1 CORINTHIANS 14:23 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?”
So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say you are out of your minds? — the scenario: a non-Christian visitor encounters glossolalia-chaos and concludes the assembly is mad (existánō). Paul's concern is credibility and witness: uncontrolled tongues undermine the gospel's rational persuasiveness.
Church Fathers on 1 Corinthians 14:23
“In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord.” Yet surely it is no where written in the Law, but as I said before, he calls always the whole of the Old Testament, the Law: both the prophets and the historical books. And he brings forward his testimony from Esaias the prophet, again covertly detracting from the glory of the gift, for their profit;…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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