Speaking In Tongues – Part 2 

It’s been a few weeks since I wrote part 1, that is for good reason. I don’t like saying stuff from the top of my head, just because I feel a certain way. In this part, we will explore the actual Greek text to see what the Greek says. You will find this very interesting.  

1 Corinthians 14 is the famous chapter that the Speaking in an “Angel” or “Unknown” tongue originated from. It’s hard to find a vision of the bible with this translation, the AMP Bible translates 1 Cor. 14:21 “It is written in the Law, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners”. Only less than a hand full of all the Bible’s translate will be translated as “Strange” or “Unknown” tongues. AMP is one of those visions. The rest of the bible translation will either say “Other” tongues or just say “tongues”. The Greek in verse 14:21 and verse 14:2 does not say the word “strange” or “unknown”. Verse 2 just says “speaking in a tongue” and verse 21 says “In other tongues” verse 2 is singular and verse 21 is plural. Verse 21 is talking about foreigners hearing people speaking in their own tongues. Like we saw going on in Acts 2. So before I talk about verse 2, it’s important to note, the words “strange” and “unknown” were added into those handfuls of bibles when they got translated. 

Let’s Understand Verse 2

Point this out again… The Greek says, “Speaking in a Tongue”

So it’s important to understand this. Speaking in Tongues is the ability for the church to speak in different worldly languages. In verse two it says “Speaking in a Tongue”. It says that because the individual will only speak in one of the worldly languages and not in multiple. So those who had this gift during the 1st-century church would each individually speak in just one tongue. 

So this verse isn’t pointing to some special Angelic or God language, it’s just pointing to the fact that an individual would speak in one type of tongue when they would be given that ability at the right time and place to do so. 

Examining The Whole Chapter…

If you read the whole chapter very carefully paul is making a very clear argument towards not speaking in tongues all the time. 

In verse 1 Paul says “Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy”. The word “Prophesy” could also mean telling the future. It can also mean preaching the Word of God in a way that is building up the church. Like what I’m doing on this blog. Throughout the entire chapter, Paul is making a case to “Prophesy” more than he is making the case to “speak in tongues”. See in verse 5 Paul says this “I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.” 

Look closer at that verse, “unless he interprets so that the church may be built up”. If they can interpret the person who is speaking in tongues then they are reaching just prophesying. The one interpreting is now prophesying. 

Verse 2 is weird…

“For the person who speaks in another language is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit”

  • Why can’t anyone understand him? Answer: He is speaking another language. If I was speaking English to a Spanish audience, then no one would understand me. In the 2nd part, “he speaks mysteries in the spirit”. This isn’t saying that they are speaking to God! It’s just saying that no one knows what is being said. A lot of Paul’s writings and a lot of the bible is written in code. Simply topics are hidden away. This is an example of a simple topic being hidden away. It’s to trick non-believers. Jesus spoke in code too. A lot of the things Jesus said, even the disciples were confused.  This is one of those moments in the new testament writings that Paul says something which he puts the topic into a secret wording. 

I could go on to give all the examples of exactly this through this entire chapter, but it’s just a waste of writing space. I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 14 and see. 

1 Corinthians 13

In this chapter, Paul is talking about the topic of LOVE not Speaking in Tongues. He makes this statement, “If I speak human or angelic languages

but do not have love,” and BAM the Speaking in Tongues Teaching is now saying that you can speak in an Angelic Tongue. Paul says, “If I” not “I Can”. These two sets of words change many of everything this passage could say. Paul says “If I” a lot between verses 1 & 7. What Paul is doing to taking the norm and adding a extreme to it. So the Norm is Speaking in Human Tongues, the Extreme is Speaking in Angelic Tongue. The Extreme is not possible. The norm is possible. He does this to show the importance of LOVING OTHERS, not the Importance of Speaking in Tongues. The passage has nothing to do with Tongues, but with LOVE. 

Norm: Speaking in Human Tongues

Extreme: Speaking in Angelic Tongue

Norm: Have the gift of prophecy

Extreme: Understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains. (On this mountain-moving part. I know Jesus said we could, but it’s possible Paul is being literal here and Jesus was being figurative.) I have never met someone that has moved mountains and I have met a lot of Christians with huge faith, who have moved figurative mountains.

Norm: (Nothing)

Extreme: “if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast”. I don’t think Paul did this. This is just all to the extreme. Maybe feeding the poor is the Norm. 

All throughout this passage Paul is taking the Norm and adding the Extreme, to show how important LOVE is. 

This is the End of the Speaking in Tongues Bible Study. I know it was short, but this topic isn’t my cup of coffee and I think I hit the hummer on the nail with parts 1 and 2.