Questions & Answers
Questions 116 (COD Page 557)
Explain First Corinthians 14:5.
299 Who has got it right quick? One of you got it? [Blank spot on tape. A brother reads First Corinthians 14:5–Ed.]:
...all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
300 All right. “I would rather...I would that all of you spoke with tongues.” Paul was trying to say...Like the church, you–you be my church. Some of Paul’s churches wasn’t as big as many the members as what I got right here. That’s right, sometimes ten or twelve. See? See? Now, now he said, “I would that you all spoke with tongues.” That stunt you?
301 See, when the–the–the church that the...in Acts 19, I believe it had about a dozen members in it. See? Just very little, missions, you see. So it’s always been in the minority, see. And I think it said and there was about so many, a dozen man and women, you see, in it.
302 Now, if you–you see here, he said, “I would that you all spoke with tongues. I–I wish you all would speak, all spoke with tongues, just get so full of the Holy Ghost you’d just speak in tongues. But” said “I would rather you would prophesy; except it be for interpretation, there be an interpretation.”
303 How does that read there? Who...Have you got it there, right...?...Let’s read it again. Now listen.
304 [A brother begins reading First Corinthians 14:5, “I would that ye all spake with tongues,...”–Ed.] Now hold that a minute, “I would that you would all speak with tongues.” [“...but rather that ye prophesied:...”] “I’d rather you would all prophesy.” [“...for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues,...”] Now hold it a minute.
305 Now, what is, “Greater that he that prophesies”? prophesies? That’s what you wanted me to stop at? [A brother says, “I was just saying, ‘That was a different...?...’”–Ed.] Yeah. See? Yeah. See? Now, here’s where...
306 Now, you say for instance, now, we got two unlearned man among us tonight. They don’t know nothing about this, and I come in and you all is...we start here in this meeting, and–and you just starts talking in tongues, every one of you just talking in tongues, talking in tongues, and talking in tongues, and talking in tongues. And, well, what is it? See, the unlearned man say, “Uh! They’re all crazy!” See? But if one prophesies, see, then he’s saying something he can understand.
307 Now, go ahead and read the rest of it now. [The brother continues, “...except he interpret,...”–Ed.] There you are. Now, “except,” see. I–I’d...The ones that–the ones that’s prophesying is greater than he that speaks in tongues except this gives an interpretation. Now, go ahead, see. [“...that the church may receive edifying.”] There you are, see, the church is edified.
308 Now, in other words, why, the church, this guy. Here’s–here’s this many here is unlearned, you’re just sitting among us tonight; we’re having this meeting. We’re all in here seeking our...wanting to know about the Lord, all of you just started speaking in tongues. Nobody said nothing, just started speaking in tongues. “I want you...I’d...That’d be fine,”
Paul said. “All of you spoke in tongues, it’d be fine.” But what if some of you prophesy, raise up and say, “THUS SAITH THE LORD, ‘There is a man sitting here and he’s a stranger among us. His name is John Doe. He comes from a certain-certain place. He’s left his wife and four children there. He’s here tonight because he’s seeking help. He was with a doctor today in Memphis, Tennessee. And he said...The doctor told him he had cancer of the lungs. He’s dying’”?
309 He said, “If all speak in tongues and the unlearned come among you, he’d say...then he’ll say, ‘Aren’t you all mad or crazy?’ But if one prophesies and reveals the secret of the heart, then they’ll fall down, say, ‘Truly God’s with you!’” See there?
310 Well, now, here. Now you’re speaking in tongues, but one gives the interpretation, say, “THUS SAITH THE LORD,” under the interpretation, “‘There’s a man sitting among us, left his wife, was in Nashville today,’” or Memphis, or whatever it was, “‘and he’s got lung cancer. Come in here, and his name is John Doe,’” So-and-so like that. See?
311 “Except it be for interpretation,” or, see, then it gives edification. See? Then they’ll say...Then that guy will go out, say, “Let me tell you something, don’t tell me God’s not with them people up there. Certainly! Them people knowed me not at all.” See?
312 So we want the gifts of prophecy plus the gifts of speaking in tongues. But, in speaking with tongues, see, must have interpretation. And then, when it’s interpreted, it is prophecy. See? It is prophecy. Now, I’ve got that question here in a minute, so I’ll–I’ll get to it just as quick as possible. [Blank spot on tape–Ed.]