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Text -- 1 Corinthians 14:8 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
14:8 If, for example, the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle?
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: UNCERTAIN; UNCERTAINTY | Trumpet | Tongues | Tongue | TONGUES, GIFT OF | Preaching | PROPHECY; PROPHETS, 2 | MINISTRY | Language | HOLY SPIRIT, 2 | Corinth | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes


Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 1Co 14:8 - -- An uncertain voice ( adēlon phōnēn ). Old adjective (a privative, dēlos , manifest). In N.T. only here and Luk 11:44. Military trumpet (sal...

An uncertain voice ( adēlon phōnēn ).

Old adjective (a privative, dēlos , manifest). In N.T. only here and Luk 11:44. Military trumpet (salpigx ) is louder than pipe or harp.

Robertson: 1Co 14:8 - -- Shall prepare himself ( paraskeuasetai ). Direct middle future indicative of paraskeuazō , old verb, in N.T. only here, 2Co 9:2.; Act 10:10. From p...

Shall prepare himself ( paraskeuasetai ).

Direct middle future indicative of paraskeuazō , old verb, in N.T. only here, 2Co 9:2.; Act 10:10. From para , skeuē (preparation).

Vincent: 1Co 14:8 - -- The trumpet ( σάλπιγξ ) Properly, a war-trumpet .

The trumpet ( σάλπιγξ )

Properly, a war-trumpet .

Vincent: 1Co 14:8 - -- Sound ( φωνὴν ) Rev., much better, voice , preserving the distinction between the mere sound of the trumpet and the modulated notes. The ...

Sound ( φωνὴν )

Rev., much better, voice , preserving the distinction between the mere sound of the trumpet and the modulated notes. The case might be illustrated by the bugle calls or points by which military commands are issued, as distinguished from the mere blare of the trumpet.

Wesley: 1Co 14:8 - -- Unless he understand what the trumpet sounds? suppose a retreat or a march.

Unless he understand what the trumpet sounds? suppose a retreat or a march.

JFB: 1Co 14:8 - -- Translate, "For if also," an additional step in the argument.

Translate, "For if also," an additional step in the argument.

JFB: 1Co 14:8 - -- Having no definite meaning: whereas it ought to be so marked that one succession of notes on the trumpet should summon the soldiers to attack; another...

Having no definite meaning: whereas it ought to be so marked that one succession of notes on the trumpet should summon the soldiers to attack; another, to retreat; another, to some other evolution.

Clarke: 1Co 14:8 - -- If the trumpet give an uncertain sound - If, when the soldier should prepare himself for the battle, the trumpet should give a different sound to th...

If the trumpet give an uncertain sound - If, when the soldier should prepare himself for the battle, the trumpet should give a different sound to that which is ordinarily used on such occasions, the soldier is not informed of what he should do, and therefore does not arm himself; consequently, that vague, unintelligible sound of the trumpet, is of no use.

Defender: 1Co 14:8 - -- This pungent question applies not only to the use of unintelligible languages in the church but to its whole ministry. If the prophets, teachers, past...

This pungent question applies not only to the use of unintelligible languages in the church but to its whole ministry. If the prophets, teachers, pastors or evangelists do not proclaim God's Word in its truth and fullness, without compromising with evolutionism or current standards of worldly conduct or anything else, then the whole congregation will be unfit for service as "good soldier[s] of Jesus Christ" (2Ti 2:3)."

TSK: 1Co 14:8 - -- Num 10:9; Josh. 6:4-20; Jdg 7:16-18; Neh 4:18-21; Job 39:24, Job 39:25; Isa 27:13; Amo 3:6; Eph 6:11-18

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 1Co 14:8 - -- For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound - The trumpet was used commonly in war. It is a well-known wind instrument, and was made of brass, s...

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound - The trumpet was used commonly in war. It is a well-known wind instrument, and was made of brass, silver, etc. It was used for various purposes in war - to summon the soldiers; to animate them in their march; to call them forth to battle; to sound a retreat; and to signify to them what they were to do in battle, whether to charge, advance, or retreat, etc. It therefore employed a "language"which was intelligible to an army. An uncertain sound was one in which none of these things were indicated, or in which it could not be determined what was required.

