1 Corinthians 14:22

Wherefore tongues are for. sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for. sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

'Wherefore' -based on the previous O.T. precedent.

'tongues are for. sign, not to them that believe' -'That means they weren't meant for, geared for, assembly use.' (McGuiggan p. 183)

'but to the unbelieving' -Tongues were intended by God to catch the attention of unbelievers. Which they did. (Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17...'The tongues came to Cornelius as. sign to convince the Jews who were with Peter that God had accepted the Gentiles. (Acts 10:46). The tongues which came to the Ephesians showed God's endorsement of the rebaptism of the disciples of John. (Acts 19:1)' (Willis p. 497)

Point to Note:

The tongues that the unbelieving Jews heard following Isaiah's day were foreign languages. Even thou they were called "Strange tongues", i.e. strange to those hearing them. This is simply another bit of evidence in this chapter that points to the tongues of 1 Corinthians 14:1 as being foreign languages.

'prophesying..to them that believe' -Now prophesy did benefit the unbeliever. (1 Corinthians 14:24-25) 'He simply wishes to assert that its central thrust is for believers.' (McGuiggan p. 183)

THE DAMAGE CAUSED THE ABUSE OF THIS GIFT:

'Verse 23 shows the disastrous impression which the exercise of the Tongues, carried to its full extent, must make upon men outside.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 910)