Gift of tongues in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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What is the Gift of Tongues?
THE GIFT OF TONGUES
one of the mysterious phenomena connected with the work of the apostles. It belongs to the miraculous gifts which adorned the primitive age of the Church. Our Lord, immediately before his ascension, promised his disciples that they should speak with new tongues. Mark 16:17. This promise had the beginning of its fulfilment on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2. We must, however, distinguish between the proper essence of this speaking with tongues, as a gift of the apostolic Church in general, and the particular form under which it made its first appearance on that day. Only in this way can we understand 1 Cor 14. Luke does not describe as a common event the phenomenon of Pentecost, nor was that wondrous scene repeated in the house of Cornelius. Acts 10:46. Pentecost stands alone, and the subsequent gift of tongues must be looked upon as a different manifestation of one and the same Spirit. This can be made evident. 1. The tongues of Pentecost were tongues like flames of fire. Their coming upon the disciples was preceded by violent noises. It seemed a literal possession. They spoke involuntarily, and with strange power. But in the Corinthian church there was no such thing. The speaking took place in the meetings of the church. It was done quietly. It came in as part of the service. It could be omitted or suppressed. 1 Cor 14:28. 2. On Pentecost the disciples spoke strange languages, understood by those to whom they were native. Acts 2:6. The words employed plainly indicate that the miracle was with the disciples. But in the Corinthian church the words spoken under this influence were not understood until the speaker had himself interpreted his words or been interpreted. 1 Cor 14:13, 1 Cor 14:27. We may, however, find resemblances between the Pentecostal phenomenon and those in the Corinthian church. In each case the speaking with tongues was primarily an address to God, and not to men. It was an act of worship, performed, not to impress unbelievers, but out of the joy of their hearts. Acts 2:4; cf. 1 Chr 24:6; 1 Cor 14:26. Again, it appeared to unfriendly or listless hearers as madness or intoxication. Acts 2:13; 1 Cor 14:23. To those who understood, however, the speaking was edifying. It should be remarked that the Corinthians were by no means the only Christians who enjoyed this spiritual gift of utterance. It formed, indeed, part of the work of the Spirit upon these primitive believers. See Acts 10:46. Nor did it die out in the first century. Irenaeus, a father of the latter half of the second century, writes: "We hear many brethren in the church, having prophetical gifts, and by the Spirit speaking in all kinds of languages." We define this phenomenon, in the case of these Christians, as an involuntary praying or singing in an ecstatic state in which the Holy Ghost rules the human mind and plays, as it were, upon it as an instrument. "Vehemently borne along by the Spirit, forgetting the world and himself, enraptured in the immediate enjoyment of the Deity, the speaker with tongues broke forth in a communication of divine mysteries or a song of praise for the wonderful works of eternal love." The interpretation of this strange speech could be made only by those in a similar ecstasy. St. Paul advises that where there is no interpreter there be no such speaking. It will be seen that we hold the ability of speaking in a foreign language without any study therein was not part of this gift of tongues; that was done only on Pentecost. Paul was a master in speaking with tongues, but he was ignorant of the language of Lycaonia. Acts 14:11-14. There is a primitive and reliable tradition that Peter used Mark as his interpreter in Rome. The fact of the Greek language being so widespread precluded the necessity of such miraculous power. The instances of the "speaking" cited in the N.T. are all of one description - not evangelistic, but declarative: Christian to Christian, not to foreigner. Indeed, the expression "'to speak with new tongues' seems of itself not to point to foreign dialects - for they were not new - but to a language different from all dialects in use, a language of the new Spirit poured out upon the disciples." In modern times, in the congregation of the Rev. Edward Irving, in London, 1830, there was a marvellous phenomenon similar in some respects to that described in 1 Cor 14. It continued for some time in connection with prophetic utterances. Out of the excitement it caused grew the so-called Catholic Apostolic Church, of which Mr. Irving was first leader, although it was not fully organized till after his death.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'gift of tongues' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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