Who shall prepare himself ... - The apostle selects a single instance of what was indicated by the trumpet, as an illustration of what he meant. The idea is, that foreign tongues spoken in their assembly would be just as useless in regard to their duty, their comfort, and edification, as would be the sound of a trumpet when it gave one of the usual and intelligible sounds by which it was known what the soldiers were required to do. Just as we would say, that the mere beating on a drum would he useless, unless some tune was played by which it was known that the soldiers were summoned to the parade, to advance, or to retreat.

Poole: 1Co 14:8 - -- The trumpet is made use of in battles, and that variously; it is used to give soldiers notice to march on against the enemy, and also to sound a ret...

The trumpet is made use of in battles, and that variously; it is used to give soldiers notice to march on against the enemy, and also to sound a retreat: if there were not a distinction in the one sound, and in the other, how should the soldier know when to go forward, and when to come back, by the sound of it? To instruct them what to do, the trumpet must not only sound, but sound intelligibly to those that hear it, which it could not, if there were no distinction in the sound.

Gill: 1Co 14:8 - -- For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,.... That is not plain and manifest, so as that it cannot be known on what account it is given: who shal...

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,.... That is not plain and manifest, so as that it cannot be known on what account it is given:

who shall prepare himself to the battle? the allusion is to the custom of many nations, Jews and others, who, when about to engage in war, made use of musical instruments, particularly the trumpet, to gather the soldiers together, prepare them for the battle, give them notice of it, and animate them to it y; the sound of the trumpet was the alarm of war; see Jer 4:5. And particularly the allusion may be to the two silver trumpets, ordered by God to Moses for the Jews, which were to be made of a whole piece, and to be used for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps, and to blow an alarm with when they went to war against the enemy, Num 10:1 and were a lively emblem of the Gospel, whose use is to gather souls to Christ, to direct saints in their journeying, and to prepare and animate them for battle, with their spiritual enemies; and of which use it is, when it gives a certain and even sound, as it does when clearly and rightly blown; and that is, the sound of love, grace, and mercy, to the sons of men, through a bleeding Saviour; salvation alone by a crucified Jesus, peace and pardon by his blood, justification by his righteousness, and atonement by his sacrifice; when it is blown aright, it blows a blast on all the goodliness of man, it magnifies the grace of God, exalts the person of Christ, debases the creature, shows its impurity, imperfection, and inability; and expresses the nature, use, and necessity of efficacious grace; and puts believers on doing good works for necessary uses, but not for life, righteousness, and salvation; and so its sound is equal, even, and certain: and when it is so, it is a means of gathering souls to Christ, the standard bearer and ensign of the people; and of engaging them to enlist themselves as volunteers in his service; and of animating them to fight under his banner the battles of the Lord of hosts: but if this trumpet gives an uncertain sound, as it does when grace and works are blended together in the business of salvation; and faith or works put in the room of, or joined with the righteousness of Christ in justification; when particular election and general redemption, or the salvability of all men, are put together; the covenant of grace represented as conditional, and preparations for grace, and offers of grace, and days of grace talked of, that may be past and lost; then who can prepare himself for the battle? persons must be thrown into, and left in the utmost uncertainty and confusion: when this is the case, they know not what side to take on, but halt between two opinions; they know not what that faith is they are to fight and earnestly contend for; they are not able to discern an enemy from a friend; they have no heart to fight and endure hardness, as good soldiers of Christ; nor can they promise themselves, or be assured of victory, which the certain sound of the Gospel gives them.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 1Co 14:1-40 - --1 Prophecy is commended,2 and preferred before speaking with tongues,6 by a comparison drawn from musical instruments.12 Both must be referred to edif...

MHCC: 1Co 14:6-14 - --Even an apostle could not edify, unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those who hear them, is...

Matthew Henry: 1Co 14:6-14 - -- In this paragraph he goes on to show how vain a thing the ostentation of speaking unknown and unintelligible language must be. It was altogether une...

Barclay: 1Co 14:1-19 - --This chapter is very difficult to understand because it deals with a phenomenon which, for most of us, is outside our experience. Throughout Paul s...

