1 Corinthians 14:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor 14:40). Here he again reproves those who have a vain desire to produce disorder, who senselessly seek glory, and who do not keep their proper place.

Nothing builds up so much as good order, peace, and love. Everything opposed to them brings destruction.

This may be seen not only in spiritual matters, but in all others as well.

If you disturb the order in a choir, or on a ship, or in a chariot, or in an army, and move the greater from its position while putting the lesser in its place, you will disorder and overturn everything.

Let us therefore not disturb the order. Let us not place the head below and the feet above.

He corrects everything at once, both what concerned those who spoke in tongues and what concerned the women who spoke in church, and in general everything among them that was disorderly. Everything will be decent and orderly when those who speak in tongues speak with interpretation, and not like the possessed. It will be so when the prophets yield to one another, and when women keep silence.

Those sow enmity and tumult in the Church who appear to be other than what they are.

I consider that conduct in the communion of the faithful decent and orderly in which the law of the bodily members is observed.

It is no small thing to preserve measure in all things and to care for order. In it truly shines what is called fitting.

It is so closely joined to what is worthy that it cannot be separated from it. What is fitting is worthy, and what is worthy is fitting.

Thus the distinction concerns words more than essence. One can understand that they differ, but it is impossible to explain this fully.

If we still try to find some distinction, then what is worthy is like good health and vigor of body, while what is fitting is grace and beauty.

Beauty appears to surpass bodily strength and health, yet without them it cannot exist and cannot be separated from them. Beauty and charm cannot exist where there is no good health.

“In order” here means according to the order set forth above. What is done in peace and according to teaching is done decently.

Let us also preserve this good order and follow the apostolic ordinances, so that we may be counted worthy of communion with the Lawgiver, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him, with the Father and the All-Holy Spirit, belong glory and majesty, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

If one looks carefully at the origin of sin, I think it is nothing other than the immoderate love of a rational creature for everything whose measure has been established by God.

Note. Verse 39 is the conclusion of what was said in the first twenty-five verses. Verse 40 sums up verses 26-35. The first verses speak about the essence and meaning of the gifts of tongues and prophecy; the latter speak about their use.

The concluding inference about the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy: “Therefore, brethren, be zealous to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. Only let all things be done decently and in order.” Do you see, Chrysostom observes, how the Apostle preserves the distinction between these gifts to the end? Do you see how he suggests that the first is very necessary, while the latter is not so necessary? Of the first he says, “Be zealous,” and of the latter, “Do not forbid.”

Finally, striving to implant all that has been said in the minds and hearts of his readers, the Apostle reminds them that he is not speaking to them on his own authority. They submitted to the Lord voluntarily, and therefore they must voluntarily accept what is advised. Gathering all that has been said into one whole, he commands that the less useful gift not be forbidden, namely the gift of tongues. He also commands that they zealously seek the more important gift, prophecy. The chief point is that in everything there must be the order indicated by the Apostle, corresponding to the inner meaning of Christian worship.

Then, as though presenting all the rules given together, he adds: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” “The Apostle has made this order visible in what was said before,” that is, in the rules (Theodoret).