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by Katie Erickson

For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
- 1 Corinthians 14:13-19

The context of every passage of Scripture is important, both the immediate context and the broader context, but especially so when a passage starts with “For this reason” like this one. In the previous section, Paul’s point was that the use of any of the gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues, must be used to build up and edify the body of Christ. If a gift is not helping the church, then it should not be used.

Specifically continuing to look at the gift of tongues, Paul explains that the building up of those gathered is why anyone who speaks in tongues should make sure that their language is understood by those around them (verse 13). What good is it if no one understands what the person is saying? The person speaking cannot even understand what they are saying since this gift comes from the Holy Spirit, so they should pray that they are able to interpret it for the edification of those around them.

This interpretation is also essential for the speaker to understand the message themselves (verse 14). Paul says that only his spirit (not the Holy Spirit, but his own spirit) is praying in the tongue, and his mind does not understand it. The word for mind there refers to a person’s conscious and meaningful ability to reason and understand. The interpretation of a tongue benefits both the hearers and the speakers, and a lack of that interpretation does not help anyone.

Instead, in verse 15, Paul shares that he prays both with his spirit and his understanding. He also sings both with his spirit and his understanding. His spirit and his mind need to be unified in what they are doing so he is functioning as a whole person in his worship of God, whether he is praying or singing.

If someone else hears you praying or singing in another tongue and does not understand it, they can’t say “amen” and agree to what you are praying or singing (verse 16). This verse specifically notes a person who is “in the position of an inquirer.” That Greek word refers to someone who is not initiated fully into a religion; in our modern day, perhaps we would call that person a seeker, someone who has not yet fully embraced the Christian faith.

If a person is praising God in a tongue, they are “giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified” (verse 17). That person may feel as though they are praising God through the use of their gift of tongues. However, it is important for everyone to understand what is being said in a corporate worship environment so that they, too, may participate in that worship.

In verses 18-19, Paul concludes this section by saying that he thanks God for his ability to speak in tongues. But it’s not about his abilities; it’s about how he can help connect people to God. He states that he would rather speak just a few words that truly instruct other people than ten thousand words in a tongue that aren’t helpful. Paul knows that his mission is to preach the gospel and teach the people, and he can’t fulfill that mission if they don’t understand him.

What does this mean for us in the modern church? Some people believe that the Spirit’s gift of tongues is still practiced today, while others believe that stopped after the time of the New Testament church. But that is not the point that Paul is making; Paul’s point is that the most important aspect is whether people can understand what is being proclaimed in a worship gathering, whether it is said, prayed, or sung.

While words that are unintelligible to us could still praise God, as God can understand everything, they do not help our fellow believers. Our purpose is to glorify God, and we are not glorifying Him well if those around us do not understand what we are saying. Part of glorifying God is fulfilling the purpose that He has given each of us. Whether you are specifically called to teach or preach or not, every person is still instructed to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), and disciples cannot be made if they cannot understand their teacher.

This could be taken one step further to help those present to understand what is happening in a worship service. Would someone not familiar with your congregation, or even church at all, understand everything that is done in the worship service you attend? Perhaps, as Paul wrote, “You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.” What you do may be great and edifying for those who regularly attend, but what about the seeker who doesn’t yet know Jesus?

No matter what you are doing in your worship of God and in your walk with Christ, when others are present, do your best to make sure they can understand what is going on so that they can worship God as well.

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