A Study in I Corinthians Week 16

I Corinthians 14:26-40 (A continuation from last week)

We’re continuing our study of Paul’s response to the First Baptist Church of Corinth, who had written him about some church issues. Paul use his response to express the importance of unity in the church.

Although there are some great doctrinal issues in I Corinthians, we must always remember that Paul’s reason for bringing them up is to illustrate practically how to achieve that unity.

The Verses

01. 26-28 Whatever our abilities or gifts, they should be used for the “strengthening” of the Body of Christ, the church. We’ll be putting this into practice on our next “Great Day.” We’ll have multiple speakers, in different languages, each of whom will interpret for the other. Paul implies that it would be divisive to have a speaker in a foreign language (tongue) with no interpreter around.

PAUL WOULD ENCOURAGE THE USE OF AN ORDER OF WORSHIP.

02. 29-33 Simple: There should not be two or more people speaking at once. That does not bring unity, but cacophony. “For God is not the author of disorder (confusion), but of peace.

03. 34-35 Remember, women had never been allowed to even be in with the men, let alone speak out in their presence.

(We recoil at the treatment of Muslim women by the religion of Islam, but it
is not so far removed from the treatment of women by ancient Jews).

This had been the practice in every congregation. Paul allows them in, but
implores them to follow convention, not to disrupt the congregation with
“far-out” participation.

That they are encouraged to “ask their husbands” assumes the husband to be
spiritually educated and spiritually minded.

The word translated “disgraceful” is δυσφημία (dusphemia): the condition of
one who is defamed ill-repute, and the action of one who uses disgraceful
language.

04. 36-38 In effect, Paul is saying: “Surely a person as spiritually intelligent as you can see that I’m right.”

05. This is the second time Paul has brought up the need for order. Remember, all Scripture is important, but when it says something twice, listen up!

Consider the orderliness of the building of the temple in I Kings 6ff.

Consider the laying out of the tents of Israel in Numbers 2.

Consider the arrangement of the people at the fall of Jericho in Joshua 6.

God is infinitely organized and has implored us to be organized, too.