“But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”
I Corinthians 14:6-12 NKJV
Why muse about such things on your Facebook page? Why crack the lid on what has historically been a place of contention and even division? (Please read Part 1 to catch up)
I suppose several reasons come to mind:
- Christian orthodoxy includes differences of opinion on biblical topics and doctrine.
- Continuationist theology is rock solid in its orthodoxy.
- If we are to face the forces of darkness today, which are analogous to what Paul and the early church faced in places like Corinth and Ephesus, then we need the same equipment and power they had to bring the Gospel into the culture.
- There is a generation who never really worked through Spirit-filled existence from a purely exegetical vantage point. It’s not only an experience, it’s Bible.
I am not against the idea of being transformed and filled with God through the experience of worship and the inspiration of preaching. These things have merit rightly ministered to the congregation. But our foundation of our Faith is not in the worship music or inspiration, but rather the Word of God which is divinely powerful for every aspect of life. Spirit-filled existence is not connected solely to your feelings, but to your will. We walk with God not because we feel like it, but because we have committed our will to him.
Paul was not upset at the Corinthians passion or fervency for the things of God. He was bringing correction to their order and decorum. The presence of the Holy Spirit is neither anarchy nor stoicism. Church services should not be chaos or detached. There is a divine order which can be orchestrated through the Holy Spirit’s leadership and the Word of God. Paul is also defining the place of two expressions of GLOSSALALIA (tongues); one of which we have described as prayer or spiritual language and the other as the public tongue. The first is personal and needs no interpretation as it is being spoken TO God FROM the believer. The other is FROM God spoken TO the congregation and would by necessity need interpretation.
Paul ended v.5 by reminding the readers the church when it gathers needs edification. Remember, he hasn’t pitted these two expressions against one another, but rather underscored the place of edification (or encouragement). In v.6-9, he continues the explanation of why the public tongue to the congregation needs interpreting.
“But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.”
I suspect there would be no argument arising from any doctrinal perspective of what is being taught by Paul at this point. When the church gathers, our primary reason for that gathering is to be encouraged, refueled, and built up for the coming week and the mission which lies before us. Paul has already stipulated that the public tongue is welcomed, as long as interpretation comes to the congregation. However, in total, a public service would be dominated almost exclusively by known language for the sake of the Gospel and the mission. Now some clarification may be warranted at this point. The unknown tongue is obviously directed to the congregation. No one, certainly not me, denies the need for interpretation for reasons stated. That said, there may be moments of prayer during the corporate service where people’s personal prayer language may be expressed without restriction. Just as there is an obvious distinction between the preaching of the Word and prayer in a known language in one’s seat or around the altars of the church, or even a congregational prayer time when there is a chorus of praying; so also is there a distinction between a person’s (or congregation’s) prayer language and the declaration of a public tongue. How else could Paul later say (v.22) that tongues were a “sign” for the unbeliever unless there was an expression of such a manifestation?
Paul wasn’t stopping the use of GLOSSALALIA in the Corinthian congregation, but rather ordering it and clarifying it so EVERYONE had the opportunity to be edified.
“There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.”
Paul is continuing to make the case that within the corporate gathering every language (φωνῶν / PHONON) or “voice” has significance. Linguistic experts tell us there are 7,117 languages in the earth. (How they number this is beyond me.) Languages around the globe are literally arising and dying off as I write. Yet, each one, whether I personally know the language or not is valid and was expressed by someone at some point for the first time. Some of these known earthly language have sounds and noises which sound like “clicks” and “grunts”, but they have meaning to the people group speaking. No one would question the validity of that statement. Why is it unbelievable to imagine that in the cosmos (world) there is also a language of the Kingdom or a language of heaven. Perhaps the tongues of angels in I Corinthians 13:1 is not actually hyperbole as some cessationists suggest. I am convinced Paul includes the language of the Spirit. However, again he underscores that if we do not understand the meaning of the language, be it known or unknown language, as significant as it may be it will be useless. But, thank God, there is an answer to that challenge which is the interpretation as he mentions in the previous pericope.
“Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”
Paul completes the thought by again reminding them that their passion and desire for the gifts of God to excel (περισσεύητε actually translates “to abound”) in building up the church. We literally expand and enlarge personally as we focus on the church with our gifts and not exclusively ourselves. Again, we must pray in the Spirit to build ourselves up in the faith, but not to the exclusion of building up others in their faith. Yes, you and God can have these incredible moments where the Spirit of God flows through you in intercession (Romans 8:26), but even Spirit-filled existence is not always just about the individual.
So the issue of these two expressions of tongues is not an “either – or” proposition; but rather a “both – and” exhortation. Paul is making sure up to this point, that everyone in the family of God who is attending the corporate gathering is being edified.
…to be continued…
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