Speaking in Tongues A Biblical Evaluation of Contemporary Claims Amos Yang, MD, MDiv All slides and material amosyang.net and may not be redistributed without permission from the author. Questions What are speaking in tongues and the gift of tongues? What do people today claim these mean? What does the Bible say about these? How should you respond when people claim to be able to speak in tongues? How should you respond when people encourage you to seek the gift of tongues? 1 2 Outline Theological context for the discussion Historical background of the charismatic movement How to form your beliefs Biblical survey regarding speaking in tongues Secular survey regarding speaking in tongues Summary Discussion Theological context The sign gifts are at the heart of discussions regarding the charismatic movement These include word of wisdom, word of knowledge, healing, miracles, tongues, and interpretation All the above gifts are listed in 1 Cor 12:8-10, the earliest list of spiritual gifts They are called the sign gifts because they signified the authority and unique office of the apostles (2 Cor 12:12, Heb 2:3-4, Eph 4:11) 3 4
Theological context Three broad perspectives regarding the sign gifts: Perspective Continuationism Open but cautious Description The apostolic sign gifts, including perhaps even the office of apostle itself, never ceased and are active today just as they were in the 1st century church. The apostolic sign gifts may be active today, but most claims today regarding the existence and exercise of the sign gifts are probably fraudulent. History Charles Fox Parham (1873-1929) Itinerant evangelist in holiness movement Established Bethel Bible College (BBC) in Topeka, Kansas in 1900 Promoted holiness movement teachings and faith healing Cessationism The apostolic sign gifts were given to authenticate the apostles message and authority. These gifts ended in the 1st century since the office of apostle ended with the passing of the apostles. 5 6 History Parham gave his students at BBC an assignment: Ponder Acts 2:38: What is the gift of the Holy Spirit? What is the evidence of the gift of the Holy Spirit? Students equipped with only a concordance and Bible and no exegetical guidance. Students concluded that speaking in tongues was the evidence of Holy Spirit s descent upon someone. History This conclusion of the students of BBC was in sharp contrast to the long-held beliefs of the church: That the gift of speaking in tongues was unique to the 1st century church That the gift of tongues had ceased in the 1st century Students at BBC began praying for the gift of the Holy Spirit. 7 8
History 1/1/1901, 11:00 p.m. Student Agnes Ozman reportedly began speaking Chinese. Ozman allegedly could speak and write no English but only Chinese for 3 days. Ozman s Chinese was never objectively verified to actually be Chinese. Interestingly, there are no claims from the time regarding which particular dialect of Chinese was spoken. 9 History Parham and his 33 other students soon began speaking Swedish in this new Pentecost. This Swedish was also never verified. BBC then closed (in 1901) as students and Parham no longer had any interest in anything but this new gift of the Holy Spirit. This Pentecostal experience spread quickly. By 1906, 13,000+ people had spoken in tongues. By 1909, 50,000+ people had received the gift. 10 History William Joseph Seymour Early convert to Pentecostalism in 1906 African-American holiness preacher Led meetings at The Apostolic Faith Mission on 312 Azusa St. of Los Angeles History Asuza Street Revival resulted (1906-1909) Responsible for rapid spread of Pentecostalism Remarkably (uniquely) racially integrated 11 The Apostolic Faith Mission at 312 Azusa St. in Los Angeles 12
History History 13 14 How to form your beliefs Perspective Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy Mainline Protestant Charismatic Evangelical Authority emphasized Church tradition Man and his thoughts Experience Scripture D O C T R I N E How to form your beliefs John MacArthur A woman wrote to me, seething. You resort to Greek translations and fancy words to explain away what the Holy Spirit is doing in the church today. Let me give you a piece of advice that might just save you from the wrath of Almighty God: put away your Bible and your books and stop studying. Ask the Holy Ghost to come upon you and give you the gift of tongues. There is little doubt that most charismatics, if they are honest with themselves, would have to acknowledge that personal experience--and not Scripture--is the foundation of their belief system. 1 15 1 Charismatic Chaos, 25. Emphasis in original. 16
