What does 1 Corinthians 14:22 mean by "tongues are a sign for unbelievers"? Canonical Text “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.” — 1 Corinthians 14:22 Immediate Literary Context Beginning in 14:1 Paul urges pursuit of love and the superior gift of prophecy because “the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and comfort” (v. 3). Tongues, by contrast, benefit the speaker unless interpreted (v. 4-5). Verses 20-25 climax the contrast: childish fascination with unintelligible ecstasy (v. 20) must give way to mature concern for outsiders. When an outsider hears uninterpreted tongues he will say, “You are out of your minds” (v. 23). Yet when he hears prophecy the secrets of his heart are exposed, he falls in worship, and acknowledges “God is really among you” (v. 25). Verse 22 summarizes: tongues are a σημεῖον / sēmeion (“sign”) for unbelievers; prophecy for believers. Old Testament Backdrop: Isaiah 28:11-12 Paul quotes Isaiah 28:11-12 in v. 21: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me.” In Isaiah the “strange tongues” of Assyrian conquerors were a covenant-curse for Israel’s unbelief (Deuteronomy 28:49). Foreign language served as divine testimony that the nation stood under judgment. Paul imports that principle: whenever God confronts hardened unbelief He may employ unintelligible language as a judicial sign. Thus in Corinth ecstatic languages without interpretation replay Isaiah’s scene—signifying judgment on unbelief rather than edifying the covenant community. Pentecost and Redemptive-Historical Function At Pentecost (Acts 2) xenolalia—known human languages—signaled to thousands of Jewish pilgrims that the promised Spirit had been poured out. Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32: “I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below.” Tongues there are: 1. Evidence that Jesus is risen and enthroned (Acts 2:32-33). 2. A reversal of Babel—gathering the nations (Genesis 11 vs. Revelation 5:9). 3. A harbinger of impending judgment upon Jerusalem (fulfilled AD 70). Luke’s record, written within living memory (early ‑60s; cf. Papyrus 𝔓^75), stands text-critically secure. The consistency between Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 reveals a coherent divine strategy: tongues inaugurate the Gentile mission while signaling judicial urgency to unbelieving Israel. Grammatical and Semantic Analysis • “Sign” (sēmeion) in Pauline usage can denote miracle (Romans 15:19), credential (2 Corinthians 12:12), or judgment (1 Corinthians 1:22). • οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις (“not to believers but to unbelievers”) employs an emphatic contrast; the dative denotes intended audience of the sign, not spiritual benefit. • The parallel antithetic structure establishes functional—not ontological—categories: tongues primarily confront unbelief; prophecy primarily builds up faith. Early-Church Testimony Irenaeus (Against Heresies 5.6.1) cites contemporary instances of glossolalia and links them to missionary advance among “barbarian nations,” echoing Paul’s missionary context. Tertullian (On Baptism 20) mentions interpretation as normative. By the time of Chrysostom (Hom. 1 Corinthians 29), tongues had largely ceased in the Greco-Roman churches, which he interprets as the sign’s having accomplished its foundational purpose just as once the bronze serpent was removed (2 Kings 18:4). Psychological and Missiological Observations Documented xenoglossy on mission fields (e.g., the 1906 account from the Bengali-speaking village of Kushtia, preserved in the Assemblies of God archives) often functions evangelistically: unbelievers hear the gospel in their native tongue through a speaker untrained in that language, precipitating conversions. Controlled behavioral studies (see Keener, Miracles, vol. 2, pp. 1124-1135) rule out fraud in several such cases, aligning with Pauline criteria: genuine tongues draw the unbeliever’s attention to divine reality. Theological Implications 1. Judgment and Mercy: Unbelievers confronted by an inexplicable linguistic sign must choose between repentance or hardening, just as Israel did under Assyrian threat. 2. Authentication of New-Covenant Revelation: Tongues confirm the in-breaking kingdom, paralleling resurrection appearances that validated the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). 3. Supremacy of Edification: Within gathered worship intelligible prophecy has priority because God seeks informed, volitional worship (John 4:23). Guidelines for Contemporary Practice • Tongues in corporate worship demand interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:27-28). • Private tongues remain a legitimate prayer modality (v. 4, 18-19) but should not eclipse congregational intelligibility. • Believers must never equate tongues with spiritual elitism; love governs gifts (ch. 13). Answering Common Objections Objection 1: “Unbelievers today mock tongues; how can it be a sign?” Reply: Isaiah’s precedent shows that mockery itself fulfills the judicial sign; the phenomenon exposes unbelief. Objection 2: “If tongues are for unbelievers, why speak them privately?” Reply: Paul distinguishes public sign-value from private devotional value (v. 2, 18-19). Objection 3: “Modern linguistic analysis disproves supernatural tongues.” Reply: Studies by linguist William Samarin found some contemporary glossolalia non-lexical, yet well-attested xenoglossic episodes—where verifiable human languages are spoken—remain unexplained naturalistically, matching Acts 2 rather than corinthian ecstatic speech, underscoring the diversity of the gift. Integration with a Creationist-Design Worldview A God who codes genetic information (DNA) can certainly implant linguistic information momentarily into human neurology. The specified complexity of language parallels the irreducible complexity observed in molecular systems; both are hallmarks of intelligent agency, not undirected process. Tongues therefore cohere with the broader biblical-scientific portrait of a God who designs, communicates, and intervenes miraculously in history. Practical Ministry Application When unbelievers visit Christian gatherings they should encounter clear proclamation (prophecy/teaching) supported, where God wills, by authentic sign-gifts that direct attention to Christ, never to human performers. Churches must cultivate discernment (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21), sound doctrine (Titus 2:1), and an environment where the seeker’s heart can echo, “God is really among you” (1 Corinthians 14:25). Concise Synthesis Paul’s statement that “tongues are a sign for unbelievers” anchors in Israel’s prophetic history, unfolds through Pentecost, and functions as both warning and witness. The sign confronts unbelief, authenticates gospel proclamation, and magnifies the wisdom of God who confounds the proud through things they cannot naturally comprehend—ultimately pointing every listener to the risen Lord who alone grants saving faith. |
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