THE KING’S BUSINESS
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prepared for battle. Much more are we, who have life and sense, under obligation to utter, when we pray and return thanks (and speak), words so clear and definite and easily understood that all who hear will understand without difficulty what we are speaking about. Unless-we utter with our tongues words easily to be understood (literally, well marked speech, i.e., clear and definite and distinct sense) those who hear will not know what is spoken and we shall be speaking “into the air” (cf. 9 :26), instead of into men’s hearts. There are many kinds of languages and each has its meaning; but if I knew not the meaning of the language in which another is speak ing I am a “foreigner” (literally, “barbar ian”) to him and he is a foreigner (bar barian) to me. So, Paul says, that while it is well for the Corinthians to be desirous of spiritual gifts, 'they should seek to. abound unto, the edifying o f the church (.e., seek some other gifts than speaking with tongues that would not edify because it could not be understood). The true fol lower of Jesus desires to be helpful rather than to be great, or admire.d, and therefore, desires rather the gifts that would edify others than simply those that magnify him self. The one who did speak with tongues should pray that he might interpret, that others might understand and be profited by what he was saying. Some of those to whom Paul was speaking prayed in a lan guage which even they themselves did not understand (v. 14). Hoes this never occur today? Does each one who stands up to pray in public always understand the mean ing of his own words? - In such a case there might be some profit to the spirit of the one who prayer, but there was no profit to the understanding, the understanding was “unfruitful.” Paul urges that they pray and sing bQth with the Spirit and with the understanding. It is implied that if one cannot do this he would best not pray or sing in the assembly. This principle if strictly applied in our present day assem blies would either change very much of the singing or silence most of the singers. In
back, calling attention to Paul’s teaching in this chapter about the display of gifts, and suggested that if they had indeed the power to speak in these various languages they would better go and use it among the people who understood these tongues and thus help somebody and win them for Christ. The one who comes speaking with tongues that no one understands profits no one; the one who profits is the one to whom God has -made some clearly under stood revelation of Himself or His will, or who has definite knowledge to impart, or who speaks in the Spirit “ things easily understood,” or who is gifted in teaching. Thursday, December 13. 1 Corinthians 14:7-17. Paul here enlarges upon the necessity of praying and giving thanks in the assembly, in such a clear and distinct way that all who hear can join with you. Prayer in pub lic is not something in which the one who leads in prayer does for others, but some thing in which they are to join with him, and so all pray. But in order that all may pray the one who leads must pray in a language that all can readily understand. The application of this principle }s not lim ited to speaking in unknown tongues. It applies to all praying in words that the con gregation as a whole cannot understand. It shows the utter folly of the Roman Catho lic church in having the priest pray in Latin, a language that almost no one in the congregation understands, and the almost equal folly of many Protestant churches where the minister has learned a language so scholarly Ttnd uncommon that a large part of his hearers do not know what he is talking about either when he prays or preaches. Paul illustrates his point by musical instruments, “things without life.” Even these must give “a distinction” in the sounds that they emit if they are to be understood and obeyed—one sound for attack, another for retreat and others still for other military evolutions. If the trum pet in the day of battle gives a sound hav ing no definite and easily understood mean ing the soldier will be bewildered and not
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