There was another post with 1 Cor. but I disagreed with some of it, so I have posted this one.
I believe that this will help you understand why I believe what I believe about tongues. Please study this with an open mind.
1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
Paul starts out this discussion about spiritual gifts with the idea that we should desire spiritual gifts, but immediately sets out to put prophecy way up on the list as one to be desired. His reason will be shown later. This was in no way meant to put down tongues.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God:
Note carefully this first mention of tongues: it clearly says that one speaking in tongues is not speaking to men, but is speaking to God.
Why would Paul say that?
2 for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
Note very carefully why Paul says that tongues is man talking to God: because no man understands him. Stop and think if that seems to contradict what you believe about tongues. I know that you believe that the tongues referred to by Paul is talking about languages spoken by men here on earth - but listen to what the Holy Spirit, through Paul, said: Tongues is not talking to men, but to God, because NO MAN UNDERSTANDS HIM. There is not one human being on earth that can understand when someone is talking in tongues because he is TALKING TO GOD using a heavenly language. The only way for anyone to get the understanding is if someone has the associated gift of interpretation.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Now Paul clearly shows that he is making a comparison of speaking in tongues with Prophecy, both supernatural gifts of the Spirit as shown in chapter 12. Notice the "But." The "but" also shows that one talking in tongues IS NOT talking to men for edification, etc. He said that tongues is man talking to God, BUT Prophecy is man talking to other men for the purpose of edification, exhortation, and comfort. This should be very clear now: Tongues is man talking to God; Prophecy is man talking to man. Paul continues this comparison throughout most of this chapter.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself;
Paul is saying that someone speaking in tongues is edifying, or building himself up (like edifice which means structure, building). This is a good thing.
Now a question - Does someone that is speaking in the common language of the people (for the purpose of edifying others) edify himself also? Maybe to some extent, but Paul doesn't ever say that someone prophesying* is building himself up.
*prophesying: a supernatural gift that brings a fresh word from heaven - what God is saying to the local church today, given by the speaker in his normal language.
So we can see that there is something supernatural about tongues that causes the speaker to be edified, or built up in the Lord.
4 but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
Again Paul uses the "but" for his comparison. Prophecy edifies the church.
WHY? Tongues is a heavenly language directed toward God, but Prophecy is in the language of the people present. No one can understand tongues, so only the speaker is edified, but all can understand the Prophecy (in their language) so all are edified.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues,
Paul is clearly showing that tongues were very important to him, and obviously should be important to everybody.
5 but rather that ye prophesied:
Again, Paul uses the "but" for his comparison. He would rather that people prophesied versus speak in tongues. WHY? Simply because only the speaker is edified if one talks in tongues, (no man understands) but all listeners are edified if one prophecies (in common language so all understands)
5 for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying
Again the comparison between tongues & prophecy: Prophecy is greater, because all are edified, EXCEPT someone interprets into the common language, so that all may be edified. So tongues with interpretation are equivalent to prophecy.
WHY interpret? Obviously the tongues were not in the common language! (no man understands! Tongues are not in any common language, because they are supernatural.)
VERY IMPORTANT: If tongues were a gift of a local language from heaven meant to replace or take the place of an interpreter (suppose you wanted to preach to a foreign group and no interpreter could be found), why is Paul saying "except he interpret" meaning that the speaker speaking in tongues must also interpret if the listeners are to understand. If God supernaturally gave this man the ability to preach in their language no interpreter would be needed! But an interpreter is needed because tongues are a heavenly language and no man understands.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you,
WHY did Paul say "what shall it prophet you?" Tongues profits no one but the speaker because tongues are not in the common language and no man understands.
If tongues were a gift to take the place of an interpreter, so one could supernaturally preach in a language he never learned the hard way, why did Paul say "what shall I profit you?" That would make no sense. But if tongues are a heavenly language, then indeed, it would not profit anyone but the speaker, because no man understands.
6 except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
Again the comparison, with "except" rather than a "but." Clearly, all the other speech mentioned is in the common language, so all can understand and be edified.
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
Tongues are not a distinct sound and "it shall not be known what is piped" or talked in tongues because no man understands him.
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
Tongues are an uncertain sound. WHY? Because no man understands him.
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood,
Tongues cannot be understood, because he is talking to God & not man and no man understands.
9 how shall it be known what is spoken?
It can not be known what is spoken because no man understands.
9 for ye shall speak into the air.
Tongues are not talking to any people around, but to God, so one could say he is speaking "into the air."
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
Tongues have significant meaning, even if no one understands.
11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice,
Why wouldn't Paul know the meaning? Because tongues is not talking to man but to God, and no man understands.
11 I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
WHY? Because no man understands. Tongues are created in the human spirit by the Holy Spirit, and directed towards God the Father. Only God knows what the interpretation of the tongues is, since He created it. If I get up in front of people and just talk in tongues, I would be a barbarian to them!
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Clearly in Paul's mind, edifying the church was vastly greater than edifying self (by speaking in tongues)
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
WHY? Because no man understands him. He can't go and look for someone to translate, because he is speaking unto God and only God can understand. That is why he has to pray. He would find no one that could understand and translate.
Notice it is interpret, not translate. There can be no translator, except God. But by the gift of interpretation, the Holy Spirit can give the meaning of the tongues.
Again, if tongues were a supernatural gift in a local language to help a missionary preach to the locals, why would Paul say to pray for an interpreter? That would make no sense. Why would I need an interpreter if I am miraculously able to speak in their language? But since tongues is a heavenly language and no man understands, then indeed if I am the missionary speaking in tongues, I would need to pray that God give me the gift of interpretation, or pray that they would hear me in their language.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth,
This is a very important thought: the source of the tongues is always from the SPIRIT. It is your human spirit, by the Holy Spirit giving utterance, that tongues are spoken. One could very easily do arithmetic homework, while at the same time speak in tongues, because the brain is disengaged while one is speaking in tongues. It is coming straight out of the human spirit.