The prediction of tongues The arrival of tongues The purpose of tongues The apostolic nature of tongues The inferiority of tongues The regulation of tongues 17 The prediction of tongues Is 28:11-12 God declares that one day He will speak to Israel through stammering lips and a foreign tongue. This will be a sign of judgment on Israel (e.g. vv. 9, 13b). 1 Cor 14:20-22 Cites Is 28:11-12 Confirms that tongues are a sign to unbelievers. Unbelievers refers to Jews (Is 28). 18 The arrival of tongues Ac 2:1-12 Context: Pentecost There was a noise like a violent rushing wind (v. 2). There were tongues as of fire (v. 3). The apostles spoke in foreign human languages they previously had never learned (vv. 8, 11). People were amazed that Galileans were speaking foreign languages (vv. 7-8). 19 20
The purpose of tongues Context: God s people had been largely Jews up until this time. 1 Cor 14:20-22 Tongues were a sign of judgment to the Jews (c.f. Is 28:11). To not recognize this is to be immature in thinking (v. 20). The purpose of tongues Ac 10:44-47 Tongues signaled that Gentiles now had equal opportunity to become part of the people of God (vv. 45 47). Ac 19:1-6 Tongues signaled to Jews that salvation was now possible for them only on the basis of faith in Christ (vv. 4-6). 21 22 O. Palmer Robertson: What is the change that God was making when he introduced tongues at the beginning of the new covenant era? God was indicating that he no longer would speak a single language to a single people. At least since the time of Moses, he had spoken one language to one people. But now, by the gift of tongues at Pentecost, God indicates that he intends to speak in many languages to many peoples. He will speak in all the languages of the world to all peoples of the world. 1 Tongues served well to show that Christianity, though begun in the cradle of Judaism, was not to be distinctively Jewish. Now that the transition between Old and New Covenants has been made, the sign of transition has no abiding value in the life of the church. 2 1 http://www.the-highway.com/tongues_robertson.html 2 Tongues: Sign of Covenantal Curse and Blessing, The Westminster Theological Journal, Fall 1975-Spring 1976, 53). 23 The purpose of tongues 1 Cor 12:4-8, 10 Each spiritual gift is to be used for the common good (v. 7). Tongues is a spiritual gift (v. 10). The gift of tongues, therefore, like all spiritual gifts, is to be used for the common good. This is in contradiction to the view popular today that states that tongues can be used as a private prayer language for self-edification. 24
The apostolic nature of tongues Ac 1:26-2:4, 10:44-46, 19:1-6 Tongues were spoken only by the apostles or those who came in physical contact with the apostles This seems to imply that tongues, like the other miraculous sign gifts, were unique to the apostolic age and served to validate the apostles revelatory authority The inferiority of tongues 1 Cor 14:1-6, 12, 19 The value of the exercise of a spiritual gift is determined by whether the church is edified by it (vv. 2-5). Uninterpreted tongues are useless in terms of edifying others (vv. 2, 5-6, 9, 19). We are to seek to edify the church (v. 12). Paul deemphasizes tongues throughout this chapter (e.g. v. 19). 25 26 The regulation of tongues 1 Cor 14:27-28, 40 At most three tongues speakers are to speak in a given meeting (v. 27a). Tongues speakers are to speak one at a time (v. 27b). Tongues must be interpreted (v. 27c). If there is no interpreter, tongues speakers must keep silent (v. 28). Church meetings are to be orderly (v. 40). 27 Context: When charismatics speak in tongues, it typically sounds like complete gibberish. Charismatics explain this by claiming that when they speak in tongues, they are speaking angelic languages. Ac 2:1-12 Tongues is the ability to speak human languages one has not previously learned. 28
