ST. PAUL'S POSTURE ON SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES

Harvey J. S. Blaney

Eastern Nazarene College

The purpose of this paper is to examine the New Testament passages that make reference to speaking in tongues, especially those which have become pillars of support for the modern practice of "unknown" tongues.

The passage in Mark 16:17 can be withheld from the present study because this section of the Gospel is of doubtful origin, its presence in the text being unsupported by the best Greek manuscripts. Moreover, the reference is to "new tongues" rather than unknown tongues. And if it be construed to mean "unknown tongues," the idea cannot be supported by any of the known teachings of Jesus.

There are three references to speaking in tongues in the Acts. At Pentecost (Acts 2) the disciples spoke in tongues and were understood by their listeners. The phenomenon may have involved both the speaking and the hearing. At Ephesus (Acts 19:6) the speaking in tongues was equated with prophecy and thus was intelligible communication. At the home of Cornelius in Caesarea (Acts 10:4546) the people who heard the speaking knew that the people were praising God and not talking about some mystery. And in Peter's Pentecost sermon (Acts 2: 1417) he equated the speaking in tongues with prophecy when he quoted Joel 2:2832 as being then fulfilled: "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." From these passages it can be said that the tongue speaking in the Acts was intelligible and understood.

In contrast, the tongues at Corinth were unintelligible. The church members seemed more interested in demonstration than in communication. Paul wrote them to either pray for the ability to interpret (I Cor. 14:23) or find someone who was able to (I Cor. 14:5,27), for if a visitor heard them all speaking as they did he would think they were crazy (I Cor. 14:23). Thus their practice was speaking in "unknown" tongues, something different from that recorded in the Acts. This is what is perpetuated in the present day tongues movement. Paul's discussion in I Corinthians 1214 is the only ex tended treatment of the subject in the New Testament.1

"It was a happy circumstance for the future of Christianity that, in those early days when there were almost as many wild suggestions and foolish opinions as there were converts, that there should have been in the church this one clear, practical judgment, this pure embodiment of the wisdom of Christianity."2

The Corinthian Church

The reputation of the ancient city of Corinth is well known. Many races and religions were represented in the population. It was a great center of trade and commerce and a gathering place for peoples of many countries. The continual influx of sailors with their traditional propensity to vice made Corinth a fertile seedbed for immorality and dissipation. This does not mean that the sins of the city should be attributed to the church, but it does suggest that the distinction between the two was not as clearly defined as St. Paul had sought to achieve. Moral standards and religious practices are culturally oriented and are changed only gradually, not being integral to the personal conversion experience. One must therefore allow for spiritual slip page during Paul's absence from the church, as well as several levels of Christian maturity among the members of the church. Those who were "called to be saints" had not yet arrived at any high degree of sainthood; and some who were "sanctified" were still "babes in Christ." Nevertheless they were "The church of God at Corinth," saints in the making. Actually, there is little known about the Corinthian Church at the time of Paul's writing that can be called exemplary. Most of their known actions were aberrations of true Christian life and conduct.

I Corinthians 1213

In the opening phrase of chapter 12 the Greek text usually translated "spiritual gifts" is one word meaning "spirituals," either people or things. "Gifts" was first inserted in the King James Version and placed in italics, signifying that this was thought necessary to complete the meaning intended. But Paul wrote of much more than can be brought under the concept of gifts, and so "spiritual matters" is a more accurate translation of Paul's expression pneumatikon.

"Spiritual matters" were in confusion at Corinth. The problems which had developed in this young church are treated by Paul in I Corinthians 111 and give evidence that the church members had retained many traits of their old life, cultural, religious and moral. The fact that they had written him concerning such problems as marriage between Christians and heathen, the relation of slaves and masters, and meat offered to idolsall legitimate matters of concernbut said nothing about such things as splits and quarrels among the membership, lawsuits, sexual immorality and drunkenness, was an indication of the true spiritual condition of the church.

Paul's concern was that the people did not understand the nature of true spirituality (12:1). They had been idol worshippers and are now Christian, but some of their actions are more pagan than Christian. Paul wrote, "no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus is accursed.' " They were still being "led astray to dumb idols," whereas if they had been led by the Spirit

of God they would have said "Jesus is Lord." They had lapsed into a pagan ritual, being carried away in an ecstasy until they did not know what they were doing. Paul recognized what was happening. Having begun in the Spirit they were operating after a human fashion. This would seem to be the beginning of their speaking in unknown tongues.

