1 Corinthians 14:28

But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(28) But if there be no interpreter.—But if there be no one with the gift of interpreting, then the speaker with tongues was not to exercise his gift publicly at all; he may only exercise his gift in private with himself and God.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:26-33 Religious exercises in public assemblies should have this view; Let all be done to edifying. As to the speaking in an unknown tongue, if another were present who could interpret, two miraculous gifts might be exercised at once, and thereby the church be edified, and the faith of the hearers confirmed at the same time. As to prophesying, two or three only should speak at one meeting, and this one after the other, not all at once. The man who is inspired by the Spirit of God will observe order and decency in delivering his revelations. God never teaches men to neglect their duties, or to act in any way unbecoming their age or station.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But if there be no interpreter - If there be no one present who has the gift of interpretation.

And let him speak to himself and to God - See the note at 1 Corinthians 14:2, note at 1 Corinthians 14:4. Let him commune with himself, and with God; let him meditate on the truths which are revealed to him, and let him in secret express his desires to God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28. let him—the speaker in unknown tongues.

speak to himself, and to God—(compare 1Co 14:2, 4)—privately and not in the hearing of others.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

If he hath a mind to use this gift, he may use it to God, who understands all languages, by himself; but

let him keep silence in the assembly of Christians, where he is not understood.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But if there be no interpreter,.... None that has the gift of interpretation of divers tongues, and he that speaks with them has not that, which was sometimes the case:

let him keep silence in the church; let him not make use of his gift publicly before the whole congregation, since without an interpreter it will be entirely useless:

and let him speak to himself, and to God; he may make use of his gift to his own edification, and to the glory of God, by speaking with a low voice, or in his heart, which he himself may be conscious of, and God the searcher of hearts, and that knows all languages, fully understands; and so may be edified himself, and God may be glorified by him; whereas, if he was to use it openly and publicly, it would not only be unprofitable, but an hinderance to others: or he might retire to his own house, and there exercise it by himself, and in the presence of God, when it might be of some use and advantage to himself, but would be highly improper to bring it into the church, or public congregation; for instead of assisting, it would but dampen their devotion, and therefore it was very reasonable he should be silent there.

Geneva Study Bible

But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:28. Should it be the case, however, that there is no interpreter present, let him be silent in the assembly. This comprises the double possibility that the speaker with tongues cannot himself interpret, and also that no other, who possesses the donum interpretandi, is present. Regarding εἶναι as equivalent to παρεῖναι, comp. on Mark 8:1; Luke 2:36. David Schulz understands ᾖ as the simple copula: “if, however, he does not know how to make himself intelligible.” But the interpretation might in fact be given also by another, who had the charisma of the ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν, 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:30.

σιγ. ἐν ἐκκλ.] Paul takes for granted here—and how easily one can understand it, considering the intimate union subsisting among the Christians of those days!—that the members of the community mutually know each other as regards their special endowment.

ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλ. κ. τ. θ.] in contrast to addresses given ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, and hence a characteristic designation of the private devotion carried on by means of glossolalic prayer, where his glossolalia avails for himself and God (1 Corinthians 14:2), not for others also as listeners. Comp. Epict. Diss. iv. 8. 17, and the similar passages in Wetstein. Others take it to mean: quietly in his thoughts (Theophylact, comp. Chrysostom, also Chr. F. Fritzsche), so that it remains on the footing of an inward intercourse between him and his God (Hofmann); which, however, is not in keeping with the essential mark of the λαλεῖν, this being uttered aloud, which belonged to the matter in hand.[18] Observe, further, how, even in this highest degree of inspired impulse to speak, a man could control his own will. Comp. 1 Corinthians 14:32.

[18] Besides, it was self-evident that, where silence was enjoined, a man did not need to be in the first instance remitted to quiet inward fellowship with God.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28. in the church] These words imply that the utterance was to be reserved until the speaker found himself in private, since in the Church it could only serve for an opportunity of useless display.

Bengel's Gnomen

1 Corinthians 14:28. Εἂν δὲ μὴ ᾗ, but if there be not) Either he himself, who spoke in an unknown tongue, might have interpreted, 1 Corinthians 14:13; or another.—σιγάτω, let him be silent) who speaks in an unknown tongue.—ἑαυτῷ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ, to himself and to God) 1 Corinthians 14:4; 1 Corinthians 14:2.—λαλείτω, let him speak) privately.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 28. - Let him keep silence. The "him" refers to the glossolalist, not to the interpreter. To himself. In his private devotions (as St. Paul himself seems to have done); not in the public assembly. 1 Corinthians 14:28