To Speak With Other Tongues

Acts 2:1-6

Of all the "Spiritual Gifts", I do not think I have been confronted by people who cannot believe that I do not hold to the charismatic view as that of tongues. Perhaps that is because there is no other gift as easily counterfeited as that of tongues. Let's face it, it is hard to pretend to heal someone without an elaborate scheme. People do pretend prophecy, but it does not take long to catch them in error. Those who hold to the charismatic view of tongues get emotionally attached to their "speaking in tongues" and will often become irate if their view is questioned. However, one needs simply to look at the context of the gift of tongues origin to see what it really was.

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When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

Acts 2:1–6

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In verses 3 and 4 we see the word tongues. In both instances the Greek word "Glossa" is used. This is the word from which we get our word "Glossary". "Glossa" can be defined two ways. First, it can mean the literal member of our body called the tongue. The second meaning of it is "languages". In verse 3, there were "divided tongues, as of fire" that appeared. This would be a more literal use of the word "glossa". Then, in verse 4, they spoke in "other "glossa" or languages. The question is, was this some "heavenly language" or was it different human languages?

To understand this, we need to look on to verse 6. In verse 6, we see that these "devout men, from every nation under heaven" were gathered in Jerusalem and "everyone heard them speak in his own language". The word translated "language" is the Greek word "dialektos" from which we get our word "dialects". In this case, dialects do not just mean different languages, but even the regional variations of those languages. There are differences in Spanish if you travel from Mexico to Panama, or Mexico to Spain. There are even differences from one region of Mexico to another. We see this in the U.S. If you ask someone for a pop in Georgia, you might get slapped. However, if you go to the Midwest, you will get a soda.

Both words are used to mean languages. So, we need to look at their context within the passage. First, no one is denying that something supernatural occurred here. God did something that was not normal in Acts 2 when He empowered the church. The result of God's action is that the church also did something supernatural; they spoke in tongues. Verse 6 tells us that the devout men living in Jerusalem came together when they heard the noise of Pentecost and they were confused. Their confusion was not because the disciples were babbling in unknown languages, but rather because each man heard them speaking in his own native language. How were these Galileans speaking in all these different languages? That was the confusion.

To speak in an unknown language is pointless. There is no benefit to the hearer if he does not understand. Paul actually tells people to be quiet if they speak an unknown language and there is no one to interpret it (I Corinthians 14:28). What good is it to pray in an unknown language if you do not know what you are saying? When we understand "tongues" to mean human languages, then all of this makes sense.

We have had a large influx of Haitians in our area. Because of that, we have had several Haitian visitors at church. They got very little out of our service because I was speaking in an "unknown tongue" to them. They did not speak English and I do not speak Creole. In those moments I wish that I had the gift of tongues so that I could speak the Gospel to them. That is what happened in Acts 2, and that is how we need to interpret this gift from God.

Father, thank you for equipping the church for the work You called us to. Help us to rightly divide Your word. We pray that You continue to equip us to the work of the gospel and may we do all things decently and in order, without confusion.