Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 3/9/2009

Question
What is speaking in tongs, is it Aramaic, or is it a language, how is it learned?

Answer
Dear Kim,

Speaking in tongues can be seen most clearly in Acts 2, and in 1 Cor. chapters 12, 13, and 14: There is a true gift of speaking or hearing in languages for which the speaker or hearer has not been trained. This gift is given for the purpose of leading people to come to Christ. And usually an interpreter is not needed for the hearer understands the message that is spoken in his/her own language.

But, as we should expect, Satan bestows a false “gift” of speaking in tongues that draws people away from Christ and the Bible; and it often leads people to glorify themselves, even though they may not be aware of it.

The first time in the Bible that we see the gift of tongues is in Acts 2, where the disciples received the gift of the Spirit and began to speak in tongues.

Acts 2:4 (KJV) All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The Greek word for “tongues” is glossa, which can mean the literal tongue in the mouth, or it can mean an acquired language. The NRSV and other translations actually translate the word as “language.”

But it becomes quite clear what is meant by the word “tongues” in the following verses:

Acts 2:5 (NIV) Now there were staying in Jerusalem God fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound [the wind, vs. 2], a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

So the tongues spoken in the beginning of Christian witness—when the Holy Spirit first fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost—were actual languages spoken to people who understood that particular language. Aramaic undoubtedly was one of them as many people in Israel spoke that language. In fact, you can count about 16 different languages in the list that follows (some Bible students count as high as 22).

The ability to speak these languages was definitely a gift of the Spirit, because it would be utterly impossible for them to speak in those languages on such short notice unless they received that ability as a gift from the Holy Spirit. I repeat, the gift of speaking in tongues is not a learned skill: it is a gift, in which the Spirit makes it possible for the person to suddenly be able to speak a language he had not previously understood.

It's also interesting to note in this chapter that Peter speaks to the crowd about what is happening. Now, either the other disciples were translating what Peter was saying, or the Spirit gave his listeners the gift of hearing it in their own language (this is another of the many spiritual gifts mentioned elsewhere in the Bible)!

So it is quite clear that in Acts 2, the gift of tongues was the ability to speak another language that is intelligible to those who listened.

Let's move on to 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14—they are a unit. (Please read the entire passage before you proceed with this letter, as I will merely outline them, and then make a few comments.)

In Chapter 12 we see the following:
>> Verses 1-7: An introduction to the concept of spiritual gifts.
>> Verses 8-11: Paul lists some of the gifts of the Spirit. More gifts are added in Romans 12, Eph. 4:11-13 and 1 Pet 4:10, 11. But I don't think it would be wise to limit the gifts of the Spirit to merely those mentioned in the Bible. Other gifts of the Spirit have also been identified through the centuries—such as music, writing, and the ability the express God’s blessings through artistic and other means.
>> Verses 12-27: Paul uses the many members of the body as an illustration of the workings of the gifts of the Spirit in the church. As there are many physical parts needed by the body, and that they all work together for the good of the body as a whole; just so, in the church, the many gifts given by the Holy Spirit work together for the good of the entire church.
>> Verses 28-31a: Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions to each of which the obvious answer is “no.” All church members do not have the same gift(s). Each one has one or more gifts, but not all of them. Even though there may be several members in the church who have the same gift, we can't expect that every member would have exactly the same gift. For example, if all members were the head (apostles, leaders of the church) where would be the hands (teachers, preachers, and those who help them).
>> Verse 31b: An introduction to the greatest gift of all—which everyone needs: love.

Chapter 13. We usually look at this chapter as a unit in itself that tells us about love—and it does. But it was not written in a vacuum. In this chapter Paul wrote about love within the context of spiritual gifts. This is evident in that the first verses speak about various gifts, and echo verses 28-31a of the preceding chapter.

I find it interesting—and significant—that Paul bridges the discussion of the true gift of tongues and the questionable “gift” by spending time on the “doctrine” of love. But it's not surprising because of the hand-slapping tone of chapter 14 where he finds it necessary to deal with false “gifts” and their affects upon the body of Christ—the church.

