WEEKLY SUNDAY
SCHOOL LESSON
An international
Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday July 27, 2014
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readers worldwide
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BUILD
UP YOUR NEIGHBOR
(Use
your gifts from GOD to build up the Church)
(1
Corinthians 14:1-25)
Strangely, it has always been a
matter of considerable debate, just what the Apostle Paul means by “speaking in
tongues”. In chapters 12-14 of his first letter to the Corinthians, he uses the
Greek expression “glossa” (gloce-sah) 21 times for “Tongues” and it is by
definition “the organ in one’s mouth that is used primarily for taste and speech;
and it is a learned spoken language or dialect, not naturally acquired”.
Nowhere in its biblical
use, or its Greek or English definition does the word “glossa” or “tongue”
refer to “ecstatic speech”, not in any of Paul’s letters (used only three other
times), and, not when used anywhere else in the New Testament. Whether it is
used literally of the physical organ (Mark 7:33, James 3:5, Revelations 16:10),
or figuratively of human languages (Acts 2:11, Revelations 5:9, 7:9, 10:11,
11:9, 13:7, 14:6, & 17:15) the word is always the same.
What Paul is saying in
verse two of this chapter (1 Corinthians 14), is that, if a person were sitting
in a Church assembly in France, for instance, and everyone in the assembly, except
that person, could only speak in the French tongue, then, if that one person
was to stand up and start speaking in, say, the German tongue, no one would be
able to understand them but GOD. And while that person, who may be gifted to
teach in more than one language, or, tongue, and, could be uttering something
that may be totally GODly and spiritual, it wouldn’t be of benefit to anyone in
the assembly because none of them are gifted in the German dialect. They simply
would not be able to comprehend what the, more gifted, person were saying, as
it would sound to them like “utter non-sense” or “mumble jumble” (1 Corinthians
14:2).
However, one who has
the gift of prophecy, which is a “Spiritual gift”, is helping people grow in
the LORD, encouraging them, and comforting them (v.3). The person who speaks in
various tongues, a “learned gift”, through GOD-given intellectual capabilities”,
is only strengthened “personally” in the LORD, while one who speaks a word of
prophecy strengthens the entire Church (v.4).
In verse 5 Paul says, “I wish you all had the gift of speaking in
tongues, but even more I wish you were all able to prophesy. For prophecy is a
greater and more useful gift than speaking in tongues, unless someone
interprets what you are saying so the whole church can get some good out of it”.
Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in tongues, how
would that help you? But if I bring you some revelation or some special
knowledge or some prophecy or some teaching, that is what will help you (NLT).
Paul himself spoke in
various tongues, in fact, the bible tells us that he was able to speak and
write in at least three different languages, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. However, he tells us in verses 9-12
that “If you talk to people in a language
they don’t understand, how will they know what you mean? You might as well be
talking to an empty room. There are many different languages in the world, and
all are excellent for those who understand them, but to me they mean nothing. I
will not understand people who speak those languages, and they will not
understand me. Since you are all so eager to have spiritual gifts, ask GOD for
those that will be of real help to the whole church (NLT).
Languages that are
interpreted can benefit the assembly (Acts 19:6) as well as prophesy,
therefore, the gift of interpretation should be requested from GOD also. This means
that someone independent of the person, who is speaking a different language,
must be present and able to interpret what that person is saying to the
assembly (v.13).
Gifts are not given by
GOD, so much for personal use, as they are for use in helping others, and
building them up. “Personal edification” is something that should be a
by-product, or a result, that is reserved for someone who has shared their gift
to help better the Christian community as a whole. Personal edification should
not be a result of one helping himself, or taking advantage of others.
Some people try to make
a distinction between the word “tongues” in this epistle, and the use of the
word “tongues” in the book of Acts on Pentecost. However, there is no difference as the same Greek term “glossa” is
used in both instances. The only difference is that the HOLY SPIRIT acted on
several people on that Pentecost day, giving them special supernatural
abilities to communicate, for the benefit of the many foreigners who were in
Jerusalem at that time, and, who spoke in many different languages. GOD wanted
everyone, regardless of native tongue, to participate in, and understand the
significance of this “distinctive act” when HE first allowed HIS HOLY SPIRIT to
embody all those who choose to believe in CHRIST JESUS.
Paul says that
unbelievers view “strange tongues” as being some sort of a sign, while
believers are not of that opinion (v.22). However, in order for unbelievers to
become convicted of their sins, they must first hear the Gospel in their own
native languages before they can begin to comprehend the things of GOD. The Word
of GOD should convict and condemn by what it says to us personally. However, it
can’t do that unless it is first understood by those who hear and see it. But among
those who see, hear, and understand, their secret thoughts are laid bare, and
they can then, fall to their knees and worship GOD with their whole heart, as
they should.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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