Lesson ▪ 2000 Tags: Holy Spirit; Tongues; Pentecostalism; Cessationism Excerpted from The Holy Spirit in the New TestamentRelated Resources: A Balanced Approach to Spiritual Gifts ▪ Paul’s Directives in 1 Corinthians 14
Introduction
If asked if to explain whether tongues are for today, most
Christians would probably respond in terms of their own observation and experience.
These, however, are inadequate starting points for discussion. This excursus
will examine the New Testament to answer six fundamental questions pertaining
to tongues.
Do Tongues Occupy a Prominent Place in the New Testament?
The New Testament authors do not seem to place great
emphasis on the matter of speaking in tongues.
- Tongues are mentioned specifically in only 3 of the 27 books
of the New Testament: Mark, Acts, and 1 Corinthians. The authenticity of Mark
16:9-20, containing the book’s only reference to tongues (v. 17), is seriously
questioned by many scholars. Acts refers directly to tongues only 4 times (2:4,
11; 10:46; 19:6). In addition, it is narrative of historical events rather than
a treatise of theological truth. 1 Corinthians, while containing an extended
discussion of tongues and spiritual gifts, is obviously corrective. These texts
can scarcely be the foundation for a major biblical doctrine.
- The book of Acts mentions the Holy Spirit approximately 50
times. Given that tongues are named only 4 times, it is evident they are not
the primary expression of the Spirit in the life of the believer.
- There are more than 100 references to the Holy Spirit in the
latter half of the New Testament (Romans through Revelation). Yet tongues are
named specifically in only 3 chapters of a single letter (1 Cor 12-14). Other
ministries of the Spirit (e.g., sealing, indwelling, filling, fruit-bearing,
empowering, and interceding) seem to be more prominent in the later New
Testament.
- The New Testament contains several “lists” of spiritual gifts. It is significant to note that only 1 of these passages mentions tongues,
and there it occupies last place (1 Cor 12:8-10, 28-30). Three other spiritual gifts passages omit any reference to tongues (Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11; 1 Pet
4:10-11).
What Were the Tongues of the New Testament?
The tongues of the New Testament were known languages of the
time.
- The Greek word glossa, which underlies references to
tongues, admits several meanings: the organ of speech (e.g., Lk 16:24; Phil
2:11; Jas 3:5ff); the language of a people (e.g., Acts 2:11); and, by
extension, a people group (e.g., Rev 5:9; 7:9).
- The Jews visiting Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost
acknowledged that the disciples were speaking in their own languages (Acts 2:6,
8, 11).
- While many scholars (e.g., Louw and Nida 389; Haarbeck
3:1080) distinguish the tongues of 1 Corinthians from those of Acts, there is
no clear warrant for doing so. Paul implied that tongues convey meaning, though
it may not be understood by the hearer. Tongues are, nevertheless, languages of
some sort (1 Cor 14:6-13). They are not merely ecstatic speech (cf. 1 Cor
14:2).
- David Lowery concludes: “The same may be said of the meaning
of the word glossa elsewhere in the New Testament. Whether it was used
literally of the physical organ [. . .] or figuratively of human languages [. .
.], it nowhere referred to ecstatic speech. If it is reasonable to interpret
the unknown with the help of the known, the obscure by the clear, then the
burden of proof rests with those who find in this term a meaning other than
human language” (537-38).
What Was the Purpose of Tongues in the New Testament?
Tongues accomplished several purposes in the New Testament:
- Tongues attest to the credibility of the Christian faith (Mk
16:17; cf. Heb 2:3-4).
- Tongues attract the attention of unbelievers, especially
Jews, giving visibility to the apostolic message (Acts 2:4ff; 1 Cor 14:21-22;
cf. Is 28:11-12).
- Tongues provide visible evidence of the conversion of
Gentiles and others whose salvation might be called into question (Acts
10:44-46; 19:1-6).
- Tongues enhance the speaker’s own relationship with God (1
Cor 14:2, 4, 14).
