1 CORINTHIANS LESSON 23

     We will begin this lesson in I Corinthians 14:20 "Brethren, be
not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but
in understanding be men."

     We are God's children, so we should always be humble before God
as His dear children. We should be forgiving as children forgive, as
well.  Children can fight one minute, and in the next five minutes be
playing again. They are quick to forgive and forget. In that, we
should be just like them. We should not be children in the decisions
we make, however. We should be mature Christians in understanding. We
should grow in the Lord each day, so that we will be wise in the
decisions that we make. Our understanding of the things of God must be
influenced by the teaching of the Holy Spirit of God.

     I Corinthians 14:21 "In the law it is written, With [men of]
other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet
for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord."

     The "law" is not speaking of the Mosaic law, but is speaking of
the Old Testament. We can find a reference to this in the book of
Isaiah 28:11 "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he
speak to this people."  We, also, know that Joel spoke of this, and
the Scripture in the book of Acts the second chapter is speaking of
this, as well. In all of these miraculous utterings, they still did
not hear. They had ears to hear, but they did not hear.

     I Corinthians 14:22 "Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to
them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying
[serveth] not for them that believe not, but for them which believe."

     Those who do not believe are looking for signs and wonders. Those
who believe are basing what they believe on the Word of God. Peter,
John, and the other apostles did not have to hear someone speak in
other tongues to cause them to believe. The Holy Spirit given to them
on the day of Pentecost was not given to them as a sign that God was
real. The tongues were to show them that they had been empowered by
the Holy Ghost to minister. They believed, because of the Word of God,
and not because of the sign.

     I Corinthians 14:23 "If therefore the whole church be come
together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in
[those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye
are mad?"

     To someone who did not know the Scriptures, it would seem
strange. Some who were there at Pentecost thought that the disciples
were drunk. Peter straightened them out when he said it was but the
third hour of the day. Acts 2:15 "For these are not drunken, as ye
suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day." It would be a
confusing thing to come into the church as a newcomer and everyone in
the place was speaking in another language other than your native
language. How would this type service bring people to the saving
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ?

     I Corinthians 14:24 "But if all prophesy, and there come in one
that believeth not, or [one] unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is
judged of all:" 

     I Corinthians 14:25 "And thus are the secrets of his heart made 
manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and 
report that God is in you for a truth."

     It was not the speaking in tongues that brought the thousands to
the Lord, but the preaching of Peter. We see in the verse above, that
all are bringing this one that believed not the gospel message. It
seems they were all trying to tell Him of the Lord. Their testimonies
convinced him. All of them had a part in winning him to the Lord. It
was by the Word of God that he was saved.

     I Corinthians 14:26 "How is it then, brethren? when ye come
together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a
tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be
done unto edifying."

     It seems in this, that all are trying to minister at once. There
was total disarray. They all have heard from God in one way or the
other and they all want to share what they know. It seemed there was
no order in the service here. If what they are doing is building up
the service, fine. If it is not, it is not the time to share it.

     I Corinthians 14:27 "If any man speak in an [unknown] tongue,
[let it be] by two, or at the most [by] three, and [that] by course;
and let one interpret."

     This is said just to keep order in the church. Very little could
be done with everyone trying to speak at once. Notice, how important
it was, and is, to have an interpreter. It does no good for the church
to have someone speak in tongues, unless you know what the message is.
This should be limited, even at that, because the message through
preaching is what generally saves people. Through the foolishness of
preaching, men are saved.

     I Corinthians 14:28 "But if there be no interpreter, let him keep
silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God."

     Speaking in tongues really builds up the one who is speaking in
the tongue. That can be done even better in private, than in public.
Speaking in tongues can build the whole church up, if there is someone
who can interpret. If there is no interpreter present, then the
message is exclusively for the one speaking in tongues.

     I Corinthians 14:29 "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let
the other judge."

     Even the preaching should not be done by everyone there, but by
one or two at each meeting. The people would tire and probably go
home, if too many tried to bring a message at one meeting.

     I Corinthians 14:30 "If [any thing] be revealed to another that
sitteth by, let the first hold his peace."
     We can see from this, that there had been total confusion in
their services. That is really the job of the pastor to see that order
is maintained in the services. Whoever had the message that was the
most urgent should be the one that was heard.

