LESSON 22
(14:26-40)

DECENCY IN WORSHIP

26 What the brethren?  When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.  Let all things be done of edification.  27.  If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret.  28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silence in church and speak to himself and to God.  29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weight what is said.  30 If a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first be silent.  31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.  33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silence in the churches.  For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says.  35 If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home.  For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.  36 What did the word of God originate with you, or are you the only ones it has reached?
37 If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.  38 If any one does not recognize this, he is not recognized.  39 So, my brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues; 40 but all things should be done decently and in order.

The discussion of spiritual gifts continues through this lesson, but the use of them plus some general pointers about corporate worship form the general theme of this section of text.  Hence, for the sake of study and lesson length it was deemed best to break the chapter up into two lessons.
From a N.T. point of view, beginning in Acts and going through Jude, no systematic presentation of a “worship service” as we call it is presented.  We get parts and pieces and general impressions can be formed, but it is difficult to pin down the matter.  For instance, in Acts, only ch. 20 reflects a corporate worship, though it isn’t a detailed account.  In our book, ch. 5, 11 and 14 give some hints about what went on in such meetings, but again no outline from “start to finish” is given.  Considering the other epistles, preaching was done, exhortation of various kinds (cf. Heb. 10:19ff.), teaching was done, and some singing (although the contexts of Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 are not necessarily involved with an assembly, there is no reason why the singing couldn’t be done publicly as well as privately).  As is clear from Rom. 16:1, Col. 4:16, II John v. 12 and III John v. 13, letters from such man as Paul were read in assemblies.  The letter to Timothy, 3:15, talks about the reason for the letter: that Timothy might know how to behave himself in the Church (household of God) but that probably has reference to general day to day conduct rather than an assembly as such.  The text of our lesson is about as specific as any text, especially v. 33 and v. 40.  God is to be worshiped in a circumspect way, and the assembly is to held in such a way that God will be thought as a God of order not chaos.  Visitors should not think the worshipers have lost their senses nor that the God whom they are worshiping approves of or is glorified by frenzied activity.  The universe God made is ordered and points to God as its wise and orderly creator.  The church is also God’s creation, and both “in” an assembly and “out” of an assembly, the church ought to reflect the same thing.  consideration of the Mosaic worship in the tabernacle will reveal that God had definite ideas about what was decent and orderly and what was not so.  The Levites and priests had certain tasks appointed, to be carried out in certain ways, etc.  Just how much that dispensation is to determine what is doe in the church, its fulfillment, is a moot question.  However, it is at least worthy of consideration.  Whatever the decision in that respect, our text is rather specific on some points, and gives a general overview of what God wants of Christians in assembly.
Some may want to consider the text in Acts 2:42, since it is used as a model by some congregations.  It is doubtless true that the verse involves the corporate worship of the first Christians.  It is rather doubtful if it is to be limited to that particular aspect of Christianity.  The importance of assembling together is recognized, but that hardly constitutes the whole of Christian living.  The “Apostles doctrine” includes all the N.T. epistles, which are mostly concerned with one’s whole life as well as collective worship.  Prayer ought to be constant, not once a week.  Fellowship is what we have in Christ, not a meal in the “church basement” as is commonly thought.  Hence, while the vers may help direct our assembly as Christians, it is much broader than that one facet of church life.
V. 26 – Many could be of assistance in an assembly as these verses show.  Just “how” it was ordered is not said, nor who was to arrange it.  We judge that since the elders were to oversee the local congregation, they had the oversight in this and all other matters pertaining to the local assembly.
let all things be done – This is the fifth time in this chapter that this point has been made about edification of the church.  He had used other terms such as benefit, bless, and instruct to amplify the same theme.
V. 28 here is part of the “decency and order” defined.  In any given assembly of the brethren, three at the most were to address the group, at least of those who possessed a language gift, and only speak if interpretation was possible.  Otherwise such people were to be silent.
V. 29 – Those with the gift of prophecy were also instructed about their activity as those in v. 27.  Paul provided for a certain amount of instruction and yet the meeting was orderly both in presentation of material and utilization of time.
weigh – The Greek term behind this was seen back in 4:17; 6:5; 11:29, 31; 12:10.  (The basic root was discussed under 2:2.)  Mt. 16:23; 21:21; Mk. 11:23; Acts 100:20; 11:2, 12; 15:9; Rom. 4:20; 14:1; 14:23; Heb. 5:14; Jam. 1:6; 2:4; Jude v. 9, v. 22 have this term also.
V. 30 – As previously mentioned in lesson 21, there was no such thing as a gift that “overwhelmed” a person.  Self-control was always possible regardless of the person or gift involved.  The Christian assembly was to be carefully handled so that it reflected its God and no false conclusions about “madness” would be drawn, v. 23.
