Matthew Henry

For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

“Our best knowledge and our greatest abilities are at present like our condition, narrow and temporary. Even the knowledge they had by inspiration was but in part. How little a portion of God, and the unseen world, was heard even by apostles and inspired men!”

But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

“And indeed these two must go together. Duty is the proper way to comfort; and those that would be comforted must bear being exhorted. He that speaks with tongues may edify himself,”

The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

“He may understand and be affected with what he speaks; and so every minister should; and he that is most edified himself is in the disposition and fitness to do good to others by what he speaks; but he that speaks with tongues, or language…”

I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.

“Greater is he who interprets scripture to edify the church than he who speaks tongues to recommend himself.”

If, then, I do not know the meaning of someone’s language, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.

“For thus says the polite Ovid, when banished into Pontus, Barbarus hic ego sum, quia non intelligor ulli, I am a barbarian here, none understand me.”

It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

“"Forasmuch as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, this way it will become commendable zeal, be zealous to edify the church, to promote Christian knowledge and practice, and covet those gifts most that will do the best service to men's souls."”

Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

“That these were different gifts, see ch. xii. Those might speak and understand a foreign language who could not readily translate it into their own: and yet was this necessary to the church's edification; for the church must understand, that it might be edified, which…”

What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind.

“I will sing with the spirit, &c. He does not forbid their praying or singing under a divine afflatus, or when they were inspired for this purpose, or had such a spiritual gift communicated to them; but he would have them perform both so as…”

Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

“He who fills up or occupies the place of the unlearned, that is, as the ancients interpret it, the body of the people, who, in most Christian assemblies, are illiterate; how should they say Amen to prayers in an unknown tongue?”

But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

“Note, A truly Christian minister will value himself much more upon doing the least spiritual good to men's souls than upon procuring the greatest applause and commendation to himself.”

Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

“If, when they were all assembled for Christian worship, their ministers, or all employed in public worship, should talk unintelligible language, and infidels should drop in, they would conclude them to be mad, to be no better than a parcel of wild fanatics.”

But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all, and the secrets of his heart will…

“Note, Religious exercises in Christian assemblies should be such as are fit to edify the faithful, and convince, affect, and convert unbelievers. The ministry was not instituted to make ostentation of gifts and parts, but to save souls.”

And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.

“Indeed, it is by many understood that the former speaker should immediately hold his peace. But this seems unnatural, and not so well to agree with the context.”

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.

“To do otherwise was to destroy the end of a Christians ministry, and all assemblies for Christian worship. Note, Manifest indecencies and disorders are to be carefully kept out of all Christian churches, and every part of divine worship.”

Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

“Did Christianity come our of Corinth? was its original among you? Or, if not, is it now limited and confined to you?”

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm.

“Note, The doctrine of Christ's death and resurrection is at the foundation of Christianity. Remove this foundation, and the whole fabric falls, all our hopes for eternity sink at once.”

For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

“What kept Paul low in an especial manner was the remembrance of his former wickedness, his raging and destructive zeal against Christ and him members. Note, How easily God can bring a good out of the greatest evil!”

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain.

“Nay, though he was conscious of his own diligence, and zeal, and service, so that he could say of himself, the grace of God was not given him in vain, but he laboured more abundantly than they all: he thought himself so much more the…”

If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.

“And is it not absurd for one who believes in Christ to admit a principle that involves so absurd an inference?”

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

“The whole lump was made holy by the consecration of the first-fruits ( Rom. xi. 16 ), and the whole body of Christ, all that are by faith united to him, are by his resurrection assured of their own.”

For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

“And so, as in Adam all die, in Christ shall all be made alive; as through the sin of the first Adam all men became mortal, because all derived from him the same sinful nature, so through the merit and resurrection of Christ shall all…”

But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.

“It is because he has risen that they rise. Note, Those that are Christ's must rise, because of their relation to him. He argues from the continuance of the mediatorial kingdom till all Christ's enemies are destroyed, the last of which is death,”

Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.

“He has risen, and, upon his resurrection, was invested with sovereign empire, had all power in heaven and earth put into his hands ( Matt. xxviii.”

For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

“He is alive who was dead, and liveth for ever, and doth reign, and will continue to reign, till the redemption of his people be completed, and the utter ruin of their enemies effected. (4.)”

The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

“When saints shall live again, and die no more, then, and not till then, will death be abolished, which must be brought about before our Saviour's mediatorial kingdom is delivered up, which yet must be in due time.”