This form of ecstatic speaking had become a stereotype, which they claimed was evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Paul's immediate response was that the charisma of the Spirit takes many forms. There is always variety (12:4-6) seen in endowments of different kinds: "the utterance of wisdom," "the utterance of knowledge," "faith," "gifts of healing," "the working of miracles," "prophecy," "the ability to distinguish between spirits," "various kinds of tongues," "the interpretation of tongues" (12: 811). All this is done purposefully because God does not act aimlessly (12:7).

Paul carried this thought farther by reference to callings and appointments. In the church there are "first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues" (12:28). Not everyone is gifted in the same manner and Paul exhorts the Corinthians to "earnestly desire the highest gifts" (12: 31). When the two concepts are brought togethergifts and calling-we find Paul saying that God calls selected men and women to the essential services of the church and empowers them by His Spirit for their work. In this way they become gifted prophets, teachers, and the like.

In speaking of gifts Paul uses the Greek word charisma which means gracegift. If he had meant that each of those listed above was given by the Holy Spirit as an outright gift apart from talents native or acquiredwhich seems to be the connotation of the presentday literature on the subject there are more appropriate words which he could have used, and which he does use in other contexts. Either doma or dorea would have fit. From his discussion and the implications of the total list, he was evidently thinking of the power of the Holy Spirit to anoint and use effectively the energies of the people with their various abilities to fill the necessary offices in the church (12:2831). Gifts then are the capabilities of the people enhanced by the grace of God and thus gracegifts, charismata. One man is called to preach, another to teach, another to speak the gospel in other than his own native tongue, and so on. The gifts are human as well as divine and must be cultivated as well as anointed, for the edification of the church and the spreading of the gospel.

To Paul then, the true gift of speaking in tongues must be similar to the other gracegiftsa natural ability to speak, developed and improved and lifted to a new level of effectiveness by the Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit does not ignore human talents nor supplant them by something that is magical or unintelligible, He accepts them when dedicated to Him and causes them to exceed their natural limits of service and effectiveness and in the demonstration of the grace of God.

Speaking in "unknown" tongues, then, would not be a true charisma or gracegift of the Spirit. The Corinthian Christians were demonstrating what had doubtless begun as a work of the Spirit but which had slipped into an emotional pattern, more human than divine, and gone out of control.

The More Excellent Way

If ignorance, or even immaturity, had been the besetting sin at Corinth, a set of instructions could have brought about a correction. Paul does offer some instructions, but these are meant for control and not as a cure. For the trouble lay in the motives of the people. They were motivated by their own spirit (14:2), emphasizing "unknown tongues" at the expense of the grace gifts at their commandand the church was divided and unbalanced. The true evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit is to be found, not in ecstatic demonstrations and strange speech, but in allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord (I Cor. 12:3) and in manifestations of agape, selfgiving love (I Cor. 13:47). This is why this great essay on love is dropped down in the midst of Paul's discussion of the excesses and aberrations of the Christian faith found in Corinth.

And so while Paul was kindly disposed toward the Corinthian Christians, at the same time he was displeased with what he observed. There is no indication that he considered speaking in "unknown tongues" as an overflow of the Spirit or an experience too sublime for normal expression. He emphasizes its failure to demonstrate spiritual maturity. It is a sign of spiritual childhood (14:20), and he calls the Corinthians "babes in Christ" (3:11) and immature (8:7f.). He preached that they must outgrow their childish ways and become men (13:11). The ability to do something in an unreasonable or mysterious way is to Paul no evidence of superior grace or Christian maturity. When the grace of God through the Holy Spirit touches a man's speech, it comes alive with meaning and effectiveness. It does not turn him inward upon himself, but outward toward others in love.

If it were possible to speak the language of angels (13:1) even that would be something less than a true gracegift, unless it manifested the love which is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Paul is not suggesting that anyone has ever spoken in angelic language, least of all the Corinthian Christians.

Chapter 13 provides the prime evidences of the presence of gracegifts. When love, the gift of the Spirit, is not in control, there may be a flurry of sound and activity having little spiritual substance or real profit (w. 13). The manifestations of the Spirit are spiritual and moral, not physical (w. 47). This same emphasis is found in Galatians 5:2223 where Paul says that "the fruit of the Spirit is love," expressed as "joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith." The true charisma is Spiritanointed service in fellowship with others in love and understanding.

"Chapter 13, the great love chapter, was composed to meet the problem of 'tongues'. Love is the highest 'way' . . . Love is God's excellent and ultimate way. In contrast, tongues 'will cease' (v. 8). Love is God's endless highway; 'tongues' are a deadend street, leading nowhere."3 I Corinthians 14

St. Paul is not always uniform in his use of words. For instance, the same Greek word (pneuma) is used for the Holy Spirit, the human spirit, and for spirit having the connotation of a mood, quality or inclination. He also uses three different words which are translated "tongues" in most versions of the New Testament. They are dialekton, glossa and phonon. The second is used almost exclusively in the present chapter (14). The last is used to denote mere sound, while the other two are used to denote a language which is peculiar to a people and distinct from that of another. Wherever another meaning is intended it must be seen from the context. Thus glossa always means a language unless another meaning is signified. Paul indicated his meaning in the present usage by offering an analogy to the tongues at Corinth.

