1Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. 4He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. 5Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.
6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? 7Even lifeless things that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped? 8For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war? 9So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning. 11If then I don’t know the meaning of the language, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me. 12So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.
13Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15What should I do? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say? 17For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up. 18I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. 19However, in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.
20Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature. 21In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. They won’t even listen to me that way, says the Lord.” 22Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe. 23If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? 24But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. 25And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
26What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up. 27If any man speaks in another language, let there be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29Let two or three of the prophets speak, and let the others discern. 30But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent. 31For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be exhorted. 32The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 33for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints. 34Let the wives be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says, 35if they desire to learn anything. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a wife to be talking in the assembly.” 36What!? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?
37If any man thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages. 40Let all things be done decently and in order.
In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul sets forth the need of Christians to reflect God in their lives. It is not unexpected that unbelievers, who follow the ways of a wicked world naturally, would not reflect the holiness and purity of God. For believers, who retain the heart of sin due to their relationship with the fall of Adam, they may follow these old passions and acts of the world, but God desires better for His beloved children (Eph 5:1). Rather than following selfish desires, Christians are called to act differently, so that we might have an inheritance from God (Eph 5:5). Following worldly attitudes and actions brings results that damage our testimony of Christ and harm to ourselves.
After the apostle sets forth a variety of attitudes and actions that disavow our new relationship with God (Eph 5:3-6; 18), he sets forth a general admonition to walk in light, to be wise, to give thanks and become subject to others in the fear of Christ (Eph 5:15-20).
At this point of his presentation, Paul turns to the relationship of a husband and wife in order to illustrate the manner of relationship the church is to have to Christ. The majority of the remainder of the chapter, he discusses how husbands are to love their wives (Eph 5:25-32), but before he does this he set forth the duty of the wife to be submissive to her husband, a view that is largely rejected in the current age. Nonetheless, we need to understand what God, through the apostle, considers to be the proper way that husbands and wives fulfill their obligations according to the creation of God.
The teaching of the apostle in this chapter, and elsewhere (1 Cor 11:2-10; 14:34, 35; Gal 3:28; Col 3:18, 19; 1 Tim 2:12-15),1 finds its basis in the creation account of Genesis 1-3. One finds in Genesis 1:26-28 the creation of male and female in the image of God, with the mandate of fulfilling God's purpose for their creation. The initial text discussed here is a preview of what is laid out in more detail in the second chapter of Genesis, as the focus moves from creation in general to humanity in specific.
One finds in Genesis 1:26-28 three important matters relating to the creation of humans. First is that they are created by God. Second, that humanity is created in God's image. Last of all, the text emphasizes that humanity created by God is male and female. According to Genesis 2 the woman is taken out of the male Adam as a helper, and through one, also, the world might be propagated. In this ordering of creation, Eve was to work along with her husband to fulfill the plan of God to fill and rule the world.
Paul's words to the wife are that she is to be under submission to her own husband as she is submissive to the Lord. As a helper she is to follow him, and not as someone under his feet, but alongside him. She is to submit to him as she submits to the Lord because he is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. This is hard, and often rejected, teaching to those who are not submissive to Christ, but an example to the Christian of not following the manner of the world. The creation of Adam first, and woman's creation out of Adam, serves as a model for the human race and in the church in specific, that guides Paul's teaching on the home and the church (Col 3:18-19; 1 Tim 2:12-15; 1 Cor 11:2-10; 1 Cor 14:34, 35), some by marriage (Col 3:18, 19), or family relationship (Col 3:20, 21), and others by society (Col 3:22-25). All of this is to be done in the name of Christ (Col 3:17).
H. Wayne House, The Role of Women in Ministry Today: Affirming the Biblical Position of Women in the Church. ↩︎