Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 4
Children in malice, perfect in sense
14:18 I thank my God I speak with all your tongues. [n. 847]
14:19 But in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also: than ten thousand words in a tongue. [n. 849]
14:20 Brethren, do not become children in sense. But in malice be children: and in sense be perfect. [n. 851]
14:21 In the law it is written: in other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people: and neither so will they hear me, says the Lord. [n. 853]
14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to believers but to unbelievers: but prophecies, not to unbelievers but to believers. [n. 857]
847. Here the Apostle shows that the gift of prophecy excels the gift of tongues with reasons taken on his own part.
In regard to this he does two things: first, he gives thanks for the gift of tongues given him by God; second, he proposes himself to them as an example, at but in the Church.
848. He says, therefore, I thank my God that I speak in tongues more than you all. As if to say: I do not belittle the gift of tongues, because I say that the gift of prophecy is more excellent, but it ought to be cherished. Hence, I thank my God. Therefore, thanks should be given for all things: in all things give thanks (1 Thess 5:18).
Or I thank my God. As if to say: I do not belittle the gift of tongues, as though lacking it; rather I have it. Therefore, he says: I thank my God.
But lest it be understood that all speak in one tongue, he says: that I speak with all your tongues: they spoke in various tongues (Acts 2:4).
849. But in the Church. Here he presents himself as an example. As if to say: if I have the gift of tongues, just as you, you should do as I do. But in the Church I had rather speak five words, i.e., a few words, with my understanding, i.e., intellect, so that I understand and be understood, in order that I may instruct others also: than ten thousand, i.e., any number of words in a tongue; which is not to speak to the mind in any way, as explained above.
850. Some say that he says, five, because the Apostle seems to prefer to say one prayer with understanding than many without understanding. But according to the grammarians, if a statement is to have perfect sense, it should have five things: a subject, predicate, verbal copula, a modifier of the subject and a modifier of the predicate.
To others it seems better to say, that because we speak with the intellect in order that others be taught, he mentions five, because the teacher should teach five things, namely: things to be believed: declare and exhort these things (Titus 2:11); things to be done: go into the whole world and preach the Gospel, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you (Mark 16:15); things to be avoided, i.e., sins: flee from sin as from a snake (Sir 21:2); declare to my people their transgressions, to the house of Jacob their sins (Isa 58:1); things to be hoped for, i.e., the eternal reward: they searched and inquired about this salvation (1 Pet 1:10); things to be feared, i.e., eternal punishments: depart, you accursed into everlasting fire (Matt 25:41).
851. Brethren, do not become children in sense. Here he shows that the gift of prophecy excels the gift of tongue with reasons taken on the part of unbelievers.
In regard to this he does two things: first, he gets their attention and makes them attentive; second, he argues to his point, at in the law it is written.
852. In regard to the first the Apostle seems to remove the mantle of excuse from those who teach certain rude and superficial things, as if to show that they wish to live in simplicity, and not caring about subtleties to which they really do not attain; and for this they appeal to the Lord’s words: unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3).
But the Apostle rejects this, when he says: do not become children in sense, i.e., do not speak and teach childish and useless and foolish things: when I was a child, I spoke as a child (1 Cor 13:11).
But how should you become children? In affection, not in understanding. Therefore he says: but in malice. Here it should be noted that children are not wont to think evil, and therefore he says: in malice be children. And they are not accustomed to think of the good. In this sense, we should not become children but perfect men. Therefore, he says: and in sense be perfect, i.e., be perfect in discerning good and evil. Hence it is said: solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained to distinguish good from evil (Heb 5:14).
Therefore, what is praised in you is not the simplicity opposed to prudence but the simplicity opposed to craftiness: be wise as serpents (Matt 10:16); I would have you wise as to what is good and guileless as to what is evil (Rom 16:19).
853. Then when he says: in the law it is written, he argues to his proposition.
Here it should be noted that this argument, as is clear from a Gloss, is distinguished by many things; but according to the Apostle’s intent, it does not seem that in this place attention is paid to more than one reason. The argument proving that the gift of prophecy excels the gift of tongues is this: whatever contributes more to that to which another is principally ordained is better than the latter; but the gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues are both ordained to the conversion of unbelievers, although the gift of prophecy contributes more to this than does the gift of tongues. Therefore, prophecy is better.
854. In regard to this reason he does two things: first, he shows to what the gift of tongues is ordained, and to what the gift of prophecy is ordained; second, that the gift of prophecy contributes more, at if therefore the whole Church (1 Cor 14:23).
As to the first he does two things.
First, he brings forward an authority; second, he argues for his point from this authority, at wherefore tongues.
855. In regard to the first it should be noted that this question: in the law it is written can be taken as an interrogation, as though he were saying: you should not become children in sense but mature, and this is to see and know the law. Hence, if you are mature in your senses, you should know the law and what has been written in the law about tongues, which are useless at times for that to which they are ordained, because although I should speak in various tongues, namely, to the Jewish people, nevertheless man does not hear.
It can also be taken in a remissive sense, in the law it is written; as if he were saying: do not be enticed as children to desire something, not discerning whether you are being attracted to good or evil and preferring the good to the better; but be mature in sense, i.e., distinguish between the good and the better, and thus be attracted. And this happens, if you reflect on what has been written in the law: in other tongues and other lips I will speak: to fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding (Wis 6:15).
He says, in the law, not taking law exclusively for the five books of Moses, as it is taken in Luke: everything written about me in the law of Moses must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44), but for the entire Old Testament, as it is taken in John: it is to fulfill the word that is written in their law: they hated me without cause (John 15:25), which was written in a psalm (Ps 25:19).
Nonetheless, the authority can be taken from Isaiah, which in one version says: in the speech of lips and in another tongue he will speak to this people (Isa 28:11).
This, therefore, was written: in other tongues, i.e., in various kinds of tongues, and other lips, i.e., in various idioms and modes of pronunciation, I will speak to this people, namely, the Jews, because this sign was specially given for the conversion of the people of Israel. And neither so will they hear me, because although they saw the sign, they did not believe: blind the heart of this people and make their ears heavy (Isa 6:10).
856. But why would God give them signs, if they were not to be converted?
To this there are two answers: one is that although not all were converted, some were; for God did not reject his people. The other is in order that their damnation appear more just, while their guilt appears more clearly: if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin (John 15:22).
857. Then when he says: wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers, he argues to his conclusion by using the authority quoted. As if to say: from this it is clearly evident that the gift of tongues was given not for believers to bring them to belief, because they already believe: it is no longer because of your words that we believe (John 4:42), but to unbelievers to be converted.
858. In a Gloss two non-literal explanations by Ambrose are presented in this place. One of these says: just as in the Old Testament I spoke to the Jewish people in tongues, i.e., through figures, and with lips, i.e., by promising temporal goods, so, even in the New Testament I will speak to this people in other tongues, i.e., openly and clearly, and with other lips, i.e., spiritual things; and neither so will they hear me, namely, as to their multitude. Wherefore tongues were given not to believers, but to unbelievers, namely, to manifest their unbelief.
The other is in other tongues, i.e., dimly and in parables I will speak, because they are unworthy. Neither so will they hear me, i.e., they will not understand. Then he shows what prophecy is ordained to, namely, to the instruction of believers, because they already understand. Therefore, prophecies, not to unbelievers, who do not believe: Lord, who has believed our hearing? (Isa 53:1); but to believers, that they believe and be instructed: son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel (Ezek 3:17); where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint (Prov 29:18).