Chapter 13:

>> Verses 1-3: Paul lists six spiritual gifts—among them, the gift of tongues (that's first, by the way)—and points out how worthless they are if they are not used within the context of love.
>> Verses 4-8a: What a beautiful description of love. The true Christian will find that everything that he/she does will bring honor to God when it's done with the attitude that can be described by these traits.
>> Verses 8b-10: these gifts of the Spirit are only temporarily given, for they are limited by the Spirit to either a specific time in which they are needed, or at best, for the lifetime of the individual. Perhaps we see in this a glimmer of the servant who received the one talent, but didn't make use of it. Whatever we see, Paul seems to be moving toward dealing with the problem of the misuse of spiritual gifts.
>> Verses 11, 12: Again, it appears that Paul is beginning to speak of the misuse of the gifts. We'd probably say: “Grow up.” To the mirror analogy I think of the poem that points out: “Would some power the Giftie Gie [God give] us, to see ourselves as others see us.” (Irish rendition—I think }:o) ) I like to paraphrase it: “Would some power . . . to see ourselves as GOD doth see us!” which, of course, makes a great deal more sense.
>> Verses 13, 14:1a Points out that love should rule all our actions—including the gifts of the Spirit.

While the last verses of both chapters 12 and 13 begin to allude to a problem in the false use of spiritual gifts, chapter 14:1b-33a hits the issue head-on.

1Corinthians. 14:

>> Verses 1b-4: The gift of prophecy is not the same as having the gift of actually being a prophet—receiving visions and dreams, and being able to predict the future. The major portion of a prophet's work is to teach, exhort, and encourage God's people. Understanding this helps in discerning what Paul is talking about in this chapter. He sets the gift of prophecy—teaching, exhorting, encouraging—over against the supposed “gift” of tongues that only benefits the one who does it. (That would make the use of the gift of tongues as used in Corinth a selfish practice, wouldn't it?)
>> Verses 5-9: Paul moves from an “I wish” tone to one that borders on sarcasm. “If I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you . . .?” Notice his inescapable logic in verse 9: “. . . Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.”
  However, Paul says, the one speaking in tongues should interpret what he says (see also vs. 13). This would appear to include only the languages spoken by the Spirit of God. Later in the chapter, others are said to be allowed to interpret for the one who is speaking. (see vs 28).
>> Verses 10-12: Here again we meet with the concept of language having meaning— obviously a contrast to the tongues as they are used in Corinth, which are unintelligible. Rather than spout off sounds into the air, why not, Paul adds, use a gift that will be of benefit to the church. It's quite clear—and significant—that Paul some of the tongues they are using can be of use to the church. But they may not build up the church if the church doesn’t understand them.
>> Verses 13-19: The discussion moves on to the difference of praying and/or singing in a tongue vs. praying and singing with the mind. Speaking in tongues, as the Corinthians used it, made no sense because their minds weren't engaged before they set their tongues in motion! And how important is a gift that doesn't even hold up to 10,000 unknown syllables to 5 understandable words? That's Paul's point.
>> Verse 20: “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” Paul echoes his thoughts toward the end of Chapter 13, now within the context of unintelligible speech. It's actually the next logical step in his argument.
>> Verses 21-32: Paul explains to them what it must look like to those non-Christians who may visit the church. If they see everyone speaking and singing in tongues “will they not say that you are out of your mind?” On the other hand, if the members are prophesying (teaching, exhorting, encouraging) he'll believe that God is among them. Then Paul gives them some suggestions about how to carry on the service.
>> Verse 33a: The speaking in tongues that they have been practicing has only created chaos. But “God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”
The use of tongues as done by the Corinthians was not the true gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit, but a spurious “gift.” These people evidently “spoke in tongues” for selfish reasons. In other words, it was a blatant form of hypocrisy, mixed with foolish pride. Paul makes it very plain that the “gift” of tongues as practiced in Corinth was the opposite of speaking languages that unbelievers would understand—as practiced by the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

Some churches hold the belief that unless a person speaks in tongues he will not be saved. As you can see, this cannot be supported by Scripture. The last verses in chapter 12 make that quite clear.

We are saved by faith in the blood of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who decides which gift to give to those who have thus accepted their Lord.

“When . . . Jesus admonished His followers to obey God, to walk in the commandments [John 15:14], to love and forgive one another as God loves and forgives us [Matt. 6:12-15]. How foolish to believe that the Holy Spirit, which [He sent] in His place, would admonish us in any other way. Those who claim ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’ and use, for instance, ‘speaking in tongues’ as proof of that baptism yet live in disobedience to God’s commandments are fooling themselves. The greatest proof of living by the Spirit is a life lived in faith and obedience to God.” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, (Pacific Press Publishing Association, Boise, ID)  May 3, 2006,

Always live in faith and obedience to God, and in the hope of the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
pettypress@gmail.com
www.PettyPress.com (An e-library of 20 books, 40 Bible study guides on the major teachings of the Bible, and much more.)