Tongues - Part 1

The gift of tongues is difficult to understand, notcommunications received from them, i.e.,
because it is shrouded in mystery, but because thereséances, etc., was developed through the
is so much historical confusion about it. The firstwork of Allan Kardec (1804-1869). The phenomenon
difficulty is to understand what it is, to define itwas seen as one of the self-evident manifestations
correctly -- biblically. We will use the interpretiveof spirits. While not specifically associated with
principle that the plainest, most ordinary and simpleglossolalia, Kardec's work highlighted and valued
definition is the most likely to be true. However, thisecstatic communication from a scientific perspective.
will require that we disabuse ourselves of theGlossolalia has also been observed in shamanism and
contemporary definition and use of tongues throughthe Voodoo religion of Haiti. The point is that these
the widely popular Pentecostal movement of the lastmanifestations of glossolalia are clearly not Christian
hundred years.and not faithful to the God of the Bible. I am, then,
Much of the popular success regarding theextrapolating that the roots of glossolalia are
understanding and use of the gift of tongues by theintertwined with Paganism and Spiritism (ecstatic
Pentecostal movement must be credited to thecommunication, which includes communication with
historical Protestant Reformed misunderstanding ofthe dead, or with spirits).
the terminology involved. The Reformed doctrinalIn biblical history, King Saul was involved with
error is found in a misreading of the Westminsterglossolalia early in his story. Immediately following
Confession of Faith. This misreading involves sectionSamuel's anointing of Saul as King of Israel (1 Samuel
one of chapter one, "Of the Holy Scripture." The10:1), Saul himself fell into a swoon of prophecy. We
phrase under consideration reads, "...those formerdon't know if Saul used glossolalia per se, but nothing
ways of God's revealing His will unto His people beingof the content of his prophecy is recorded, which
now ceased."suggests that it was meaningless or not significant to
The common (and I believe incorrect) understandingGod. Scripture provides this story, not to justify
of this phrase was that the practice of glossolaliaSaul's actions, but as a window into the character of
(understood as inspired speaking and writing) ceasedSaul. Saul began to prophesy after God gave him
with the closing of the Canon. However, anyone"another heart" (1 Samuel 10:1). Note that it was not
familiar with the history of the Christian church anda new heart, and that from that time forward Saul
the Pentecostal Movement will know that glossolaliafell increasingly out of favor with God. At the height
has not ceased, not in the First Century or theof Saul's disobedience to God he consulted the witch
Fourth or the Seventeenth -- much less in theof Endor and communicated with the dead spirit of
Twentieth or Twenty-First. Glossolalia has been withSamuel (1 Samuel 28:7). Such communication was
us from time immemorial, in Old Testament times, in(and is still) forbidden by God. While that
New Testament times, and into Modern andcommunication was not technically glossolalia, it was
Postmodern times. Indeed, glossolalia is alive and wellcommunication with a dead spirit, which Saul himself
today, as is evidenced by the phenomenal success ofhad correctly forbidden under the direction of Samuel.
the Pentecostal Movement over the past hundredGod does not want His people communicating with
years. So, to say that it has ceased is nonsense, anddead or incorporeal spirits.
to suggest that it should have ceased opens theAgain, Saul's experience may not have been
door to a host of interpretative problems that haveglossolalia per se, but it was most certainly not a
not been resolved and are probably unresolvable.function of obedience or the understanding of God's
A better approach is needed. To get at the issue andtruth on his part. Saul's prophesying must be classified
the problem regarding the gift of tongues we firstas a kind of ecstatic speech, where ecstasy is
need to better understand and define exactly whatdefined as a state of being beyond reason. The point
glossolalia is. It is not a biblical word. The dictionaryis that this kind of ecstatic speech -- speech that is
defines it as repetitive non-meaningful speech,either nonsensical or unreasonable -- is not the kind
especially that associated with a trance state orof communication that the God of Scripture provides
religious fervor. Pentecostals will take exception withfor His people. So, while it is not technically or strictly
the idea that it is non-meaningful. Some will argueglossolalia, narrowly defined, it was similar enough to
that it is an ancient language that has been lost.be categorized as a kind of glossolalia, broadly
Others will argue that it is a special prayer languagedefined.
that provides for special communication betweenHere's another example: Early in Jesus' ministry He
God and the believer who uses it. Others will argueencountered unclean spirit(s) that had inhabited and
that it is a language (or languages) that only the Holyinflicted people with various maladies. Mark recorded
Spirit can interpret.that when Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit
The first shortcoming to note is that most Christianthe man convulsed (Mark 1:26). The Greek word is
examinations of glossolalia limit their considerations tothe root of the English word spasmodic. People
biblical data, and more specifically to glossolalia withinreacted spasmodically when the unclean spirits left
the Christian tradition. Most of the time these effortsthem, twisting and turning uncontrollably, falling down
assume and attempt to justify glossolalia as a(Matthew 17:15), probably even barking and growling.
legitimate expression of biblical practice. MostThe point is that the spirits that manifest these kinds
Christians, including various Christian scholars in variousof things in people were expelled from them when
denominations, understand tongues to be athey were healed by Jesus, which suggests that
manifestation of glossolalia because it is part of thethey were some sort of evil spirits. These
history of biblical experience and testimony. Themanifestations of spiritual illness and/or possession
practice of glossolalia understood in this waywere not to be celebrated, but were to be
stretches back into biblical antiquity.overcome and eliminated from human experience
However, if we are going to define tongues biblically,according to the biblical traditions of Jesus' healing
we must distinguish between Paul's use of the wordwork.
tongues and the contemporary definition ofThe point is that these kinds of ecstatic,
glossolalia. They are not the same thing. The reality istrance-induced experiences have always been
that glossolalia defined in this way (as beingassociated with non-biblical religions -- and they still
legitimately Christian) has a long and significantare today. In contrast, the God of the Bible is the
tradition that is both unfaithful to God and non-biblical.God of truth and reason, not of spirit possession and
The roots of this kind of glossolalia belong toconfusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). And God most
Paganism and the ancient traditions of false godscertainly does not communicate meaninglessness to
mentioned in Scripture. For instance, glossolalia wasHis people.
exhibited by the renowned ancient Oracle of Delphi,My difficulty with understanding tongues and the
whose origins are associated with the worship ofissues involved with it, however, comes about
Gaia in the Eighth Century B.C. At Delphi a priestessbecause people erroneously believe that God had
of the god Apollo (called a sibyl) spoke in unintelligiblecommunicated and/or dictated the original writing of
utterances, supposedly through the spirit of Apollo inScripture through some kind of ecstatic, glossolalia-like
the priestess as a kind of prophecy that would thenexperience. However, I emphatically believe that He
be translated by other priests.did not! Scripture was written through men, and used
Later in history are found certain Gnostic magicalthe ordinary writing practices of men. The writing of
texts from the Roman period that have unintelligibleScripture was not magical or mystical, it was ordinary.
syllables written on them. It is believed that theseHowever, Scripture does in fact record that God
may be transliterations of the sorts of sounds madeuses things/experiences like this sort of mystical
during glossolalia and were thought to be prophetic.glossolalia. God does give people over to nonsense
The Coptic Gospel of the Egyptians also features aand confusion (Exodus 23:27, Deuteronomy 7:23,
hymn of mostly unintelligible syllables which is thoughtIsaiah 19:14). God's Word, however, is not a
to be an early example of Christian glossolalia.manifestation of nonsense and confusion, but is a
In the Nineteenth Century, Spiritism, whichmanifestation of truth and order.
investigates the survival of souls after death and