So a while back I was at a bus stop coming home from school when I saw a lady who was shouting in a language I did not understand, she was not shouting at anyone in particular and she wasn't aggressive she was just rambling. Now me, being the curious sort I am and a bit of Linguaphile decided to ask what language she was speaking to which she replied "I'm speaking in tongues. You can't do that?" and then she continued to ramble. At this point, I rolled my eyes and continued to wait for my bus. I've discussed speaking in tongues but I don't think I've really talked about it so in this article I'm gonna talk about it, so let's dive in.
So what spurned this on was an Instagram post that I responded to and I was delighted to find that quite a few people agreed with my position, so what is my position? Well, my position is this: I don't believe that "tongues" are not some unintelligible language, but rather I believe that "tongues" are actual languages, and I have Biblical proof to support my position. Let's go to Acts 2:1-8;
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
So what you have is The Holy Spirit appearing to the Apostles and then they go out and start speaking in tongues, but these "tongues" as The Bible shows are actual languages. If you note verse 6 it says very clearly "Each one heard their own language being spoken". Notice also that The Apostles weren't just rambling in private like my encounter with the woman at the bus stop (prior to my arrival she was alone). Now does The Bible support tongues being an unintelligible language? Not really. Let's dive a little deeper and go to 1 Cor 12:10 where Paul is talking about the various spiritual gifts and he once again brings up tongues but what immediately follows afterwards? INTERPRETATION. The logical question one should ask is how can one interpret a language that no one else speaks?
There was an episode of "Frasier" where Frasier was jokingly taught Klingon instead of Hebrew to bless his son at his Bar Mitzvah, while the Hebrew speakers were confused, Frasier's family (non-Hebrew speakers) had no clue of the major gaff that Frasier had made. I'm bringing all of this up to showcase what speaking in tongues is like for people who don't speak in tongues. Luckily for Frasier, someone was present who understood Klingon, but for most Christians who find themselves in my predicament, there isn't anyone around to interpret what they're hearing, and if what they're hearing isn't an established language who can verify what is being said? If these people are supposedly receiving revelation from God then why would He make His followers ramble gibberish? And if someone else were to interpret the gibberish how are we to verify this if what they're saying isn't an established verifiable language?
Let's dig even deeper and go to 1 Cor 14:1-28 where once again Paul explicitly talks about speaking in tongues and he has quite a bit to say;
"14 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified."
Once again Paul lays down that tongues MUST BE interpreted, therefore this must be a language that someone else is capable of speaking. But we're going even further;
6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
Notice what Paul didn't say and what he DID say, Paul compared tongues to "languages in the world", therefore Paul understood that though he may not grasp what was being said, his belief (evident by his wording) is that the words can be understood by someone other than the speaker. Furthermore, in Verse 9 Paul makes my argument for me by saying unless you're speaking intelligently how is anyone going to understand you? These verses make it clear that Paul did not understand tongues the way Bus Stop Lady did.
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
Once again Paul makes it clear that tongues spoken in public without understanding and interpretation are meaningless, Paul notes that while the speaker may have got something out of their tongues no one else did, and because of that no one else is blessed by this gift but the speaker.
"18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
This is critical because Paul is pointing out the exact interaction I had at the bus stop. Paul recognizes that people sitting in pews (or in his case, standing around) babbling in another language helps no one. And yet there are churches where everyone just starts babbling and as an unbeliever, how are they supposed to take any of that seriously? Paul is making no exceptions by stating how important understanding is. Paul is making it clear that speaking in tongues MUST have interpretation and doing so without can cause problems, most notably looking insane in front of nonbelievers (as did Bus Stop Lady)
"26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God."
And that's the closer right there! My argument is that if you are speaking in a language that cannot be understood then it should be done in private between you and God. The image of babbling Christians is an image that both Paul and Jesus were weary of if you go to Matt 6:5-7,
"5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words."
Jesus says "babbling like pagans". During those times, Pagans used to concoct long-winded prayers and continuous chanting that made them look crazy, going even further back to Elijah 1 Kings 18:28;
"28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed."
; where you can see Pagans being whipped into so much of a frenzy that they start cutting themselves. When it comes to tongues and various gifts The Bible makes it clear how we're supposed to use these gifts and the exact conditions in which we're supposed to find these things compelling. Paul says that tongues are a sign for unbelievers. What does this mean though if we're not supposed to be babbling in tongues in church? Well, when it comes to tongues I've heard stories in which missionaries went to other countries and interacted with locals they found themselves somehow able to understand one another despite neither being able to speak the other's language and I've heard these stories more often than random babbling causing anyone to come to Christ.
This isn't to say that I outright discredit the unintelligible form of tongues as a good friend of mine claimed to have spoken in tongues once, however, the context of that was not at a bus stop but rather he was in church and being prayed over by several elders and suddenly found himself speaking on tongues. He has since not been able to replicate that moment and as far as I know, hasn't sought out to do so. But even still at that moment he was not being instructed to do so on command or made an effort to attempt to speak in tongues, it simply happened. I have no reason to doubt my friend in his experience and therefore won't comment on it any further other than to address the context between what occurred with me at the bus stop and in some churches versus what happened to my friend. The point is we are to be careful how we use these gifts and how we express them. Being able to speak in tongues is a wonderful gift BUT some can use these gifts NOT to glorify God but to glorify themselves and in doing so will make themselves appear foolish. Case in point, watch this video
It is my belief, and I'm not putting this in The Bible, but it is my belief that you shouldn't be able to trick God's anointed by claiming to be God's anointed or rephrasing that a False Prophet shouldn't be able to trick a Real Prophet. If someone really does have the gift of tongues (the unintelligible kind) and someone pretends to speak in tongues as the person in the video did then the Authentic Prophet should be able to recognize that what the person is speaking is gibberish and not actual tongues, otherwise both of them are saying absolute nonsense. This is why we have strict conditions for these things and I am not shaming or admonishing anyone for having the gift I am just pointing out that The Bible says in so many words BE CAREFUL HOW YOU USE IT! That's all I have to say on that, Peace in Christ!
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