Spiritual Gifts
Part 8
Tongues and
Interpretation
First Lesson: Acts 2:1-11
1 Happened that day named PENTECOST, all Jesus followers stayed in one place.
2 And while they sat in the house, quickly a noise from heaven came and filled the whole house. That noise seemed same-as a strong wind.
3 And small fires appeared on the heads of the followers.
4 And the Holy Spirit filled them all, and they began to speak in other languages, same-as the Spirit permitted them to speak.
5 Now in the city JERUSALEM lived Jewish people from every nation on earth; and they were religious people.
6 Happened the people heard the noise, then they assembled and seemed confused, because each one heard Jesus' followers speak in his-own language.
7 They were-surprised and said with much wondering, "Look-at these men speak. They are from GALILEE, correct?
8 And how can each one of us hear the language of our home nation?
9 Among us are people named PARTHIANS, MEDES, ELAMITES, people from the nations of MESOPOTAMIA, JUDEA, CAPPADOCIA, PONTUS, and ASIA.
10 People from PHYRGIA, PAMPHYLIA, EGYPT, and places in AFRICA near CYRENE, and also visitors from ROME, both Jewish people and non-Jewish people,
11 And people from CRETE and ARABIA, we hear them speak in our languages about the wonderful works of God."
Epistle Lesson: 1 Corinthians 14:1-5
1 Have LOVE for your highest goal, but also desire the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives. The most important gift is prophecy, not speaking various languages -- tongues.
2 If you can speak in tongues, you tell the Holy Spirit's MYSTERIES -- secret things -- while you talk to God, but not to people, because they can't understand you.
3 But person who speaks prophesy -- God's messages -- that person helps other people grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them.
4 When a person speaks in tongues, that helps himself only. But when a person speaks prophecy, that helps the whole church.
5 I wish you all had Holy Spirit's gift for speaking in tongues. But I wish more that you can speak God's messages. Because prophecy is better than speaking in tongues. If someone speaks in tongues in church, he should also interpret, so that can help everyone in church.
Gospel Lesson: Mark 7:31-36
31 Again Jesus came from the place around the city TYRE, and HE came through the city SIDON to the sea GALILEE. And HE came through a place named DECAPOLIS.
32 And the people brought one man to Jesus. That man was deaf and mute. And the people asked Jesus; HIS hand to put-on the man.
33 And Jesus led the deaf man alone from the group of people. And HIS fingers Jesus put-into-his-ears. And Jesus spit and touched the man's tongue.
34 Then Jesus looked-up to heaven and breathed and said to the man, "EPHPHATHA." This means "Open."
35 And his ears opened and quickly his tongue became free and he spoke clearly.
36 And Jesus ordered the people, "Tell no one." But no-matter often Jesus ordered them not to tell, the people announced that wonderful work more and more.
37 And all the people were-surprised. And they said, "HE does all things good. HE makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Now we study the last two gifts from the Holy Spirit in Paul's long list in 1st Corinthians chapter 12 --
"Speaking in tongues" -- meaning, various languages.
Interpreting messages that God gives through someone speaking in tongues.
Some churches strongly emphasize those two gifts.
Other churches ignore those gifts.
We see much misunderstanding and disagreements
about those gifts.
We see the gift of tongues most clearly in the story about Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. But that is not the only place in the Bible that we see the Holy Spirit giving that gift. Tongues pop-up later again in Acts.
And Paul saw that same as today, Christians in Corinth misunderstood those gifts, so he wrote a long part of his first letter to them about tongues and interpretation.
When we study the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues in the Bible, we see that strange gift has three purposes:
"Speaking in tongues" -- meaning, various languages.
Interpreting messages that God gives through someone speaking in tongues.
Some churches strongly emphasize those two gifts.
Other churches ignore those gifts.
We see much misunderstanding and disagreements
about those gifts.
We see the gift of tongues most clearly in the story about Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. But that is not the only place in the Bible that we see the Holy Spirit giving that gift. Tongues pop-up later again in Acts.
And Paul saw that same as today, Christians in Corinth misunderstood those gifts, so he wrote a long part of his first letter to them about tongues and interpretation.
When we study the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues in the Bible, we see that strange gift has three purposes:
FIRST, we see in special situations the Holy Spirit sometimes gives Christians ability [skill] for telling other people about Jesus in their own language, a language that the Christian has not-yet learned.
We see that happening in Acts chapter 2, on Pentecost Sunday.
