Tongues & the Pentacostal Church:
Because this subject is so controversial, all that I state will be quoted from Scripture included with a word study. My hope is that this article will build up, and is not meant to tear down. Speaking in tongues is a world wide movement, and adhered to by tens of millions of people. I have no personal feelings toward those who recognize, adopt and have added this belief of speaking in tongues to their Christian life. What I will do is relate to you, what the Scriptures have to say about it.
How was the gift of tongues to be used? and for what purpose? Tongues as a sign.
1 Corinthians 14:22, “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe NOT.”
A sign for who? “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign,” Compare with,
Matthew 16:4, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jo’-nas.”
Jonah gave a message from God to the Ninevites, a nation of pagans. They received the message; then repented, thus, the Lord spared them. What about the Jews’? They rejected the message, and were abandoned by God as a nation. The message was then given and received by the Gentile. The church had its first major growth on the day of Pentecost. How? Through a sign which was the speaking of tongues.
The dispute between various Christian groups comes from the difference of interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14, which Paul does address. The seed bed for Paul’s theological concepts and the usual source of his terms was the Old Testament. Paul used the word tongues, 21 times in 1 Corinthians 12 through 14, but only 3 other times in all his other letters. The three times Paul used it outside of 1 Corinthians and in all cases they came as a quote from the Old Testament. See below.
1. Psalms 5:9, “They flatter with their tongue.” quoted in Rom.3:13.
2. Isaiah 45:23, “That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear,” quoted in Romans 14:11,
3. Also, an allusion to Isaiah 45:23, quoted in Philipians 2:11.
It is reasonable to interpret the unknown, or unclear, 1 Corinthians 14, with the help of the known, or clear, as in Acts 2. The obscure, or unclear of 1 Corinthians 14, qualified by the clear, Acts 2, make for a good Bible study. The burden of proof to the true meaning of particular words rests with those who claim that the term, “Tongues,” means anything other than what the Hebrew and Greek Dictionary informs us.
Paul did not believe their was anything wrong with the gift of tongues. In fact, he thought it would be good if everyone had this gift. Of course, he had said the same thing about celibacy in,
1 Corinthians 7:7, “For I would that all men were even as I myself,” verse 8, “To the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.”
In neither case did he expect a universal compliance with his statement. Since both were gifts from God, neither should be rejected. These instructions, by Paul, to the Corinthians, were presented because of the misuse of the gift.
Tongue: Tongues: Strong’s concordance, Thayer’s, and my dictionary. The Greek is, glossa.
Used metonymically, that is, by putting one work for another. A speech, a language:
b-1. Generally, 1 John 3:18, “Let us not love in word, neither in tongue = (speech only).” Sept. “a soft tongue,” Prov. 25:15, 31:26, “In her tongue is the law of kindness.”
b-2. Of a particular language or dialect, as spoken by a particular people, Acts 2:11, 1 Corinthians 13:1, Genesis 10:5-20, Daniel 1:4. Put for the people who use a language, as in,
Revelation 5:9, “Kindred = (tribes) “People and nations.” Revelation 7:9, 10:11, 11:9, 13:7, 14:6, 17:15,
Isaiah 66:18, “I will gather all nations and tongues.”
Daniel 3:4-7-30-32. In the phrase,
Acts 2:4, “To speak with other tongues,” or, as in,
Mark 16:17, to, “Speak with new tongues = (or new languages).” The Greek word for new is, kainos. Here in Mark it gives the sense of other, foreign to, or new.
The literal Greek for Mark 16:17, reads, “With tongues they shall speak new,” new, as in other languages, new to the apostles, and disciples who were gifted by the Holy Spirit with it.
Also, Acts 10:46, 19:6, 1 Corinthians 12:30, 14:2-4-5-6-13-18-23-27-39; “Speak with tongues.”
1 Corinthians 14:14, to pray in unknown Language.
1 Corinthians 14:19, “To discourse in an unknown tongue,” or simply tongues, as in, 1 Cor.12:10, with ver.28. 1 Cor.13:8, 14:22-26.