When a bugler blows an uncertain military call, the soldiers do not know whether to turn in for the night or fall in for battle (v. 8). From this we draw three premises: the speaking in tongues at Corinth was unintelligible (v. 13), it should not be supposed that glossa as Paul used it always means unknown tongues, and the purpose of speaking should always be communication. Whether in prayer or song (v. 15), praise (v. 17), or in public address (v. 27), one should make use of his mind as well as his inner spirit (v. 15) and it should be done for the purpose of mutual edification (v. 26).

Certain phrases in this chapter have become pillars of the doctrine and practice of unknown tongues. They are: "I want you all to speak in tongues" (v. 5); "If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful" (v. 14); "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all" (v. 18). "Do not forbid speaking in tongues" (v. 39); "In the law it is written 'By men of strange tongues and by lips of foreigners will I speak to this people' " (v. 21).

That All Speak in Tongues

In what kind of tongues did Paul wish the Christians to speak? Certainly not the kind in which people cursed Christ, neither that which was demonstrated when no one was able to understand what was supposed to be said (14:2), and which the speakers themselves did not understand, because they were advised to pray for the ability to interpret or translate (14:13). Only God could understand them (14:2). Those who prophesied or preached encouraged and edifled the church, while the tongue speaking was consumed upon the speakers (14:34). It is quite evident that Paul wished his converts to use the kind of speech which could be understood.

Praying in the Spirit

Paul's reference to praying "in a tongue" (14:14) is taken by many as evidence that he prayed in a unknown tongue, and Romans 8:26 is used to support the concept that praying in the Spirit and praying in an unknown tongue are the same. But in the first instance Paul is speaking hypothetically, and in the second there is no reference to tongues whatsoever. He emphasized praying with the understanding as well as within one's spirit (14:15).

Did Paul Speak in Unknown Tongues?

"I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all." This phrase follows closely upon the statement that, if one expresses his thanksgiving with emotional manifestations that are void of meaning, those who listen are not instructed and built up in the art of Christian praise, neither are they able to respond with the customary Amen. The exclusiveness of the Corinthian manner of religious expression (unknown tongues) made them feel superior to those who did not speak that way (14:36). And so Paul decided to boast a little for himself You speak in a tongue which no one can understand and are proud of yourselves; but I speak in languages more than all of you; and five words that I speak intelligently to instruct others is worth more than 10,000 words of what you utter unintelligibly for your own sakes. Paul could say this because he spoke Hebrew, Greek, Latin and probably Aramaic. Also, he had communicated the gospel to multitudes more than all of them put together. And so to credit Paul with speaking in unknown tongues is quite out of keeping with what we know of him and his stress on intelligent speech and the moral and spiritual effects of the Spirit's work. Forbid Not to Speak in Tongues

Doubtless it was not always possible to ascertain in the Corinthian church whether a strange speech was a true language or not, because of the multilingual character of the changing congregation. To forbid all speaking except what the leaders could understand would have been unfair to visitors. The simple rule to provide a translation would easily identify the language. To encourage speaking in unknown tongues would have been an invitation to increased confusion. And so Paul's final exhortation (14:39), translated in keeping with his total stand on the subject, reads: "Strongly desire to prophesy (or preach) and do not hinder your proclamation by unknown tongues."5

The specific advice which Paul gives concerning conduct in public ser vices is quite familiar to readers of this Epistle and needs little comment (14:2640). Some of the church members were arrogant, acting as if the gospel started and ended with them (14:26). To them Paul says that, if they are as desirous of proclaiming the gospel and as spiritual as they cl~im to be, they will recognize that what he has written is from God and is the truth (14:37). The church is not to harbor anyone who will not accept his regulations (14:38).

The Effects of Unknown Tongues

To emphasize both the cause and the effect of speaking in unknown tongues (14:2125), Paul quotes from Isaiah 28:1113. "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." This was originally spoken when the prophet had been scorned by priests and prophets who were "confused with wine" and who "stagger with strong drink." In their drunken stupor they had accused the prophet of babbling petty platitudes, when their own inebriated minds were interpreting the message of God as meaningless inanities. The prophet's reply was that the next time God would speak through an enemy with a strange or foreign language, not only in words but also in deeds. "By men of strange lips and with an alien tongue, the Lord will speak to this people." And they Israel will "fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." The strange tongues were indicative of God's displeasure and judgment, not of His pleasure and blessing.

