1 Corinthians 14:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how steadily here also he moves toward his aim, everywhere keeping the edification of the Church in view. By "unlearned" he means the ordinary layman, and he proves that such a man suffers no small harm when he cannot say Amen. The meaning of his words is this: if you bless in a foreign language, not knowing what you say and not being able to interpret, then the layman cannot answer Amen. Since he does not hear the final words, "unto ages of ages," he will not say Amen. Then he again softens the discourse, so that he should not seem to be greatly disparaging the gift of tongues. Above he said that such a man speaks mysteries, speaks to God, edifies himself, and prays with the spirit. By this he offered no small consolation. So also here he says: You give thanks well, since you speak by the inspiration of the Spirit. Yet the one who hears nothing and does not understand what is said stands there without receiving much benefit.

When you sing, he says, if you bless with the spirit, that is, through the tongue by a spiritual gift, how will the one occupying the place of the simple person, that is, the layman, say “amen” at your prayer? For you have said the words “unto ages of ages” unclearly, in a language unknown to him. He has not understood, and therefore he receives no benefit.

Moreover, if through the tongue you have received you bless with your spirit, how can the simple person, who is foreign to your tongue, say amen at the end of the blessing?

Paul says that no one can answer amen, that is, confirm what has been said, without understanding what has been said.

The inexperienced hearer does not understand what is said. He does not know the aim of the speech and does not say “amen,” which means “truly,” in order to confirm the blessing. The confirmation of the prayer is fulfilled through those who say “amen,” so that all the words spoken may be affirmed in the minds of the hearers as true.

By “unlearned,” or “common person,” the Apostle means one who stands in the rank of the laity. For those outside the military rank are also customarily called common persons.

"For if you bless with the spirit." Again, here "with the spirit" means in a miraculous language, because he next speaks about the response in the common language. "The one occupying the place of the unlearned." By this is meant an unlearned person, a simple man unfamiliar with Holy Scripture and in need of instruction. If the one speaking in tongues is unintelligible to the assembly of simple believers, then in this respect the Apostle likens them to the unlearned, ἰδιώτης, in their knowledge of the truths of faith. Such participants in the assembly of the faithful cannot sympathize with what fills the soul of the one speaking in tongues. He cannot even say truly, yes, so be it, or, as the Apostle writes further, "How will he say Amen at your thanksgiving," εὐχαριστία?

The prophetic gift serves as a good and living bond between the speaker and the Church. But the gift of tongues, when abused, only separates its possessor from the faithful. "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful" (1 Cor 14:14). By "spirit" the Apostle means the gift, and by "mind" the explanation of what is said (Theodoret). "For if you bless with the spirit, how will the one who occupies the place of the layman say Amen at your thanksgiving?" (1 Cor 14:16). That is, he neither hears nor understands the final words, "unto ages of ages." This suggests that those guilty of the irrational use of the gift of tongues were the presidents themselves. They had been entrusted with edifying and guarding the faithful.

Persuading the Corinthians who possessed the gift of tongues to care also for the gift of interpretation, the Apostle Paul commands them to pray for this to the Lord, the one Distributor of all gifts. At the same time, he teaches them to pray not in a foreign tongue, but in one intelligible to all. Otherwise, the one praying does not take part in the prayer with his whole soul, but only in part. Others, the less instructed laypeople, cannot take part at all. They cannot even respond to the exclamation of the prayer with the brief prayerful word, Amen, that is, truly, so be it. It is evident that some of the church presidents were using the gift of tongues without profit, even in public prayer.

By "unlearned," ἰδιώτης, the Apostle means a simple layman. "The meaning of his words is this: if you bless in a foreign language and cannot interpret it, the layman cannot answer Amen. Since he does not hear, that is, does not understand, the final words, 'unto ages of ages,' he will not say Amen" (Saint Chrysostom). This suggests that those guilty of the irrational use of the gift were the presidents themselves. They had been entrusted with edifying and guarding the faithful. It is also noteworthy that laypeople took part in the prayer of the Church. Not everyone, he says, could pray aloud. Some said the prayers because God gave them prayer. Others attended to that prayer and expressed their agreement with it by the word Amen, "so be it." By this they showed that their heart also prayed with the prayer of the president.