Does the Modern Pentecostal Movement Demonstrate That
Tongues Are Valid Today?
The modern tongues movement generally does not conform to
the following New Testament guidelines:
- Believers should not be expected to possess the same spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12, esp. vv. 7-11, 28-30).
- All spiritual gifts, including tongues, are to be used for
the benefit of the whole church, not the individual believer (1 Cor 14:1-5, 12,
26; cf. 1 Cor 13:1-7).
- All messages spoken in tongues should be interpreted (1 Cor
14:5, 13, 27-28).
- The exercise of the gifts in the church should be orderly (1
Cor 14:23, 27, 40).
- Women are to exercise restraint in the public exercise of
their gifts (1 Cor 14:34-35).
Does the New Testament Indicate Whether Tongues Would
Persist?
The New Testament gives some indication that tongues would
fade off the scene.
- Paul specifically stated that tongues would cease (1 Cor
13:8). While there is much debate as to when this prophecy was or will be
fulfilled, the fact of the prediction remains. Myron Houghton and Donald
Launstein discuss in some detail the timing of the ceasing.
- The final third of Acts omits any mention of tongues.
- There is no mention of tongues in the later books of the New
Testament, including Paul’s later epistles, the general epistles, and
Revelation.
- The miraculous confirmation of the apostolic message seemed
to be fading by the time Hebrews was penned (cf. Heb 2:3-4).
- Some of the purposes of tongues lost relevance after the
first generation of Christianity. First, Gentiles achieved acceptance in the
Christian community early in the apostolic period. Second, the establishment of
churches around the Roman Empire, coupled with the writing of the New
Testament, established Christianity’s credibility. Third, the destruction of
Jerusalem in 70 AD scattered the Jews and diminished their identity (Launstein
6).
- Tongues were not prominent in the post-apostolic period. The
church fathers wrote relatively little concerning tongues and other gifts of the Spirit. While some of them seemed to recognize the continued validity of
tongues, others (such as Chrysostom and Augustine) denied it vehemently. At
least some of the post-apostolic concern with supernatural gifts was associated
with a controversial prophetic movement known as Montanism (Hunter; Rogers,
Jr.; Wright).
- It is not contrary to God’s nature for Him to deal with
believers and mankind in general in different ways over the course of time. In
particular, miracle-working does not seem to have been common through biblical
history. Most miracles performed through human agency occurred in one of three
periods: Moses/Joshua, Elijah/Elisha, and Jesus/apostles.
If the Gift of Tongues Is Not Present Today, How Can the
Charismatic Movement Be Explained?
Modern tongues may be ecstatic speech associated with a
religiously-induced trance.
- Ecstatic speech is not indicative of a revelation from God.
Members of heretical sects and even non-Christian religions have been known to
experience phenomena similar to modern charismatic tongues. Studies indicate
that Christian ecstasy is not linguistically different from that found in other
religions (Goodman).
- “Tongues” surface where people expect them to occur. This
stands in contrast to the New Testament, where Jewish and Gentile believers
spoke in tongues without having been taught to seek them out (Acts 2:1-4;
10:44-46).
Conclusion
The tongues of the New Testament were apparently
contemporary languages uttered supernaturally by those who had never learned
them. The purposes of tongues included establishing the credibility of the
Christian message; attracting the attention of unbelievers; and providing a
visible sign of conversion. The New Testament does not indicate that tongues
occupied a prominent place in the life of the early church.
Both biblical and extra-biblical evidence suggest a
cessation of tongues early in the life of the church. The modern Pentecostal
movement fails to conform to New Testament prescriptions for the exercise of
the gift. Modern “tongues” may be ecstatic speech associated with a
religiously-induced trance.
Learning Objectives
- To survey the biblical data concerning the gift of tongues.
- To assess modern Pentecostalism in the light of biblical
principles, historical data, and linguistic study.
- To encourage participants to adopt the cessationist view of
tongues.
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