But this passage is variously understood. There are those who consider that by prophecy is
meant the gift of predicting, which prevailed at the commencement of the gospel in the Church; as
the Lord then designed in every way to commend the dignity and excellency of his Church; and
they think that what is added, according to the analogy of faith, is to be applied to all the clauses.
But I prefer to follow those who extend this word wider, even to the peculiar gift of revelation, by
which any one skillfully and wisely performed the office of an interpreter in explaining the will of
God. Hence prophecy at this day in the Christian Church is hardly anything else than the right
understanding of the Scripture, and the peculiar faculty of explaining it, inasmuch as all the ancient
prophecies and all the oracles of God have been completed in Christ and in his gospel. For in this
sense it is taken by Paul when he says,
“I wish that you spoke in tongues, but rather that ye prophesy,”
(1 Corinthians 14:5;)
“In part we know and in part we prophesy,”
(1 Corinthians 13:9.)
And it does not appear that Paul intended here to mention those miraculous graces by which
Christ at first rendered illustrious his gospel; but, on the contrary, we find that he refers only to
ordinary gifts, such as were to continue perpetually in the Church.^387
Nor does it seem to me a solid objection, that the Apostle to no purpose laid this injunction on
those who, having the Spirit of God, could not call Christ an anathema; for he testifies in another
place that the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets; and he bids the first speaker to be
silent, if anything were revealed to him who was sitting down, (1 Corinthians 14:32;) and it was
for the same reason it may be that he gave this admonition to those who prophesied in the Church,
that is, that they were to conform their prophecies to the rule of faith, lest in anything they should
deviate from the right line. By faith he means the first principles of religion, and whatever doctrine
is not found to correspond with these is here condemned as false.^388
(^387) It is somewhat difficult exactly to ascertain what this “prophecy” was. The word “prophet,” , means evidently two things
in the Old Testament and also in the New — a foreteller and a teacher, or rather an interpreter of the word. Prophecy in the New
Testament sometimes signifies prediction, its primary meaning. Acts 2:17; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 1:3; but most commonly,
as it is generally thought, the interpretation of prophecy, that is, of prophecies contained in the Old Testament, and for this work
there were some in the primitive Church, as it is supposed, who were inspired, and thus peculiarly qualified. It is probable that
this kind of prophecy is what is meant here. See 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 13:2,8; 1 Corinthians 14:3,6,22; 1 Thessalonians
5:20
That is was a distinct function from that of apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, is evident from Ephesians 4:11; and
from the interpretation of tongues, as it appears from 1 Corinthians 12:10; and from revelation, knowledge, and doctrine, as we
find from 1 Corinthians 14:6. It also appears that it was more useful than other extraordinary gifts, as it tended more to promote
edification and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:1,3. It is hence most probable that it was the gift already stated, that of interpreting
the Scriptures, especially the prophecies of the Old Testament, and applying them for the edification of the Church. “Prophets”
are put next to “apostles” in Ephesians 4:11. — Ed.
(^388) “Secundum analogiam fidei,” so Pareus; ; “pro proportione fidei — according to the proportions of faith,”
Beza, Piscator; that is, as the former explains the phrase, “according to the measure or extent of the individual’s faith;” he was
not to go beyond what he knew or what had been communicated to him by the Spirit. But the view which Calvin takes is the
most obvious and consistent with the passage; and this is the view which Hammond gives, “according to that form of faith or
wholesome doctrine by which every one who is sent out to preach the gospel is appointed to regulate his preaching, according
to those heads or principles of faith and good life which are known among you.” The word means properly congruity,
conformity, or proportion, not in the sense of measure or extent, but of equality, as when one thing is equal or comformable to
another; hence the analogy of faith must mean what is conformable to the faith. And faith here evidently signifies divine truth,
the object of faith, or what faith receives. See Romans 10:8; Galatians 3:23; Titus 1:4; Jude 1:3. — Ed.