Context: Charismatics claim that the tongues of Acts are human languages while the tongues of 1 Corinthians are angelic languages. 1 Cor 14:9-11 Barbarian refers to a non-greek speaker. Everyone understood that even barbarians spoke real human languages, not angelic languages. Luke wrote Acts in ~60 AD. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in ~55 AD. Luke and Paul were close associates and frequently interacted with one another (Ac 16:9-10, Col 4:14, 2 Tim 4:11, Philem 24). It is highly unlikely that Luke and Paul would use the same word to refer to two completely different phenomena. 29 30 What about the tongues of angels in 1 Cor 13:1? Verse If... clause 31 Can Paul do this? Has Paul done this? 1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels...? 2 3 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains... If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned... No No The parallelism in 1 Cor 13:1-3 demonstrates that Paul is using hyperbole Paul must not in reality be able to speak with the tongues of men and of angels. (Otherwise, the parallel hyperbole would vanish.) Yet Paul clearly had the gift of tongues (1 Cor 14:18) and knew how to speak with the tongues of men Therefore, the gift of tongues must be the ability to speak human languages, not angelic ones 32
Zane Hodges If the expression tongues of men and angels (1 Cor 13:1) be appealed to, it is sufficient to note that the first three verses of the chapter have a pronounced hyperbolic character. While angels no doubt have languages of their own, the apostle no more implies that he expects the readers to use them than that he expects them to give their bodies to be burned (v. 3). 1 Word study of glw ssa (glossa) Classical Greek, Pre-Christian Greek literature related to Judaism, Koine Greek (of NT times), Septuagint (LXX) glw ssa consistently refers to either the anatomical tongue or an aspect of human language It never refers to unintelligible or ecstatic speech 1 The Purpose of Tongues, Bibliotheca Sacra, 120 (Jul-Sep 1963): 231). Thomas Edgar, Satisfied by the Promise of the Spirit, 121-125. 33 34 History supports that the tongues of Acts and 1 Corinthians were both the same (tongues of men, not angels) Paul chooses speaking in tongues as his example because the Corinthians thought that it was the greatest of the gifts. This was because it had been given to the apostles on the day of Pentecost, before any of the others (Theodoret of Cyrus, 393-460 AD, 1-2 Corinthians, Ancient Christian Commentary Series, 1999). The idea that the tongues of Acts and 1 Corinthians might be different was not invented until the 20th century 35 History supports that the tongues of Acts and 1 Corinthians were both the same (tongues of men, not angels) Church Father Time (lifetime or work) Work Reference Irenaeus 180 Against Heresies 5.6.1 Tertullian 160-225 Against Marcion 5.8 Hippolytus 170-235 Apostolic Constitutions 8.1 Origen 184-253 Preface, Origen de Principis 3.1 Hegemonius 4th century The Acts of Archelaus 37 Gregory of Nazianzus 329-390 The Oration on Pentecost 15-17 Ambrosiaster 366-384 Commentary on Paul s Epistles 1 Cor 13:1 John Chrysostom 347-407 Homilies on First Corinthians 29.1, 35.1 Augustine 354-430 The Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.32.74 Leo the Great 391-461 Sermons 75.2 36
1 Cor 13:8-11 Spiritual gift Greek verb Tense Voice Meaning Prophecy Tongues katarge w (katargeõ) pau/w (pauõ) future passive To be rendered inoperative future middle To cease permanently (on their own) 1 Cor 13:8-11 Tongues is phrased as ceasing differently than prophecy and knowledge. Tongues is not mentioned at all again after v. 8. This seems to imply that tongues will have ceased prior to the cessation of prophecy and knowledge Knowledge katarge w (katargeõ) future passive To be rendered inoperative Prophecy and knowledge will cease when the perfect comes (vv. 9-10) 37 38 1 Cor 13:8-11: What does the perfect refer to? (v. 10) View regarding the perfect Description and implications There are three lists of spiritual gifts in Scripture 1 Cor 12:8-10, 28-30, Rom 12:6-8, Eph 4:7, 11 Completion of the canon of Scripture All three gifts ceased in the 1st century when the canon of Scripture was completed 1 Cor 12:8-10, 28-30 Rom 12:6-8 Eph 4:7, 11 End times (2nd Coming of Christ or eternal state) Maturity of the church Prophecy (preaching) and knowledge will continue until the end times. Tongues will have ceased before that. Perfect (te leioß) almost always refers to maturity. Prophecy and knowledge are predicted to cease as the church reaches maturity AD 55 AD 57 AD 62 Tongues is mentioned only in the earliest list of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:10) 39 40
