1 Corinthians 14:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Yet in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, that I may instruct others also" (1 Cor 14:19). What does it mean "to speak with my mind, that I may instruct others also"? It means to speak what I understand, what I can interpret to others, to speak with awareness and instruct the hearers. "Than ten thousand words in a tongue." Why? "That I may instruct others also," he says. The first gives only apparent glory, but the latter gives great benefit. Everywhere he seeks one thing: the common benefit. Although the gift of tongues was extraordinary, while the gift of prophecy was ordinary, ancient, and already belonged to many, Paul did not consider it very desirable for himself. Tongues had then become known for the first time.

“With my understanding,” that is, understanding and being conscious of my words, and being able to explain them, so as to benefit others as well. “Rather than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue,” that is, when I cannot interpret them. For in that case the benefit is limited to me alone. Every teacher speaks five words when he applies a fitting medicine to each of our five senses.

As the Apostle said: "I would rather speak five words with my mind than ten thousand in a tongue." For one must first cleanse the mind and heart by these five-numbered words, saying unceasingly in the depth of the heart, "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me." Thus one ascends to noetic singing. Every beginner and passionate person can practice this prayer noetically, in the guarding of the heart. But he cannot practice singing before he has first been cleansed by it, that is, by noetic prayer. Therefore Saint Gregory of Sinai, having examined and judged most finely the lives, writings, and spiritual experience of all the saints, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, directs all effort toward prayer.

But among the people I desire to speak five words correctly and with understanding, and to be useful to others, rather than to utter ten thousand words in a tongue. For this is not praiseworthy, and I will bring no benefit to my neighbors.

Before you, I was counted worthy of this gift. Through me you also received this grace. Nevertheless, caring for the benefit of the many, I prefer clear teaching to unclear teaching. Then he continues with a rebuke: “Brethren, do not be children in understanding. In evil be infants, but in understanding be mature.”

What does the Apostle indicate when he says: Let it be better for me to speak five words in church than a thousand words in a tongue (1 Cor 14:19)? One speaks five words when, even if speaking alone with oneself, he utters an instructive word to the five senses. But one speaks a thousand words in a tongue when, by his word, he summons the passions. Or again, one speaks five words when, through contemplation of beings in the Spirit, he points to the Creator. For nature is fivefold, since it is composed of form, or eidos, and the four elements. But one speaks a thousand words when, for his own glory and pleasure, he devises elaborate speeches and persuasive-sounding woven phrases about the activity of visible things.

Question. You say that everything spiritual is hidden in the soul. What then does it mean: "In church I would rather speak five words with my mind" (1 Cor 14:19)? Answer. The Church may be understood in two ways: either as the assembly of the faithful, or as the constitution of the soul. Therefore, when the Church is understood spiritually, in reference to man, it is his whole constitution. The "five words" signify five general virtues, which are divided into many forms and edify the whole man. As one who speaks of the Lord embraces all wisdom in five words, so one who follows the Lord edifies great piety through five virtues. These virtues are five, but they also embrace all the others. The first is prayer, then abstinence, almsgiving, poverty, and long-suffering.

Question. You have said that everything spiritual is hidden in the soul. Therefore what does it mean: "I would rather speak five words in church with my mind" (1 Cor 14:19)? Answer. Church is understood in two ways: as the assembly of the faithful and as the totality of the powers of the soul. Therefore, when one speaks spiritually of man, the Church is his whole constitution. The five words are the general virtues, which build up the whole man and are divided in manifold ways. As the one who speaks about the Lord has embraced all wisdom in five words, so the one who follows the Lord builds much piety through five virtues. Though they are five in number, they embrace all. The first is prayer, then abstinence, almsgiving, poverty, and long-suffering.

If you constantly train your mind not to depart from you, it will be near you even during meals. But if it wanders everywhere without restraint, it will never remain with you. Therefore the great doer of great and perfect prayer says: "I would rather speak five words with my mind" (1 Cor 14:19), and so forth. But such activity is impossible for those still in infancy. Therefore we, as imperfect, must join quantity to the quality of prayer, because the second becomes the cause of the first. For it is said: He gives pure prayer to the one who prays without laziness, even if not purely, but with toil.

Tell me, you who judge in this way: if someone fasts, practices abstinence, keeps vigil, stands at prayer, makes prostrations, weeps, and practices non-possession, is this not activity? Why then do you say that without activity, by fulfilling only the rule of psalmody, it is impossible to possess prayer? Are these not works? I answer: if someone prays with the lips while the mind wanders, what profit does he gain? When one builds and another destroys, nothing results except labor. As one labors with the body, so must one labor with the mind. Otherwise he will appear righteous outwardly, while inwardly his heart is filled with impurity and carelessness.

The Apostle also spoke well: "I would rather speak five words with my mind than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Cor 14:19). That is, it is better for me to offer a brief prayer to God with attention than to fill the air in vain with words without attention.

"You who are enslaved to the passions, let us pray to the Lord constantly and without ceasing. For all the dispassionate have passed, through such prayer, from the passionate state to dispassion. If you unceasingly train your mind not to depart anywhere" from the words of the prayer, "then even during your meal it will be with you. But if you allow it to wander everywhere without restraint, it will never be able to remain with you. The great doer of great and perfect prayer said: I would rather speak five words with my mind than ten thousand words in a tongue (1 Cor 14:19). Such prayer," the grace-filled prayer of the mind in the heart, free from distraction, "does not belong to infants. Therefore we, as infants, while caring for the quality of prayer," that is, for attention by enclosing the mind in the words, "must pray very much. Quantity becomes the cause of quality. [...]"

“To speak five words with my understanding.” That is, to speak with understanding for the edification of others. “Ten thousand words in a tongue” is an expression proving that the gift of tongues did not consist in pronouncing disconnected or inarticulate sounds.

In explaining the words of verse 19, Saint John Chrysostom asks: "What does it mean, 'to speak with my mind, that I may instruct others also' (1 Cor 14:19)? It means to speak what I understand, what I can interpret to others, to speak intelligibly, to instruct the hearers. Everywhere he seeks one thing: the common benefit. Although the gift of tongues was extraordinary, while the gift of prophecy was ordinary, ancient, and already belonged to many, Paul did not consider it very desirable for himself. Because he sought what was more profitable." It is also worth mentioning here that, according to one of our interpreters, "the mind has fruit when, understanding something, it communicates this to others and thereby gives them benefit."

"I was deemed worthy of this gift before you; through me you also received this grace. Nevertheless, caring for the benefit of the many, I prefer clear teaching to what is unclear" (Theodoret). "What does it mean to speak with my mind, that I may benefit others also? It means to speak what I understand, what I can interpret for others, to speak intelligibly and instruct the hearers. Rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. Why? 'That I may benefit others also,' he says. The first gives only outward glory, but the latter gives great benefit. Everywhere he seeks one thing: the common benefit. Although the gift of tongues was extraordinary, while the gift of prophecy was ordinary, ancient, and already belonged to many, Paul did not consider it very desirable for himself.