What does it mean to not despise prophecies in 1 Thessalonians 5:20?

(V. 20). “Despise not prophesyings”. From the Epistle to the Corinthians we know that he that prophesies “speaks to men to edification, encouragement, and comfort” (1 Cor. 14:3). We are to beware then lest we lightly esteem what God may have to say to us through His servants.

(V. 21). “Prove all things”. While we are not to despise ministry, we are, none the less, responsible to “prove” it by the word. There is the ever present danger of receiving truth on the authority of the teacher. The Apostle can say, in another Epistle, “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge.” (1 Cor. 14:29).

There is, of course, a very close connection between verses 19 and 20. To "quench not the Spirit" involves a genuine consideration of others and of that which the Spirit of God may be seeking to say through one or through another. It may be that prophesyings would be the most likely type of ministry to be despised, for this is not teaching to appeal to man's intellect, but whether in the assembly or otherwise, it is that ministry that would speak to the heart and conscience - for edification, exhortation, or encouragement (1 Cor. 14:3) - and may be searching. Let us never think lightly of this, for it is a continual need for the intellectual, just as for all others. In fact this is the very character of the book we are considering.

Next we have terse but full exhortation as to our more public ways. It is not here the personal call of Eph. 4, "grieve not," but "quench not the Spirit," followed up by "despise not prophecies," which serves to fix its true bearing. Both suppose the free action of the Holy Spirit in the assembly, where He must not be hindered in His general movement even by the least member of Christ, any more than despised in the highest form of dealing with souls, or "prophesying." On the other hand the saints must not be imposed on by high or exclusive claims which are never needed by, and would be repulsive to, the truly spiritual. They were to prove all things, to hold fast the good, to abstain from every form of evil. By έἶδος translated "appearance" in the Authorised Version, is really meant kind or form.

129 It is a part of this responsibility and reference to the Head of the Church, not to "quench the Spirit," nor "despise prophesyings," be they the simplest or by the humblest in the Church as to mere circumstance, if God be pleased to use them.

We are not to despise prophesyings, nor are we to receive everything that presents itself, even if professedly given by the Spirit, but to "prove all things," and "hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:20-21). If the truth ministered is proved by Scripture, and held in faith with God, we shall not waver in our convictions with every wind of doctrine. As J. N. D. has remarked, "One is not ever learning the truth of that which we have learnt with God." Again he has remarked, "If I do not believe the Word till it be sanctioned by someone else, I do not believe it at all; it is the sanction I believe." When, however, the teacher is exalted into a false position, and we accept what he says because he says it, without putting it to the test of the Word, we are in danger of being led into perversions of the truth, and losing the truth we once professed to hold.

We here touch a side of our subject, the seriousness of which it is impossible to exaggerate. The apostle, writing to the Corinthians, insisted that there should be no exercise of tongues in the assembly unless the tongues were interpreted (1 Cor. 14:27-28). Why was this? That the assembly might judge what was said. They were responsible to do this even with the greater gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 14:29) They were not to “despise prophesyings,” it is true; but why do not those who refer to this exhortation in fancied support of the admitted vagaries of modern utterances continue the quotation? We are also to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:20-21). If one speaks in the assembly the hearers are entitled to prove or test whether it be of God.

"But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God" (ver. 28). If what he has got to say cannot be made understandable to others, it is of no use — it is excluded. "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge" (ver. 29). Not to permit this when the Assembly is gathered together is to quench the Spirit. That is as clear as daylight from another scripture, where the apostle says, "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:20-21). To despise or hinder the freedom of the prophets is to quench the Spirit. Solemn reflection. I could not, and would not, recognise anything as the Assembly of God where this liberty of the Spirit of God to use any member of the Assembly He willed was not maintained inviolate; nor should you; to do so is going clean in the teeth of God's Word. We are not supposed to swallow, but we are told to judge what every one says, and I do not expect you to lightly swallow what I say, but God's injunction as to the liberty for two or three to speak we must each of us heed, if we are to please Him and keep a good conscience. Whoever speaks must do so as "the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11). That is his responsibility, ours is to "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." We are bound to judge of what is spoken, not critically, but so as to know what is right, and not to sanction what is wrong.

Grieving is the effect of carelessness in our personal lives. Quenching is mentioned in connection with a lack of appreciation of prophetic ministry (1 Thess. 5:19–20). The word of God shows us that there are, or should be, regular meetings for edification where there is opportunity for prophesying (applying the word of God to the hearers in their current situation: see 1 Cor. 14:29). Unfortunately, in many Christian circles (so-called ‘churches’) no such opportunity is given, at least not on a weekly basis. Where prophecy is held in low regard the Holy Spirit is quenched, which does not mean that He cannot work at all but that He will be severely constrained. This is a very serious matter.

It may be well to distinguish between the grieving of the Spirit here spoken of, and two other expressions found in other parts of the Word. Stephen, in addressing the Jewish council, says, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." (Acts 7:51.) Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, exhorts them thus: "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings." (1 Thess. 5:19-20.) Now both these expressions differ, as the connection will show, from the grieving of the Holy Spirit of God spoken of in the passage before us. Resisting the Holy Ghost is refusing the testimony which He gives, whether by prophets, by the mouth of Jesus Himself, or by the apostles after His ascension. This the Jews had done through their whole long history, as Stephen had just been showing, and they were still persisting in the same path of unbelief. The quenching of the Spirit, on the other hand, is connected with ministry. Though Christ risen and ascended is, as we have seen, the author of gifts, their distribution and their exercise in the assembly are regulated by the "Spirit dividing to every man severally as He will." (1 Cor. 12:11.) Any usurpation of this power by man, or any rule or regulation not sanctioned by the Word, which restrains the Spirit's freedom of action in this matter, is quenching the Spirit; and as prophecy was the most important gift for "edification, and exhortation, and comfort," in the church (1 Cor. 14:2-4), the apostle connects the command, "Quench not the Spirit," with the further warning, "Despise not prophesyings."

On the other hand I can understand it still being a thing slighted and overlooked by men to any conceivable extent. I find, both here in 1 Cor. 14 and again in Thess. 5:20, (which latter passage couples together the two warnings, "Quench not the Spirit, — Despise not prophesyings"), the assurance that they were already doing so. There was that in the nature of this precious gift which exposed it peculiarly to the slighting and disesteem of man. What had then begun may well have advanced in our day to the denying of the gift altogether.

If we enquire, then, as to the nature of this "prophesying" — a "prophet" was, according to the strict meaning of the word, "one who spoke for another;" and the name was given among the heathen to those who spoke for a god and made known his will to men. It was by no means necessarily in the utterance of prediction properly so called; for this another word was used which the Scriptures do not employ. Even a "poet" was a prophet, as one who spoke for the Muses, thus speaking, as was supposed, under a sort of inspiration, not merely from his own mind. So even Paul speaks of a "prophet" of the Cretans.