Paul mentions tongues only in the very first epistle he wrote (1 Corinthians, ~55 AD) Peter, James, John, and Jude never mention tongues John MacArthur: Tongues appeared only briefly in Acts and 1 Corinthians as the new message of the gospel was being spread. But once the church was established, tongues were gone. They stopped. The later books of the New Testament do not mention tongues again. Nor did anyone in the post-apostolic age. 1 O. Palmer Robertson: Today there is no need for a sign to show that God is moving from a single nation of Israel to all the nations. That movement has become an accomplished fact. As in the case of the founding gift of apostle, so the particularly transitional gift of tongues has fulfilled its function as covenantal sign for the Old and New Covenant people of God. Once having fulfilled that role, it has no further function among the people of God 1 1 Charismatic Chaos, 283. 1 Tongues: Sign of Covenantal Curse and Blessing, The Westminster Theological Journal, Fall 1975-Spring 1976, 53. 41 42 Tongues was a sign gift given (among other reasons) to authenticate the authority and message of the apostles. Given that the office of apostle ended in the 1st century, it would seem that the function of the sign gifts (including tongues) has been fulfilled. We believe that the office of apostle came to an ended since no one can fulfill the qualifications of apostle today (see next slide). 43 The qualifications to be an apostle: 1. To have seen Jesus the Lord (1 Cor 9:1). 2. To have received the gospel directly from Christ (Gal 1:11-12). 3. To have the ability to perform signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor 12:12, Heb 2:3-4). 4. To have accompanied Jesus physically (Ac 1:21-22; only exception seems to be Paul and his conversion experience). 44
Historical perspective Linguistic perspective Anthropological perspective Psychological perspective History confirms that tongues ceased in the 1st century Cleon Rogers: It is significant that the gift of tongues is nowhere alluded to, hinted at, or even found in the Apostolic Fathers. 1 Chrysostom (347-407 AD): The obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place. 2 1 The Gift of Tongues in the Post-Apostolic Church, Bibliotheca Sacra, April-June 1965, 134. 2 Homily 29 on 1 Corinthians. 45 46 History confirms that tongues ceased in the 1st century Augustine (354-430 AD): In the earliest times, the Holy Ghost fell upon them that believed, and they spoke with tongues, which they had not learned, as the Spirit gave them utterance. These were signs adapted to the time. For there needed to be that betokening of the Holy Spirit in all tongues, to show that the gospel of God was to run through all tongues over the whole earth. That thing was done for a betokening, and it passed away 1 History confirms that tongues ceased in the 1st century Augustine (354-430 AD): Why is it that no man speaks in the tongues of all nations? Because the Church itself now speaks in the tongues of all nations. Before, the Church was in one nation, where it spoke in the tongues of all. By speaking then in the tongues of all, it signified what was to come to pass; that by growing among the nations, it would speak in the tongues of all. 1 1 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (ed. Philip Schaff), Vol 12, 168. 1 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (ed. Philip Schaff), Vol 12, 195. 47 48
Linguistics confirms that contemporary charismatic tongues are not true languages of any sort W.A. Criswell As far as I have been able to learn, no real language is ever spoken by the glossolaliast. He truly speaks in an unknown and unknowable tongue. Tape recordings of those speaking in unknown tongues were played before the Toronto Institute of Linguistics. After these learned men in the science of phonetics had studied the recordings, they said, This is no human language. 1 Linguistics confirms that contemporary charismatic tongues are not true languages of any sort Nathan Busenitz Even when two or more different Pentecostal interpreters listen to the same audio recording of a tongues-speaker, their interpretations are totally different--suggesting that the tongues themselves are not real languages that are capable of being translated. 