Note 10 at 1 Cor. 14:5: Paul certainly was not against speaking in tongues, as this statement proves. In verse 39 of this chapter, 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 why this is not what Paul is saying.

First, Paul, in context, is speaking about the gift of speaking in tongues that operates in the church, which is not for everyone (see note 28 at 1 Cor. 12:10, p. 931; see note 22 at 1 Cor. 12:30, p. 936). If he is referring to this 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 1 Cor. 12:9, p. 930). But that doesn't mean that God wills for some believers not to speak in tongues in their personal life, any more than it means not all believers have faith, since not everyone has the gift of faith.

Secondly, if Paul is speaking of the personal gift of speaking in tongues that operates in our 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 Acts 2:4, p. 576) to speak in tongues (see note 13 at Mk. 16:17, p. 566), but that doesn't happen automatically. We have to believe (Mk. 16:17). This would simply mean that some had not exercised their faith in that area yet.

Note 11 at 1 Cor. 14:5: Apparently, there had been severe misuses of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Corinthian church. This is why Paul is 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 "pops their bubble" by stating that the person who edifies the church is greater than the person who edifies himself.

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

Note 12 at 1 Cor. 14:5: Paul clearly states that in the church, prophecy is definitely superior to speaking in tongues because it benefits everyone. However, in this verse he states that tongues, if interpreted, is equal to prophecy because it too edifies the whole church. So, when the gift of tongues (see note 28 at 1 Cor. 12:10, p. 931) and the gift of the interpretation of tongues (see note 29 at 1 Cor. 12:10, p. 931) work together, that becomes a word from God to the church, or prophecy.