1CO 14

1 Corinthians 14:36

WEB

What!? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?

BSB

Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

KJV

What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

Matthew Henry

Verses 36–40

1 Corinthians 14:36–40

In these verses the apostle closes his argument, 1. With a just rebuke of the Corinthians for their extravagant pride and self-conceit: they so managed with their spiritual gifts as no church did like them; they behaved in a manner by themselves, and would not easily endure control nor regulation. Now, says the apostle, to beat down this arrogant humour, "Came the gospel out from you? Or came it to you only? Co1 14:36. Did Christianity come our of Corinth? was its original among you? Or, if not, is it now limited and confined to you? are you the only church favoured with divine revelations, that you will depart from the decent usages of all other churches, and, to make ostentation of your spiritual gifts, bring confusion into Christian assemblies? How intolerably assuming is this behaviour! Pray bethink yourselves." When it was needful or proper the apostle could rebuke with all authority; and surely his rebukes, if ever, were proper here. Note, Those must be reproved and humbled whose spiritual pride and self-conceit throw Christian churches and assemblies into confusion, though such men will hardly bear even the rebukes of an apostle. 2. He lets them know that what he said to them was the command of God; nor durst any true prophet, any one really inspired, deny it (Co1 14:37): "If any man think himself a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge, etc., nay, let him be tried by this very rule. If he will not own what I deliver on this head to be the will of Christ, he himself never had the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of Christ can never contradict itself; if it speak in me, and in them, it must speak the same things in both. If their revelations contradict mine, they do not come from the same Spirit; either I or they must be false prophets. By this therefore you may know them. If they say that my directions in this matter are no divine commandments, you may depend upon it they are not divinely inspired. But if any continue after all, through prejudice or obstinacy, uncertain or ignorant whether they or I speak by the Spirit of God, they must be left under the power of this ignorance. If their pretences to inspiration can stand in competition with the apostolical character and powers which I have, I have lost all my authority and influence; and the persons who allow of this competition against me are out of the reach of conviction, and must be left to themselves." Note, It is just with God to leave those to the blindness of their own minds who wilfully shut out the light. Those who would be ignorant in so plain a case were justly left under the power of their mistake. 3. He sums up all in two general advices: - (1.) That though they should not despise the gift of tongues, nor altogether disuse it, under the regulations mentioned, yet they should prefer prophesying. This is indeed the scope of the whole argument. It was to be preferred to the other, because it was the more useful gift. (2.) He charges them to let all things be done decently and in order (Co1 14:40), that is, that they should avoid every thing that was manifestly indecent and disorderly. Not that they should hence take occasion to bring into the Christian church and worship any thing that a vain mind might think ornamental to it, or that would help to set it off. Such indecencies and disorders as he had remarked upon were especially to be shunned. They must do nothing that was manifestly childish (Co1 14:20), or that would give occasion to say they were mad (Co1 14:23), nor must they act so as to breed confusion, Co1 14:33. This would be utterly indecent; it would make a tumult and mob of a Christian assembly. But they were to do things in order; they were to speak one after another, and not all at once; take their turns, and not interrupt one another. To do otherwise was to destroy the end of a Christians ministry, and all assemblies for Christian worship. Note, Manifest indecencies and disorders are to be carefully kept out of all Christian churches, and every part of divine worship. They should have nothing in them that is childish, absurd, ridiculous, wild, or tumultuous; but all parts of divine worship should be carried on in a manly, grave, rational, composed, and orderly manner. God is not to be dishonoured, nor his worship disgraced, by our unbecoming and disorderly performance of it and attendance at it.

Cross-references: 1Cor 14:36 · 1Cor 14:37 · 1Cor 14:40 · 1Cor 14:20 · 1Cor 14:23 · 1Cor 14:33

Greek interlinear

G2228

/ay/

and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea

Derivation: a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms;

disjunctive, or; comparative, than

KJV: and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea.

Often used in connection with other particles. Compare especially G2235, G2260, G2273.

See also: G2235, G2260, G2273.

G575

ἀπόapó/apo'/

(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with

Derivation: a primary particle;

"off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative)

KJV: (X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with.

In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.

G4771

σύ/soo/

thou

Derivation: the personal pronoun of the second person singular;

thou

KJV: thou.

See also G4571, G4671, G4675; and for the plural G5209, G5210, G5213, G5216.

See also: G4675, G4571, G4671, G5209, G5210, G5213, G5216.

G3588

ho/ho/

the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc

, including the feminine , and the neuter τό in all their inflections;

Derivation: the definite article;

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)

KJV: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

G3056

λόγοςlógos/log'-os/

account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work

Derivation: from G3004;

something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ)

KJV: account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.

See also: G3004.

G2316

θεόςtheós/theh'-os/

X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward)

Derivation: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity;

figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very

KJV: X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).

See also: G3588.

G1831

ἐξέρχομαιexérchomai/ex-er'-khom-ahee/

come (forth, out), depart (out of), escape, get out, go (abroad, away, forth, out, thence), proceed (forth), spread abroad

Derivation: from G1537 and G2064;

to issue (literally or figuratively)

KJV: come (forth, out), depart (out of), escape, get out, go (abroad, away, forth, out, thence), proceed (forth), spread abroad.

See also: G1537, G2064.

G1519

εἰςeis/ice/

(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with

Derivation: a primary preposition;

to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases

KJV: (abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with.

Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).

G3441

μόνοςmónos/mon'-os/

alone, only, by themselves

Derivation: probably from G3306;

remaining, i.e. sole or single; by implication, mere

KJV: alone, only, by themselves.

See also: G3306.

G2658

καταντάωkatantáō/kat-an-tah'-o/

attain, come

Derivation: from G2596 and a derivative of G473;

to meet against, i.e. arrive at (literally or figuratively)

KJV: attain, come.

See also: G2596, G473.

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