1 Corinthians 14:24-40

24 Predicting, or foretelling, is not necessarily involved in the gift of prophecy. The prophet, in Scripture, is the mouthpiece or spokesman of God. He may speak of the past, the present, or the future. Prediction is incidental, not essential, to prophecy. Before the canon was complete it was needful for the saints to have some means of knowing the mind of God. The Scriptures fully meet that need now. What a decided contrast there would be between a meeting at which all declared God's mind in sober succession, so that all are helped, and one in which each seeks an opportunity to display a gift which is of no benefit to his fellow saints! Even unbelievers have discrimination enough to see how foolish it is to talk into the air, and can appreciate the solemn declaration of God's spokesmen.

27 To curb their childish desire to talk in unknown languages the apostle lays down rules to govern the exercise of this gift. It was not to be exercised unless there was an interpreter, so that the message would not be lost on the meeting. Not more than two or three were to speak in unknown languages in succession, and their speaking was to be in installments, that is, they were to pause at frequent intervals to allow for interpretation. If no one could interpret, they were not to speak in the ecclesia.

29 Prophecy, also, was to be exercised within bounds. It was not to be like the turbulent, unrestrained ranting of the oracles of the false gods to which they were accustomed, whose spirits were beyond their control, but peaceful, discriminating discourse, two or three in succession, yet ready to yield to another who may receive a revelation. The spirits of the prophets of the Greek gods were not subject to them. They worked themselves into a frenzy, foaming at the mouth. They were controlled by demon spirits rather than the Spirit of God.

34 "Now if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant!" (1Co_14:38) is the apostle's indignant protest to those who presume to oppose these words. And again "If anyone is presuming to be a prophet or spiritual, let him be recognizing that what I am writing to you is a precept of the Lord."

1 There is a notable contrast between the methods with which the apostle deals with fundamental doctrinal error and moral evil. The wicked man (1Co_5:5) is delivered to Satan, but those who denied the resurrection are not put away. In these days the contrary course is pursued. Doctrinal differences, not nearly so vital as the denial of the resurrection, are made the ground for disfellowshipping godly saints, while moral evil is often condoned and overlooked. Differences in doctrine do not demand a severance of fellowship, or Paul would have so dealt with the Corinthians who denied the one doctrine which, because it involves all others, has the right to be called "fundamental".

3 The evangel which Paul preached was concerned with Christ. Not, however, with His life, but with His death, burial, and resurrection. These are the fundamental facts of the evangel. Not His death only, for that would be no evangel at all, but His burial and His resurrection.

5 The evidence for the resurrection of Christ is as conclusive as it is possible for any evidence to be. There were over five hundred witnesses and some of these were especially appointed and given ample opportunity to convince themselves. But the crowning proof was the descent of the glorified Christ to call Saul, upon the Damascus road. Saul was His enemy, and would have done much to prove that He was not roused. His testimony is of special weight. The resurrection is of the utmost consequence to Paul, for he did not know the Lord before His death, like the twelve apostles. Consequently he never would have known Him nor would he have seen Him unless He had been raised. In a very special sense Paul is the apostle of the ascended and glorified Christ. He never bases his teaching on the life of Jesus before His death and resurrection.

9 Paul's persecution of the ecclesia was the necessary prelude to the transcendent grace which called and sustained him so that he became at once the least and the greatest of the apostles. It was necessary that he should be the most undeserving in order that he might become the pattern for God's present dealings in grace.