1 1 The Gift of Tongues: Comparing the Church Fathers with Contemporary Pentecostalism, The Masters Seminary Journal, 17/1 (Spring 2006): 70. 1 Facts Concerning Modern Glossolalia, The Holy Spirit in Today s Church, 92. 49 50 Linguistics confirms that contemporary charismatic tongues are not true languages of any sort John Kildahl In no instances was there any similarity in the several interpretations. The following typifies our results: One interpreter said the tongue-speaker was praying for the health of his children; another that the same tongues-speech was an expression of gratitude to God for a recently successful church fundraising effort. 1 Linguistics confirms that contemporary charismatic tongues are not true languages of any sort William Samarin, Professor Emeritus, Departments of Anthropology and Linguistics, University of Toronto When the full apparatus of linguistic science comes to bear on glossolalia, this turns out to be only a façade language--although at times a very good one indeed. For when we comprehend what language is, we must conclude that no glossa, no matter how well constructed, is a specimen of human language, because it is neither internally organized nor systematically related to the world man perceives Glossolalia is indeed a language in some ways, but this is only because the speaker (unconsciously) wants it to be like language. Yet in spite of superficial similarities, glossolalia is fundamentally not language. 1 1 The Psychology of Speaking in Tongues, 63. 51 1 Tongues of Men and Angels, 127-128. 52
Linguistics confirms that contemporary charismatic tongues are not true languages of any sort The phonetic inventory of anyone speaking in tongues seems to be rigidly limited to the sounds in the speaker s known human languages. The phonetic inventory used by any tongues speaker seems to be highly limited by the community of tongues speakers with which one associates. The above implies that contemporary tongues are not languages of any sort (whether human or angelic). Felicitas Goodman, Phonetic Analysis of Glossolalia in Four Cultural Settings, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol 8, No 2 (Autumn 1969), 227-239. 53 Anthropology reveals that charismatic glossolalia is not unique to Christianity It occurred in the ancient Greek, early Phoenecian, and Greco-Roman pagan religions. It occurs in Islam, Haitian voodoo, and Eskimo, Tibetan, and Chinese paganism. Shamans, witch doctors, Mormons, and Shakers have demonstrated glossolalia. Robert Gromacki, The Modern Tongues Movement, 5-10. Gerhard Hasel, Speaking in Tongues, 14-18. Felicitas Goodman, Speaking in Tongues, vii, xi William Samarin, Tongues of Men and Angles, 149. Donald Dayton, Theological Roots of Pentecostalism, 15-16 54 Psychological study reveals several issues regarding tongues 1. Contemporary tongues is a learned behavior. Virtually anyone can learn to speak in tongues. Non-Christians can just as easily speak in tongues. Psychological study reveals several issues regarding tongues: 1. Contemporary tongues is a learned behavior. There are five steps in the process of inducing someone to speak in tongues From a psychological point of view, the first step seems to involve some kind of magnetic relationship between the leader and the one who is about to attempt to speak in tongues. Second, the initiate generally has a sense of personal distress--usually involving a profound life crisis. Third, the initiate has been taught a rationale for understanding what tongues-speaking is. Fourth, the presence of a supporting group of fellow believers enhances the possibility of eventually speaking in tongues. Fifth, somewhere in the process there is an intense emotional atmosphere. 1 Nicholas Spanos et al, Glossolalia as Learned Behavior: An Experimental Demonstration, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95:1 )1987), 21-23. 55 1 John Kildahl, Six Behavioral Observations about Speaking in Tongues, Gifts of the Spirit and the Body of Christ (ed. Elmo Agrimoson), 74. 56
