Note 10 at 1Co 14:5: Paul certainly was not against speaking in tongues, as this statement proves. In 1Co 14:39, he gave a direct command not to forbid speaking in tongues. The body of Christ would do well to observe Paul's instructions.

Some people have tried to take Paul's statement here and teach that the gift of speaking in tongues is not for everyone. Their reasoning is that if Paul had to wish they all spoke in tongues, then God must have kept some from operating in this gift. There could be a couple of good reasons as to why this is not what Paul was saying.

First, Paul, in context, was speaking about the gift of speaking in tongues that operates in the church, which is not for everyone (see note 28 at 1Co 12:10 and note 22 at 1Co 12:30). If this verse is referring to the public ministry gift, then not all will operate in this gift, just as not all will operate in the gift of faith (see note 22 at 1Co 12:9). However, that doesn't mean that God wills for some believers not to speak in tongues in their personal lives, any more than it means not all believers have faith, since not everyone has the gift of faith.

Second, if Paul was speaking of the personal gift of speaking in tongues that operates in private prayer with the Lord, then those who did not have that gift were responsible, not the Lord. It is the Lord's will for those who receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see note 6 at Ac 2:4) to speak in tongues (see note 13 at Mr 16:17), but that doesn't happen automatically. People have to believe (Mr 16:17). This would simply mean that some had not exercised their faith in that area yet.

Note 11 at 1Co 14:5: Apparently, there had been severe misuses of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Corinthian church. This was why Paul was writing these instructions about the proper use of the gifts. From Paul's contrast of the gift of tongues with the gift of prophecy, it is obvious that some of the Corinthians had been swelled up with spiritual pride, because they spoke in tongues in the church services. Paul "popped their bubble" by stating that those who edify the church are greater than those who edify themselves.

Paul didn't say this so that those who were operating in prophecy could have the upper hand in this argument. He was simply stating that everything that happens in a church service should be done for the purpose of edifying (1Co 14:26) the church and not for selfish recognition.

Note 12 at 1Co 14:5: Paul clearly stated that in the church, prophecy is definitely superior to speaking in tongues, because it benefits everyone. However, in this verse, he stated that tongues, if interpreted, are equal to prophecy because they too edify the whole church. So, when the gift of tongues (see note 28 at 1Co 12:10) and the gift of the interpretation of tongues (see note 29 at 1Co 12:10) work together, that becomes a word from God to the church, or prophecy.