One should NOT use 1 Corinthians 14:29 and 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 to support the idea of testing prophecy
Paul writes the Corinthians and addresses some issues about how the Church should operate when they meet together. One of the issues was the use of the gift of prophecy and Paul writes:
“Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge.”
-1 Corinthians 14:29
Now this verse has relevance for those who believe the gift of prophecy still exists in the church today. It is held up by many charismatics as an example of what to do with prophecy when it is delivered. It is even used to prove that we should not expect the gift of prophecy in the church today to always be accurate but that the church must judge to determine if it is. My point here is not to discuss the accuracy of prophecy in the church today, but simply to show that the verses in question should not be used in that argument. The assumption when reading 1 Corinthians 14:29 is that the thing that is to be judged is the prophecy that was spoken. However, given the context of Paul’s letter, I don’t believe that to be true. Have a look at what Paul writes just a few verses earlier:
“But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all”
-1 Corinthians 14:24
So it’s not the prophecy that is being judged but the one that is being prophesied to. I believe this to be the case for both verse 24 and verse 29.
Let’s take a look at another verse that is used to support the idea of judging/testing prophecy:
“Do not despise prophecies, prove all things; hold fast that which is good;”
-1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
Again, the assumption here is that the things that should be proved are the prophecies. However, if we take a look at the only thing being proved in 1 Thessalonians, it was Paul’s teachings:
“For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception. But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.”
-1 Thessalonians 2:3-4
The Greek word used for “approved” and “tests” is the same Greek word used for “prove” in Thess. 5:21 (dokimazō). There was some question as to the validity of Paul’s teachings in the Thessalonian church. Paul responds by implying that being proved by man is not important but being proved by God is. Paul also mentions that his heart is proved in contrast to having his teachings proved.
Another question that we need to ask is, why were the Thessalonians despising prophecy anyway? Again, we need to look at the context of the letter. If the prophecies that Paul is referring to were prophecies being given by those in the church, then we would expect to find Paul dealing with that issue in the letter, much like he did in 1 Corinthians 13. However, we do not find any evidence of this. The only prophecy that Paul deals with in 1 Thessalonians is Old Testament prophecy, namely, Isaiah:
“You are all children of light, and children of the day. We don't belong to the night, nor to darkness, so then let's not sleep, as the rest do, but let's watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep in the night, and those who are drunk are drunk in the night. But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
-1Thessalonians 5:5-8
Paul is making an allusion to the light/darkness theme that runs throughout Isaiah:
“yes, he says, ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.’”
-Isaiah 49:6 (See also Isaiah 2:5, 6:10, 8:20, 35:5, 42:6-7, 43:8, 44:18, 59:9, 60:1)
He is also making an allusion to the breastplate and helmet mentioned in Isaiah:
“He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle.”
-Isaiah 59:17
So the Thessalonians were despising Isaiah’s prophecies because false teachers in the church were using Isaiah to say that the Gentiles were in darkness and that God would come in his breastplate, helmet, etc. to destroy them. Since the Thessalonian church was made up of largely Gentiles, this didn’t sit well with them.
Paul counters the false teachers by making the allusions to Isaiah and then saying:
“For God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
-1 Thessalonians 5:9
So when Paul says “prove all things” he is saying, don’t just prove his teachings but the teachings of the false teachers as well. Prove all teachings.
If 1 Corinthians 14:29 and 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 can’t be used to as guidelines for prophecy then what Scriptures can be used? Many would point to Deuteronomy 18:22. I’ll take a look at that verse in my next post.