Psychological study reveals several issues regarding tongues: 2. Contemporary tongues is a fake-able behavior. 1 3. Contemporary tongues is an ability that is retained regardless of spiritual standing. There are numerous former members of the Pentecostal movement who retain the ability to speak in tongues even though they have no belief that their speech is a gift of God. 2 Psychological study reveals several issues regarding tongues: John Kildahl In summary, my glossolalia research has included an examination of the phenomenon itself and a study of the theories about it. I have concluded that it is a learned behavior which often brings a sense of power and wellbeing. 1 1 Six Behavioral Observations about Speaking in Tongues, Gifts of the Spirit and the Body of Christ (ed. Elmo Agrimoson), 78. Emphasis added. 1 John Kildahl, Six Behavioral Observations about Speaking in Tongues, Gifts of the Spirit and the Body of Christ (ed. Elmo Agrimoson), 76. 2 Vern Poythress, Linguistic and Sociological Analyses of Modern Tongues-speaking, Westminster Theological Journal, 42/2 (Spring 1980): 367. 57 58 Psychological study reveals several issues regarding tongues: William Samarin Is has already been established that no special power needs to take over a person s vocal organs. All of us are equipped with everything we need to produce glossolalia Glossolalia is not a supernatural phenomenon It is similar to many other kinds of speech humans produce in more or less normal circumstances in more or less normal psychological states. In fact, anybody can produce glossolalia if he is uninhibited and if he discovers what the trick is. 1 1 Tongues of Men and Angels, 211 Psychological study reveals several issues regarding tongues: E. Mansell Pattison, Christian Association for Psychological Studies The product of our analysis is the demonstration of the very natural mechanisms which produce glossolalia. As a psychological phenomenon, glossolalia is easy to produce and readily understandable I can add my own observations from clinical experiences with neurological and psychiatric patients. In certain types of brain disorders resulting from strokes, brain tumors, etc the patient is left with disruptions in his automatic, physical speech circuit patterns. If we study these aphasic patients we can observe the same decomposition of speech that occurs in glossolalia. Similar decompositions of speech occurs in schizophrenic thought and speech patterns, which is structurally the same as glossolalia. This data can be understood to demonstrate that the same stereotypes of speech will result whenever conscious, willful control of speech is interfered with, whether by injury to the brain, by psychosis, or by passive renunciation of willful control. 1 1 Speaking in Tongues and about Tongues, Christian Standard, Feb 15, 1964, 2 59 60
Concluding evaluation Biblical tongues Contemporary tongues Consisted of real human languages Consists of meaningless gibberish Were to be translated in church meetings Rarely ever translated Were to be limited to 2-3 speakers per meeting Rarely ever limited at all in number per meeting Were to be limited to one speaker at a time Rarely ever limited in simultaneous speakers Functioned as a sign to Israel Function as a sign to no one Intimately connected to the apostles Not related to the apostles in any way To be used to edify the church Usually used for self-edification Scripturally deemphasized Unscripturally glorified and emphasized Began and ceased in 1st century Began in early 20th century Unique to Christianity Shared with non-christian and pagan religions Inexplicable on non-miraculous grounds Easily explained on non-miraculous grounds 61 Summary 1. The biblical gift of tongues is the ability to speak human languages one has not previously learned. 2. Tongues were a sign: Of judgment on Israel (Is 28:11, 1 Cor 14, Ac 2). That Gentiles now had equal opportunity to become part of the people of God (Ac 10). That salvation for Jews was now solely on the basis of faith in Christ (Ac 19). 62 Summary 3. There are several biblical limitations for the exercise of the gift of tongues. These regulations are typically ignored by charismatics today. 4. Tongues ceased in the early stages of the church during the apostolic age. 5. Contemporary Pentecostal and charismatic tongues began in the early 20th century and are an entirely different phenomenon than biblical tongues. Discussion 1. What thoughts, comments, or reactions do you have to tonight s material? 2. What exposure have you had in the past (or do you have in the present) to speaking in tongues? 3. What will you say when someone asks you either of the following: Why don t people in GOC speak in tongues? Would you like to receive the gift of tongues? 4. Have someone close your group in prayer. 63 64