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1 Corinthians 14:7

in 1 Corinthians 14

Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

KJV

And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

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This verse in 1 Corinthians 14

Commentary

11 notes on this verse
Things without life - Instruments of music. Whether pipe - This instrument (αὐλὸς aulos) was usually made of reeds, and probably had a resemblance to a flageolet. Or harp - This instrument (κιθάρα kithara) was a stringed instrument, and was made in the same way as a modern harp. It usually had ten strings, and was struck with the plectrum, or with a key. It was commonly employed in praise. Except they give a distinction in the sounds - Unless they give a difference in the “tones,” such as are indicated in the gamut for music.

This site's exposition

if I come to you speaking

on 1 Corinthians 14:6-9

Paul turns the argument on himself: tongues without revelation, knowledge, prophecy or teaching would bring them no benefit. Verses 7 and 8 draw on the flute or harp with no distinct notes and the trumpet sounding a muffled call, a garbled battle signal.

This site's exposition

Even in the case of lifeless instruments

The flute and harp, aulos and kithara, were the common instruments of Greek feasts and funerals. Distinct translates diastole, the clear spacing between one note and the next. Sound without spacing gives no tune.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Corinthians 35 · Written before 407.

proposed

"Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped?" "And why do I say," saith he, "that in our case this is unprofitable, and that only useful which is dear and easy to be apprehended by the hearers? Since even in musical instruments without life one may see this: for whether it be pipe or harp, yet if it be struck or blown confusedly and unskilfully, without proper cadence or harmony, it will captivate none of the hearers. For even in these inarticulate sounds there is need of some distinctness: and if thou strike not or breathe into the pipe according to art, thou hast done nothing. Now if from things without life we require so much distinctness, and harmony, and appropriateness, and into those inarticulate sounds we strive and contend to infuse so much meaning, much more in men indued with life and reason, and in spiritual gifts, ought one to make significancy an object.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1274.

proposed

Here he shows the same thing with examples taken from inanimate things, namely, instruments which seem to have a voice: first, with instruments of joy; secondly, the instruments of battle (v. 8). He says, therefore: that speaking in tongues does not benefit others is shown …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

And what, he says, am I saying — that what is unclear among us is useless, while what is clear is useful? If even with inanimate instruments the sounds do not "produce distinct tones," that is, clear ones, but everything is mixed together, then it …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And even things without life giving sound,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

The army in one case, and the congregation in the other, must be all in suspense, and at a perfect nonplus. To speak words that have no significancy to those who hear them is to leave them ignorant of what is spoken; it is speaking to the air,
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

He advises that worship should be celebrated so that the most ignorant might understand, and join in prayer and praise, and presses the advice by his own example,

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Translate, "And things without life-giving sound, whether pipe or harp, YET (notwithstanding their giving sound) if they give not a distinction in the tones (that is, notes) how?" &c. what is piped or harped--that is, what tune is played on the pipe or harp.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

And even things without life - I may, as if he had said, illustrate this farther by referring to a pipe or harp; if these were to utter mere sounds without order, harmony, or melody, though every tone of music might be in the sounds, surely no person could discern a tune in such sounds, nor receive pleasure from such discords: even so is the person who speaks in an unknown tongue, but does not interpret. His speech tends no more to edification than those discordant and unmeaning sounds do to pleasure and delight.

The words behind it

22 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

5 in all, six open

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    1 Corinthians 13:1

    If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.

    it leads to

    • 1 Peter 4:8

      Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

    • 1 Timothy 1:5

      The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.

    • Galatians 5:22

      But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

    • 1 Corinthians 13:8

      Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed.

    • Galatians 5:6

      For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.

  • Through

    Matthew 11:17

    ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 28:9–13

      Whom is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His message? To infants just weaned from milk? To babies removed from the breast?

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 14:8

    Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?

    it leads to

    • Numbers 10:9

      When you enter into battle in your land against an adversary who attacks you, sound short blasts on the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God and saved from your…

    • Ezekiel 33:3–6

      and he sees the sword coming against that land and blows the ram’s horn to warn the people.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Corinthians

The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495 to 1498. Public domain.
The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495 to 1498. Public domain.
1 Corinthians: the study guide →Read 1 Corinthians 14 →
This page draws on 11 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); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; 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 35; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.

Read on in 1 Corinthians 14 →