1 Corinthians 14:36
in 1 Corinthians 14Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?
KJV
What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
⋯
This verse in 1 Corinthians 14
Commentary
10 notes on this verseWhat? came the word of God out from you?.... That you must give laws to other churches, and introduce new customs and practices never known or used before? No; the word of the Lord came out of Zion, and the law or doctrine of the Lord, the word of the Gospel, the doctrine of the grace of God, came out of Jerusalem.
This site's exposition
Did the word of God originate
Two sharp questions, whether the word of God originated with them or reached only them, address the whole congregation's self-importance. Corinth was neither the gospel's source nor its only recipient, so its customs answer to a wider church, as at 11:16.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Paul issued the Corinthians with this reproof because they were so elated with vanity. The suggestion was that if they did not obey the words of the faith, there would be no one who would believe.
But besides these things, he also shames them by consideration of what all agreed on, and what was every where prescribed; which topic also here he hath set down, saying, "What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?" Thus he brings in the other Churches also as holding this law, both abating the disturbance by consideration of the novelty of the thing, and by the general voice making his saying acceptable. Wherefore also elsewhere he said, "Who shall put you in remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, even as I teach everywhere in all the Churches." (1 Cor. 4:17) And again, "God is not a God of confusion, but of peace, as in all the Churches of the saints." (1 Cor. 14:33.) And here, "What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?" i.e., "neither first, nor alone are ye believers, but the whole world." Which also writing to the Colossians he said, "even as it is bearing fruit and increasing in all the world," (Col. 1:6) speaking of the Gospel. But he turns it also at another time to the encouragement of his hearers; as when he saith that theirs were the first fruits, and were manifest unto all. Thus, writing to the Thessalonians he said, "For from you hath sounded forth the word of God," and, "in every place your faith to God-ward is gone forth." (1 Thess. 1:8) And again to the Romans, "Your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world." For both are apt to shame and stir up, as well the being commended of others, as that they have others partakers in their judgment. Wherefore also here he saith; "What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says: What? Did the word of God originate with you?, he answers those who contradict him. And because they could all contradict at once or at least the wise among them, he does two things in regard to this: first, he refutes …
The speech is addressed to someone who has, as it were, objected to him. What are you saying, you resist and do not acknowledge it as good that wives should be silent in the churches? Is it not because you are teachers, and from you …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Did Christianity come our of Corinth? was its original among you? Or, if not, is it now limited and confined to you? are you the only church favoured with divine revelations, that you will depart from the decent usages of all other churches, and, to make ostentation of your spiritual gifts, bring confusion into Christian assemblies?
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Came the word of God out from you? - Was it from you that other Churches received the Gospel? Are you the mother Church? that you should have rules, and orders, and customs, different from all others; and set yourselves up for a model to be copied by all the Churches of Christ? Or came it unto you only? - Are you the only Church of God? Are there not many others founded before you that have no such customs, and permit no such disorders?
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
What!--Greek, "Or." Are you about to obey me? Or, if you set up your judgment above that of other churches. I wish to know, do you pretend that your church is the first church FROM which the gospel word came, that you should give the law to all others?
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
What! came the word of God out from you? - The meaning of this is, “Is the church at Corinth the “mother church?” Was it first established; or has it been alone in sending forth the Word of God? You have adopted customs which are unusual. You have permitted women to speak in a manner unknown to other churches; see 1Co 11:16. You have admitted irregularity and confusion unknown in all the others. You have allowed many to speak at the same time, and have tolerated confusion and disorder. Have you any “right” thus to differ from others? Have you any authority, as it were, to dictate to them, to teach them, contrary to their uniform custom, to allow these disorders? Should you not rather be conformed to them, and observe the rules of the churches which are older than yours?” The “argument” here is, that the church at Corinth was “not” the first that was established; that it was one of the “last” that had been founded; and that it could, therefore, claim no right to differ from others, or to prescribe to them. The same argument is employed in 1Co 11:16; see Note. Or came it unto you only? - As you are not the first of those who believed, neither are you the only ones. God has sent the same gospel to others, and it is traveling over the world. Others, therefore, have the same right as you to originate customs and special habits; and as this would be attended with confusion and disorder, you should all follow the same rule, and the customs which do not prevail in other churches should not be allowed in yours.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἢ | e | Or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| ἀφ᾽ | aph᾽ | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγος | logos | word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐξῆλθεν, | exelthen | has gone out? | G1831 → | |
| ἢ | e | Or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μόνους | monous | only | G3441 → | 110 times |
| κατήντησεν;¶ | katentesen | has it come? | G2658 → |
ἢOr
eG2228 →342 times
ἀφ᾽from
aph᾽G575 →640 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λόγοςword
logosG3056 →329 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἐξῆλθεν,has gone out?
exelthenG1831 →
ἢOr
eG2228 →342 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
μόνουςonly
monousG3441 →110 times
κατήντησεν;¶has it come?
katentesenG2658 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 14:8And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.
it leads to
- Revelation 22:1–2
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
- John 7:38
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”
- John 4:14
But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- John 4:10
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
- Revelation 7:16–17
‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’
- Revelation 22:1–2
Through
Isaiah 2:3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 50:4–5
“In those days and at that time, declares the LORD, the children of Israel and the children of Judah will come together, weeping as they come, and will seek the LORD their God.
- Zechariah 8:20–23
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Peoples will yet come—the residents of many cities—
- Luke 24:47
and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 50:4–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 37; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.