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"Attain love; be zealous for spiritual gifts, especially for prophesying" (1 Corinthians 14:1).

1. Having thoroughly shown (to the Corinthians) all the dignity of love, (the apostle) finally exhorts them to zealously strive for it; Wherefore he says: attain (ώεε). He who pursues something sees only what he is trying to achieve, directs all his attention to it, and does not lag behind until he achieves it. When he cannot reach by himself, he tries to stop the runner with the help of those who are in front of him, with great diligence persuading those who are near him to detain the runner and to detain them not to let him go until he himself reaches him. We will do the same: if we do not attain to love, let us ask those who are close to it to hold it back until we draw near to it; and when we reach it, let us try not to lower it, so that it does not run away from us again. It often distances itself from us because we do not treat it properly and prefer everything else to it. Therefore, it is necessary to use all measures to hold it firmly. If this is so, then without great or, better, without any difficulty, but on the contrary, with joy and triumph, we will walk along the narrow path of virtue. Wherefore (the Apostle) says, Hold fast to it. Further, lest it should be thought that he spoke of love in order to degrade the gifts, he adds: "

be zealous for spiritual gifts, especially for prophesying

". "

For whoever speaks in an unknown tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands him, he speaks mysteries in the spirit; but he who prophesies speaks to men for edification, exhortation, and consolation

" (vv. 2-3). Here he compares the gifts, and places the gift of tongues below others, proving that it is neither entirely useless nor very useful in itself. The Corinthians greatly exalted him and considered him a great gift, they considered him great because the apostles received him first of all and with such solemnity. But this did not make him more excellent than others. Why did the apostles receive it in the first place? Because they had to go everywhere. As during the pandemonium one language was divided into many, so then many languages often belonged to one person, and one and the same spoke Persian, Roman, Indian, and many other languages, under the inspiration of the Spirit. Such a gift was called the gift of tongues, because (the one who possessed it) could speak many languages together. See how (the Apostle) both humbles him and exalts him; words: "

for whoever speaks in an unknown tongue does not speak to men, but to God; because no one understands him

", humiliates, showing that this gift is not very useful; and then with the words: "