According to the two passages in Mark 16:17, and Acts 2, the sense would seem to be, to speak in other living languages; but if the passages in 1 Corinthians 14, be taken as the basis, these phrases would seem to mean, to speak another language, a language familiar to that person who is speaking it, but not to those in attendance. Example follows.
Acts 2:12-13, “They = (men from other countries) were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, what means this? Others mocking said, these men = (the apostles) are full of new wine.” Compare with verse 5, “Men, out of every nation under heaven.
Verse 6, “Every man heard them (the apostles) speak in his own language.” They said of the apostles, are they not, “Galileans?”
Verse 8, “How hear we every man in our own tongue = (language,) wherein we were born.” It goes on to name the various countries the men had come from. There were no interpreters present. Therefore it was through the Holy Spirit only, that the minds and understanding of those who received this new gospel message were opened, these who were drawn by the Father.
Example: If a German preacher came into a congregation to speak to an audience that spoke English only, He would need and interpreter. But, if the power of the Holy Spirit were to come upon Him, he would be heard by the people and understood without the use of an interpreter. Also the people who are hearing the message, would have their understanding opened.
1 Corinthians 14 is to be taken as the basis that these phrases would seem to mean, to speak another language, a language familiar to the person who is speaking, but NOT to those in attendance. Compare the following verses in,
1 Corinthians 14:2-4-6-7, sequel follows, Verse 2 “He that speaks in an unknown tongue (foreign language) speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the spirit he speaks mysteries (something unknown).
Verse 4, “He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself,” with verse 17, “For thou (the one speaking) verily gives thanks well, but the other (hearer) is not edified.”
To edify Internally, in a good sense, to build up in the faith, to edify, to cause to advance in the divine life,
1 Corinthians 8:1, “Charity edifies.”
1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things edify not.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Edify one another.” In a bad sense, to embolden,
1 Corinthians 8:10, “The conscience of him which is weak be emboldened (built up, edified) to eat those things which are offered to idols,” thus this weak brother would perish.
Verse 6, Paul said, “If I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?”
Verse 7, “Even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?” There is no mention of an interpreter being with Paul, or that he needed one. The meaning of the words in ver.7, howbeit, spirit, and mystery,” from verse 2 follow;
“Howbeit in the spirit he speaketh.” Howbeit means; but; but rather, and is related to the preceding words that it serves to introduce, which is, “In the spirit.” This means, that the speaker, through his own mind, in his spirit, has grasped the mysteries contained in the words that he is reading or speaking. Now if the reference was through the Holy Spirit, it would only show that it is by the Spirit that a man is able to speak and understand these mysteries.
The word Mysteries: Mystery: from verse 2. The Greek is, “musterion.” In the N.T. spoken of facts doctrines, principles, etc. not fully revealed, but only obscurely, or symbolically set forth.
Generality: Matthew 13:11, Jesus speaking to the disciples said, “It is given unto you to know the mysteries = (hidden truths) of the kingdom of heaven,” as in a deeper and more perfect manner than they were made known to others.
Mark 4:11, Luke 8:10, Jesus was again speaking to His disciples and said, “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.” These would be old mysteries, now revealed.
In 1 Corinthians 14:2, what Paul is saying refers back to those who are speaking in a foreign language, to those who do not understand the language. The speaker would not be speaking to men, but to God only if the audience did not understand him. In the speakers mind they have an understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom.
Ephesians 5:32, “This is a great mystery — concerning Christ and the church.”
2 Thessalonians 2:7, “The mystery of iniquity doth already work,” meaning, mysterious wickedness, as hidden, yet unknown to Christians; opposed to,
Verse 8, “Then shall the wicked be revealed,” a mystery revealed.
Revelation 1:20, “The mystery of the seven stars,” then He goes on and reveals to John what they are.
Revelation 10:7, “Mystery of God.”
Revelation 17:5, “Mystery Babylon the great,”
Verse 7, “Mystery of the woman, and of the beast,” this mystery also is then revealed to John in verse 18.
