SEV Biblia, Chapter 14:15
¶ ¿Qu pues? Orar con el espíritu, mas orar tambin con entendimiento; cantar con el espíritu, mas cantar tambin con entendimiento.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. What is it then ? etc.] A Talmudic way of speaking, and answers to whm , often used when a difficulty arises in any case, then the question is, what is it then? what is to be done? what is most prudent, advisable, and eligible? what is proper to be determined and resolved on in such a case? the same with ti oun lekteon , what then is to be said? used by Philo the Jew f288 : as here, shall I not pray with the Spirit at all, because my understanding, or that which I understand, is of no use to others, being not understood by them? shall I entirely neglect, lay aside, and make no use of the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, bestowed upon me on this account? no: I will pray with the Spirit ; meaning not with the human breath, or spirit only, vocally, with an articulate voice, and distinct sounds, so as to he understood; nor with his own spirit, or in a spiritual way, with a spirit of devotion and fervency, with his whole heart and soul engaged in such service, though this is necessary to it; nor with the common and ordinary assistance of the Spirit of God, though without this prayer cannot be performed aright, with faith and fervency, freedom and boldness; but with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, so as to pray in an extraordinary manner, with divers tongues, in an unknown language; this, as the apostle was capable of, he determined to use at proper times, and on proper occasions: but then he also resolves, and I will pray with the understanding also ; not merely so as to understand himself, or with an understanding enlightened by the Spirit of God; with a spiritual experimental understanding of things, so as to know the object of prayer, the way of access to him, the need of the Spirits influence, his own wants and necessities, and that he shall have the petitions he asks in faith, according to the will of God, all which is very requisite in prayer; but so as to be understood by others: his sense is, that though on some occasions he might choose to make use of his extraordinary gift, yet he would also pray in a language, in which he might be understood by the people; that so they might be able to join with him, and receive some fruit and advantage thereby; and that their souls might be refreshed, as well as his: I will sing with the Spirit ; meaning also not with the spirit, or breath, singing vocally only; nor with his own Spirit, with his heart engaged in the work, with grace in it, in the lively exercise of faith, hope, and love, with much spiritual light, knowledge, experience, and judgment, which are very necessary to the due discharge of this duty; nor merely with the ordinary aid of the Spirit of God, which yet is greatly needful to excite attention, assist meditation, enlighten the understanding, raise the affections, strengthen faith, and make a comfortable application of what is sung; but as before, with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit, by which the apostle was capable of delivering out a psalm, or hymn, extempore, and that in an unknown tongue: but then he also determines, I will sing with the understanding also ; not to his own understanding, or by or with the understanding of what is sung, though that is absolutely needful; but to the understanding of others, and in a language also which may be understood by others, and in which they could join with him in that service: perhaps the apostle may have some respect to the title of some of Davids psalms, lykm , Maschil, which signifies causing to understand.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-25 - There can be no assent to prayers that are not understood. A trul Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men' souls, than to get the greatest applause to himself. This is provin himself the servant of Christ. Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. Christians should be like children void of guile and malice; yet they should not be unskilful as to the word of righteousness, but only as to the arts of mischief. It is proof that a people are forsaken of God, when he gives them up to the rule of those who teach them to worship in another language. They can never be benefitted by such teaching. Yet thus the preachers did wh delivered their instructions in an unknown tongue. Would it not make Christianity ridiculous to a heathen, to hear the ministers pray of preach in a language which neither he nor the assembly understood? But if those who minister, plainly interpret Scripture, or preach the grea truths and rules of the gospel, a heathen or unlearned person migh become a convert to Christianity. His conscience might be touched, the secrets of his heart might be revealed to him, and so he might be brought to confess his guilt, and to own that God was present in the assembly. Scripture truth, plainly and duly taught, has a wonderfu power to awaken the conscience and touch the heart.
Greek Textus Receptus
τι 5101 I-NSN ουν 3767 CONJ εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S προσευξομαι 4336 5695 V-FDI-1S τω 3588 T-DSN πνευματι 4151 N-DSN προσευξομαι 4336 5695 V-FDI-1S δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ τω 3588 T-DSM νοι 3563 N-DSM ψαλω 5567 5692 V-FAI-1S τω 3588 T-DSN πνευματι 4151 N-DSN ψαλω 5567 5692 V-FAI-1S δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ τω 3588 T-DSM νοι 3563 N-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. I will sing (yalw). See on Jas. v. 13. The verb, adw is also used for sing, Eph. v. 19; Col. iii. 16; Apoc. v. 9; xiv. 3; xv. 3. In the last two passages it is combined with playing on harps. In Eph. v. 19 we have both verbs. The noun yalmov psalm (Eph. v. 19; Colossians iii. 16; 1 Cor. xiv. 26), which is etymologically akin to this verb, is used in the New Testament of a religious song in general, having the character of an Old Testament psalm; though in Matt. xxvi. 30; Mark xiv. 26, uJmnew hymneo, whence our hymn, is used of singing an Old Testament psalm. Here applied to such songs improvised under the spiritual ecstasy (ver. 26). Some think that the verb has here its original signification of singing with an instrument. This is its dominant sense in the Septuagint, and both Basil and Gregory of Nyssa define a psalm as implying instrumental accompaniment; and Clement of Alexandria, while forbidding the use of the flute in the agapae, permitted the harp. But neither Basil nor Ambrose nor Chrysostom, in their panegyrics upon music, mention instrumental music, and Basil expressly condemns it. Bingham dismisses the matter summarily, and sites Justin Martyr as saying expressly that instrumental music was not used in the Christian Church. The verb is used here in the general sense of singing praise.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
14:15 {With the understanding also} (kai twi no). Instrumental case of nous. Paul is distinctly in favor of the use of the intellect in prayer. Prayer is an intelligent exercise of the mind. {And I will sing with the understanding also} (yalw de kai twi no). There was ecstatic singing like the rhapsody of some prayers without intelligent words. But Paul prefers singing that reaches the intellect as well as stirs the emotions. Solos that people do not understand lose more than half their value in church worship. yallw originally meant to play on strings, qen to sing with an accompaniment (#Eph 5:19), and here apparently to sing without regard to an instrument.
