February 26th: Tongues Speaking
Speaker: Duncan Wyncoll
Today’s ‘glossolalia’ bears no resemblance to the tongues speaking of the New Testament. This study explains its unique purpose, and answers the questions that perplex many.
Introduction
Important for a number of reasons
1. At college, workplace we often meet charismatics
2. We may also have to interact with charismatic visitors to the Tab – need to interact in an informed & sensitive way
3. To help people who’ve left charismatic circles; comes with (or sign of) ‘Baptism in the Spirit’
4. It can be a divisive issue within churches
Study simplifies the issue, because it is only mentioned in Acts 2,10/11 & 19, & 1 Cor 12-14 (& also Mark 16.17). 3 recorded instances & 1 Cor the only instruction for believers.
What do we know about the tongues speaking of the Bible? Let’s ask some Q’s
1. How is the word ‘tongue’ used? – Mainly Glossa (24 times) & rarely dialektos (5)
· Glossa – known human language/dialect
Romans 14.11 – ‘& every tongue shall confess to God’ (being used figuratively)
· Or refers to the organ – ‘bridle the tongue’
Some say today: ‘Yes it was a language in Acts 2 but… thereafter something different…’
· Not a ‘private prayer language’. 2 Quotes from p36 of ‘The Final Word’
2. What kind of language?
Acts 2.4-11
· Real foreign languages (foreign to disciples & Jews)
· Ability to speak/preach in a language not learned
Illus: Every student dreams of being able to learn electronically…
Acts 2.9 – Includes Judean – Ordinarily Galilean accent gave them away
· Spoke like the natives - It was Intelligible!
Acts 2.11 - The people at Pentecost heard ‘the wonderful works of God’
· Paul insists in 1 Cor 14 that the aim was to edify (build up) others
· Not ecstatic, unintelligible language
But some people still claim it is ‘Angelic speech/language’…?
A) Some say Angelic: 1 Cor 13.1 – ‘Though I speak with the tongues of men & of angels’. But ‘though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains…’ Hyperbole & exaggeration i.e. Even if I could do the impossible & speak all languages, it would be in vain if I have not charity…
· Some think Paul is referring to 2 false gods of Cybele & Dionysius – worshipped by speaking in tongues with clanging cymbals, smashing gongs & blaring trumpets…
B) They use 1 Cor 14.2 as a proof that it’s a language to speak to God… Actually it’s the opposite. & 14.4, But tongues, to be of value, need to be interpreted… Paul is speaking about the mistake of failing to translate
· 1 Cor 14.2 - ‘Mysteries’ – 28 times in NT. Always means…revealed truths
Romans 16.25,26 – ‘according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but is now made manifest, …& made known to all nations…’
Ephesians 1.9 – ‘Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,’ [also Eph 3.3&9]
Some today claim their tongue is a real language – but rarely does anyone hear their language being spoken by a tongues speaker - So today’s ‘gift of tongues’ is very different
3. There was tongues speaking in Corinth; was it the same as in Acts? - Yes
· Charismatics often claim that tongues are different today
· Same figurative terms used; Luke & Paul were close companions
1 Cor 12.28 - ‘& God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues’
Then Paul goes on in 1 Cor 13 to speak about the misuse of tongues…
Placed at end of list, but not mentioned in :
Romans 12 – mentions prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, ruling
Eph 4.11 – ‘& he gave some, apostles; & some, prophets; & some, evangelists; & some, pastors & teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry…
4. Was tongues speaking widespread in the early church? - No
· Remember similar to ‘healing’; very few healed in Acts – it was a ‘Sign of the Apostles’
Very few examples in NT of tongues speaking – 3 occasions:-
i. Acts 2 – Pentecost
ii. Acts 10.46 - Repeat of Pentecost – now on the Gentiles
Acts 11.15-16 - Peter reports to Jerusalem ‘as at the beginning…’
· His words suggest a first repeat of Pentecost
iii. Acts 19.6 - John’s disciples found by Paul in Ephesus
Read 1 Cor 12.29-31 – Few apostles, prophets & teachers. ‘…do all speak with tongues?…’
5. Was the tongues speaker in control? - Yes
· Inspired by HS - overwhelmed, mouthpiece of God? (cf. today’s tongues speakers)
1 Cor 14.32 – ‘& the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets…’
1 Cor 14.27,28 – ‘If there is no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church’
· Never in Bible is intelligent ‘mind control’ to be relinquished – sound mind…
6. Could the tongues speaker understand what he was saying? - Yes
1 Cor 14.15
· A) Everything we do must be done with understanding. Never do anything you don’t understand
1 Cor 14.4
· B) The disciples preached to others – they preached. God gave them the gift of grasping a new language. Also speaking the ‘mystery’ – the ‘now revealed will of God’
7. What was the purpose of tongues?
· Was it to help spread the Gospel? Not primarily – people spoke Greek &/or Hebrew
· Peter was subsequently able to preach to everybody in one language
· Paul travelled to the Roman world, speaking Greek, & writing letters in Greek
There were 3 Main Purposes:
A. Then a message/revelation. The Scripture was not complete…
B. Disciples were mute & fearful ® impelled them to speak to all, & give them power to proclaim to the entire world
C. But Primarily a sign, Peter explains (Acts 2.16-18) – ‘This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel... I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh’
Read Joel 2.28-32 – is this really referring to Pentecost? Yes
· Where were there wonders in heavens & signs on earth?
· Blood & fire and vapours of smoke?
· Did the sun turn to darkness & the moon to blood?
John MacArthur won’t help too much since he has a pre-millenial view, but more simply…
· In part by the death of Christ
· + Possibly by the destruction of Jerusalem – type & figure of general judgement
· + Picture of the gospel age & the coming judgement at the end of it
Matthew Henry – ‘The judgements of God upon a sinful world, & the frequent destruction of kingdoms by fire & sword, are prefaces to the judgement of the world in that last day’
Then, Verse 21 speaks of the safety & happiness of all true believers. Easy symbolism
· Whosoever!
· Just call (man’s responsibility)!
· Whom the Lord shall call (election)
8. Was the gift temporary or permanent? Temporary
1 Cor 12.28-30
· List of gifts – some temporary & some permanent
· Apostles & prophets laid the foundations, & then ceased
· Tongues marked the start of a new era – a sign for the Jews
· The sign miracles have done their work & they’re now retired/redundant
Summary comparison of tongues of the Bible & tongues today
Early Church:
Unique to Early Church/ Understandable to speaker/ Real languages/ From mind of tongues speaker/ Very few/ Temporary/ Given by Holy Spirit/ Unique sign, never been repeated/ Rare, always amazing/ For edifying the church
Today:
Ubiquitous in many religions/ Unintelligible / Mysterious language/ Claimed ‘Ecstatic utterance’/ Widespread/ Permanent/ Induced or learned/ Not distinctive/ Everyday occurrence/ For personal experience
Conclusion
· We don’t have visible phenomena today – but we do have Conversion, Sanctification & Preservation
· Tongues remind us that the gospel is for everybody
· Mercy is for all – no-one excluded
