1 Corinthians 14:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you see the foundation and rule of Christianity? As the work of the builder is to build, so the work of the Christian is to benefit his neighbors in every way.

Because the Apostle had risen very strongly against the gift of tongues, lest it seem superfluous, he again places it among the other spiritual gifts. He had opposed it only in order to humble their pride.

He says: "Each of you has a psalm, has teaching, has a tongue." In ancient times they both composed psalms by gift and taught by gift.

But all this, he says, must tend toward one thing, the edification of the neighbor. Let nothing be done in vain. If you do not come for the edification of your brother, why do you come?

In ancient times, psalms too were composed according to a gift, and a gift was also given for teaching. By “revelation” he means prophecy, naming the kind by the species. He also mentions the gift of tongues, lest this gift be considered wholly contemptible and not even included among the gifts. Let all this, he says, be for edification. For the distinguishing mark of a Christian is to edify and to bring benefit. How, then, can one who has only the gift of tongues edify and bring benefit? In this way: if he comes together with one who has the gift of interpretation, and they exercise their gifts in union.

Therefore, when you come together for the performance of the service or the first day of the week, that is, the Sunday service, let the one who knows a psalm sing. Let the one who has teaching teach. Thus, one by one, let all speak in turn for the building up of the Church.

The conclusion is that nothing in the Church should be done without benefit. One must especially labor so that everything may be for the good even of the uninstructed, and so that nothing may be hidden from them because of their lack of education.

The Apostle again pointed to the body and the members of the body. By the word “when you come together” he indicated the one body. By the words “each of you has” this or that, he indicated the diversity of the members. Then again he expresses the benefit each brings to the whole community with the words: “Let all things be done for edification.”

Here the order is depicted which was fitting in apostolic times, but not in our own.

The Church then abounded in miraculous gifts, but the number of believers was still not great. Liturgical hymns and prayers were only just being composed, and the order of worship had not yet become definite.

Therefore an individual believer, sensing within himself the presence of the Spirit of God, was allowed to come forward with his own song or psalm, with his own revelation or instruction.

But what would happen in church in our time, if, amid the immense multitude of believers, each were allowed to sing his own song and deliver his own instruction?

1. The general law for all possessors of extraordinary gifts of grace is: "Let all things be for edification."

"What then, brethren? When you come together, each of you has a psalm," that is, every kind of prayerful address to God.

"Has teaching," that is, dogma, moral instruction, counsel, or the resolution of perplexities.

"Has a tongue," that is, the ability to speak in foreign languages.

"Has revelation," that is, insight into the future, or perception of what is hidden in the present or the past.

"Has interpretation," that is, the gift of translating what has been said in a foreign language into an intelligible language.

"Let all this be for edification" (1 Cor 14:26). It is worthy of note what wealth of extraordinary gifts of grace believers possessed in apostolic times.

Having shown the impropriety of disorder in church assemblies, the Apostle Paul gives rules for the use in church of the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy.

As a general foundation for those who possess either gift, he sets forth the good goal of edifying one's neighbors. Apart from this, nothing should have a place in the Church.

In particular, he counsels those who possess the gift of tongues to use their gift in turn. They should do this only when it is possible to explain what is uttered in a foreign language.

Otherwise, one must only lift up to the Lord in one's mind what has been given by Him, as a gift for the prayer of mind and heart.

What then is it? What follows from all that has been said? How should you act? In this way.

You have assembled in church. Each has something from the Spirit of God. One has a psalm, every kind of prayerful address to God, petition, thanksgiving, or glorification of God our Savior, in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Another has teaching: dogma, moral instruction, counsel, or the resolution of perplexities. Another has revelation: insight into the future, perception of what is hidden in the present or past, or knowledge of the secrets of hearts.

"Revelation" is the name given to prophecy (Oecumenius, Theophylact). Another has a tongue, the gift of saying all that has been indicated in a foreign language.