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SPEAKING IN TONGUES: The Special Gift of the Holy Spirit |
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Speaking in Tongues: The Biblical Account
Speaking in tongues by Christians first occurred during Pentecost. Luke records the account in the book of Acts. Fifty days after Christ's crucifixion, a group of believers were gathered in Jerusalem at a room near the temple. Jesus had commanded them, "Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait for the gift my Father promised. You have heard me talk about it. John baptized with water. But in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5.
Many Jews had traveled and gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the traditional festival of Pentecost--also known as Shavuot. It was a feast held in commemoration of the revelation of the Law and the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. It is with this backdrop that Luke records what happened.
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost Acts 2:1-13
The day of Pentecost came and the believers all had gathered in one place. Suddenly a sound came from heaven that filled the whole house where they were sitting. It was like a strong wind blowing. They saw something that looked like tongues of fire and the flames separated and settled on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this. Godly Jews from every country in the world were staying in Jerusalem. A crowd came together when they heard the sound and they were bewildered because they each heard the believers speaking in their own language. The crowd was really amazed and they asked, "Aren't all these people from Galilee? "Why, then, do we each hear them speaking in our own native language? "We hear all these people speaking about God's wonders in our own languages!" They were amazed and bewildered and they asked one another, "What does this mean?" But some people in the crowd made fun of the believers, saying, "They've had too much wine!"
Peter Speaks to the Crowd Acts 2:14-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd, saying, "My Jewish friends, let me explain this. "You think these people are drunk, but they aren't. "It's only nine o'clock in the morning! "No, here is what the prophet Joel meant when he said:
Peter continued, "Men of Israel, listen to this! "Jesus of Nazareth was a man who had God's approval. "God did miracles, wonders and signs among you through Jesus. "You yourselves know this. "Long ago God planned that Jesus would be handed over to you. "With the help of evil people, you put Jesus to death. "You nailed him to the cross. "But God raised Him from the dead. "He set Him free from the suffering of death. "It wasn't possible for death to keep its hold on Jesus. David spoke about him, saying:
Peter continued, "Brothers, you can be sure that King David died and was buried. "His tomb is still here today. "But David was a prophet. "He knew that God had made a promise to him. "He had taken an oath that someone in David's family line would be king after him. "David saw what was ahead. "So he spoke about the Christ rising from the dead. "He said that the Christ would not be left in the grave and His body wouldn't rot in the ground. "God has raised this same Jesus back to life and we are all witnesses of this. "Jesus has been given a place of honor at the right hand of God. "He has received the Holy Spirit from the Father. "This is what God had promised. "It is Jesus who has poured out what you now see and hear. "David did not go up to heaven. "But he said:
"So be sure of this, all you people of Israel. "You nailed Jesus to the cross. "But God has made him both Lord and Christ." When the people heard this, their hearts were filled with shame. They said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter replied, "All of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. "Then your sins will be forgiven. "You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. "The promise is for you and your children and it also is for all who are far away. "It is for all whom the Lord our God will choose." Peter said many other things to warn them. He begged them, "Save yourselves from these evil people." Those who accepted his message were baptized and about 3,000 people joined the believers that day.
The Believers Share Life Together Acts 2:42-47
The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared life together and broke bread and ate together. And they prayed. Everyone felt that God was near. The apostles did many wonders and miraculous signs. All the believers were together and they shared everything they had. They sold what they owned and they gave each other everything they needed. Every day they met together in the temple courtyard. In their homes they broke bread and ate together. Their hearts were glad and honest and true. They praised God and they were respected by all the people. Every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
Speaking in tongues occurred again in Caesarea 38 years after Pentecost, this time in the home of the Roman centurion Cornelius.
Cornelius Calls for Peter Acts 10:1-8
A man named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a Roman commander in the Italian Regiment. Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need and he prayed to God regularly. One day about three o'clock in the afternoon he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God clearly. The angel came to him and said, "Cornelius!" Cornelius was afraid and stared at the angel. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. And the angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to poor people have come up like an offering to God. "So he has remembered you. "Now send men to Joppa and have them bring back a man named Simon who is also called Peter. "He is staying with another Simon, a man who works with leather whose house is by the sea." The angel who spoke to him left. Cornelius then called two of his servants and a godly soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter Has a Vision Acts 10:9-23
It was about noon the next day. The men were on their journey and were approaching the city. Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, Peter had a vision. He saw heaven open up and something that looked like a large sheet was being let down to earth by its four corners. It had all kinds of four footed animals in it and also reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." "No, Lord! I will not!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything that is not pure and 'clean.'" The voice spoke to him a second time: "Do not say anything is not pure that God has made 'clean,'" This happened three times and the sheet was taken back up to heaven. Peter was wondering what the vision meant when at that very moment the men sent by Cornelius found Simon's house. They stopped at the gate and called out, asking if Simon Peter was staying there. Peter was still thinking about the vision when the Holy Spirit spoke to him, saying, "Simon, three men are looking for you. "Get up and go downstairs. "Don't let anything keep you from going with them because I have sent them." Peter went down and spoke to the men. He said, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?" The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius, the Roman commander. "He is a good man who worships God. "All the Jewish people respect him. "A holy angel told him to invite you to his house, so, Cornelius wants to hear what you have to say." Peter then invited the men into the house to be his guests and the next day he went with them, along with some of the believers from Joppa.