     I Corinthians 14:31 "For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all
may learn, and all may be comforted."

     At this time, many of them were at the same level of
understanding and God was revealing things to each of them. It was
good for each of them, on occasion, to share the things that God had
revealed to them.  That way, they could all share in the knowledge
each of them had. The comfort, spoken of here, is in being able to
share what God had revealed to them.

     I Corinthians 14:32 "And the spirits of the prophets are subject
to the prophets."

     All of the prophets could determine among themselves, who should
be heard at a given time.

     I Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not [the author] of confusion,
but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

     The confusion, spoken of here, would come from some who would
push their way into the position to speak, even when the prophets had
decided they were not to speak. There has to be a leader in the church
which keeps all of this from happening. The pastor of the church
should be the final word on who speaks, and who does not. They are
responsible to God for the message that is preached in the church they
are in charge of. Everything should be done decently and in order.

     I Corinthians 14:34 "Let your women keep silence in the churches:
for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded]
to be under obedience, as also saith the law."

     This has been debated back and forth ever since the day it was
written. In all of these lessons, we have seen Paul trying to bring a
system of order to all churches that he had begun within the context
of their customs. We must first look at this in the context of what we
have been reading. There seemed to be great confusion going on in this
church at Corinth; everyone was trying to speak at once. There was
probably so much noise that it would have been difficult to hear.
Notice, who the women were. Paul says, your women {the women of
Corinth}. Next let us look at {also saith the law}. Whose law is this
speaking of? There was no such law included in the Levitical law. This
was not part of the 10 commandments, nor was it part of the over 600
regulations in Exodus and Leviticus. It was not the law of the
Christian, because we have just studied that the only law for the new
Christians was that they not eat anything strangled, they not eat
anything offered to idols, they not drink blood, and that they not
commit fornication. Then whose law is this? It is a direct quote from
the Talmud. The Talmud was not the Bible, but a commentary. In this
area, women were thought of as subordinate to the men. The Talmud was
a commentative and interpretative writing involving Jewish traditions.
The Talmud, to them, was like many think of the commentaries of our
day.  This is opinion, and not law. The Babylonians and the
Palestinians came up with these teachings of customs.

     We know that this was never intended by Paul to become doctrine
for the Christians. He had fought hard for the Christians not to be
strapped down with customs. There are so many things that tell us that
this was tradition of this area, and was not to be taken as law for
the Christians. First of all, you must have two witnesses to establish
a thing. You only have the writings of Paul. It does not mean that
what Paul said was untrue. It just means, that this was tradition, and
not law or doctrine of the Christians. There are several different
times that Jesus mentions establishing with two witnesses, but I will
give two here in His own words. Matthew 18:16 "But if he will not hear
[thee, then] take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two
or three witnesses every word may be established."  John 8:17 "It is
also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true."
This is the very reason that there were two witnesses at the temple
when Jesus was dedicated to God.

     Paul did not have any problem with women ministering. We see in
the following Scripture, that Paul ministered with women as his
assistants. Philippians 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow,
help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement
also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book
of life."   There are many of you that will say that is not what this
means, but let us look at Joel and see. Joel 2:28  "And it shall come
to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall
dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;"  The root word that
"prophesy" was translated from means to preach, speak by inspiration,
or to make self a prophet. The second witness to this is in the book
of Acts chapter 2. We, also, know that Phillip's daughters preached or
prophesied. The word is interchangeable. Even in the Old Testament,
there were women who were anointed of God to serve in this capacity.
Debra judged in the land, and judged the men as well as the women. She
led the battle with her general {or else the people would not have
gone to war}. Huldah was a prophetess in the land {2 Kings chapter 22
verse 14} and {2 Chronicles chapter 34 verse 22}. There are many more
examples, such as Lydia and Dorcas, but I believe we have said enough
to settle this.

     Paul said this, then, to fulfill the traditions of the area here
in Corinth, and never intended this to close off women from the
ministry whom God has called. I do not mean to infer by this that
women are not subject to their husband in the family. Flesh and spirit
are two totally different realms. With God there is no male or female.
Galations chapter 3 verse 28.  Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

     I Corinthians 14:35 "And if they will learn any thing, let them
ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in
the church."

