1 Corinthians 14:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“There are, it may be, so many kinds of words in the world, and none of them is without meaning” (1 Cor 14:10). That is, so many languages, so many dialects, of Scythians, Thracians, Romans, Persians, Moors, Indians, Egyptians, and many other nations.

That is, so many dialects have appeared in the world: Scythian, Indian, Thracian, and those of other peoples. All tribes say something, for they are not without speech.

What ordered measure is for the harp, and a military signal for the trumpet, interpretation is for tongues. For when those present do not understand, the words are poured out vainly into the air.

Verses 10-11. "Kinds of voices." Here "voice" stands for language. The Apostle uses φωνὴ, that is, sounds, instead of the usual γλω̃σσα, because the latter term in his usage means a tongue miraculously bestowed.

"None of them is without voice," ά̉φωνον. There is clearly a play on words: a voice is voiceless, that is, without meaning.

The Apostle had in mind to answer the Corinthians' objection that speech in an unknown tongue cannot be considered unreasonable merely because there is no one who understands it.

Having shown, in the use of the trumpet, how unfamiliar sounds make even good instruments useless, the Apostle now offers another example from language. The use of an unfamiliar language compels one to suppose that the speaker is a foreigner.

Speaking in unknown tongues for those present in church, though inspired by the Spirit, is useless. It may be compared to discordant and confused sounds from various instruments instead of pleasant music. Or it is like the uncertain sound of a military trumpet instead of clear signals for soldiers (1 Cor 14:7-8). Again, it is speaking into the air (1 Cor 14:9), or one foreigner speaking to another foreigner like himself (1 Cor 14:11).

So as not to grieve any of those who were abusing the gift of tongues, the Apostle says it would not be good if, for example, he himself came and began speaking among them in an unintelligible language. They knew well, of course, that this could not and did not happen.

Then, persuading them not to abuse the gift of tongues, the Apostle shows that even inanimate things used to express human thoughts and feelings give intelligible sounds. Such are the pipe, the harp, and the trumpet.

How much more does the human throat express an infinite multitude of concepts in articulate sounds and words. How, then, can an organ of the Spirit of God, possessing the gift of tongues, fail to care about the ability to explain what is uttered by them, for the fuller benefit of the Church?

Kinds of voices means languages and dialects. Without voice means neither dead nor silent. In all of them people speak and communicate their thoughts to one another: “So many languages, so many dialects, of Scythians, Thracians, Romans, Persians, Moors, Indians, Egyptians, and many other nations!” (Saint Chrysostom). Those of one language speak with those of the same language. But why do you speak among your own people in some unknown dialect? You make yourselves foreigners to them, and them foreigners to yourselves.