1 Corinthians 14:20

“Brethren, be not children in understanding, etc.] There are some things in children in which it is reproachful for believers to be like them; as nonproficiency in knowledge, want of capacity to receive, bear, and digest strong meat; levity, fickleness, and inconstancy, unskilfulness in the word, deficiency of knowledge, want of understanding, not of things natural, but spiritual and evangelical; which is the more aggravated, since their understandings were opened and enlightened; an understanding was given them; the Spirit of God, as a spirit of understanding, was bestowed on them; they had the Scriptures, which are able to make wise unto salvation, and the man of God perfect; and also the…”

“Brethren--an appellation calculated to conciliate their favorable reception of his exhortation. children in understanding--as preference of gifts abused to nonedification would make you (compare Co1 3:1; Mat 10:16; Rom 16:19; Eph 4:14). The Greek for "understanding" expresses the will of one's spirit, Rom 8:6 (it is not found elsewhere); as the "heart" is the will of the "soul." The same Greek is used for "minded" in Rom 8:6. men--full-grown. Be childlike, not childish.”

“Brethren, be not children in understanding - Be not childish; do not behave like little children. They admire, and are astonished at what is striking, novel, and what may be of no real utility. They are pleased with anything that will amuse them, and at little things that afford them play and pastime. So your admiration of a foreign language and of the ability to speak it, is of as little solid value as the common sports and plays of boys. This, says Doddridge, is an admirable stroke of oratory, and adapted to bring down their pride by showing them that those things on which they were disposed to value themselves were “childish.” It is sometimes well to appeal to Christians in this manner,…”

“Be not children in understanding - This is an admirable stroke of true oratory! to bring down the height of their spirits, by representing that wherein they prided themselves most, as mere folly and childishness. In wickedness be ye infants - Have all the innocence of that tender age. But in understanding be ye grown men - Knowing religion was not designed to destroy any of our natural faculties, but to exalt and improve them, our reason in particular. 1 Corinthians 14:21”

“14:20 To be mature in understanding such matters, one must consider the purpose of spiritual gifts and not treat them as ends in themselves for one’s own enjoyment.”

“not: Co1 3:1, Co1 3:2, Co1 13:11; Psa 119:99; Isa 11:3; Rom 16:19; Eph 4:14, Eph 4:15; Phi 1:9; Heb 5:12, Heb 5:13, Heb 6:1-3; Pe2 3:18 malice: Psa 131:1, Psa 131:2; Mat 11:25, Mat 18:3, Mat 19:4; Mar 10:15; Pe1 2:2 but: Psa 119:99 men: Gr. perfect, or, of a ripe age, Co1 2:6; Phi 3:15 1 Corinthians 14:21”