Peter and the other Disciples announce the Good News about Jesus to people from many different countries.
When the people heard some of the Disciples speaking their language, they were surprised. And they listened, and understood, and they trusted Christ.
Can that still happen today? Yes.
But that happens very rarely [not often].
And GOD decides when, where, and how that happens.
See the "Landslide" story about our missionary friend in New Guinea.
For only a short time God gave the missionary ability to speak a language that he had not-yet learned, so that he could
(1) save a child's life, and
(2) lead the child's whole village to Christ.
We see that happening in Acts chapter 2, on Pentecost Sunday.
Peter and the other Disciples announce the Good News about Jesus to people from many different countries.
When the people heard some of the Disciples speaking their language, they were surprised. And they listened, and understood, and they trusted Christ.
Can that still happen today? Yes.
But that happens very rarely [not often].
And GOD decides when, where, and how that happens.
See the "Landslide" story about our missionary friend in New Guinea.
For only a short time God gave the missionary ability to speak a language that he had not-yet learned, so that he could
(1) save a child's life, and
(2) lead the child's whole village to Christ.
The SECOND purpose for the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues in the Bible is for offering God our prayer and praise.
Pentecost began in prayer and praise (Acts:1:14).
When visitors in Jerusalem came to see what was happening, they heard the Disciple praising God. "We hear them speak about the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:11)
In 1st Corinthians chapter 14 Paul says, "If you can speak in tongues you talk to God, but not to people." That's prayer. (1 Cor. 14:2)
Prayer and praise offered to God in tongues is private, between you and God alone, "because other people can't understand you." (1 Cor. 14:2)
When people pray in tongues, that prayer comes from their spirit, not from their minds. (1 Cor. 14:14)
In Romans chapter 8 Paul wrote:
Pentecost began in prayer and praise (Acts:1:14).
When visitors in Jerusalem came to see what was happening, they heard the Disciple praising God. "We hear them speak about the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:11)
In 1st Corinthians chapter 14 Paul says, "If you can speak in tongues you talk to God, but not to people." That's prayer. (1 Cor. 14:2)
Prayer and praise offered to God in tongues is private, between you and God alone, "because other people can't understand you." (1 Cor. 14:2)
When people pray in tongues, that prayer comes from their spirit, not from their minds. (1 Cor. 14:14)
In Romans chapter 8 Paul wrote:
The Holy Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Holy Spirit Himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants. (Romans 8:26-27)
The THIRD purpose for the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues in the Bible is for announcing God's message (teaching, preaching, or prophecy) through an interpreter -- not an interpreter of any known human language, but a person to whom the Holy Spirit gives a special gift for understanding the speaker's gift of tongues.
Paul says in 1st Corinthians 13 -- the famous chapter about love -- he says, "If I speak in human languages or angels' languages..." This is the only verse in the Bible that offers the idea that maybe angels have their own languages, different than human languages on earth. Many Christians believe that the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues for prayer can possibly be languages of angels.
Paul says in 1st Corinthians 13 -- the famous chapter about love -- he says, "If I speak in human languages or angels' languages..." This is the only verse in the Bible that offers the idea that maybe angels have their own languages, different than human languages on earth. Many Christians believe that the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues for prayer can possibly be languages of angels.
Paul's main point in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 is that Christians who believe that they have the gift of tongues for #2 -- prayer, or for #3 -- proclaiming [announcing] God's message, they must use that gift very carefully. If they don't have the Holy Spirit's gift of interpreting that language, they should stay quiet and use their tongue privately.
Paul says that speaking in tongues -- languages that no one understands -- during church worship is confusing. That wrong use of tongues doesn't help anyone.
Paul says that it is much better to announce God's message in the language that people can understand, so they can believe.
Paul does not criticize speaking in tongues.
He only criticizes people use their gift in wrong ways.
He also criticizes Christians who say that speaking in tongues is the only true proof that a person has the Holy Spirit.
Many Christians today have that same misunderstanding.
They say that if you don't speak in tongues, you don't have the Holy Spirit.
In 1st Corinthians chapter 12, Paul says that teaching is very wrong!
He emphasizes that God gives different gifts to different people. God chooses one gift for one person, and a different gift for another person. All Christians don't have the same spiritual gift.
