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Bible Notes - Tabernacle Commentaries
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1 Corinthians 14:9
Comments
Unless the tongues speaker utters words which are capable of being understood, he too will be like the trumpet which is played badly and no one knows what message is being given. But the tongues speaker will certainly speak without being understood unless there is an interpreted, because that is the nature of foreign languages. The speaker is a foreigner to me and I to him. We cannot communicate with each other. How ridiculous that a genuine gift from God should be so abused in this way! How foolish that such a wonderful gift from God should have such a confusing effect. Rather, you should speak out your tongue and someone else should corroborate that your message is exactly right. If only Charismatic friends would read these passages, then they would get it right, and obey the Lord. Sadly, even dear Christians have been taught to miss the point.
Application
There is a shortage of ‘words easy to be understood’ today. Plain pronunciation, or clear words, is the Greek. Even on the radio and the television there are professionals presenting Christian messages, and you cannot make out what they are saying. They are not clear at all. That is what the apostle means here. ‘So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words [plainly pronounced, distinctly pronounced], how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.’ He says this over and over again. You would think he was against tongues; but in those days he wasn’t, as long as they were the real thing, and there was a message coming from them.
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