14 but my understanding is unfruitful.
WHY? Why is the understanding unfruitful? Because no man understands - not even the speaker! He is talking to God, not to himself. If tongues were the ability to speak (or preach) in a local dialect, Paul is saying that he would not understand a word he was saying! Would you get up and speak for 30 minutes in front of foreigners when you didn't understand a word you were saying? I don't think so! Again, this doesn't make any sense. But if tongues were a heavenly language, then indeed my understanding would be unfruitful.
15 What is it then?
Since tongues come from my spirit and I don't even know what I'm saying, what shall I do?
15 I will pray with the spirit,
Paul just got through saying in verse 14 that tongues is "my spirit prayeth", so there can be no other meaning here except that Paul will spend time praying in tongues. To make this verse say anything else than praying in tongues, would be to take this verse out of context.
15 and I will pray with the understanding also:
Paul has just said many times that with tongues there is no understanding, but with prophecy there is understanding, so now he is saying that he will spend some time praying in his own language. So he will pray in tongues a while, then pray in Hebrew or Greek (that he understands) for a while. There can be no other intent here by Paul. He has just written 15 verses where he makes a comparison of speaking in tongues versus speaking in the common language that is understood.
To make this verse say anything else than a paradigm* of praying in tongues, and then in the local language would, again, be to take this verse totally out of context.
Paradigm* "Para" is "one along side another," as in paratrooper or parallel, and "digm" is a comparison, so paradigm is to bring two thoughts or ideas right up along side of each other for easy comparison. (The meaning of this word has drifted somewhat from when it was first used. Too many college professors wanted to look big, so they started using this word to mean "a new idea" or a big change (a paradigm shift) or anything to impress students. The point in this verse is what Paul has done all through the chapter: bring two thoughts up along side each other for a comparison: tongues compared with speech in a local language.
15 I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Now after praying both in tongues and in Greek, Paul will spend some time singing in tongues (with the spirit) & in Greek (with the understanding).
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit,
Again, Paul is saying that the prayer "with the Spirit" that he is talking about is praying in tongues. Again, to make this verse say anything else but praying in tongues would be to take it out of context.
16 how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
WHY doesn't he understand? Because no man understands; he is talking to God. The man said a blessing prayer in tongues, and no one understood him. If tongues were a supernatural gift to speak the local language, why would Paul (or the Holy Spirit) even say this? It would make no sense. But if tongues were a heavenly language that no man understands, then indeed, those in the room could not even say "amen" because they didn't have a clue what was just prayed.
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
Note that a prayer in tongues is a good prayer, but not for a meeting place - it is talking to God, and no man understands.
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
Paul obviously spoke in tongues a lot. In other words, he spent a lot of time speaking words out of his spirit that he did not understand, nor did anyone else. Since he just made several good arguments that when he is in front of people he would rather speak 5 words in the common language than thousands in tongues, where do you suppose he did all his tongue talking? In front of foreigners in their language? Not a chance! Because he would be speaking words that he did not understand and that he knew they couldn't understand, and knew were to be directed toward God. No - Paul did his tongue talking while he was alone praying.
19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
Why "5 words with my understanding?" Because he knew that speaking in tongues is speaking without any understanding (no man understands). He would rather teach in the common language than be a barbarian to them (utter words no man could understand). Five words in Greek would be far more valuable to them then 10,000 words that no one could understand.
Note that this does not sound like, and indeed cannot be, someone that was given a supernatural ability to speak in a language unknown to him, but a common language in wherever he was at. (Such as happened on the day of Pentecost.) In fact, nothing in this chapter sounds much like what happened on the day of Pentecost. Paul just spent 19 verses in a comparison of tongues versus understanding, and here he continues: 5 words with understanding or 10,000 words without understanding (tongues).
20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Paul is saying, "please, since you are adults, understand what I'm teaching you."
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
My bible shows this as a from IS 28:11 where it starts "For with stammering lips..." This is a perfect description of someone just filled with the Spirit and starting to speak in tongues. I've seen many people "stammer" or just repeat one or two syllables over and over. This was probably a prophecy of the day of Pentecost. It goes on to talk about a "rest" and "refreshing," which also goes along with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of tongues. Unfortunately, people are still not hearing.
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Just a thought here: would Paul be talking about tongues used as a prayer language here, or the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation used to bring a message to a group gathered together? I would definitely say it is not the prayer tongues.
23 If therefore the whole church be come together 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 mad?
I agree with Paul - if everyone was speaking in a tongue that no human could understand (no man understands), it would be pandemonium. All things should be done excellently and with order.
24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
Prophecy, again, is in the local language, and most would understand.
25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
The rest of the verses are instructions to the church.
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
Notice again, that this tongue is not in any human language, and if anyone is to understand, it must come through the other supernatural gift of interpretation. If there is no one present with the gift of interpretation, then there should be no tongues!
What about the day of Pentecost?
I'm so glad you ask! As I have pointed out to you before, the miracle there was on the hearing end, not the speaking end.
Acts 2
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
The tongues here were no different that what Paul was talking about in 1 Cor 14. God just added an extra dimension here so that others heard in their own language.
To say that they spoke in those languages would be to add something to the scripture that is not there. Keep in mind that the 120 people speaking in tongues did not understand what they were saying, because they were talking to God and no man understands. Obviously there are exceptions, because here, through supernatural hearing, people did understand!
Coop