Another misunderstanding about the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues is that the idea that the Holy Spirit gave that gift only during the time of the 12 Apostles. Many Christians believe that after the 12 Disciples died, the Holy Spirit stopped giving the gift of tongues. But the Bible doesn't support that idea.*
Paul says that speaking in tongues -- languages that no one understands -- during church worship is confusing. That wrong use of tongues doesn't help anyone.
Paul says that it is much better to announce God's message in the language that people can understand, so they can believe.
Paul does not criticize speaking in tongues.
He only criticizes people use their gift in wrong ways.
He also criticizes Christians who say that speaking in tongues is the only true proof that a person has the Holy Spirit.
Many Christians today have that same misunderstanding.
They say that if you don't speak in tongues, you don't have the Holy Spirit.
In 1st Corinthians chapter 12, Paul says that teaching is very wrong!
He emphasizes that God gives different gifts to different people. God chooses one gift for one person, and a different gift for another person. All Christians don't have the same spiritual gift.
Another misunderstanding about the Holy Spirit's gift of tongues is that the idea that the Holy Spirit gave that gift only during the time of the 12 Apostles. Many Christians believe that after the 12 Disciples died, the Holy Spirit stopped giving the gift of tongues. But the Bible doesn't support that idea.*
Question: Can "tongues" include ASL? Yes. That is possible.
We know Christian people to whom the Holy Spirit gave the ability to Sign for a very short time in special situations.
Remember:
The important thing is not the gift -- not the language.
The important thing is the Holy Spirit's message.
People in Jerusalem on Pentecost Day, they clearly heard the Holy Spirit's message: "We hear them (Jesus' Disciples) speak in our languages about the wonderful works of God!" (Acts 2:11)
We know Christian people to whom the Holy Spirit gave the ability to Sign for a very short time in special situations.
Remember:
- The Holy Spirit gives the ability for speaking in tongues in times of special need -- in times and places that the Holy Spirit chooses.
- The Holy Spirit gives the message.
The important thing is not the gift -- not the language.
The important thing is the Holy Spirit's message.
People in Jerusalem on Pentecost Day, they clearly heard the Holy Spirit's message: "We hear them (Jesus' Disciples) speak in our languages about the wonderful works of God!" (Acts 2:11)
*Note:
Christians who teach that the Holy Spirit stopped giving the gift of tongues like to quote 1 Corinthians 13:8, "Tongues will stop." But that same verse also says that "Knowledge will end," and "Prophecy [preaching God's message] will end." The Holy Spirit didn't stop giving those gifts when the 12 Disciples died.
The next verses in 1 Cor. 13 explain clearly when special Holy Spirit gifts for knowledge, preaching, and tongues will end: When Christ comes again.
Christians who teach that the Holy Spirit stopped giving the gift of tongues like to quote 1 Corinthians 13:8, "Tongues will stop." But that same verse also says that "Knowledge will end," and "Prophecy [preaching God's message] will end." The Holy Spirit didn't stop giving those gifts when the 12 Disciples died.
The next verses in 1 Cor. 13 explain clearly when special Holy Spirit gifts for knowledge, preaching, and tongues will end: When Christ comes again.
Love never ends. There are gifts of prophecy, but they will be ended. There are gifts of speaking in different languages, but those gifts will stop. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will come to an end. The reason is that our knowledge and our ability to prophesy are not perfect. But when perfection comes, the things that are not perfect will end. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. It is the same with us. Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me. (1 Cor. 13:8-12)
Supplemental Scriptures
New Century Version
Genesis 11:1-9
At this time the whole world spoke one language, and everyone used the same words. As people moved from the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.
They said to each other, “Let’s make bricks and bake them to make them hard.” So they used bricks instead of stones, and tar instead of mortar. Then they said to each other, “Let’s build a city and a tower for ourselves, whose top will reach high into the sky. We will become famous. Then we will not be scattered over all the earth.”
The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the people had built. The LORD said, “Now, these people are united, all speaking the same language. This is only the beginning of what they will do. They will be able to do anything they want. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not be able to understand each other.”
So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. The place is called Babel since that is where the LORD confused the language of the whole world. So the LORD caused them to spread out from there over the whole world.
Acts 10:44-48
Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers[e] who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter asked, “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.
Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom, and the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And, to another, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to another person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And he gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
I may speak in different languages of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing if I do not have love.
Revelation 7:9-12
After the vision of these things I looked, and there was a great number of people, so many that no one could count them. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They were shouting in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures. They all bowed down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength belong to our God forever and ever. Amen!”