1 Corinthians 14:17Meaning & 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.

Lest they think he absolutely disparages the gift of tongues, he says: on your part you give thanks well. But since there is no benefit to your neighbor, your thanksgiving is useless.

Even if you have spoken well, your neighbor does not understand what you will say. Therefore he is not edified.

I know, says the Apostle, that, inspired by the grace of God, you hymn God. But one who does not know the language does not understand what is uttered. Then the Apostle, putting the Corinthians to shame, says: “I thank my God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.”

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.

“Lest it appear that he disparages the gift of tongues itself, he says: ‘You indeed give thanks well,’ for you speak by the inspiration of the Spirit. But the one who understands nothing of what is said stands there receiving no benefit” (Saint Chrysostom). “I know that, inspired by the grace of God, you hymn God. But one who does not know the language does not understand what is uttered” (Theodoret). The benefit is limited to you alone. You can receive it even by praying silently, within yourself.