Over the years, my tongue has gotten me into some trouble because I have blurted out things without thinking and have said things that are not helpful or beneficial to others. I suspect at least some of those reading this blog can say the same thing about themselves. Our tongues can cause trouble and can get us into trouble, so it is important for us to seek to “get a grip” on our tongues.
In a similar way, what is known as the “the gift of tongues” (which I’ll define in a moment) has created some trouble among Christians over the years. In fact, misunderstandings and misuse of tongues seems to be one of the reasons that the Apostle Paul wrote the letter known as 1 Corinthians as he repeatedly mentions it in 1 Corinthians 12-14. We don’t know how Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians were received by the Corinthians, but we do know that Christians reading this letter over the years have come to different conclusions about what Paul was addressing and what they mean for Christians beyond Corinth. While I can’t address every issue about this topic in a post, my hope is to offer a few thoughts that might help us “get a grip” on Paul’s discussion of tongues and implications for today.
Getting a Grip on Tongues in Corinth
Paul’s words about the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians describe it as being present in Corinth but do not precisely define what it is. The word “tongue” can refer to the physical thing in our mouth but also to a way of speaking – a language. There is thus a sense in which anyone speaking is “speaking in a tongue,” but the statement that someone is “speaking in a tongue” typically points to them speaking in a language that is not one native to or known by them.
The only other book of the Bible referencing “speaking in tongues” is Acts, which recounts three instances in which people are said to speak in this manner (Acts 2:1-11; 10:44-48; 19:1-7). The most detail is found in the first account, when the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost and the people then speak in “different” (CSB) or “other” (ESV) tongues (2:4). These “tongues” were the native languages of those who had gathered in Jerusalem from other countries, languages that Jesus’s disciples would not have known (Acts 2:6-10). What was being said in the languages of those gathered that day is said to be “the magnificent works of God” (Acts 2:11). The two other occasions in the book of Acts in which people “speak in tongues” have less details in terms of the relationship between the language being spoken and the ability of those listening to understand it but likely should be viewed similarly since the point of these accounts is to show that non-Jewish people (10:44-48) and those who only knew the baptism of John the Baptist (19:1-7) had a similar experience as the disciples on Pentecost and thus included as equals in the Christian community.
While interpretation of the tongues was not needed at Pentecost and not mentioned in other places in Acts where people speak in tongues, it is a key element of the discussion in 1 Corinthians. The list of spiritual gifts that includes speaking in tongues but also includes interpreting them (12:10, 30; also see 14:26). Paul states the gift of tongues is less valuable to the church than the gift of prophecy unless the tongues are interpreted (14:5-9). That principle is why he later notes that while he has the gift of tongues, he would rather speak five words in the church that are understood than ten thousand in a tongue (14:18-19). The content of the message in a tongue is said to be “mysteries in the Spirit” (14:2), but because someone cannot understand that content unless it is interpreted, uninterpreted tongues do not build up the church but rather a person (14:5). That benefit, however, does not seem tied to understanding the content of what was being said as the tongue speaker might not have the gift of interpretation (14:13) and thus be “unfruitful” in understanding but simply praying “in the spirit” (14:15). Since uninterpreted tongues don’t build up the church (and bring confusion to unbelievers present – see 14:22-23), Paul tells them that they can only be used in the public gatherings when there is an interpretation with it (14:27-28), otherwise the “person is to keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God” (14:28). Earlier in the passage, Paul states that the one speaking in a tongue speaks to God (14:2) and that one can pray in a tongue (14:14); it is unclear if either of those things is happening in the examples in Acts as those situations appear to be one-time events happening in the presence of others.
These comments about tongues in 1 Corinthians have led some to think that the tongue speaking in Corinth was of a different function and nature than that in Acts. Since Paul mentions both human and angelic “tongues” in 1 Corinthians 13:1 some think that the tongues spoken in Corinth are angelic languages, rather than the human languages described in Acts, and that these were used in prayer (privately or publicly). However, it is unclear if such a comment about angelic languages is simply Paul making something of a hyperbolic point, since there are no other references to angelic languages in the passage but he does include a clear reference to “languages of the world” within his discussion of tongues (14:10-11). Therefore, others think that the tongues were human languages, like Acts, that were unknown to the speaker or the people in the community.
Whether the languages were human or angelic, they led to some problems in the Corinthian church that Paul counters here in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Some may have thought this gift was more important or special than others and/or were using it in public gatherings as a way to look more impressive. Paul declares such a mentality as being childish (14:20) and seeks to correct their misunderstanding of it by noting that the same Holy Spirit gives a number of different gifts (12:4-11). The placement of this gift (along with interpretation) at the end of the list of gifts in 12:10 and 12:30 seems to be a way to indicate that this gift was not more important than the others. Their misunderstanding and misuse of it does not lead Paul to denigrate the gift (as he thanks God for possessing it himself in 14:5), or ban it (14:39) but rather to offer guidelines around their use in the assembly. In particular, he says that only two or three can use it in a gathering and only if there was someone to interpret it so others could understand. Such instructions imply that speaking in another tongue was something that the people had some control over and thus should think through how to use it, recognizing that gifts should always be used for the common good (12:7) and to be exercised in love (chapter 13).
Getting a Grip on Tongues Beyond Corinth
Ironically, Paul’s words that were meant to address trouble surrounding the gift of tongues in Corinth have been the cause of trouble in churches over the years. Some churches (often labeled Pentecostal or charismatic) view these words as indicating that this gift is one that will continue to be given to Christians until Christ’s return. Others, however, see the comment in 1 Corinthians 13:8 as indicating that it will cease, pointing to this as a gift given for a temporary season. These different views have divided churches and have led to harsh accusations being made against those who disagree. Doing so seems to run counter to the overarching point Paul makes in this passage, tearing apart rather than building up the church and not walking in accordance with the famous description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 that appears in the midst of the discussion of spiritual gifts.
Regardless of what one thinks about the gift of tongues, let us use our tongues to speak truth in love, using it and whatever gifts we see God has given us as individuals to build up the church, helping the community to reflect its reality as the temple of God and being used by the Holy Spirit in His work of transforming Christians into the image of Jesus.
Questions about the Bible or theology? Email them to Pastor Brian at Theology@WeAreFaith.org. You can also email to be added to the list that receives weekly emails with our blog posts.
