of
Speaking
in Tongues
Keep in mind, a “cult” is a pagan teaching masked in
Christianity. Some would raise their eyebrows at the
Charismatic movement being considered a “cult.” However, as has already been
discussed, the modern speaking in tongues is a pagan practice that
has masked itself and passed itself off as “Christian.” A study of
history, and a study of Bible, proves that it is cultish, not
Christian.
In this section we will give biblical answers to the
Charismatic movement, the modern tongues movement. The Charismatic
movement is also called the “glossalalia” movement; that is a word
that refers to the movement that “speaks in tongues.” The
root word “glossa,” is the word translated “tongues” in the
Bible.
1. The Greek word for “Tongues” all the way through the New
Testament is the word “Glossa.”
In
OLD GREEK, KIONE GREEK (the language of the New Testament),
CLASICAL GREEK, and MODERN GREEK, the word “glossa” has always
meant “languages” - known, civilized languages. It has never meant
some kind of jibber-jabber that none can understand except by a
miraculous gift.
The word “glossa” always means either (1) the physical
appendage we call the “tongue,” or (2) a “known civilized
language.” What right does someone have, because they have had an
experience, to come along and change the meaning in the Bible word
to justify their experience? That is dishonest. It is always wrong
to change the Bible to fit our experience; we should change the
interpretation of our experience to fit the Bible
.
2. The Word “
Unknown” Found Before “Tongues”
in the New Testament is Always in
Italics.
When you find a word in Italics, it means that it was supplied by the translator. It is not
wrong to put it there; it is supplied for better understanding of
the correct meaning of the language, and for smooth reading in the
English.
The vast majority of Charismatic Preachers use the King James
Bible because it is the only major English version that retains
the word “unknown” in front of the word
“tongues,” and they use that to try to promote their
doctrine.
(When the King James translators inserted a word they
italicized it to let you know. They were honest about it. However,
in modern English versions, when they insert a word they did not
italicize it; they were deceitful, letting you think is in the
original when it is not.)
After all, foreign languages are “unknown tongues” are they
not? If I go to your house and you speak Chinese, it will
certainly be an unknown tongue. You will not understand a word
that I say: ”unknown tongue.” If I never studied that language, I
will be speaking a language that even I do not know; thus, the
miraculous gift of “ tongues”( languages). That is what happened
on the Day of Pentecost, studied later.
3. The First Experience of “Tongues in the New
Testament as a Miraculous Gift in Acts Chapter
Two.
The “Law of First Mention” says that the first time
a doctrine is mentioned in the Bible, there is enough information
to explain that doctrine in that first mention. Every subsequent
mention of that doctrine simply complements that first
mention.
After Jesus had arisen form the dead, spent forty days with the
apostles and disciples, then ascended form the Mount of Olives,
the disciples (named in 1:13) were in a room with other followers
of Christ (120 altogether). They prayed for ten days and ten
nights. At the end of that ten days, the Day on Pentecost came; on
that day Jews would gather from all over the civilized world.
These foreign Jews did not all speak the same language; they had
picked up the languages of those parts of the world in which they
lived. (Alexander the Great had scattered the Jews all over that
part of the world before the coming of Christ. Now, they grew up
in those countries and understood those languages.)
On the Day of Pentecost, they converged on Jerusalem to
celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. Pentecost was the day when the
Jews gathered to thank GOD for the harvest.
Acts 2:1 says, “When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they
were all with one accord in one place.”
Verse 2 continues, “and suddenly there came a sound from heaven
as of a mighty rushing wind, and it filled all the house where
they were sitting, And there appeared unto them cloven (divided)
tongues like as fire, and it sat upon each of them.” Each one of
the 120 had an appearance of a “tongue” on their head.
Verse 4 says, “And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and
began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.” “Other” refers to “other” than there own. They did not
know these languages, yet they were speaking in them.
Verse 5 continues, “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews,
devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was
noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded,
because that every man heard them speak in his own language
(glossa). And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to
another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? (from
Galilee) And how hear we every man in our own tongue (glossa),
wherein we were born?”
Then the writer names the known, civilized languages that were
spoken on that day, in verses 9-11 “ 9Parthians, and Medes, and
Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and
Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in
Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of
Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them
speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Thus, the known, civilized languages(“tongues”) that were
spoken on that day are listed. This was not some kind of :unknown
Tongue” that no one could understand except by divine
miracle.
