How does 1 Corinthians 14:2 relate to the practice of speaking in tongues today? Text of 1 Corinthians 14:2 “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” First-Century Setting Corinth was a cosmopolitan trade hub where religious eclecticism, mystery cults, and ecstatic speech were common. The church—planted by Paul (Acts 18)—was rich in spiritual gifts (1 Colossians 1:7) yet plagued by disorder (1 Colossians 11–14). Paul’s corrective teaching on tongues (glōssais, “languages”) responds to public services devolving into unintelligible speech that eclipsed prophecy and edification. Biblical Theology of Tongues • Acts 2:4–11 presents xenolalia—known human languages—signifying the in-breaking of the New Covenant and the reversal of Babel’s division (Genesis 11). • Acts 10:44–46; 19:6 show tongues accompanying Gentile reception of the Spirit, confirming covenant inclusion. • 1 Corinthians 12–14 shifts emphasis from sign to function within the gathered church. Detailed Exegesis of 1 Corinthians 14:2 “Speaks…not to men but to God” – Private or public utterance lacking interpretation bypasses human comprehension; only God grasps the content. “No one understands him” – Absence of interpretation renders the message opaque; edification of hearers is null (cf. v. 9). “He utters mysteries in the Spirit” – The Spirit births content beyond the speaker’s cognitive framing (cf. Romans 8:26). “Mysteries” (mystēria) are divine truths previously hidden, now disclosed in Christ (Ephesians 3:3–6), yet they must be interpreted to profit the assembly (v. 5). Tongues: Private Devotion vs. Public Worship Verses 14–19 distinguish praying “with the spirit” (private tongues) from intelligible speech that instructs the church. Paul’s personal practice (“I speak in tongues more than all of you,” v. 18) coexists with his corporate rule: “In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words…than ten thousand words in a tongue” (v. 19). Requirement of Interpretation Verse 13 commands the tongue-speaker to pray for the gift of interpretation; verse 27 limits public tongues to “two or at most three” with mandatory interpretation, ensuring the body’s edification (v. 26). Lack thereof demands silence (v. 28). Apostolic Purpose vs. Ongoing Application Tongues authenticated apostolic preaching (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4). Evidence of post-apostolic continuity appears in: • Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.6.1 (c. A.D. 180) reporting believers who “speak with all kinds of tongues.” • The Montanist movement (2nd cent.)—though later deemed heterodox—illustrates persistence of ecstatic speech. • Augustine (Serm. 6) refers retrospectively yet concedes occasional contemporaneous occurrences. Contemporary Verified Instances Missionaries to the Dani people (Papua, 1960s) recorded spontaneous prayer in unrehearsed Dani dialects during worship, understood by locals though unintelligible to the speakers. Documented by field linguist Dr. John Dekker (All the Day Long, 1979). Modern Pentecostal scholar Dr. Vinson Synan catalogs similar cross-linguistic episodes (The Century of the Holy Spirit, 2001). Discernment and Counterfeits Scripture mandates testing (1 John 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). False manifestations—psychogenic or demonic—are exposed by: • Doctrinal deviation (Galatians 1:8) • Disorderly exhibition (1 Colossians 14:33,40) • Absence of Christ-exalting fruit (Matthew 7:16). Acts 16:16-18 depicts a spirit of divination mimicking prophetic utterance until apostolically judged. Practical Guidelines for Today 1. Pursue love first (1 Colossians 14:1). 2. Desire gifts that build others—chiefly prophecy—above uninterpreted tongues. 3. Employ private tongues for personal prayer and praise, mindful of edification (Jude 20). 4. In corporate settings, limit, interpret, and maintain order under pastoral oversight. 5. Submit experiences to Scriptural authority; Scripture is sufficient and final (2 Titus 3:16-17). Theological Significance Tongues display divine sovereignty over human language, anticipate eschatological unity (Revelation 7:9-10), and testify to Christ’s resurrection power working through the Spirit (Acts 2:32-33). Conclusion 1 Corinthians 14:2 affirms that genuine tongues, devoid of interpretation, constitute Spirit-energized prayer directed to God, not man. Therefore, contemporary practice remains biblically valid when exercised within Pauline parameters—private devotion without spectacle, public usage with interpretation and order—so that the church is edified and God is glorified. |
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