Commentary on 1 Corinthians
Lecture 5. Prophesy a means of conversion
14:23 If therefore the whole Church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in unlearned persons or infidels, will they not say that you are mad? [n. 859]
14:24 But if all prophesy, and there comes in one who believes not or an unlearned person, he is convinced of all: he is judged of all. [n. 862]
14:25 The secrets of his heart are made manifest. And so, falling down on his face, he will adore God, affirming that God is among you indeed. [n. 864]
14:26 How is it then, brethren? When you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation: let all things be done to edification. [n. 866]
859. A Gloss suggests that another argument proving his proposition begins here. But in the light of what has been said, there is only one proposition, already proved. Here he clarifies the middle term of that argument, namely, that prophecy contributes more to that to which the gift of tongues is especially ordained.
In regard to this he does two things: first, he shows what undesirable effects follow from the gift of tongues as far as unbelievers are concerned, at if all speak with tongues; second, he shows the good which follows from the gift of prophecy, even in regard to unbelievers, at but if all prophesy.
860. The undesirable effect which follows from the gift of tongues without prophecy, even in regard to unbelievers, is that those who speak only in tongues are considered mad, whereas the gift of tongues should be ordained to the conversion of unbelievers, as is already clear. And this is what he says: if therefore the whole Church come together. As if to say: that tongues are not preferable to prophecy is clear from the fact that if the whole Church, namely, all the faithful, come together into one place not only in body but also in mind: now the company of believers were of one heart and soul (Acts 4:22), and all speak with tongues, i.e., strange, or speak unknown and obscure things and, while they are thus confusedly speaking, and there come in unlearned persons, i.e., one who understands only his own tongue, or infidels for whose benefit tongues were given, will they not say to those so speaking that you are mad? For what is not understood is considered madness. But if a tongue is understood and nevertheless the things said are secret, if they are not explained, it is evil because they could believe of you, (if you speak secret things), what they believe of the gentiles, who made secret what they did in their rites, so base were they. And this is also a form of madness.
861. On the other hand, to those who do not know the language it is the same thing to speak in tongues and to speak literally; therefore, since all speak literally in the church (for all is spoken in Latin), it seems that there is madness here, too.
I answer that there was madness in the early Church, because they were uninstructed in the Church’s rite, since they did not know what was going on unless it was explained to them. But now all are instructed; hence, although all is said in Latin, they, nevertheless, know what is being done in the church.
862. Then when he says, but if all prophesy, he shows that good follows from the gift of prophecy.
In regard to this he does three things: first, he shows what follows through the good of prophecy, as to unbelievers; second, he shows how this follows, at the secrets of his heart; third, he infers which effect arises from this, at and so, falling down on his face.
863. He says, therefore: it is clear that unbelievers are not convinced by the gift of tongues; but if all who assemble prophesy, i.e., all speak to the intellect revelations made to them (I say all not at once, but one after the other prophesy in this way), and there comes in, namely, the church, one who believes not or an unlearned person, i.e., knowing only his mother tongue, what follows is good, because he is convinced by all of his error, which is pointed out to him: after I was instructed, I was ashamed (Jer 31:19). He is judged of all who are prophesying. As if to say: he is shown to be condemnable for his evil morals and his vices: the spiritual man, that is, the doctor, judges all things (1 Cor 2:15).
For prophecy avails for these two things, namely, strengthening the faith and teaching morals.
864. How this good follows from the gift of prophecy is mentioned when he says: the secrets of his heart. This can be understood in three ways:
in one way, and this is literal, that some in the early Church had the grace to know the secrets of the heart and the sins of men. Hence it is said of Peter that he condemned Ananias for fraud regarding the price of a field (Acts 5:1ff). And according to this it says: for the secrets of his heart are disclosed. As if to say: he is convinced, because the secrets, i.e., his secret sins, are made manifest by those who revealed them.
In another way, from the fact that sometimes someone in preaching touches on many things which men carry in the heart, as is clear from the books of Gregory, where each one can find almost all the movements of the heart. And according to this he says, secrets of his heart; as if to say: they are convicted, because the secrets of their heart, i.e., things they carry in their heart: as in water face answers to face, so the mind of man reflects the man (Prov 27:19), are made manifest, i.e., touched on by them.
In another way, because sometimes the secret of the heart is said to be that which is doubtful to someone and he cannot become certain by himself. According to this it is read: the secrets of his heart, i.e., things about which he doubted in his heart and which he did not believe, are disclosed, namely, when going to a church frequently they are made clear to him, as Augustine says about himself that he went to the church only for the chant and yet many things about which he doubted and for the sake of which he had not come were clarified for him there. For from this followed reverence, because, being convinced, he revered God.
865. And this is what he says: and so, i.e., inasmuch as he was convinced in this way and the secrets of his heart were manifested, falling down on his face, he will adore God: falling down, they adored him (Matt 2:11), which is a sign of reverence.
Of the reprobate, however, it says that they fall backward: the way of the wicked is deep darkness, they do not know over what they stumble (Prov 4:19). But the elect fall on their face, because they see where they should prostrate themselves, which is a sign of reverence. They praised God and fell on their faces (Lev 9:24); may all kings fall down before him (Ps 72:11).
And he will show reverence not only to God but also to the church, because he will declare that God is among you indeed who prophesy in the church: we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you (Zech 8:23).
It appears, therefore, that the gift of prophecy is more useful in regard to unbelievers.
866. How is it then, brethren? Here he tells them how to use these gifts.
In regard to this he does two things: first, he shows how they should act in regard to the use of these gifts; second, he concludes to his main proposition, at wherefore, brethren, be zealous to prophesy (1 Cor 14:39).
In regard to the first he does two things: first, he shows how orderly they should behave in the use of these gifts; second, he expresses their presumption, at or did the word of God (1 Cor 14:36).
In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows in general how they should behave in all gifts; second, in regard to the gift of tongues, at if any speaks with a tongue (1 Cor 14:27); third, as to the gift of prophecy, at and let the prophets speak, two or three (1 Cor 14:29).
867. He says, therefore: to prophesy is better than to speak in tongues. How is it then, brethren is to be done? This is to be done. For when you come together, it is obvious that one does not have all the gifts, and therefore none of you should use all the gifts, but that gift which he had more specially received from God and which is better for edification.
For every one of you has some special gift: one has a psalm, i.e., a song to praise the Lord’s name, or to explain psalms: he makes me tread upon my high places (Hab 3:19); another has a doctrine, i.e., some preaching to instruct them in morals, or an explanation and a spiritual sense: a man is known by his teaching (Prov 12:8); another has a revelation obtained either in dreams or in a vision: God is in heaven revealing mysteries (Dan 2:28); another has a tongue, i.e., the gift of tongues or he reads prophecies: and they began to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4); another has an interpretation: to another the interpretation of speeches (1 Cor 12:10).
868. But these are so arranged, because they derive either from human talent or from God alone.
If they are solely from human talent, they are either to the praise of God, and so he says, one has a psalm, or to the instruction of the neighbor, and so he says, one has a doctrine.
If they are from God alone, they are either inward secrets, and so he says, one has a revelation, or outwardly hidden, and so he says, one has a tongue. For manifesting these there is a third thing, and so he says, an interpretation.
And, of course, let all things be done to edification: let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him (Rom 15:2).