What about the tongues of other passages? Is that the same as
on the Day of Pentecost, known languages, or is it different in
Acts 10, 19 and in 1 Corinthians? The obvious answer is: why would
the word “glossa” mean anything different in those passages than
it means everywhere else it is used? Why change the meaning of the
word just because it is found in another passage?
4. The Tongues Experiences in the New Testament
were Limited to a very Few People.
Charismatics will tell you that every time someone in the
New Testament was filled with the Spirit they had evidence of
speaking in tongues. However, that is not true, In Acts 4 they
were filled with the Spirit, but there is no record of their
speaking in tongues. In Acts 6 the deacons were filled the Holy
Ghost, but there is no record of their speaking in tongues. In
Acts 9:17 Saul of Tarsus was “filled with the Holy Ghost,” but
there is no record of his speaking in tongues.
There are only 3 times in the entire book of Acts when someone
spoke in “tongues” (glossa). The 1st is in Acts chapter
2; we have already studied that. By the way, the 3000 that got
saved and baptized did not speak in tongues; only the 120 did.
The 2nd time “tongues” is seen as a miraculous gift
is in Acts 10, and it is only one family speaking in “tongues.” It
is given there to authenticate the salvation of Gentiles;
Cornelius and his family were Gentiles. Plus, it does not say
anything there about a miraculous gift. It simply says that they
spoke in different languages; remember, they were living in a
multi-cultural and multi-lingual society. The last time speaking
in tongues is found as a miracle is in Acts 19:1-7. In that case
there are only 12 men that spoke in a foreign language. Also, in
this passage it does not indicate the presence of any miraculous
gift. It simply says that they “spake with tongues
(
Languages)….” They preached in foreign
languages; no mention of a miraculous gift.
Thus, to say that everyone who was ever filled with the spirit
spoke miraculous “tongues” is hogwash. The best way to shut
the mouth of the cultist is to hand them a Bible and say,
“
Show
Me.” Tongues experiences in the New Testament were
limited to a very few People.
5 Mark 16:14-20
The Charismatic and Pentecostals often use this verse to
try to substantiate their use of “tongues and Miracles.” what does
it say, and what is it about?
Mark chapter 16 is the 2nd instance in the New
Testament of Jesus giving the Great Commission.
Mark 16:14-20 says “14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as
they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and
hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen
him after he was risen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he
that believeth not shall be damned…”
Notice that the condition of salvation is “believe” - “he that
believeth not shall be damned.”
Read on, “17And these signs
shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly
thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick,
and they shall recover.
19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received
up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord
working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.
Amen.”
Remember, Jesus is talking to
the apostles, “the 11.” This is not instruction necessarily to the
local church; it was directly addressed to the 11 apostles whom
Jesus chose ( minus Judas Iscariot).
There are 5 gifts
predicted:
(1) They would cast out
devils
(2) They would speak in new tongues.
(3) if they pick up a snake and it bites them, they won’t die (
which happened to Paul.)
(4) If they drink any poison they will not be hurt.
(5) They would have the power to lay hands on the sick and heal
the,.
There are five gifts predicted here, but the Charismatics only
claim 2 of them. They use this passage to substantiate their
“ministry,” but they divide it up and only claim 2/5 of it:
healing and tongues.
According to verses 19 and 20, these gifts were only to
authenticate the authority of the apostles. It says, “And they
(the eleven) went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord WORKING
WITH THEM and CONFIRMING THE WORD WITH SIGNS FOLLOWING” (verse
20).
Today, we don’t need a confirmation of our word; the written
Word of God is our confirmation. Since the Scriptures are
complete, and the apostolic age is over, the Scriptures are the
only confirmation needed. When I preach I don’t have to stand up
and drink poison, talk in tongues, heal the sick, etc., to confirm
the authority of what I say. The Bible is the Conformation of my
word. All I have to do is say, “Thus saith the Lord….”
The apostles, however, did not have that; they did not have
written copies of the completed Word of GOD. They had a few hand
written copies of the Old Testament, but very few of them. Not
many people had any of the written Word of God in their
possession. Thus, the signs following the apostles were given to
confirm their word,
6. “Tongues’ (Glossa) in 1 Corinthians
12-14
Paul wrote 13 of the New
Testament Epistles (Romans through Philemon). Every one of his
epistles was written either to a local church, or to the pastor of
a local church. Out of all his writings, the ONLY one in which he
even mentions Tongues is the letter to the Corinthians.