Peter Goes to the House of Cornelius Acts10:24-48
The following day Peter arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and as a sign of respect, he fell at Peter's feet. But Peter made him get up, saying, "Stand up. I am only a man myself." They talked with one another and went inside where Peter found a large group of people. He said to them, "You know that it is against our law for a Jew to have anything to do with those who aren't Jews. "But God has shown me that I should not say anyone is not pure and 'clean.' So when you sent for me, I came without asking any questions. "May I ask why you sent for me?" Cornelius answered, "Four days ago at this very hour I was in my house praying. "It was three o'clock in the afternoon when suddenly a man in shining clothes stood in front of me. "He said:
"So I sent for you right away. "It was good of you to come. "Now we are all here and God is here with us. "We are ready to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us." Peter then began to speak. "I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same. "He accepts people from every nation. "He accepts all who have respect for him and do what is right. "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. "It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all. "You know what has happened all through Judea. "It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism. "You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. "Jesus went around doing good; He healed all who were under the devil's power. "God was with him. "We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. "They killed him by nailing him to a cross. "But on the third day God raised him from the dead. "God allowed Jesus to be seen. "But he wasn't seen by all the people; He was seen only by us. "We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. "We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. "He commanded us to preach to the people and told us to give witness that He is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. "All the prophets give witness about Him, saying that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through His name." While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. Some Jewish believers had come with Peter and they were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on those who weren't Jews. The Jewish believers heard these non-Jews speaking in languages they had not known before and also heard them praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? "They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Unlike Pentecost, where Jewish believers spoke in tongues, here the tongues were spoken by Gentile believers. As declared by Peter, this served as a sign to verify to many Jewish Christians that the Gospel applies to the Gentiles as well. Peter Explains His Actions Acts 11:1-18
The apostles and the believers all through Judea heard that people who were not Jews had also received God's word. Peter went up to Jerusalem where the Jewish believers found fault with him. They said, "You went into the house of those who aren't Jews and ate with them." Peter explained everything to them. He told them exactly what had happened. "I was in the city of Joppa praying when I had a vision. "A voice from Heaven told me:
"Just then three men stopped at the house where I was staying who had been sent to me from Caesarea. "The Holy Spirit told me not to let anything keep me from going with them. "We went to the house of Cornelius who told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house telling him to send to Joppa for Simon Peter. "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them just as he had come on us at the beginning. "Then I remembered the Lord's words.
"God gave them the same gift he gave those of us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Who was I to think that I could oppose God?" When they heard this, the Jewish believers in Jerusalem didn't object anymore but praised God. They said, "So then, God has allowed even those who aren't Jews to turn away from their sins and live."
The last incident of tongues recorded in Acts takes place 13 years after Caesarea in Ephesus. Paul laid his hands on twelve disciples, baptizing in the name of Jesus, when suddenly they began to speak in tongues. Paul Goes to Ephesus Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road to Ephesus. When he arrived, he found some believers there and he asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They answered, "No, we haven't even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John baptized people, calling them to turn away from their sins. "He told them to believe in the one who was coming after him; Jesus is that one." After hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul placed his hands on them; then the Holy Spirit came on them. They spoke in languages they had not known before and they also prophesied. In all, there were about 12 of them.
If this incident is consistent with the other accounts in Acts, these men spoke in dialects unknown to them but known by others.
