Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:18

Albert Barnes Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:18

1798–1870
Presbyterian
Albert Barnes
Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:18

1798–1870
Presbyterian
SCRIPTURE

"I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all:" — 1 Corinthians 14:18 (ASV)

I thank my God. Paul here shows that he did not undervalue or despise the power of speaking foreign languages. It was with him a subject of thanksgiving that he could speak so many; but he felt that there were more valuable endowments than this. See the next verse.

With tongues more than ye all. I am able to speak more foreign languages than all of you. How many languages Paul could speak, he has nowhere told us. It is reasonable, however, to presume that he was able to speak the language of any people to whom God in his providence, and by his Spirit, called him to preach. He had been commissioned to preach to the Gentiles, and it is probable that he was able to speak the languages of all the nations among whom he ever traveled. There is no account of his being under a necessity of employing an interpreter wherever he preached.

(The term "more" in this context signifies "in more languages.")