Bible Study What is Speaking in Tongues?

[AIR]

I have read a few verses in the Bible about Speaking in Tongues. I have some kind of concept what it does mean but I'd like to know more. I started searching that subject in the Google but I decided that I should ask here instead of using Google because it's more reliable to ask fellow Christian friends! Thank you,

blessings,
Air

 

[AirDancer]

Speaking in tongues is one's soul speaking joyously and directly to our Lord. Some people receive this gift from the Holy Spirit. Some are given the gift of interpreting what is spoken in tongues; again, a gift from the Holy Spirit. Both are gifts for which you may pray to receive.

 

[Obadiah]

...I started searching that subject in the Google but I decided that I should ask here instead of using Google because it's more reliable to ask fellow Christian friends! Thank you,

blessings,
Air

LOL, this is a subject where you may get as many different and conflicting answers here as you would on Google! :-D But I think Air Dancers answer is pretty much right on as a basic description o f what it is.

 

[King James]

It's my understanding from the book of Acts is that it's people speaking in actual languages that they don't know and are praising God. Paul also says that prophecy is better as tongues without an interpreter is just between you and God where prophecy is helpful for everyone.

 

[ezrider]

I have read a few verses in the Bible about Speaking in Tongues. I have some kind of concept what it does mean but I'd like to know more. I started searching that subject in the Google but I decided that I should ask here instead of using Google because it's more reliable to ask fellow Christian friends! Thank you,

blessings,
Air

I do not ascribe to the babbling as speaking in tongues. And I do not believe that this is in reference to speaking a different natural foreign language. The speaking in tongues as I see it is more of a metaphor for trying to describe things in the natural world that you have come to understand in the spiritual. You can't quite find the right words, your thoughts jump around, and try as you might, and though it makes perfect sense to you, the message is not received. Though it be spoken with a perfect language, it is still as if it were a different language, and they do not comprehend, except they have someone to interpret for them.

 

[King James]

Acts 2 NIV

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesa as the Spirit enabled them.

5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,b 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

As you can see in Acts 2:6-11, it clearly says that they are speaking in actual foreign languages. There was someone that once speculated that everyone knew Greek at the time and the different Greek dialects per region were so different that they were different languages and that is what they were speaking. Regardless, they were speaking in different languages understood by peoples from all of the different regions shown in Acts chapter 2. Acts 2:13 is kind of funny, I haven't had any alcoholic beverages for years but when I did, I never spoke perfectly in a language that I didn't know. Then Peter's response is also strange in Acts 2:16 as they can't be drunk since it's nine in the morning. I know some alcoholics that grab for a bottle right when they wake up. Not a very good argument.

 

[for_his_glory]

Tongues is a Spiritual gift from God for prophesying for the edifing of the body of Christ within his Church as long as there is interpretation. Tongues is also part of our private prayers when we are not sure of how to pray for something in particular, but the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us as we pray. Here is a good website that will help explain it all with the scriptures you need to study on this subject. I pray you will learn much from it and will have your questions answered.

http://www.dianedew.com/tongues.htm

 

[The Gospels]

saying futuristic things maybe or other talking other languages

 

[LeaningOnChrist]

I like some of these answers... Sometimes when we don't know what to pray the Holy Spirit will make intercession for us. The Bible says that when a man speaks in tongues no one understands Him, therefore you should pray to yourself in tongues unless an interpreter is present. But in your own prayer time it's great to pray in tongues because you edify yourself.

 

[th1b.taylor]

There are some good answers here and the thing to remember is God has left us an arbitrator to guide us (the Bible) until Christ returns to rule for a thousand years, human time. This requires our paying attention and that can be difficult for a human to do because we are, by nature, rebellious.

Paul has, indeed instructed us, more than once, that speaking in tongues is not only not the gift but it is the least of the gifts. It is publicly known that a large percentage of Baptist Preachers have a Prayer Language and I believe that the use of praying in tongues is more prevalent than we will ever know because of the stigma involved because of the over abundance of fakes today.

I was not given the gift of tongues and I do not desire it but I will caution you to beware. I was approached at a Promise Keepers Meeting with the offer to teach me to speak in tongues because he recognized the Holy Spirit in me. (That is not scriptural.) Trying not to offend I told him and he agreed that if God wanted me to speak in tongues, I would not be able not to. So, although I do not do so, I do not tell all that they are wrong, many are not. On the other hand anyone that wants to teach me to say, "Tie my bow tie," until it becomes gibberish, I reject.

God bless, my friend.

 

[sourberry]

I do not ascribe to the babbling as speaking in tongues. And I do not believe that this is in reference to speaking a different natural foreign language. The speaking in tongues as I see it is more of a metaphor for trying to describe things in the natural world that you have come to understand in the spiritual. You can't quite find the right words, your thoughts jump around, and try as you might, and though it makes perfect sense to you, the message is not received. Though it be spoken with a perfect language, it is still as if it were a different language, and they do not comprehend, except they have someone to interpret for them.

And it is certainly not an interpreter beside, right?

