1 Cor. 14:12. So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to abound in them for the edification of the church.
Some, after the words "so also you," place a period, and explain: so also you, speaking in tongues things unintelligible, appear as foreigners to the listeners; then they begin again and read: "zealous for spiritual gifts." But Saint John Chrysostom reads without the division. Since, he says, you are zealous for spiritual gifts, I also desire this, and I accept it, as I said before; only strive to abound in them "for edification," that is, for the benefit of the Church. For I not only do not hinder you from speaking in tongues, but I desire that you abound in this gift, provided only that you use it for the common benefit.
1 Cor. 14:13. And therefore, let him who speaks in an unknown tongue pray for the gift of interpretation.
He points out the way to make this gift useful for many. He says: let the one who speaks in tongues pray, so that he may also receive the gift of interpretation. So they themselves are to blame for not receiving the gift of interpretation, because they do not ask God for it.
1 Cor. 14:14. For when I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit indeed prays, but my mind remains without fruit.
In ancient times, some received the gift of prayer together with the gift of tongues, and they uttered Persian or Roman words, but the mind did not understand what they were saying. Paul says that "my spirit," that is, the gift that moves the tongue, "prays," but "my mind" remains without fruit, since it understands nothing of what is spoken. See then how he gradually proved that one who speaks only in a tongue is useless even to himself. Thus Saint John explains this passage. But some understand it this way: if I speak in a tongue but do not interpret, then "my spirit," that is, my soul, receives benefit in itself, but my mind remains without fruit, because it does not bring benefit to others. Those who understand this saying in this way, in my opinion, feared the error of Montanus: for he introduced such a heresy that the prophets absolutely did not understand their own words, but being possessed by the Spirit they spoke something, yet what they spoke they did not understand. But this is irrelevant here. For the apostle said this—that is, that they do not understand their own words—not about the prophets, but about those speaking in tongues, and of them not about all, but about some.
1 Cor. 14:15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the mind also.
What then, he says, is more beneficial? And what should one ask of God? That one should pray "with the spirit," that is, with the gift, and also "with the mind," that is, to consciously understand the words of the prayer with one's thought. Likewise also concerning singing.
1 Cor. 14:16. For if you bless with the spirit, how shall the one standing in the place of the unlearned say "Amen" at your giving of thanks? For he does not understand what you are saying.
When, he says, you sing, if you bless "in the spirit," that is, by a spiritual gift through a tongue, then the one occupying the place of the unlearned, that is, the layman — how will he say "amen" to your prayer? For you spoke the words "forever and ever" unclearly and in a language unfamiliar to him, and he did not understand, and therefore receives no benefit.
1 Cor. 14:17. You indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
You might think he is completely disparaging the gift of tongues, but he says: you, for your part, give thanks well, but since there is no benefit to your neighbor in this, your thanksgiving is useless.
1 Cor. 14:18. I thank my God: I speak with tongues more than you all.
Lest they think that he disparages this gift because he himself does not possess it, he says: I speak in tongues more than all of you.
1 Cor. 14:19. But in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
"With my mind," that is, understanding and being conscious of my words, and being able to explain them, so as to bring benefit to others as well. "Than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue," that is, when I cannot interpret them; for in such a case the benefit is limited to me alone. And "five words" are spoken by every teacher who applies the proper remedy to each of our five senses.
1 Cor. 14:20. Brethren! Do not be children in understanding: in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
Having shown what place the gift of tongues occupies, he finally employs stern speech and rebukes them for thinking like children. For truly it is characteristic of children to marvel at small things, because they can astonish, such as tongues, and to neglect great things, because they reveal nothing new, such as prophecies. So here he urges them not to be puffed up, and not even to know what evil is, just as children do not know, but to be mature in mind, that is, to discern which gifts are higher and more beneficial. And in another sense: "in evil be an infant" means one who does no evil to anyone, but is innocent like a child, while mature in mind is one who, while doing no evil to anyone, also brings benefit, and not only avoids evil but also attains virtue, and preserves himself unharmed from temporal things. This instruction is similar to the following: "be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matt. 10:16).
1 Cor. 14:21. In the Law it is written: "With other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord."
Again he compares prophecy with tongues and shows the superiority of the former, and wherein it consists is evident from what is said further. By "the Law" he customarily means the entire Old Testament. Therefore now too he says that the words written at the end of the book of Isaiah (Isa. 28:11–12) are written in the Law. By the words "but even then they will not listen to Me" he shows that the miracle could astonish them, but if they were not persuaded, the fault is theirs. For God always does His part and manifests His providence, even though He knows that people will not submit—so that they may be without excuse.
1 Cor. 14:22. Thus tongues are a sign not for believers, but for unbelievers.
A sign amazes, but does not instruct and does not bring benefit, and often even harms, like a tongue without interpretation, which is why further on (1 Cor. 14:23) he also says: "will they not say that you are mad?" Moreover, signs were also given for unbelievers, for believers have no need of them, because they already believe.
1 Cor. 14:22. Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers, but for believers.
Prophecy, he says, is useful for believers, because it instructs them. But does prophecy also serve for unbelievers? How then does he say (1 Cor. 14:24) that if all prophesy, and someone "unbelieving" enters? Behold, prophecy is also for unbelievers. To this one can answer: the apostle did not say that prophecy is useless for unbelievers, but that it does not serve as a useless sign, like tongues. In short: tongues serve as a sign for unbelievers, that is, only for their astonishment, while prophecy is useful for both believers and unbelievers, convicting them, though it is not called a sign for them.
1 Cor. 14:23. If the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak in unknown tongues, and there come in those who are uninstructed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?