1 Corinthians 14:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (1 Cor 14:32). Do you see how strongly and awesomely he puts them to shame?

So that a man may not object or resist, he says that the gift itself obeys. By spirit here he means the operation.

If the spirit obeys, then all the more you, who have received it, have no right to object.

Then he proves that this is also pleasing to God: "For God is not the God of disorder, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints" (1 Cor 14:33).

Do you see by what arguments he moves them to silence and consoles the one who yields to another?

First, by saying that in this case he too is not excluded: "You can all prophesy one by one," he says.

For if it had pleased the Spirit that you should speak, then all of you may prophesy, one after another. That is, do not be grieved, for you too can prophesy, and another, and all, each separately and in order. This gift is not limited to one person alone, but is given to all, so that the whole Church may be instructed and receive encouragement toward virtue.

Such is the tradition of the synagogue, which the Apostle wishes us also to follow. For he writes to Christians converted from the Gentiles, not from the Jews. They were to discuss matters while seated according to seniority, on chairs, benches, and a mat on the floor. If a revelation should come to someone, the Apostle commanded that he be allowed to speak, with no contempt for his station. For all are parts of one body.

Let nothing be done disorderly or with confusion, because each of you can offer prophecy to those assembled and thereby bring them benefit. This order has remained in the churches to the present day. Among the teachers, some address the people at one solemn assembly, and others at another.

Truly, he who prophesies edifies the Church, for by the gift of his foretelling he makes known what was unknown or seemed unnecessary. Yet those to whom the ability has been given to understand and interpret Holy Scripture well are not deprived of the gift of prophecy.

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 that only a few should instruct, two or three in turn. Yet one must immediately cease speaking if others receive a revelation, for “the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” This is not as it happens among frenzied soothsayers in 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.

It is as though he says: let this newly stirred one speak, and then the one who was interrupted may speak again, if anything remains for him to say.

Why is such preference given to the newly stirred one? Because the speech of such a person is more ardent, more heartfelt, and therefore more influential.

Since the Apostle's purpose in these directions is that all may learn and be comforted, it is right to give such a man a place to speak more quickly.

The one who spoke earlier is presumed to have received good inspirations before the assembly, during prayer at home and contemplation of God.

Therefore they are not new to him. They have been repeated in the mind more than once, and are now offered more from memory.