Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret. 14 [For] if I pray in a tongue, my spirit is at prayer but my mind is unproductive. 15 So what is to be done? I will pray with the spirit, but I will also pray with the mind. I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will also sing praise with the mind. 16 Otherwise, if you pronounce a blessing [with] the spirit, how shall one who holds the place of the uninstructed say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks very well, but the other is not built up. 18 I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than any of you, 19 but in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Paul addresses the practice of speaking in tongues and its role in the Church, emphasizing that all forms of worship should edify the whole community. Therefore, those who possess the gift of tongues should also seek the gift of interpretation, so that what is communicated can be understood by all, fostering both unity and spiritual growth (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7). Praying in tongues engages the spirit deeply but does not contribute to intellectual understanding. True worship requires both heart and intellect in response to God’s grace, and Paul advocates an integrated form of prayer where the whole person, spirit and mind, is engaged. In this way, worship is both a mystical and cognitive act that glorifies God and edifies the believer.
When a blessing is given in an unknown tongue, those without the gift cannot participate or give their "Amen," missing the communal aspect of prayer. Spiritual gifts should serve to build up the body, and while speaking in tongues is a valid form of thanksgiving to God, it lacks edifying value for others if they cannot understand it.
Paul acknowledges the value of speaking in tongues in his personal spiritual life but does not prioritize it over intelligible speech that benefits the community. He concludes that even a minimal, understandable message is more beneficial in communal worship than extensive speech that others cannot comprehend. His teaching reflects his broader principle that love and service to others are the highest priorities in the Christian life (cf. 1 Cor. 13).
Almighty God, grant us the wisdom to seek understanding in all we do, so that our words and actions may bring clarity, unity, and strength to Your Church. Help us to worship with both spirit and mind, glorifying You and edifying one another. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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