Speaking in Tongues Part 1

In writing to the Church at Corinth Saint Paul took three chapters of his first letter to them to discuss the subject of spiritual gifts. Among the many problems with that church was an inappropriate obsession with what is called “the sign gifts”. They had adultery, as well as other sexual sins, and abuse of the Eucharist rampant going uncorrected in their midst that Saint Paul addressed in earlier chapters. But for some reason they thought, because they exhibited one sign gift or another, they were somehow spiritual.

Although there have been some reports of “ecstatic language” manifesting at various time in the history of the Church (such as during the First Great Awakening of the 1730’s and the Second Great Awakening of the early 1800’s as well as among the Quakers and Shakers) it was only in the last 100 years that this obsession has occupied both Protestants and (to a lesser extent) Catholics alike.

The modern Pentecostal movement traces its origins to what is called “The Azusa Street Revival” that took place in Los Angeles in 1906. From this event came the various Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies of God and offshoot sects such as the United Pentecostal Church, International. The influence upon the Catholic Church was resisted until the 1960’s… just after Vatican II. The Charismatic Renewal, as it’s called among Catholics, began in earnest around 1966. Today it’s reported that there about 160 million Charismatic Catholics worldwide.

To have an accurate perspective on this, we need to look at what the Scripture tells us about these Gifts of the Spirit… specifically the Gift of Tongues. In the text of the New Testament we are shown that there are two different types of “tongues” … the “tongues of men” and the “tongues of angels”.

First Type of “Tongues”

“Tongues” is first mentioned in the New Testament in the Acts of the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost. Prior to His ascension to Heaven the Lord had told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were “endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:29). This promise is repeated in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

This was fulfilled on Pentecost as we read in the first few verses of Acts 2. From the text we know that the type of “tongues” referred to there were human languages, for the author tells how the many ethnic groups of Jews that were gathered there that day heard the gospel message in their own languages (Acts 2:1-11).

The next time that they are mentioned is in Chapter 10 at the house of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion who was a student of the Jewish religion. Saint Peter had been directed by the Lord to go to his house to bring the good news and, while he is still preaching, the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentiles for the first time. They all spoke in tongues in the same manner as the Jews did on Pentecost. We know this to be the case because of Saint Peter’s testimony before the Church at Jerusalem recorded in Acts 11. So, once again these were human languages. But when we get to 1 Corinthians there is a difference.

The Second Type of “Tongues”

In 1 Corinthians Chapters 12 through 14 Saint Paul talks to them about spiritual gifts. In Chapter 12 “tongues” is briefly mentioned among the “sign gifts”. In Chapter 13:1 he tells us that there are two different kinds of “tongues”: “tongues of men” and “tongues of angels”. That the tongues exhibited on Pentecost was of the former type is clear from the text. But the ones that Saint Paul is talking about here are in a different class… the latter type.

We know this to be true because he tells us in Chapter 14:2 “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” “No one” must include the speaker or it would say “no one else” and that is confirmed in verse 14, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.” These “tongues” are an unknown, unlearned language spoken by no one on Earth.

The purpose of the “tongues” spoken on Pentecost and at Cornelius’ house was to proclaim the gospel message and to bear witness of the blessing on God upon it. The purpose of the “Gift of Tongues” is for the edification and spiritual enrichment of the individual. There are two errors that are prevalent mainly among Protestants: “Cessationism” and “Initial Evidence”. We’ll look at these in Part 2.