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Misunderstanding Tongues – A Contextual Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (Part I)
Posted by Guest Author in Bible & Theology
Chris Johnson is a Pastor-Teacher at Grace Church at Hermitage, near Nashville, Tennessee. Chris has been very involved in the ongoing discussion of “private prayer language” on this blog. Recently, Chris e-mailed sbc IMPACT! a paper that he has written … a commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 … which clearly elucidates his doctrinal stand on tongues and “private prayer language.” His commentary is well-written. Some will disagree with it, and that’s okay. We invite the discussion, and we invite you to make your biblical case as you engage Chris and either support or challenge his views.
Please Note – This paper does not address policies or issues within any SBC entity. It is a personal theological study and statement. Due to the length of the paper, it will be posted in three parts (Part II will post tomorrow, and Part III will post on Monday.) So, do you best to hold on and digest his entire study before you pounce. 
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(1)Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. (2) For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. (3) But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. (4) One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. (5) Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.” – 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (NASB)
In this portion of our Lord’s letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul continues his remarkable correction of bizarre activity that is occurring in the midst of their worship. Paul is direct yet hopeful that each individual within the church may receive edification, which will result in a healthy and more obedient spiritual body. As the much needed correction is applied, selfish behaviors will begin to cease and love will emerge to bring edification to the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul has made it clear from the very beginning of this first letter to the Corinthians that he, …“could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1)NASB
At the outset of his letter, Paul’s main objective and defined goal is to expose the many problems that were affecting this group at Corinth with the hope that his admonitions would produce love. These corrections are a response to a wide range of abusive behavior relating to: submitting to leadership, pride, jealousy, strife, deception, arrogance, immorality, incest, boasting, bad company, suing your brother, infidelity, problems in marriage, idol worship, worship of knowledge, lack of love, desecrating the Lord’s Table, lack of order in the church, jealousy of spiritual gifts, lack of understanding spiritual gifts, lack of love with spiritual gifts in the church, use of tongues (languages) properly for the edification of the church, and financial accountability.
This section of Paul’s letter leads to the healing of the “church” collectively, yet through individual duty the pursuit of edification is clearly stated in verses 4, 5,12,19,23,28,33,34, and 35. This section is emphatically clear about changing the behavior of individuals within the context of the entire church and Paul’s argument for the use of tongues does not form or create any new application of an individual’s use of spiritual gifts. Since it is clear that Paul is “not” developing new or creative ways to use spiritual gifts, he is making a clear plea for the individual to recognize their error and to bring about edification in the church. The context demands that the individual be taught to understand the implications of “unclear speech” or “not being understood” in the presence of the church. The mention of a tongue in verse two (vs.2) is in a language that is understandable, which is also consistent with the use of tongues in every instance of a tongue (language) spoken supernaturally throughout the New Testament church. A tongue or tongues is mentioned in the New Testament forty eight times in the Greek language. In every instance the tongue is (1) an understandable language or (2) it is relating to the physical group of muscles that make up the “fleshly” human tongue.
In the context of this passage, Paul is clearly emphasizing that if a tongue (language) is expressed where no one can understand (spoken out of arrogance, pride or ecstatically, evidenced by what was occurring in the Corinthian church) that in those types of displays ”only God hears” (because he is omnipresent and omniscient) what is being said and “not” the church. In other words, God has so designed a “tongue” (language) that when uttered supernaturally is understood (by the interpreter) or interpreted (to the church) clearly to reveal the love of Jesus Christ for His church. The mention of a tongue in verse four (vs. 4) is to emphasize that “only” the speaker of a tongue is enlightened, or educated, or satisfied; but not to the benefit of the church when manufactured out of selfishness. This is not positive edification for the individual by any means, it is selfish ambition. Paul’s admonition to the individual is to prophesy for the sake of being understood within the church resulting in love that opposes selfish behavior. Paul was correcting the Corinthian church to stir up love through edification, and establishing the importance of the gift of prophecy.
The ability to prophesy was “especially” brought forward as the most desirable and understandable gift when compared to speaking in a tongue that was not understood. In fact, Paul illustrates the significance of prophesying throughout the context of this section. He states that it is two hundred thousand (200,000) percent more valuable to speak in a language that everyone can understand, than to speak in a tongue (language) that will require interpretation. (1 Corinthians 14:19)
To Be Continued …
Tomorrow: Definitions – known languages, groanings, tongues of angels
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Chris,
You said, “The mention of a tongue in verse four (vs. 4) is to emphasize that “only” the speaker of a tongue is enlightened, or educated, or satisfied”.
Do you believe those who speak in a “unknown” tongue understand what they are saying? Personally, I don’t think the people whom I’ve heard babbling and claimed they were “speaking in tongues” had any idea what they were saying. If not, how can that be enlightening to the tongue speaker?
Just so you know my position, I do not believe that tongues as referenced in the NT were unknown but known languages. Also, I believe that today’s gift of “tongues” are manifested by those who speak more than one known langugage, not the gibberish I’ve witnessed from Pentacostals.
Thanks.
Les
Chris,
I’m going to need some help to grasp your point. I’m not quite following you…
In your first paragraph you describe this passage as a, “correction of bizarre activity”. By what biblical standard would you judge their worship as bizarre activity? Is it the list of “abusive behaviors” that you outline in the following paragraph?
I’m a little confused as to what you believe a “tongue” actually is. Are you saying that it is a human language or is it an attitude that one has when speaking? I’m not wanting to be argumentative. I really don’t get it…I’m sometimes slow that way…lol.
–Dave
First of all,…brother Geoff, thank you for the introduction and for pointing out that there are certainly many that disagree on the doctrine of tongues. Our church family asks many questions concerning this gift….thus the reason I have embarked upon trying to divide the word and make it understandable for their benefit.
Brother Les,…good question and I try to answer your question in more detail in the third installment of this post… but I will give a quick answer here. Let me state right up front…that I am not a cessationist, because I believe that scripture demands that the gift of tongues is not required to cease. There is no scriptural evidence to demand that the gift of tongues has ceased even though the use of tongues has never been normative in all the churches.
A tongue is a language (known and unknown …by testimony of the hearer) that is spoken by men and women “speaking the might deeds of God”. Biblical tongues are spoken, understood, and discerned as some language. As Paul was instructing the church at Corinth, he made the point that he spoke more than all….meaning that he certainly new what tongues were and what they were meant for…. in other words, speaking in a tongue (gifted by the Spirit) was nothing new to him.
I believe in verse four of the 14th Chapter we see a teaching device that is used often by Paul… not only here but throughout his letters to all the churches. When he says that someone that is gifted to speak tongues certainly edifies, confirms or builds himself.….the next contrast is given to bolster a later claim. He is simply using these first few verses to build his argument which he reveals later in this section,.. but not to introduce new facts concerning tongues….the fact about what tongues “consist of” has already been established….. (Acts 2)
Gibberish is certainly not tongues, never has been. It seems we have made tongues something of a mystery on our own. All gifts edify the body of Christ when understood, taught, and presented properly in love.
Blessings,
Chris