新约 - 哥林多前书(1 Corinthians)第14章

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.
But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?
Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?
So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.
So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.
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 mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not 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.
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.
So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all,
and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints,
women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?
If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.
If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
哥林多前书第十四章   林前 14:1> 先知讲道不只是预测未来,那他做什么呢? 

  14:1 先知讲道可能真的包括了对未来事件的预告,但最重要的目的是要将神的信息传给人,包括提供属灵的意见、警告、改正的建议及鼓励。 

  林前 14:2> 人能说方言是有恩赐的表现,哥林多教会为何担心? 

  14:2 哥林多教会非常关注“说方言”的问题,因为它引起了敬拜中的混乱。无疑说方言是圣灵赐下的恩赐之一,但哥林多教会的信徒却以它作为灵性高超的标志,失去了促进教会合一的意义。正确运用恩赐来帮助信徒,才是有益的。我们切不可按自己的喜好来乱用恩赐。 

  林前 14:2-25> 保罗对这说方言的事情有一些意见,且听听…… 

  14:2-25 保罗就说方言的问题提出了以下的看法:( 1 )它是神赐下的属灵恩赐( 14:2 );( 2 )尽管它不是我们信仰所必须的,但也是很有价值的恩赐( 12:28-31 );( 3 )相对于先知和教导的恩赐,它较为次要( 14:4 )。虽然保罗自己也说方言,他强调的只是先知讲道,因为它对全教会都有好处;而说方言基本上只是为说的人带来益处。公开敬拜必须用众人都能够明白的语言进行,造就全教会。 

  林前 14:5-12> 如果别人听不明,我就宁放弃自己的好处──这是保罗的意见,你的呢? 

  14:5-12 保罗指出,以听众的语言来传讲信息会更有效果,更能造就人。世界上有许多种语言( 14:10 ),讲不同语言的人很难互相沟通,讲方言也是这样。虽然这个恩赐对于许多人在个人敬拜时很有帮助,但只有加上翻译,才对会众有帮助。所以保罗说,他宁愿讲五句听众可以明白的话,胜过讲万句他们不明白的方言( 14:19 )。 

  林前 14:13-20> 讲方言,也可以使别人得到造就,只要…… 

  14:13-20 如果有人拥有讲方言的恩赐,他应该同样祈求翻译方言的恩赐,以至他可以告诉别人他讲的是什么。这样,全教会就可以藉这个恩赐而得到造就。 

  林前 14:15> 我用感情感受神,他用理性理解神,保罗说用灵、用悟性,是指什么呢? 

  14:15 祈祷和唱诗都会涉及思想和心灵。当我们唱诗时,应该思想歌词的意思;而祈祷向神倾诉我们的感情时,也不应关闭我们思想的能力。真正的基督教不是单有理性或单有感情的。(参弗 1:17-18 ;腓 1:9-11 ;西 1:9 ) 

  林前 14:22-25> 讲方言也是一种接触非信徒的方法,那方法是…… 

  14:22-25 哥林多信徒说方言,对别人没有帮助,因为他们不能明白方言的意思,而非信徒甚至认为讲方言的人是癫狂的。其实说方言应是给不信者的一个证据(参徒 2 章)。当说了方言之后,信徒应该解释方言的内容,并将荣耀归给神。非信徒因此便觉察到属灵世界的真实性,并且促使他们进一步寻求基督信仰。不过这虽是接触非信徒的方式之一,但保罗仍然认为讲道更加好( 14:5 )。 

  林前 14:26-40> 站在台上领诗、讲道──是为了让人看到我如何成功?如何有风范? 

  14:26-40 敬拜内每个环节如唱诗、讲道,都必须为全会众的益处而设;敬拜内那些担任不同岗位事奉的人(诗班、讲员及读经者)都必须以爱心为事奉的主要动机,才能令其他信徒的信心得益处。 

  林前 14:33> 如果敬拜可以不按秩序进行…… 

  14:33 敬拜的每个程序都要彼此配合,按着秩序来进行。即使运用圣灵的恩赐也不能作为破坏秩序的藉口。 

  林前 14:34-35> 保罗应不会歧视女性的,但怎么他却不准妇女在教会中说话? 

  14:34-35 这是否表示今日妇女不能在教会内讲道?很明显,在 11 章 5 节保罗提到妇女在公开敬拜中可以祈祷及讲道,在 12 至 14 章也提到妇女可以有属灵的恩赐,她们也应在基督的身体内运用恩赐。妇女对教会应有各样的贡献,并且参与敬拜的事奉。在哥林多的社会文化中,不容许妇女在公众场合驳斥男性。很可能有些妇女在成为基督徒之后,以为自由了,有权在公众敬拜中质问男性,这样便引起教会的分裂。此外,那时的妇女没有机会跟男性一样接受正规的宗教教育,妇女在公众敬拜里提出来的问题,可能在家中也可找到答案,毋须干扰敬拜的进行。保罗是为了教会的合一,而非针对妇女在教会中的地位。 

  林前 14:40> 保罗常言规矩,尤其在敬拜时,但这对我们有益处吗? 

  14:40 对个人或整体教会的生活而言,敬拜都是不可或缺的。教会敬拜应该以一个良好秩序来进行,好使我们真的能够参与敬拜、受教导、及预备好去服事神。那些负责设计敬拜的人,应该确保敬拜有秩序和有方向地进行。