Tongues is never mentioned to any other church. Corinthians, by
the way, is the church that he wrote to in order rebuke
immorality, division, suing on another, misuse of the Lords
Supper, etc. - Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to rebuke them also for
MISUSING the Gift of TONGUES.
1st Corinthians chapter12-14, keeps in mind that
every time the word “tongues” is used it is a translation of the
Greek word, “glossa” meaning “known civilized
language.” Never does “glossa” mean nor has it ever
meant, a heavenly jibberish that no one can understand except by
divine interpretation. That word is found 4 times in chapter 12, 2
times in chapter 13, and 16 times in chapter 14 - and Paul is
dealing with the misuse of tongues.
When the New Testament uses the word “tongues” it is a
reference to a mere foreign language. If, However, it
mentions a miraculous gift of “tongues.” as at Pentecost,
it is the God-given ability to present to speak an unlearned
foreign language for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to
unsaved people present who could not understand the home language
of the one doing the preaching.
The Gift of foreign languages was given for the sake of
unbelievers; it was not given for believers. It is a sign to them
to confirm the word of the apostles.
7. The Biblical Gift of Tongues Ceased when the
Bible was Completed
Keeping in mind that chapters 12-14 of 1st
Corinthians is all about the spiritual gifts, read 1st
Corinthians. 13:8-13. “Charity never faileth; but whether there be
prophecies (the GIFT of Prophecy), they shall fail; whether there
be tongues (the Gift of Tongues),they shall cease; whether there
be knowledge (the gift of Knowledge, knowledge gained by a “gift,”
not by study or experience), it shall vanish away” Thus, God said
that there would come a time when some spiritual gifts would
“fail,…. cease,….vanish away.”
Read on “for we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” Paul,
and others in his day, only knew spiritual truths “in Part.” They
could only “prophesy” (preach) the “part” that they had revealed
to them, for they did not have the entire Word of GOD.
Continue, “But when THAT WHICH IS PERFECT is come….”
What is that which is perfect? It is evidently not referring to
Christ in His 2nd coming, for He is not “that which;”
He is a “He who.” “That which” is in the neuter gender, meaning
neither masculine nor feminine. Christ is Masculine; He would be
not referred to as “that which,” only as “He who.”
The only neuter gender thing that is “perfect” is the Word of
God. “The law of the Lord is perfect,” said the psalmist in
Psalms 19:7. Paul said, “When that which is Perfect (the
Word of God) is come (when the Word of God is complete - that
occurred in about AD 100), then that which is in part ( the gifts
mentioned above) shall be done away.”
Then, in verse 11 the apostle gives an illustration to show
that the knowledge and experience that they had prior to the
completion of the Word of God is incomplete. He said, “when I was
a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as
a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
There are some things that characterize spiritual
immaturity, and reliance on visible miracles and miraculous
gifts is one of them. These things were to be “put away” when the
Word of God was complete.
Verse 12 continues, “For now (in Paul’s day) we see through a
glass, darkly (Paul’s vision of spiritual things was incomplete)
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as
also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these
three; but the greatest is charity.”
It is clear form this passage that the miraculous gifts,
particularly the gifts of ”prophesy…tongues….knowledge,” would
“cease, pass away, vanish” when the Word of God was completed. The
entire canon of Scripture was completed in about AD 100. Since
then, there has not been one recorded instance of “speaking in
tongues” anywhere in church history. (It seems that if God said
something would vanish when the Word of God is complete, and
“tongues” of the New Testament has not been seen on the earth in
any movement from AD 100 until AD 2000 - “tongues”
ceased)
Thus, not only is tongues a temporary gift that has
“vanished away.” The “tongues” of today does not
even resemble the gift of tongues in the Bible.
When people ask, “When did the gift of tongues cease, I usually
tell them, “that is the wrong question. It is not, “When did
tongues cease,” It is, ‘
Does the tongues of today resemble the
tongues of the Bible???’ And the obvious answer is “NO. It
is not even a good counterfeit.” The “tongues” of the
Bible (miraculous gift of being able to speak foreign languages in
order to preach the Gospel to foreigners) ceased, according to
Paul, in about AD 100.
By Dr. Andrew Tully