     This, again, was the tradition of the Corinthians. At the time
that Paul wrote this, women were not very well educated. The temple
school in Jerusalem had just taught young men, and women were not
thought to be interested in this type thing. We need to look at when
this changed. We gave the Scripture in Joel just a few verses back
about God's Spirit being poured out on all flesh, and the women as
well as men prophesy. In Joel, it speaks of this as being later on.
Acts 2:16 "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;"
Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I
will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and
your old men shall dream dreams:" Acts 2:18 "And on my servants and on
my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they
shall prophesy:" We see from this that it was perfectly alright for
the women to prophesy {preach}. One meaning of the word is speak from
inspiration. What the Scripture is probably trying to convey, was here
at Corinth, there was so much confusion with everyone speaking at
once, that Paul is trying to stop some of the confusion.

     I Corinthians 14:36 "What? came the word of God out from you? or
came it unto you only?"

     Paul has quickly jumped to another subject. He is saying, did you
start this work, or did I? Paul is explaining to them why he has the
authority to establish this work with his direction, and not theirs.
He in finality is saying, I brought the Word of God to you.

     I Corinthians 14:37 "If any man think himself to be a prophet, or
spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you
are the commandments of the Lord."

     Paul is saying, that all he has tried to do is set the church
services up the way God would have wanted them set up. Paul is, also,
saying that God should have revealed to them that he was telling the
truth, if they really were a prophet, or spiritual.

     I Corinthians 14:38 "But if any man be ignorant, let him be
ignorant."

     Some people do not want to know the truth. They are unteachable.
That is what Paul is dealing with here.

     I Corinthians 14:39 "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and
forbid not to speak with tongues."  I Corinthians 14:40 "Let all
things be done decently and in order."

     In this, Paul is trying to sum up what he has said. The best
thing for them to do, is to pray that God will give them the gift of
preaching. Tongues are great, if used correctly, but can cause
confusion, if improperly used.  Do all decently and in order.


                      1 Corinthians 23 Questions


1.  Paul said, be not __________ in understanding.
2.  Be children in _______.
3.  What trait do children have, that would be good for adults to
    have?
4.  What should our understanding of the Scriptures be influenced by?
5.  What was written in the Old testament, that is mentioned in verse
    21?
6.  Quote Isaiah chapter 28 verse 11.
7.  What other books of the Bible speak of this same thing?
8.  Tongues are for a _____.
9.  Prophesying serveth for whom?
10. Those who do not believe are looking for ________ and _________.
11. Who were some of the prophets who did not have to have hear
    someone speak in tongues to believe?
12. The tongues had been to show them that  they had been ____________
    by the Holy Ghost to minister.
13. If everyone speaks with tongues in a church service and someone
    unlearned comes in, what will they say?
14. Quote Acts chapter 2 verse 15.
15. Verse 24 is speaking of what, when it says prophesy?
16. What brought the thousands to the Lord just after Pentecost?
17. Verse 26 says that everyone of them hath a ________, hath a
    ________, hath a _________, hath a __________, hath an ________.
18. How many, at the most, should speak in tongues at a meeting?
19. If they speak in tongues, there must be an ___________.
20. What generally saves people?
21. If there is no interpreter, what should the one desiring to speak
    in tongues do?
22. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 29.
23. What is meant by verse 30?
24. Ye may all prophesy, one by one, that all may ________.
25. What was the comfort, in verse 31, speaking of?
26. The spirits are subject to whom?
27. God is not the author of confusion, but of ________.
28. Whose women were to keep silence in the churches?
29. What law is this speaking of?
30. What were the only laws of doctrine for the Christians?
31. What is the Talmud?
32. How many witnesses do you have to have to establish something?
33. Where do we find a specific Scripture that tells us Paul
    ministered with women?
34. Who are some of the women God ordained to work for Him?
35. Quote Joel chapter 2 verse 28.
36. Where can we find the Scripture that is the second witness to
    this?
37. Why did Paul make this statement in Corinthians, then?
38. Quote Galations chapter 3 verse 28.
39. Are women subject to their husbands in any way? Explain
40. What does the word prophesy mean?
41. Covet to _________.
42. Let all things be done _______ and in ________.