John Calvin Commentary 1 Thessalonians 5:20

"despise not prophesyings;" — 1 Thessalonians 5:20 (ASV)

Despise not prophesyings. This sentence is appropriately added to the preceding one. For, since the Spirit of God illuminates us chiefly by doctrine, those who do not give teaching its proper place do, as far as it depends on them, quench the Spirit. For we must always consider in what manner or by what means God designs to communicate Himself to us. Therefore, let everyone who desires to make progress under the direction of the Holy Spirit allow himself to be taught by the ministry of prophets.

By the term prophecy, however, I do not understand the gift of foretelling the future, but, as in 1 Corinthians 14:3, the science of interpreting Scripture, so that a prophet is an interpreter of the will of God. For Paul, in the passage I have quoted, assigns to prophets teaching for edification, exhortation, and consolation, and enumerates, as it were, these departments. Therefore, let prophecy in this passage be understood as meaning interpretation made suitable to present use. Paul prohibits us from despising it, lest we choose of our own accord to wander in darkness.

The statement, however, is a remarkable one, for the commendation of external preaching. It is the dream of fanatics that those are children who continue to occupy themselves with reading Scripture or hearing the word, as if no one is spiritual unless he despises doctrine. They proudly, therefore, despise the ministry of man, indeed, even Scripture itself, so that they may attain the Spirit. Furthermore, whatever delusions Satan suggests to them, they presumptuously present as secret revelations of the Spirit. Such are the Libertines and other furies of that sort.

And the more ignorant anyone is, the more he is puffed up and swollen with arrogance. Let us, however, learn from the example of Paul to conjoin the Spirit with the voice of men, which is nothing other than His instrument.