Giving Thanks Well 1 Corinthians 14:17

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth, “when you shall bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understands not what you say?”, and in chapter fourteen and verse seventeen of First Corinthians, Paul declared how the church members, “verily give thanks well”, where we read:

For you verily give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

The verse begins, “For you verily give thanks well, ...”. Paul began with the words, “for you” or “even as, seeing then, no doubt and therefore the church members”, “verily” or “certainly, surely and indeed”, “give thanks” or “feel thankful and grateful” “well” which means “beautifully, finely, excellently, nobly and commendably”. Paul commended the church members for their “thankfulness” “with the spirit”.

The verse continues, “... but the other is not edified.” Paul continued with the word, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “the other” or “another person within the church” “is not edified” which means “is not built up to grow in wisdom and piety”. Although the church members gave “thanks” to the Lord in a good way “with the spirit”, when they spoke in a language that other church members did not understand, the person hearing them was not “edified”.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see how he recognized the value of “gratitude to the Lord” from the person who spoke in a language that was “unknown” to others in the church. However, though it was done “well”, the “giving of thanks” benefited no one else. Jesus Christ desires for His church to be “edified”, and even if a person “gives thanks well”, it is valueless to others unless it is known. May we hear and understand what Paul is declaring to the Corinthians.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “I speak in tongues more than you all”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.