The Issue of "Tongues"— Part 7

PAUL’S PERSONAL TESTIMONY

“I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue (I Corinthians 14:18-19).”

As mentioned earlier, Paul spoke with tongues more than all the Corinthian believers. Yet Paul declares that he would rather speak five words in the church by his own understanding, than ten thousand words in a tongue. When Paul, or any other tongue speaker, spoke the message from God it was not produced by an effort of their understanding. They understood as they spoke it, but it was a product of the Holy Spirit. What Paul is referring to in this passage is five words to be understood, as opposed to ten thousand words unintelligible to others because they are in a tongue.[1] He once again points to the necessity of edification, particularly teaching here, for the benefit of others. It is interesting to note that Paul has just spoken of tongues’ abuse not edifying the unlearned, and now declares his desire to communicate so that others may be taught.

DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT CARE ABOUT THE MIND?

“Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men (I Corinthians 14:20).”

God the Holy Spirit communicates a very important truth in this verse- “Use your mind!” Christianity is not a religion of mysticism and thoughtless fanaticism. The Corinthians had plenty of local options if that was their pleasure. Ecstatic utterances were to be found in local religions, but ecstatic utterances were not the gift of tongues! God desires that His children be understanding of His truth and loving of Himself, and has given His children gifts that they may build up the body to that end. Christianity was never intended to bypass the mind. We are to be mature in our understanding. The analogy is of children and men. Be immature and unedified in malice, but not in understanding!

VERSE 28

Having studied verses 21 through 25 already in whole or in part, I now turn to one more evidence that the tongues speaker understood what he was saying. Verses 26-40 emphasize order in the worship service so that people be edified[2] and because of the character of God[3]. The believers were to have no more than two or three tongues speakers, and then they could only speak in turns.[4] There had to be an interpreter if there was to be speaking in tongues.[5] At this point we arrive at yet another conclusive proof that the tongue speaker understood what he was saying.

“But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God (I Corinthians 14:28)”

If there was no interpreter, the tongue speaker was not to publicly pronounce the message, but he was to simply speak to himself and to God. Occasionally, I talk to myself. Several times even during the writing of this booklet I have contemplated matters by talking them over in my mind, whether verbally or mentally. There has never been one time when I simply uttered gibberish when speaking to myself! There certainly has been no time when I uttered only sounds instead of words when speaking to my God!

Some say that this idea of praying to God without understanding what you are uttering is found in this verse. It is not. Once again this passage, like so many others that we have studied in this chapter, points to the fact that the speaker understood what he was saying. A person speaking to himself does not just utter mindless gibberish, and a person speaking to God certainly should not utter gibberish to his Heavenly Father![6]


[1] It is possible that here Paul is using a Greek construction known as an “objective genitive.” This would render the expression “my understanding” as “understanding of me.” This would reinforce the primacy of intelligibility that Paul is setting forth here, but it is not essential to do so. The argument is equally eloquent with the subjective genitive, which would indicate that this was five words of a message produced by Paul’s own understanding, preparation, and study for the purpose of teaching the body, particularly the unlearned.
[2] I Corinthians 14:26- “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.”
[3] I Corinthians 14:33- “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
[4] I Corinthians 14:27- “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”
[5] ibid
[6] Many charismatics say that the practice of uttering unintelligible sounds to God as prayer is taught in Romans 8:26- “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” They say that in times when one just doesn’t know what words to utter, praying in tongues is the Holy Spirit’s way of helping him pray. In other words, when words fail, ecstatic utterances can step in. The belief fails, like so many other charismatic arguments, in that it fails to exegete the passage. The passage plainly says that it is the Holy Spirit which makes intercessions, not us. In response to the objection that the Holy Spirit is praying through us by uttering these sounds with our vocal projection, the response is simple- “they cannot be uttered.” If sounds of any sort spill forth from the mouth, it is not the Spirit’s work of intercession. His intercession is with groanings which cannot be uttered or spoken in any way.