How is it then, brethren? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Particular effort should be made to ensure that unlearned people will benefit. Nothing should be done to hide things from them because of their lack of learning. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
How is it then, brethren? . . . Let all things be done unto edifying. "Every one of you" Isaiah , of course, distributive. It is not meant that each one had all these things, but one had one thing, another another. Whoever of you has a Psalm , or a doctrine, or a Revelation , or an interpretation, or the gift of tongues, let him sing the praises of God, or pour forth his prayers and other devotions.
Hath a psalm. The grace of composing and singing psalms or hymns. So Pliny writes to Trajan that the Christians were wont to sing hymns before dawn to Christ as God.
Hath a revelation. A revelation and exposition, either of some difficult passage of Holy Scripture, or of some future or unrevealed event.
We should notice from this passage that in the Primitive Church the rites and order of Divine Service, instituted by Paul and the other Apostles, were somewhat as follows: (1.) Psalm were sung by all; (2.) the Holy Scriptures were read; (3.) the Bishop preached; (4.) then followed the Euc...
When you come together St. Paul here settles the rules, which they are to observe in their meetings: one hath a psalm, the Spirit inspiring him with some psalm, or spiritual canticle, whereby to praise God: another hath the gift of doctrine, to instruct all there present: another the gift of tongues, which he will not have him to make use of, unless when there is one to interpret, that all things may be done in the most profitable manner unto edification. Two or three at a meeting may speak with tongues, if another interpret. (Witham)
Do you see the foundation and the rule of Christianity? How, as it is the artificer's work to build, so it is the Christian's to profit his neighbors in all things.
But since he had vehemently run down the gift; lest it might seem to be superfluous, for with a view to pull down their pride and no more, he did this:— again he reckons it with the other gifts, saying, has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue. For of old they used also to make psalms by a gift and to teach by a gift. Nevertheless, let all these look to one thing, says he, the correction of their neighbor: let nothing be done at random. For if you come not to edify your brother, why do you come here at all? In fact, I do not make much account of the difference of the gifts. One thing concerns me, one thing is my desire, to do all things unto edifying. Thus also he that has the lesser gift will outrun him that has the greater, if this be not wanting. Yea, therefore are the gifts bestowed, that each might be edified; sinc...
