Good morning! What a beautiful morning it is...following a beautiful sunset last night! Not sure if you had the chance to see it but it was so amazing. Photos don't do it justice- but here is my attempt!
After Paul spent the entire chapter on love and defining what love is and what it isn't, Paul says- go for it! Seek love (v 1). There is nothing wrong with wanting to find the true love that Paul speaks about. We all long for that. We should also desire spiritual gifts- as long as it doesn't begin to consume our whole essence. Our main pursuit should be love, follow by the healthy pursuit of gifts and determining which gifts we have. According to Paul, we should seek the gift of prophecy (v 1)! Based on the conversation that follows, the Corinthian church was more interested in gifts of tongues, but Paul says we should strive for prophecy.
According to Paul, gifts of tongues is between man and God, not man and man (v 2); this puts Acts 2 in a different light! This "language" is not meant to be understood by people, but by God. And the Spirit acts through that. Thoughts?
Prophesy, on the other hand, is directed to people (v 3). God speaking through people so people can understand. The purpose of prophesy is to educate, encourage, and comfort people with a goal of helping all people (v 4). Paul values the gift of tongues (v 5), but put in a practical sense, prophesy is better since all can understand it. If someone comes to you speaking a different language and you don't understand it- what good is it? There is no benefit (unless there is someone there to translate).
Paul likens the speaking of tongues to some musical instruments that are out of tune and not in synch (v 7). I can remember when our kids did music lessons in school (Lauren flute, Morgan clarinet). When they first started, we encouraged them and they would quiz us as to what song they were playing. It was hard! The better they got, the more we were able to pick out the song. That's what Paul is saying about speaking in tongues. We should use our gifts to strengthen the church (v 12), and speaking in tongues doesn't do that if nobody understands you.
Paul continues saying if you have the gift of tongues, use it- but at discretion. Use it when appropriate and there is someone to translate; use it to build the church; use it to edify the people. It is believed Paul had the gift of tongues, and he is saying here that he uses it in his devotional time, but not for public gatherings (vv 18-19).
Paul points them to a higher place (vv 20-21). They are selfish in their use of tongues, showing that they are better or more "educated" than those that cannot speak in tongues. Paul sees church meetings as a way for people to gather together and all people can edify all others (v 26). Church meetings are meant to build up the body not break it apart. Are your church meetings like that- building up? Obviously, Paul won't stop speaking in tongues by the Corinthians (v 27) as long as there is someone to translate!
Even as tongues are to be regulated, so should prophecy (v 29). Say what needs to be said, but the people will be prudent to hear and "judge" the accuracy of the words. That's tough. I think we do that at our meetings, but who says their "interpretation" of God's will (and thus their judgement) is accurate? The goal of church meetings (and of God) is to unify the body, not cause disruption (v 33). I know at some of our meetings there is "disruption of the body"!
Next we get to some uncomfortable words from Paul (but we should expect them, based on him and the culture). Women should be quiet and be dependent on their husband for clarification (vv 34- 35). In Jewish synagogues, mane and women sat in separate areas. If a woman called out or asked for clarification, she was punished harshly! It sounds here that the (Gentile) Corinthians adopted the Jewish arrangements. I am not touching these points from Paul!
The ending of the chapter, Paul reiterates- strive for prophecy but if you have the gift of tongues, use it wisely.
Kind of an odd chapter, but there must have been a question by someone about these gifts especially.
Have a good day- it is going to be a beauty!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
Last night's sunset was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteCathy pastor Paul did a good job explaining what I mean by taking advantage of someone's love. I also have a friend who has two grown children who have a substance abuse problem. Every time they get into trouble she says she will not let them back in the house but she loves them so she does. My heart breaks for her.
As for today's readings. I really don't understand speaking in tongues. There was a women in a church we use to attend that would sometimes fall in the floor and claim to be speaking in tongues. It always made for interesting conversation on the ride home. There are times in life when we don't understand someone's way of speaking but we work to figure it out. Divya the young woman I spend time with who is nonverbal uses some sign language that I can understand. Watching someone sign is really quite beautiful. I really enjoy Spanish music even though I don't understand it.
