CONCERNING SPIRITUALS

Part 4

W. J. Franklin

(VII) The Gift of Tongues

The gift of Tongues is a supernatural utterance by the Holy Spirit in languages never learned by the speaker nor understood by the mind of the speaker. It has nothing whatever to do with  linguistic ability, but is a manifestation of the Mind of the Spirit of God employing human speech organs.

“What is the use or purpose of speaking with Tongues?” some may ask. Let us consider some of the Scriptural purposes of speaking in Tongues:

1) Evidence of being filled with the Spirit, (Acts 2:4) and eight years later the same sign was seen, (Acts 10:46) and again in 23 years after Pentecost was seen again. When anyone in Apostolic days was heard to speak in tongues, it was known of a certainty that he had received the Holy Ghost. Without this sign, there was no Scriptural evidence at all. And so it is today.

2) That men may speak supernaturally to God. (I Cor. 14:2)

3) That believers may magnify God. (Acts 10:46) There are no terms in natural speech appropriate to express the Greatness and Excellence of God. Those who have had the joy of seeing others filled recall that in every case, those that were filled lovingly adored Jesus.

4) That we may edify ourselves. (I Cor. 14:4) Compare I Cor. 14:18.

5) That our spirits (as distinct from our understanding) might pray. (I Cor. 14:14) Praying in the spirit is quite different from praying with the understanding. (Verses 15 and 16) You cannot pray with the spirit unless you speak with understanding as in Eph. 6:18, but this is not through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. You can pray or sing with the spirit as in Verse 15 unless you speak with Tongues, Compare Romans 8:27.

6) That with the gift of Interpretation of Tongues, the church may be edified. I Cor. 14:5,12-13, 26-28. When the Gift of Tongues is manifested in a public meeting, it must be accompanied with its sister gift–the Interpretation of Tongues. Note verse 28. If there is no interpreter, the person is to be silent; yet, he may speak to himself and to God.

7) Tongues are a sign to the unbelievers. Verse 22 There are certain rules and regulations for the Gift. These are guidelines that should be observed in the local church. We learn that the number of messages in one meeting is limited to three; and these are not altogether, but one after another in decent order, that is by course. The words two and three refer to different speakers. In verse 28, we are prohibited from speaking in tongues at all in a public meeting if that is no one present with the Gift of Interpretation. Any confusion in the use of the Gifts arises not from God, but from neglect of God’s Word. (Verse 33)

God expressly says we must not forbid to speak with Tongues. Vs. 39

(VIII) The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues

Seven of the Gifts are common to both Testaments, but two Gifts– the Gift of Tongues and the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues– have come into operation since Pentecost. The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues is the only Gift that is dependent upon another; it could have no meaning whatsoever without the Gift of Tongues.

Interpretation of Tongues is the supernatural showing forth by the Spirit of the meaning of an utterance in other Tongues. It is not an operation of the mind of the person, but of the Mind of the Spirit of  God. The interpreter never understands the Tongue he is interpreting. The interpretation is just as much a miracle as the original utterance in Tongues.

The purpose of this Gift is to render the Gift of Tongues intelligible to others, so that the Church may be edified. I Cor. 14:5 & 27

1) Note that the title of the Gift is Interpretation of Tongues, not translation of tongues. A “translation” is a rendering from one language to another in equivalent words. An Interpretation is a declaration of the meaning. (Vs. 11) (Chapter 14) The Greek word means to explain thoroughly– not to translate. Many varieties of expression might be used and many details added without altering the sense of the words. This explains why sometimes the message in Tongues is much briefer than the interpretation, or the reverse. The interpreter is not translating. The Holy Spirit is explaining the meaning in a miracle of utterance.

2) The temperament, natural gifts, and training of the person interpreting the Tongue will have some measure of influence on the interpretation. For example, the delivery of a farmhand and of a professor would be entirely different.

3) Those who speak in other Tongues are expressly instructed to pray for this further  Gift. (Vs. 13)

Continued next issue