Barnes on ‘pray[ing] in the spirit’ in I Cor. 14:15a
Barnes comments that Paul means: “I will endeavour to blend all the advantages which can be derived from prayer. I will unite all the benefits which can result to myself and to others. I deem it of vast importance to pray with the spirit in such a way that the heart and the affections may be engaged…. ‘And I will pray with the understanding also,’ so that others may understand me.”
Hodge on ‘understanding’ in I Cor. 14:15b
Paul says he will use his understanding when praying in public. He says he will deliberately pray in the language of those listening, so that they too will understand. Hodge here comments: “The sense is, ‘I will not only pray in the exercise of my spiritual gift, but [pray] so as to be understood by others!” That is, [I will pray] not only spirit-ually, but I will also pray intelligibly.