Love for children makes us do things we don't want to at times. But, they are our kids!
DeleteI have never really experienced "speaking in tongues" in church- but I'm sure it would be hard for me to understand and believe.
Thanks Cindy
ReplyDeleteYes Donna it was a fun night last evening all the baskets were beautiful . Great job everyone who participated. Hope i was some help to Pat.
When we are at worship is it beneficial for the church to understand what is being said , If we don't understand the language what good are we getting from the service. If we speak useful words it may possibly strengthen the faith of other believers in the congregation. I found it strange that women were not to speak out in worship but to talk over with the husbands at home and let him speak for her What if the woman was not married who did she speak to then? I thought this was rather odd in Christian worship.
sometimes I think people are speaking n tongues what with my hearing problem I don't always hear right the words they are saying.
I am sure you were a great help to Ann! I can say you were a GREAT help to us at our table!!!
DeleteI was at lectionary this morning; there is one woman who has difficulty hearing and she said almost the same thing you said- it sometimes sounds like people are speaking in tongues when her hearing devices aren't working right.
DeleteWe take so much in through our ears!
Thanks Clara
Odd is a good word to describe this chapter. The part about women is, of course, going to raise some eyebrows but we need to remember when this was written. Actually we had a volunteer at the library a few years ago who was a strict Jew. One of the patrons there was asking her for prayer for a problem she was having. The volunteer asked if the woman would like to have her concern placed on a prayer chain (not sure if she called it this). When the person said yes, the volunteer said that she would ask her husband to get the concern on the list. She, being a woman, wouldn't be able to ask. They attended Beth David in Binghamton. The woman told me that women sit on one side and men sit on the other. I don't think this holds for Temple Concorde (but I'm not sure).
ReplyDeleteCindy, I agree with you about sign language. It is beautiful. When I have been the story hour teacher, I always incorporated some ASL into the session. Preschoolers pick it up so quickly and it was fun to see them understand what you said to them with just your hands. Even though I didn't know a great deal of signs, we often have special needs folks in the library and it comes in handy. Sometimes I have to wonder why it isn't regularly taught in school. Seems more useful than French or Spanish. That's just me.
Tomorrow is going to be very hot. Better get your sprinklers out and run through a few times.
There are many traditions and rituals we will not understand!
DeleteOur grandson uses some sign; he is able to hear and speak, but he can say more at this age through sign and it is easier for us to understand! Some colleges teach ASL for credit as a language other than English.
Thanks Cathy!
This chapter, to me, seems to speak to a very specific question or something that happens often in the church of the Corinthians that Paul is addressing - again, I so wish we could read their letter to Paul. But Paul does go to some lengths to clarify Tongues vs. Prophesy and I do understand what Paul is saying. I heard someone speak in tongues at Kingdom Bound - in the middle of a concert in one of the tents - and someone interpreted. The band even stopped singing. It was so - I can't even explain it - moving? But that word isn't strong enough. The voice was so different that it sounded as if it were coming from everywhere in the tent - even to the person who was interpreting. If you have the gift, do you have the choice of when to use it? Although I understand what Paul is saying, if no one but you understands what you are saying - well, you and God, what good is it? When I was in Israel, the guide at the ruins of the Second temple told us that the meaning in vs. 34 was because women sat in the balcony that went around the top of the synagogue so that they could look down on the men and rabbis and the men stood on the floor, they could hear better. If the women started talking amongst themselves - asking questions, etc. - they may get the wrong answer from the other women because they could not hear as well. But if they waited until they got home, they could ask their husbands who could hear the rabbi better. But even if that were not the case, even Jesus said in John 3:17 that he was not there to break the law but to save the people. Paul does make it clear that he is repeating the law - not something that he made up. I enjoyed the chapter. Stay cool everyone!
ReplyDeleteGood question- do you have the choice when to use the gift of tongues or does it just happen? Not sure about that!
DeleteMaybe we should try and have he women of LM sit in the balcony and ask their husbands what I said when they get home! I wonder how that would fly?!
Good thoughts Donna. Thanks
Pastor, the pic was beautiful!! Especially when I enlarged it! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete