Thomas Aquinas Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:1-4

"Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation. He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church." — 1 Corinthians 14:1-4 (ASV)

Having stated that love surpasses the other gifts, the Apostle then compares the other gifts to each other, showing the excellence of prophecy over the gift of tongues. In this regard, he does two things: first, he shows that prophecy surpasses the gift of tongues; second, he explains how the gifts of tongues and prophecy should be used (see verse 26). Concerning the first point, he does two things: first, he shows that the gift of prophecy is more excellent than the gift of tongues with reasons from the perspective of unbelievers; second, from the perspective of believers (see verse 20). The first part is divided into two: first, he shows that the gift of prophecy is more excellent than the gift of tongues in its use in exhortations or sermons; second, in the use of tongues in praying. For the use of the tongue is ordained for these two purposes (see verse 13).

In regard to the first point, he does two things. First, he mentions one thing by which he connects what came before to what follows. This is what he says: It has been stated that love surpasses all the gifts; if that is so, then make love your aim, for it is a sweet and healthy bond of minds. Above all, hold unfailing your love for one another (1 Peter 4:8); Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:14).

Second, he adds the point through which he connects to what follows, saying: earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. It is as if to say: Although love is greater than all gifts, the others are nevertheless not to be despised. But earnestly desire, that is, fervently love the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit: Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right? (1 Peter 3:13).

Although the phrase “earnestly desire” is sometimes taken to mean fervent love and sometimes envy, this is not an equivocation; indeed, one proceeds from the other. For to be zealous and to be earnestly desirous both signify a fervent love for something. It happens, however, that the thing loved is loved so fervently by someone that he does not allow another to share in it, but wants it for himself alone. This is zeal, which, according to some, is an intense love that does not allow participation in the one loved.

Yet this does not occur in spiritual things, which can be shared most perfectly by others, but only in those things which cannot be shared by many. Therefore, in love there is not this sort of zeal which disallows participation in the one loved. This kind of zeal exists only in regard to physical things, where it happens that if someone else has that for which I am zealous, I become sad. From this arises the earnest desire which is envy. For instance, if I love dignity or riches, I grieve if someone else has them; therefore, I envy him. And so it is clear that envy arises from zeal. Therefore, when it is said, earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, it is not to be understood as envy, because spiritual things can be possessed by many. Rather, he says to desire them in order to induce them to love God fervently.

And because there is a hierarchy among spiritual things, for prophecy surpasses the gift of tongues, he says: especially that you may prophesy. It is as if to say: Among spiritual gifts, be more zealous for the gift of prophecy. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophesying (1 Thessalonians 5:19–20).

To explain the entire chapter, three things must be established beforehand: what prophecy is, the different ways prophecy is mentioned in Scripture, and what it means to speak in tongues. In regard to the first, it should be noted that prophecy is said to be “seeing from afar.” According to some, it is named after “speaking afar,” but it is better to say that it is from pharos, which means “to see.” Thus in 1 Samuel 9:9: He who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.

Prophecy, therefore, is the sight or manifestation of future contingents or of things that transcend human understanding. For such a sight, four things are required. Since our knowledge comes through physical things and phantasms received from things perceived by the senses, it is necessary that:

1. The physical likeness of the things being shown is formed in the imagination. As Dionysius says, it is impossible for the divine ray to shine in us otherwise, unless it is surrounded by the variety of sacred veils.
2. An intellectual light is present, enlightening the intellect to know things shown that are beyond our natural knowledge. For unless an intellectual light is present to understand the sensible likenesses formed in the imagination, the one to whom these likenesses are shown is not called a prophet but a dreamer. Thus, Pharaoh, who saw ears of corn and cattle that indicated future events but did not understand what he saw, is not called a prophet. Rather, Joseph, who interpreted it, is. The same is true of Nebuchadnezzar, who saw a statue but did not understand it; therefore, he is not a prophet, but Daniel is. For this reason it says in Daniel 10:1: Understanding is needed in a vision.
3. The courage to proclaim the things revealed is present. For God reveals things so that they may be proclaimed to others: Behold, I have put my words in your mouth (Jeremiah 1:9).
4. The working of miracles is present, which gives certainty to the prophecy. For unless prophets did things that exceed the works of nature, they would not be believed in matters that transcend natural knowledge.

Therefore, according to these aspects of prophecy, some are called prophets in various ways. Sometimes one is called a prophet because he possesses all four attributes: he sees imaginary visions, has an understanding of them, boldly proclaims them to others, and works miracles. Concerning such a one it says in Numbers 12:6: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will appear to him in a dream, or will speak to him by means of a dream.

But sometimes one who has solely imaginary visions is called a prophet, though in an improper and very remote sense. Again, one is called a prophet if he has the intellectual light to explain imaginary visions made to himself or someone else, or for explaining the sayings of the prophets or the Scriptures of the apostles. In this sense, a prophet is anyone who discerns the writings of the Doctors of the Church, because they have been interpreted in the same spirit in which they were written. In this way, Solomon and David can be called prophets, in that they had the intellectual light to understand clearly and subtly. For the vision of David was intellectual only.

Someone is even called a prophet merely because he proclaims the statements of prophets, explains them, or sings them in the church. This is how Saul was counted among the prophets, that is, among those singing the words of the prophets (1 Samuel 19:24). Someone is also called a prophet from working miracles, as it says in Sirach 48:14 that the dead body of Elijah prophesied, that is, worked a miracle. Therefore, what the Apostle says about prophets throughout this chapter must be understood in the second sense: that one is said to prophesy who, through a divine intellectual light, explains visions made to him and to others. According to this, what is said here about prophets will be clear.

In regard to the second point, it should be noted that because there were few in the early Church assigned to preach the faith of Christ throughout the world, the Lord enabled them to proclaim the word to more people by giving them the gift of tongues, by which they could all preach to all. This was not, as some say, that they spoke in one language and were understood by all, but that they spoke the languages of different nations—indeed, of all of them. Hence the Apostle says, I thank God that I speak in the languages of all of you, and in Acts 2:4 it says: they began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Furthermore, many in the early church received this gift from God. But the Corinthians, being inquisitive, were more desirous of this gift than the gift of prophecy. Therefore, when the Apostle here mentions speaking in a tongue, he means an unknown language that is not interpreted, as when one might speak German to a Frenchman without an interpreter. Hence, any speech that is not understood or explained, no matter what it is, is properly called speaking in a tongue.

Having established these things, let us return to the text, which is now clear. In it, he does two things: first, he proves that the gift of prophecy is greater than the gift of tongues; second, he excludes an objection (see verse 5b).

He proves that the gift of prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues with two reasons: the first is based on the relationship of God with the Church; the second on the relationship of men with the Church.

The first reason is this: That through which a person does things that are not only for the glory of God but also for the benefit of his neighbors is better than that which is done only for the glory of God. But prophecy is not only for the honor of God but is also useful to our neighbor, whereas by the gift of tongues something is done solely for the honor of God. He presents the middle term of this reasoning, first by saying that one who speaks in a tongue only honors God. This is what he says: One who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, that is, not to the human intellect, but to God, that is, only for the honor of God. Or he speaks to God because God alone understands: The zealous ear of God hears all things . That he does not speak to man is indicated when he says: For no one hears him, that is, understands him. For it often happens that “not to hear” means “not to understand”: He who has ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 13:9). He indicates why he speaks only to God when he says that God Himself is speaking; hence he says: But he utters mysteries in the Spirit, that is, hidden things: For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father (Matthew 10:20); No one understands the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11).

Second, he proves his statement that prophecy is for the honor of God and the benefit of our neighbors. Hence he says, He who prophesies, that is, explains visions or Scriptures, speaks to men, that is, to the human intellect for the edification of beginners, the encouragement of the proficient, and the consolation of the desolate. Comfort the fainthearted (1 Thessalonians 5:14); Speak and persuade (Titus 2:15), for the consolation of the desolate. Or, edification pertains to spiritual affection, because one’s spiritual edifice first begins there: In whom you are also built into it (Ephesians 2:22). But exhortation pertains to inducement to good acts, because if the will is good, then the act is good: Declare and exhort these things (Titus 2:15). Consolation, on the other hand, induces one to tolerate evils: Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction (Romans 15:4). Those who preach the divine scriptures induce people to these three things.

The second reason is this: that which is useful only to the doer is less than that which also profits others. But to speak in tongues is useful only to the speaker, whereas to prophesy benefits others. He presents the middle term of this reasoning, first, in regard to its first part, saying: he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself: My heart became hot within me (Psalms 39:3).

Second, in regard to the second part, he says: But he who prophesies edifies the church, that is, the believers, by instructing them: Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20).