Scripture Reading : 1 Corinthians 14
Theme : Tongues and Prophecy
After presenting love as the “more excellent way” above all ministries and gifts, Paul now confronted the Corinthians in regard to their sin against love in misunderstanding and misusing the gift of tongues.
- The position of tongues and prophecy (14:1-19). Much of the tongues-speaking in Corinth had taken the form of pagan ecstasies and was counterfeit of the true gift. It is an interpretive key to note that the singular tongue (v.2, 4, 13, 14, 19) indicate the counterfeited gift because gibberish is singular while the plural tongues (v.5, 6, 18, 22, 23, 29) indicate the true gift because it involves various languages. Unlike prophecy (used here as speaking forth God’s Word) which edifies the whole congregation, tongues are unintelligible and its effects are emotional rather than rational.
- The purpose of tongues and prophecy (14:20-25). The true purpose of tongue can be found in Is. 28:11-12 – the strange tongues mentioned refer to the gift of languages, which God gave as an impending sign of judgment to the unbelieving Jews. When that to which it pointed has been passed in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70, there is no longer a purpose for the gift. God’s prophesies had also closed since the Bible is completed. However, although foretelling has ceased, prophecy continues in the form of forth-telling (proclaiming) God’s revealed prophesies to edify believers and to evangelize to unbelievers.
- The procedure of tongues and prophecy (14:26-40). Those true gifts must be ministered in a systematic and orderly manner because God is a God of propriety and order. Therefore, all things that His children do should also reflect those divine characteristics.
Praying the Scripture
- As with Corinthian church, many Pentacostal and Charismatics today have misunderstood the gift of tongue. Using verse 4 as their support, they claimed that God is still giving the gift of tongues to believers this day for private devotional use, even if what’s spoken is gibberish. Some had even gone to the extreme to say that all Christians must have the gift of tongues in order to be a true believer. However, spiritual gifts are always used for ministering to others for God’s glory (1 Cor. 12:7), not to selfishly minister to oneself as some people thought they were doing by speaking in tongues. However, if even true tongues must be interpreted in order to be understood, how can gibberish possibly edify anyone, including the person speaking, without interpretation? Scripture is clear that Christians are only built up by the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and this is the tool which every believer should be skilled in. Let’s pray that we will not clamor after the gift of tongues, but we will desire to build up one another through the Word of God (cf. 1 Thess. 5:11).
- In light of the confusion and disorder that the Corinthian believers seemed to do everything, Paul gave a clear command for things to be done in an orderly manner, for God is not a God of confusion but of peace (v.33). Therefore, our worship of God should reflect the character and nature of God: that He is the God of peace and harmony, not of strife and confusion (Rom. 15:33, 2 Thess. 3:16, Heb. 13:20). Let’s pray that we will always worship God in an orderly manner whenever we gather as a congregation.
经文：哥林多前书14
主题：说方言与做先知讲道
保罗将爱呈现作超乎众事工和恩赐之“最妙的道”后，现在要指责哥林多教会悖逆这爱，因为他们误解并误用了说方言的恩赐。
- 说方言与做先知讲道的地位（14:1-19）。哥林多教会中所出现的方言多数都是假的；它实际上是外邦人的一种狂喜。这里的“方言”指的是各种不同语文的言语，而非一种胡言乱语。说方言与讲道（即讲神的道）有别的是：前者能造就全体会众，但后者唯有说的人听得懂，而且其效应往往是情感上而不是理智上的。
- 说方言与做先知讲道的目的（14:20-25）。说方言的实际目的就记载在以赛亚书28:1-12——那里所提外邦人的唇舌指的就是说言语的恩赐，是神给不信的犹太人的迹象，说明审判将临到。当耶路撒冷在公元后70年遭摧毁，说方言的恩赐就再无用途了。神的预言也自圣经完成后停止了。虽然如此，当神已启示的话语得清楚宣扬时，讲道既能造就信徒，又能向非信徒传福音。
- 说方言与做先知讲道的程序（14:26-40）。若是真实的恩赐，它必以系统性及秩序性的方式运作，因为神是个有礼节、有条理的神。因此，神的儿女也必须在凡事上反映这些属神特质。
用经文祷告
- 如哥林多教会一样，今日的许多灵恩派误解了什么是说方言的恩赐。他们使用第4节为根据，声称神今日仍赐予说方言的恩赐是为个人灵修所用，即便所说的是一派胡言。有些甚至说所有信徒都必须有说方言的恩赐，才能算是真正的信徒。然而，属灵恩赐是为神的荣耀服侍他人所用（12:7），并不是为侍奉自己，如今日所谓的讲方言的用途。更何况，若真实的方言也需要翻出来才能理解，不翻出的胡言又如何造就任何人，包括说话的那一位？圣经清楚说道信徒只有在神的道上才能得建立（提后3:16-17），而这是每个信徒都当熟练的工具。让我们祷告我们不会追求说方言的恩赐，而是渴望藉着神的道建立彼此（参：帖后5:11）。
- 哥林多教会似乎处在混淆和混乱中，而保罗就在这时候给予明确的指示，说明教会行事当规规矩矩，因为神不是叫人混乱，乃是叫人安静的神（33节）。因此，我们对神的敬拜也当反映神的属性和性情，即神是和平与和睦的神，不是混乱和纷争的神（罗15:33，帖后3:16，来13:20）。让我们祷告每当我们聚集敬拜神时，总会是规规矩矩的。
