1 Corinthians 14:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What do these words mean? If, he says, while you are prophesying and speaking, the spirit of another stirs him, then you must be silent.

As before concerning tongues, so here also he requires this to be done in turn, but here in a higher way. He did not say, "in turn," but, "if a revelation is made to another sitting by."

Why should the first continue speaking when another is being stirred to prophesy? But should not both speak? That is unfitting and would produce disorder.

Should not the first speak? This also is unfitting, because the Spirit stirred the other while the first was speaking precisely so that he too might say something.

Then, to console the one whom he commands to be silent, he says: "For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be comforted."

Here he teaches good order and humility of mind. When, he says, the Spirit stirs another, you who spoke first must be silent.

That is, let the first rather yield to the lesser, if that one can speak. One must yield without displeasure, since another also may receive the gift of speaking, even if he appears insignificant. He too is not forbidden. Just as it cannot be that everything has been given to one man as the best, so it cannot be that nothing at all has been given to someone, however small. For let no one be without the grace of God.

If, says the Apostle, the grace of the Spirit moves another, then let the one who began to speak yield to him.

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?

The rule for prophets is this: only a few should instruct, two or three in turn. But one must immediately cease speaking if others receive a revelation. For “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,” unlike what happens with frenzied diviners in pagan temples. “God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.”

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 do these words mean? If, he says, while you are prophesying and speaking, the Spirit stirs another, then you must be silent. For why should you continue speaking when another is stirred to prophecy? But should both not speak? That would be improper and would produce disorder. Should the first not continue until he finishes? This also is improper. For the Spirit stirred the other while the first was speaking precisely so that he too might say something, and the first might fall silent. Then, to console the one whom he commands to be silent, he says” (Saint Chrysostom).