 

[sourberry]

It sounds to me that yes, speaking in tongues is a speech where words are not enough to convey the heavenly meaning to an earthly level.

Neighbours understand the words, yet cannot embrace the meaning. The speaker knows what he says, but is unable to convey the meaning.

Jesus was continually speaking it tongues, as I think. Parables and miracles were a form of a speech in tongues. Jesus knew what he was talking about, but nobody around was understanding his words, or his miracles, as I think. Perhaps, this is why he is called the Word.

 

[th1b.taylor]

I do not ascribe to the babbling as speaking in tongues. And I do not believe that this is in reference to speaking a different natural foreign language. The speaking in tongues as I see it is more of a metaphor for trying to describe things in the natural world that you have come to understand in the spiritual. You can't quite find the right words, your thoughts jump around, and try as you might, and though it makes perfect sense to you, the message is not received. Though it be spoken with a perfect language, it is still as if it were a different language, and they do not comprehend, except they have someone to interpret for them.

There is a rule in Hermeneutics, "No scripture, nor any group of scriptures, can ever be understood without the light of all other scripture can ever be understood without the light of all other scripture shinning on it."

The mixed audience heard Peter speaking in their language or tongue. Now there is a Fisherman, Peter, preaching, and I'll give you good odds that he spoke in Hebrew and yet people from Syria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Rome, Greece and who knows where else heard him preach in their own tongue. I'm perfectly willing to bet he did not speak each sentence 25 to 30 times in a different language before he spoke the next sentence in as many languages before going to the next and the next and the next.

Peter spoke Hebrew and God, being omnipotent, performed a miracle and each man heard Peter in his or her tongue. The only tongue Peter spoke in on that day was his own. When Paul and the others prayed in Tongues, it was not in a language someone here would understand.

Three times, once on Deuteronomy, once in The Revelation of Jesus and one other I fail to recall where, God has promised us to suffer the worst of possible eternities for adding or for removing from His Word.

 

[Angel]

I was approached at a Promise Keepers Meeting with the offer to teach me to speak in tongues because he recognized the Holy Spirit in me. (That is not scriptural.) Trying not to offend I told him and he agreed that if God wanted me to speak in tongues, I would not be able not to. So, although I do not do so, I do not tell all that they are wrong, many are not. On the other hand anyone that wants to teach me to say, "Tie my bow tie," until it becomes gibberish, I reject.

Yes, gibberish. I went to a church where the congregation shouted out "tongues" while worshiping. I wish I could add audio to this thread. They sounded ridiculous, out of order, and not like a language at all. The church told me to wait for the spirit to come into me or something like that. I can't say verbatim, but it basically opens the door to a spirit that is NOT God's. I have never heard "real" tongues. It doesn't bother me that I may never hear them... In fact, the only way my heart would be cool with tongues is if the Holy Spirit arose it in my spirit and mouth.

 

[eddif]

I have read a few verses in the Bible about Speaking in Tongues. I have some kind of concept what it does mean but I'd like to know more. I started searching that subject in the Google but I decided that I should ask here instead of using Google because it's more reliable to ask fellow Christian friends! Thank you,

blessings,
Air

There seems to be a renewed interest in spirituals. I think one of the best places to start is in the book of Daniel. In chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar was interested in the signs and wonders of God. Daniel interpreted a dream for him.

Now the next passage does not say tongues as such, but there is a message and an interpretation.

Belshazzar , the son of Nebuchadnezzar, had a message written on the plaster of the wall
Daniel 5:5
Then in Daniel 5:25 we read the message. Of course Daniel receives and presents the interpretation.

There are plenty of parallel facts with Acts passages (IMHO).

I never really thought of OT tongues for years.
Comments?
eddif

 

[eddif]

Gibberish seems to be covered in Isaiah 8:19
Wizards peep and mutter, and we should approach God for intelligence.

I Corinthians 12:1-2
As gentiles, demonic forces led the Gentiles. The Gentiles had to be introduced to the God of Abraham.

You can receive a spirit. You must discern th difference in spirits. Either you seek the Holy Spirit, or you just get a spirit (not necessarily a Godly spirit).
I Corinthians 12:3

eddif

 

[eddif]

It's my understanding from the book of Acts is that it's people speaking in actual languages that they don't know and are praising God. Paul also says that prophecy is better as tongues without an interpreter is just between you and God where prophecy is helpful for everyone.

I agree.
I Corinthians 14:26-28
These few verses show tongues starting in public corporate meeting (to reaveal secrets of unbelivers hearts ( might be revealed) (revealed to impact unbelievers that they marvel) , and becoming private when there is no one to interpret.

I Corinthians 14:25 describes the falling on the face when secrets are revealed. With no interpretation the revelation does not reach the mind of the unbeliever / unllearned.

There seems to be a traditional teaching that tongues has a major private element, and I can see that too; but there is a scriptural push for public use of tongues. If the public use fails, then the gift becomes private. When I say this, I probably face a lot of tradition against the statement; but I am just reading the passage and praying for understanding.

Of course a word of knowledge does not require tongues and interpretation.

eddif