In our verse, the lesson would be that if one were speaking, and another received a revelation from God, that was a definite sign that the one speaking should cease, either because what he was saying wasn’t as important as a revelation from God, or God had ceased revealing information to him.
V. 31 – all may learn . . . encouraged – Simply another way of clarifying the general reason for assembly, that of edification.  Notice the emphasis upon “all” were to learn rather than some.  This was the idea behind v. 4, where “some” versus “all” was the issue.
V. 32 – Self-mastery (or control of self) was and is characteristic of Christianity, whether the issue be that of physical desires or spiritual service.  The spirit is another way of talking about the inner man, Eph. 3:16, or the “real” us, living in a physical body.  The “real” us is spirit, made thus in God’s image, Jn. 4:24; and dwells within and gives life to a material body, Jam. 2:26.  It is the spirit that will be made perfect and be taken into heaven, Heb. 12:23.  God is the Father of spirits, Heb. 12:9.  (It is true of us as of the disciples that the “spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” oftentimes.  Stated differently, we will to do but are not strong enough to overcome the temptations presented to us.)  In 14:14-15, Paul recognized that he must put spirit and “body” together in his service for the brethren.
V. 33 – confusion – From akatastasia, which has the idea of unstable, unruly or disorderly.  The term can be found in Lk. 21:9; II Cor. 6:5; 12:20; Jam. 1:8; 3:8, 16.  The root term means something stable or steadfast, thus dependable, organized, controlled rather than in a tumult, having matters in hand rather than a state of confusion.  The opposite of confusion in the assembly is, or course, an assembly of peace.
peace – It is seen in our English word “Irene” and is one of the great words in the Bible.  The Hebrew term is pronounced “shalom” (often spelled salem or salom).  It had the concept within it of a state of well-being, not broken up or in a mess.  It was used to describe right relationships or matters in the right state of affairs, etc.  Hence, Paul’s choice of words paints a good picture of the God of Christianity, and then how Christianity ought to reflect its God.  Perhaps the activities of the prophets of Ball, I Kings 17, r Israel worshiping the golden calf, Ex. 32; I Cor. 10, are examples of heathen worship.
V. 34 – This verse and v. 35 seem to be a rather abrupt break with the preceding context.  However, the underlying theme is the assembly of the brethren and how said assembly is to be conducted.  Thus, not only did Paul impart direction to the individual who had something to offer (it must build up others, it must be done with understanding, it must not reflect dishonor on God, etc.), he gave guidelines for the whole assembly.  these two verses then are to be viewed within that context.  Ch. 11:5 had the corporate worship in view, and presented the woman who might pray or prophesy in it.  These two verses then must be harmonized with those things in mind.  It is doubtless true that women could sing in the assembly, and probably true that they were given gifts besides prophecy (such as the language gift or that of interpretation, etc.).  With these things in mind, and the teaching developed in 11:2-16, the emphasis seems to be that of submission.  Perfect silence is ruled out as is evident from the above texts.  Some participation by women was taking and could take place.  Therefore, we conclude that the women were to be submissive insofar as taking a leading role in the public assembly.  If asked by those men leading the assembly, or under direction by God through the men, then they could contribute as directed.  This, from v. 33 and v. 36, seemed to be the teaching in all the churches everywhere respecting public assemblies.  Of course, privately, women could and did do much more in many ways, as the whole New Testament indicates.  The text at hand concerns only the assembled brethren.
V. 37 – Turning to others in the congregation who might claim or have some gift from God, and carrying the principle in vv. 33 and 36, the apostle makes it clear that no contrary teaching should be given or acknowledged other than what he had written.  Hence, he was certain that what he was writing was under the direction of God.  If God be not the author of confusion, then no other message/teaching would be given than had been given.  As v. 38 shows, if anyone argued with it, then that was evidence that God was not leading such a person, and the church was to totally ignore said person.  That laid it out clearly enough for anyone to see.
V. 39 – Repeating the thought in 14:1, and the general idea in 12:31; the apostle draws the long discussion to a close.  Since the special gifts were still being bestowed at the time of writing, any and all gifts were to be received with thankfulness and used to the good of all.
V. 40 – decently – The Greek term eusch_monos is a form of the term discussed under 11:4.  Two forms of it were in 12:23, and another 12:24.  They were asch_mona (“unpresentable”), eusch_mosun_n (“modesty”) and eusch_mona (“more presentable”) respectively.  The idea is that of an assembly that is orderly or graceful, doing things in a manner becoming to God.  you might note this term in Rom. 13:13 where the Roman Christians were directed not to be as the world about them, or I Thess. 4:12, where those in Thessalonica were instructed to so live that they would have the respect of the outsiders who would think well of them for their honorable way of life.

	LESSON 22 QUESTIONS

1. 	Review and/or rewrite your outline of 12:1-14:40.

2. 	State as many things as you can that would describe an acceptable public gathering of the brethren for worship.

3. 	Do you suppose that some “leeway” in thinking is possible about what constitutes confusion versus decently and in order?

4. 	What restrictions were placed upon those mentioned with gifts?

5. 	How did you harmonize 11:4; 12:14-15; 14:34-35; Col. 3:16; etc.?

6. 	How strongly did Paul feel about the letter he was writing?

7. 	How universal were the instructions about corporate