For you may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
Read Chapter 14
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
It is a tradition of the synagogue which Paul is asking us to follow, whereby the people dispute while seated in chairs, on benches or on the floor, according to their rank. If a revelation has been given to someone sitting on the floor, he should be allowed to speak and not be despised because of his low rank. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Clearly the prophet builds up the church when through the function of his foretelling he makes wholly clear matters exceedingly vital which were unknown. Those who have been granted the ability to understand well and to interpret the divine Scriptures are obviously not excluded from the gift of prophecy. Explanation of the Psalms, Preface
For ye may all prophesy . . . and all may be comforted. All the prophets can exhort in their turn, if only the method and order laid down above be observed, and so all can receive exhortation and consolation. The word for "may be comforted" occurs again in2Cor. i6. Some take it as active, when the meaning becomes, "that all may learn when they hear, and may teach when they speak and exhort."
What may this be which is spoken? If when you prophesy, says he, and art speaking, the spirit of another stir him up, be silent thenceforth. For that which he said in the case of the tongues, this also here he requires, that it should be done in turn, only in a diviner way here. For he made not use of the very expression, in turn ? but if a revelation be made to another. Since what need was there further, that when the second was moved to prophesy the first should speak? Ought they then both? Nay, this were profane and would produce confusion. Ought the first? This too were out of place. For to this end when the one was speaking, the Spirit moved the other, in order that he too might say somewhat.
So then, comforting him that had been silenced, he says, For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. Do you see how again he states the reason wherefore he does all things? For if him that speaks with tongues he altogether forbid to speak, when he has...