Constable: 1Co 7:1--16:13 - --III. Questions asked of Paul 7:1--16:12 The remainder of the body of this epistle deals with questions the Corin...

Constable: 1Co 12:1--14:40 - --E. Spiritual gifts and spiritual people chs. 12-14 Paul had been dealing with matters related to worship...

Constable: 1Co 14:1-25 - --4. The need for intelligibility 14:1-25 Paul went on to elaborate on the inferiority of the gift...

Constable: 1Co 14:6-12 - --Supporting analogies 14:6-12 Paul illustrated his point that hearers do not benefit at all from what they do not understand. He used musical instrumen...

College: 1Co 14:1-40 - --1 CORINTHIANS 14 D. GIFTS OF PROPHECY AND TONGUES (14:1-25) 1. Tongues and Prophecy Compared (14:1-5) 1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire s...

McGarvey: 1Co 14:8 - --For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?

Lapide: 1Co 14:1-40 - --CHAPTER XIV SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. He puts prophecy before the gift of tongues, because ( a ) it is of great use in edifying others, and tongue...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) First Corinthians From Ephesus a.d. 54 Or 55 By Way of Introduction It would be a hard-boiled critic today who would dare deny the genuineness o...

JFB: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) The AUTHENTICITY of this Epistle is attested by CLEMENT OF ROME [First Epistle to the Corinthians, 47], POLYCARP [Epistle to the Philippians, 11], and...

JFB: 1 Corinthians (Outline) THE INSCRIPTION; THANKSGIVING FOR THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH; REPROOF OF PARTY DIVISIONS: HIS OWN METHOD OF PREACHING ONLY CHRIST. ...

TSK: 1 Corinthians 14 (Chapter Introduction) Overview 1Co 14:1, Prophecy is commended, 1Co 14:2, and preferred before speaking with tongues, 1Co 14:6, by a comparison drawn from musical instr...

Poole: 1 Corinthians 14 (Chapter Introduction) CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 14

MHCC: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) The Corinthian church contained some Jews, but more Gentiles, and the apostle had to contend with the superstition of the one, and the sinful conduct ...

MHCC: 1 Corinthians 14 (Chapter Introduction) (1Co 14:1-5) Prophecy preferred to the gift of tongues. (1Co 14:6-14) The unprofitableness of speaking in unknown languages. (1Co 14:15-25) Exhortat...

Matthew Henry: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Corinth was a principal city of Greece, in that partic...

Matthew Henry: 1 Corinthians 14 (Chapter Introduction) In this chapter the apostle directs them about the use of their spiritual gifts, preferring those that are best and fitted to do the greatest good....

Barclay: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL The Letters Of Paul There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letter...

Barclay: 1 Corinthians 14 (Chapter Introduction) The False And The True Worship (1Co_14:1-19) The Effects Of False And True Worship (1Co_14:20-25) Practical Advice (1Co_14:26-33) Forbidden Innova...

Constable: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical Background Corinth had a long history stretching back into the...

Constable: 1 Corinthians (Outline) Outline I. Introduction 1:1-9 A. Salutation 1:1-3 B. Thanksgiving 1:4-9 ...

Constable: 1 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Bibliography Adams, Jay. Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible. Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presb...

Haydock: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO THE CORINTHIANS. INTRODUCTION. Corinth was the capital of Achaia, a very rich and populous city...

Gill: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS This was not the first epistle that was written by the apostle to the Corinthians, for we read in this of his having ...

Gill: 1 Corinthians 14 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 14 In this chapter the apostle discourses concerning the use of spiritual gifts, and prefers prophesying, or preachin...

College: 1 Corinthians (Book Introduction) FOREWORD Since the past few decades have seen an explosion in the number of books, articles, and commentaries on First Corinthians, a brief word to t...

College: 1 Corinthians (Outline) OUTLINE I. INTRODUCTION - 1:1-9 A. Salutation - 1:1-3 B. Thanksgiving - 1:4-9 II. DISUNITY AND COMMUNITY FRAGMENTATION - 1:10-4:21 A. ...

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