The Issue Of Tongues Spoken on the Day of Pentecost

What kinds of tongues were being spoken at Pentecost? Were any of them unknown (so-called “heavenly”) languages?


The issue of the “speaking in tongues” has been hotly debated by individuals and across the various Christian denominations alike. Each side has offered its interpretation as well as evidence in defense of its position. However, no consensus has been reached as of yet, nor is it likely to occur in this life.

At the heart of the issue lies the interpretation of Acts 2:4. Two opinions exist regarding the nature of “tongues” or languages spoken by the disciples. One side argues that the believers were uttering unintelligible sounds, or heavenly languages and that the miracle lies in the Holy Spirit’s intervention on behave of the audience and their ability to understand the words spoken, “each one heard them speaking in his own language” (Acts 2:6). The other side argues that the miracle lies in the ability of the disciples to speak in languages, which they had not previously known, “By people with strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, yet not even in this way will they listen to me, says the Lord.” (Isa. 28:11-12, NET)

No matter, which interpretation one holds to be correct, the purpose for the “sign,” which “utterly amazed” those present, was intended for the Jews. They had required a sign of Jesus, based on established precedents such as could be found in Exodus 4:8 and Isaiah 7:11. The Apostle Paul considered “tongues” (languages) to be a “sign” for unbelievers as stated in 1 Cor. 14:22, while interpreted tongues (heavenly languages), were for the edification of the church.[1] For this reason, we cannot equate the events of Pentecost with “tongue speaking” in the Corinthian church. The believers who spoke in other tongues at Pentecost did not speak for the edification of the church and the hearers did not need interpreters because they heard and were able to understand their own languages.[2]

The majority of evangelical scholars content that the tongues spoken on Pentecost were genuine languages not previously learned rather than the ecstatic sounds Paul addressed in his first epistle to the church in Corinth. (1 Cor. 14:1–12). Two major arguments in defense of said view are as follows: (1) the use of the word διάλεκτος [dialektos /dee·al·ek·tos/] in Acts 1:6 and 8, can only refer to a language or dialect. (2) Acts 2:5-12 specifically emphasizes the fact that people of different languages understood the message of the Apostles in their own language.

As previously mentioned, some maintain that the miracle in Acts 2 was one of hearing as well as speaking. However, such view is not supported by the text and fails to do justice to those who, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues. Nonetheless, “when people filled with the Holy Spirit proclaim the gospel, a supernatural ministry always takes place. When the hearers respond, a miracle of understanding certainly follows.”[3] The Christian who is filled with the Spirit becomes the Spirit’s mouthpiece. In the case of the believers in Jerusalem, they demonstrated that the Holy Spirit controlled and enabled them by speaking in “tongues.” While unbelievers dismissed the Pentecost miracle as the ramblings of drunks, three thousand believers repented, were baptized, and joined the church.[4] (Acts 2:41)




END NOTES:

1. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Commentary On The Bible (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1989), Acts 2:2.

2. William G. MacDonald, “Glossolalia in The New Testament,” in Speaking in Tongues: A Guide to Research On Glossolalia, ed. Watson E. Mills (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 134.

3. Kenneth O. Gangel, Acts, Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 25.

4. Simon J. Kistemaker, and William Hendriksen, vol. 17, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of The Acts of The Apostles . Accompanying Biblical Text Is Author's Translation., New Testament Commentary. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1953-2001), 78


Note:
Source of Greek translations: Swanson, James. Dictionary of Biblical Languages With Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament), electronic ed. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2001, c1997.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Elwell, Walter A., ed. Evangelical Commentary On The Bible. Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Book House, 1989.

Gangel, Kenneth O. Acts, Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Kistemaker, Simon J., and William Hendriksen. Vol. 17, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of The Acts of The Apostles. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1953-2001.

MacDonald, William G. “Glossolalia in The New Testament.” In Speaking in Tongues: A Guide to Research On Glossolalia. Edited by Mills, Watson E. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986.