The Hebrew for tongues is Lesh-o-naw, or la’az. The word tongue, or tongues in the Hebrew O.T. is used 104 times, and never means anything other than an known language of speech, a dialect, or the literal tongue itself. The Hebrew’s understood the word to mean a language, or dialect of a people. Nowhere can I find, in any source material that the word tongues means anything else than the above in the original Greek and Hebrew. My thinking is that because Jesus and the apostles taught out of the O.T. quoting from it continually, for this reason, the word tongue or tongues would have only meant what the Jews’ understood it to mean. Other sources consulted are,
Webster’s dictionary, 1860. “Tongue:” A language; the whole sum of words used by a particular nation. Speech, words or declarations only; opposed to thoughts or actions. A nation, as distinguished by their language.
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged. A spoken language, especially, a speech used by a particular people or class, or in a particular region. A dialect. A language other than one’s own, a foreign or strange language. Tongues, plural, the learned language as Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, a people having a distinct language as in,
Isaiah 66:18, “I will gather all nations and tongues;”
See Also Encyclopedia Britannica. I have at home, an 1825 K.J.V. of the Bible. On the introductory page it reads, “Translated out of the original tongues.”
Genesis 11:1, “The whole earth was of one language and of one speech.”
Verse 5, “The Lord (Jesus) came down (from heaven) to see the city and the tower, which the children of men build.” When the hearts of men became filled with pride, and their actions were against God, He said,
Verse 6, “Behold, the people is one = (are united against me) and they have all one language; and this they begin to do = (conspire against God.)”
Verse 7, God said, “Let us go down, and their confound = (confuse) their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
From the earliest recorded period of history, men have turned from God, in both thought and action. They turned from God, becoming Idol worshippers. To curtail this evil, God brought in many languages, thus confounding them. The people being divided in speech were now scattered to the ends of the earth. Those who understood each other remained with each other. Thus the nations were born, each speaking their own language, or tongue.
At Pentecost, in Acts 2, the curse of God upon men was temporally suspended, and things reversed back to the way they were before the languages were confounded. In this case, the ability to speak in tongues by the apostles was only through, and by the Holy Spirit. When one man spoke, all who were present, regardless of their language, by the miracle of the Holy Spirit, were able to understand the speech of the apostle. The Message was the Gospel, it being a new message concerning an old mystery. Now revealed to men by God, and understood. It was a covenant of salvation by faith, and of the grace of God. The message was foreign to them, because it did away with the old Jewish system, and brought in a new covenant. Most of those present were Jews’ who had come from various countries.
So what does Scripture mean when it speaks of tongues?
Tongues are a gift given by the Holy Spirit to the apostles. It was the immediate and intelligent speaking of a variety of languages which the speakers had never learned. This was a wonderful and decisive witness and testimony to the Gospel, as well as being suitable, and indeed in the apostles case, a necessary qualification for preaching the Gospel to the Gentile nations of the world.
Some disciples appear to have been gifted with one tongue other than their learned language, others with more. Paul was endowment was vouchsafed = (granted) in a more generous or ample degree, than to many others. Paul said of the Corinthians, who were granted the gift of tongues,
1 Corinthians 14:18, “I speak with tongues (or languages) more than ye all:”
Following are examples of how the word is used, adding nothing to God’s word.
Acts 2:11, “Creates and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues = (the language of the Creates and Arabians) the wonderful works of God.”
1 John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in work, neither in tongue = (words;) but in deed and in truth.”
Proverbs 25:15, “By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue (soft words) breaks the bone.”
Genesis 10:5 and 20, “By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; ever one after his tongue, (language) after their families, (circle of relatives) in their nations.”
Verse 20, “These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.”
Daniel 1:4, “Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue (language) of the Caldeans.”
Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, (language) and people, and nation:”
Revelation 7:9, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred’s, and people, and tongues, (languages) stood before the throne, and before the Lamb.”
Revelation 10:11, “And he said unto me, thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”
Isaiah 66:18, “For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.”
Acts 2:3-4, “And there appeared unto them = (the disciples) cloven = (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.”