Speaking in Tongues: Paul's Instructions to the Church Speaking in tongues is addressed by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14. The Gifts the Holy Spirit Gives 1 Corinthians 14:1-25
Follow the way of love. You also should want the gifts the Holy Spirit gives. Most of all, you should want the gift of prophecy. Anyone who speaks in a language he had not known before doesn't speak to people; he speaks only to God. In fact, no one understands that person. What he says with his spirit remains a mystery. But anyone who prophesies speaks to people. He says things to make them stronger, to give them hope, and to comfort them. Those who speak in other languages build themselves up. But those who prophesy build up the church. I would like all of you to speak in other languages, but I would rather have you prophesy. Those who prophesy are more helpful than those who speak in other languages. But that is not the case if those who speak in other languages explain what they have said because then the whole church can be built up. Brothers and sisters, suppose I were to come to you and speak in other languages. What good would I be to you? None! I would need to come with new truth or knowledge, or a prophecy or a teaching. Here are some examples. Certain objects make sounds. Take a flute or a harp. No one will know what the tune is unless different notes are played. Also, if the trumpet call isn't clear, who will get ready for battle? It's the same with you. You must speak words that people understand because if you don't, no one will know what you are saying. You will just be speaking into the air. It is true that there are all kinds of languages in the world. And they all have meaning. But if I don't understand what someone is saying, I am a stranger to that person. And that person is a stranger to me. It's the same with you. You want to have gifts of the Spirit. So try to do your best in using gifts that build up the church. For that reason, those who speak in languages they had not known before should pray that they can explain what they say. If I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my mind does not pray. So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I also will pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I also will sing with my mind. Suppose you are praising God with your spirit. And suppose there are visitors among you who don't understand what's going on. How can they say "Amen" when you give thanks? They don't know what you are saying. You might be giving thanks well enough. But the others are not being built up. I thank God that I speak in other languages more than all of you do. But in the church I would rather speak five words that people can understand than 10,000 words in another language. Then I would be teaching others. Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. Be like babies as far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. In the Law it is written:
That is what the Lord says. So speaking in other languages is a sign for those who don't believe; it is not a sign for those who do believe. But prophecy is for believers; it is not for those who don't believe. Suppose the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in other languages. And suppose visitors or unbelievers come in. Won't they say you are out of your minds? But suppose unbelievers or visitors come in while everyone is prophesying. Then they will be shown by all who speak that they are sinners. They will be judged by all. The secrets of their hearts will be brought out into the open. They will fall down and worship God; they will exclaim, "God is really here among you!" Proper Worship 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
Brothers and sisters, what should we say then? When you come together, every one of you brings something. You bring a hymn or a teaching or a word from God. You bring a message in another language or explain what was said. All of those things must be done to make the church strong. No more than two or three people should speak in another language, and they should speak one at a time. Then someone must explain what was said. If there is no one to explain, the speakers should keep quiet in the church. They can speak to themselves and to God. Only two or three prophets are supposed to speak. Others should decide if what is being said is true. What if a message from God comes to someone else who is sitting there? Then the one who is speaking should stop. Those who prophesy can all take turns. In that way, everyone can be taught and be given hope. Those who prophesy should control their speaking. God is not a God of disorder; He is a God of peace. As in all the churches of God's people, women should remain silent in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; they must follow the lead of those who are in authority, as the Law says. If they have a question about something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for women to speak in church meetings. Did the word of God begin with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? Suppose some think they are prophets or have gifts of the Holy Spirit. They should agree that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. Anyone who does not recognize that will not be recognized. Brothers and sisters, you should want to prophesy. And don't stop people from speaking in languages they had not known before. But everything should be done in a proper and orderly way.
The church in Corinth was experiencing problems with tongues becoming a disturbance. Many believers spoke in tongues freely during public worship, but since no one understood what was being said, many people were being stumbled, so Paul instructs the church on the proper use of tongues. Though many Christian teachers disagree on the proper interpretation of this passage, there are several points Paul makes about tongues that are clearly evident:
Speaking in Tongues: Christian Viewpoints Speaking in tongues is an issue that has been widely debated within the Christian community. Many non-charismatic Christians hold to the view that this spiritual gift ceased after the apostolic age. They believe that speaking in tongues mainly served as a sign for unbelievers and edified believers at the start of the church. They point to Hebrews 2:1-4, in which the writer uses past tense when he declared that God had confirmed the apostolic church age with "signs and wonders" and "gifts." A Warning to Pay Attention Hebrews 2:1-4
So we must pay more careful attention to what we have heard. Then we will not drift away from it. Even the message God spoke through angels had to be obeyed. Every time people broke the Law, they were punished. Every time they didn't obey, they were punished. Then how will we escape if we don't pay attention to God's great salvation? The Lord first announced that salvation. Those who heard him gave us the message about it. God gave witness to it through signs and wonders. He gave witness through different kinds of miracles. He also gave witness through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He gave them out as it pleased him. The non-charismatic Christians say that since we now have the Bible as God's revelation and guide there is no longer a need for tongues. As well, church historians have not found evidence of speaking in tongues in the writings of the church fathers during the 2nd century. However, most also will readily admit that the Bible never explicitly claims that tongues will cease after the apostolic age. The Pentecostal movement of the last century is credited for the resurgence of tongues today. Many of these charismatic Christians believe that a genuine revival in the church is happening, part of which the Holy Spirit is revealing Himself and blessing believers through the gift of tongues. They encourage Christians to seek this gift as a resource for prayer and praise. Some believe that speaking in tongues is required evidence of one's salvation, but this viewpoint is opposed by most Christians, and finds no credible biblical support.
You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. First, God has appointed apostles in the church. Second, He has appointed prophets. Third, He has appointed teachers. Then He has appointed people who do miracles and those who have gifts of healing. He also appointed those able to help others, those able to direct things, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone a prophet? Is everyone a teacher? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages they had not known before? Do all explain what is said in those languages? But above all, you should want the more important gifts. And now I will show you the best way of all. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31.
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