. "For if I pr:i.y in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful," etc. (vers.14--16). Unintelligible utterances in public devotion fail to excite .in the assembly a spirit of united worship. "How," in such a case, "shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandetli not what thou sayest?" So far as the iudividual himself is concerned, it does not matter with what tongue he speaks, or whether he speaks at a.II. "For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified." (2) Not in public ministration. Alas ! it is to be feared the language of many a sermon is an "unknown tongue "-to illiterate audiences, many syllabled, strangely compounded, high-sounding, technical language. Such language gratifies the vanity of the spe:i.ker, but wastes the time and tires the patience of the hearer. "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my under- .standing, that by my voice I might teach others also, th:i.n ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." The apostle goes on to indicate that such unintelligible utterances .in the Church are: (a) Childish. "Brethren, be not children in understanding;: how- beit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." 'l'hey who prize such utterances are infants in knowledge. (b) Useless. "In the L:i.w it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people." As if the npostle .had said," Remember, there was a time in Jewish history when unintelligible language was a sign sent by God, but it proved unavailing so far as concemed the conversion of Israel." (c) Confounding. "If therefore the whole Church be come togeLher into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are m:i.d?" (d) To be of any service, they must be interpreted. " If there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the Church; and let him speak to himself, and to God." Vers. 29-33.-Paul's idea of the Christian Church in assembly. "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge," etc. From these words we may infer that Paul considered- !. That the Christian Church in assembly, on the SAME OCCASION, MIGUT HA VE SEVERAL SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS THEM. "Let the prophets [ or, 'te:i.chers '] speak two or three." "For ye may all prophesy one by one." If this be so : 1. Should Christian teaching be regarded as a profession, It is so now: men are brought up to it, trnine,l for it, and Ii ve by it, as architects, lawyers, doctors. Surely preaching the gospel shoul,l JIO more be regarded as a profession than the talk of loving parents to their children. 2. Is the Church justified in confining its attention to tho mini.~try of one man? In most modem congregations there are some Christian men who, by natural ability, by  464 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [cH. xiv. 1-40.