This miracle came from a common root, which is the Holy Spirit, this being seen as tongues of fire, radiating from, and resting upon each man. This was a beautiful symbol of burning energy from the Holy Spirit descending with all of His wonderful gifts, upon the church. The Holy Ghost begins to pour these gifts out in every language, and over every tribe of men under heaven.
This is what my research on the subject has uncovered. I pray that it may help clarify the word, and how it is used by the Holy Spirit concerning the church.
Pentecostal Churches:
Pentecostal Churches originated in the United States around the last part of the 19th century. They teach that all Christians should seek a post (after) conversion religious experience called the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Pentecostals believe that this post-conversion experience consists of the outpouring of gifts by the Holy Spirit. This experience is accompanied by a sign. One of these signs is the ability to speak in a language entirely unknown by man, and unknown to the speaker themselves. Other gifts are prophesy, healing, or to interpret what is said when someone speaks in an unknown tongue.
Despite a common belief in certain doctrines, such as baptism of the Spirit, speaking in an unknown language, and healing, Pentecostals have not united in a singular denomination. Because of the many differing personalities, cultures, and religious heritages Pentecostal’s have not become established. Therefore, it consists of many scores of groups, differing in size, church government, ordinances, modes of worship, and a veritable spate of things most other churches would consider to be non-essential.
What are some of the ties to the past that the Pentecostal movement has with past religious organizations which are no longer in existence?
Post-apostolic instances of speaking in tongues have been recorded throughout history with other religious organizations.
The Montanist’s were a heretical group of people in the second century) led by a so called prophet, who’s name was Montanus, they no longer exists.
Radical Anabaptist: This was an extreme left wing Protestants movement in 16th century Germany, they no longer exists.
Camisards, this again was a radical Protestant peasant group from southern France, they no longer exists.
Then there was the Jansenists; this being a Catholic reform movement in the 17th and 18th century France, they no longer exists.
The Shakers, who were a celibate communal religious sect in mid-18th century America, they are still around, but few in numbers.
There was a preacher called Edward Irving, whose church was among the Mormons, at London’s Regent Square
There was an out-break of tongues in other groups of people, both in Tennessee and North Carolina.
Modern day Pentecostal movement goes back to a small religious school called Bethel Bible College in Topeka Kansas. The director of the college was Charles Parham. He believed his church had become complacent, prosperity-ridden, cold and formal.
He believed a revival was needed. Therefore, he instructed his students to pray, fast, study and await an endowment of Pentecostal blessing and power, similar to the events written in the book of Acts. On Jan.1, 1901, a student named Agnes Ozman reported that she had experienced some form of a Spirit baptism, and she began speak in an unknown language. From that day forward, Pentecostals declare that speaking in tongues was the initial evidence one needed to say they have been truly spiritually baptized.
There was a preacher called William Seymour, who had been exposed to the Pentecostal movement in Topeka Kansas. He began a movement in Los Angeles in 1906. Mr. Seymour believed that he had been spiritually energized, and convinced others that they had been also. This movement moved to a few store front missions; missions placed in sparsely populated rural areas, and also to upper-story lofts in poor neighborhoods. The leaders of this movement expected a shower of blessings, but received only a few droplets.
In 1896 at the Churches of God, some 100 people from North Carolina said that they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and had spoken in an unknown language. They were members of an organization called the Christian Union, later changed to the Holiness Church, and finally to Church of God. Many divisions and separations occurred among this Church.
There is a lot more concerning the history of this movement, but the above is enough to raise many questions. This movement in the past and the present, has caused a great wound in the body of believers. Is God the author of confusion? Does God enjoy fragmenting His children? Is God the respecter of men? Of all His sons and daughters does God bless some, and hold back Scriptural knowledge from others, of course not!
These are the questions we must all ask ourselves, examine the evidence, God is not the author of confusion and separation. He is the God of one body, His church, and there is but one head, that being Jesus Christ and one Holy Spirit. He gives to whom He pleases the gifts that will edify and glorify Jesus Christ and not men.
Phillip LaSpino seekfirstwisdom.com