1 Corinthians 14:29-31 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
Everything done in a local church is accountable to others and should be done to build up the people in their faith. No one can go rogue and claim authority by oneself. Paul puts some conditions even on prophecy in this passage. A person cannot simply claim to have received a special revelation. Such a claim could be dangerous because who is to know if the interpretation of the revelation is genuine and from God? Paul directs the Corinthians to have people evaluate or judge what the prophets say. This evaluation has two sides. One, the implication is that the others can listen carefully, determine the truth of the prophecy. Tow, they can consider the outcome and how to apply the message.
Verse 30 implies that there was some spontaneity in receiving revelations. A revelation could come to a person at any time while another person is speaking. Since this could happen, Paul instructs the church in v. 31 for people to take turns, which would make it easier for people to understand and be built up in their faith. If several people tried to get attention and talk out loud, no one would be able to understand. It seems that Paul is presenting quite a challenge with these instructions and putting a lot of trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit in these dynamic gatherings. It may be difficult for us in our modern, well-ordered societies to understand how a meeting in Corinth or other early churches would take place, with various people speaking during a worship time. This type of experience is much easier to do with only 20-40 people than it is with 1000, like many of our mega-churches today. What Paul is describing in this chapter fits more the house-church situation where people are close-nit and fellowship and dialogue are open and dynamic. Whatever our situation may be, Paul’s two key points are important to remember: keep things orderly for the purpose that people can understand and be built up in their faith.
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