St. Paul uses this incident to illustrate what was happening at Corinth where unknown tongues had become a major problem. Tongues were evidence of confusion on the part of the church members and a misreading of the work of the Spirit among them; they were less than genuine demonstrations of the work of the Spirit; speaking in unknown tongues was the mark of their own folly and carried its own condemnation in terms of its self centeredness, and its failure to communicate positive meaning to others.

He went on to say that unknown tongues had no significance for Christians (14:22) because what was said had no meaning to them. On the other hand such speaking did have an effect upon unbelievers (14:22) for, since they heard nothing to which they could respond (14:16), it indicated that the speakers were crazy (14:23). However, if Christians will prophesy, that is, speak with meaning and so as to be understood, people will be convicted of sin and become converted.

The Apostle may have seen a correspondence between unknown tongues and the incoherent speech of drunken men. This could have been in his mind when he wrote, "Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:1718).

Jesus and Tongues

There is no evidence of "unknown tongues," either by word or action, in the life and teachings of Jesus. He taught much about the Holy Spirit and gave the promise of His coming at Pentecost. But nowhere does Jesus suggest that speaking in unknown tongues would be associated with any phase of the redemptive work of the Spirit. On the other hand, He deplored the babblings of pagan religions: "And in praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words" (Mt. 6:7).

Of all the great charismatic leaders of all time, Jesus Christ must stand at the head of the line, both in terms of His ministry and its fruit in the three brief years of his ministry, also in terms of its effects in the lives of people throughout the centuries and the great host of people who have responded to His appeal and still follow Him by the millions. If any man on earth ever demonstrated the true chansma of the Spirit in the most real and effective sense, Jesus Christ was that man. And yet He never was known to speak in unknown tongues, neither did He encourage His disciples to do so. Jesus always spoke in the simple language of His day, and the common people heard Him gladly. Conclusion

"Speaking in tongues" has usually been a controversial issue in the church and an open door to dissentions and irregularities among Christians. As long as the gospel is interpreted in such a way as to allow that there is a gift of the Spirit of unknown tongues, even though the preacher or teacher may not claim it for himself, he is endorsing what is at best an erroneous interpretation of the New Testament, exposing people to precarious suggestions and hazardous risks, and allowing them to major on the bizarre and exceptional. It is certain that, if St. Paul's analysis for the Corinthian Church was understood and accepted, unknown tongues would soon die out and God's Word would be proclaimed more meaningfully and effectively, all other things being equal.

St. Paul believed in a true charisma of the Holy Spirit, but not in a chrisma of an unknown tongue. He recognized that speaking in unknown tongues was practiced in the Corinthian Church, but he did not encourage it or accept it as a work of the Spirit. He was tolerant as he was with slavery, which he did not condemn in an outright fashion (Philemon). In both cases he invoked the principle of selfgiving love to God and man, knowing that love alone can solve such interpersonal problems and at the same time save the people involved.

Paul saw the Corinthian Christians as spiritual children, while he recognized a goodly degree of sincere spirituality among them, He did not deny them the sense of divine communion which they may have experienced, even as a good parent does not reject the child because he is immature and incoherent. He knew that speaking in unknown tongues evinced their lack of comprehension of the higher grace of God rather than a lofty experience of the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in unknown tongues was a hindrance to preaching and an expression of undeveloped Christian spirituality, in the context of an understandable cultural and psychological background. This is how St. Paul understood it. Rather than a gift or work of the Holy Spirit, it is at best a human response to the presence of the Spirit, a response which may be duplicated by many stimuli both religious and secular.

It is interesting to note that Paul exhausts three chapters in First Corinthians to discuss the gracegifts of the Spirit, because they are so easily misunderstood and perverted in their expression and so readily monopolized by human desires and ambitions. On the other hand, concerning the fruit of the Spirit loveand its various manifestations he says that there is no law (Gal. 5 :2223). It is difficult to be fanatical, or arrogant, or unkind, or selfish, or overzealous in the expression of agape, selfgiving love.

DOCUMENTATION

1. All quotations are from the Revised Standard Version. Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations are from First Corinthians.

2. Marcus Dods, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New York: A.C. Armstrong, 1898), p. 6.

3. Stagg, Vinson and Oates, Glossolalia (Nashville: Abingdon, 1967), p. 36.

4. See II Cor. 11.

5. A translation developed by three young Nazarene scholars, with some participation by the author of this paper. They are Charles Isbell of the University of Massachusetts, and Robert Branson and Sherrill Munn, both of Eastern Nazarene College.