tongueshistory

CHAPTER TWO

“The History of Tongues”

Tongues in the Apostolic Era.

In the 16th chapter of the book of Mark,1 in the midst of numerous signs that were to accompany the followers of Christ, He is recorded to have said; “they will speak with new tongues.” The word “new” in this passage comes from the Greek word “kainos.” This word denotes something that is “new as to form or quality."2 It identifies something that is new only in respect to how it is used, and not to something that is new in time. That designation would go the Greek word “neos.”3 Thus, speaking in tongues is identi-fied as being:

1. A sign to National Israel of Gentile inclusion in the plan of God. (Isa 28:11)

2. The speaking of a tongue (language) that is new only in respect to how it is used, not a new language.

In the 2nd chapter of the book of Acts, while the Apostles were waiting in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, in obedience to the command of Jesus Christ, “a rushing mighty wind,” filled “the whole house where they were sitting.” This phenomenon was immediately followed by the appearance of “tongues, as of fire” that “sat upon each of them.” They then began to “speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (verses 1-4)

This event marked the end of the Dispensation of Law, and the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace. With this dispensational shift, the age of National Israel as the “Elect of God” ceased. This designation now belonged to the membership of the newly born Christian Church.4 Accompanying this shift; “stammering lips and another tongue.”

As the Apostles spoke in “other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance,” it drew the attention of many “devout Jews” who had come to Jerusalem “from every nation under heaven,” to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. These Jews, all of which were born into different dialects, were amazed in that each of them could understand the Galilean Apostles in their native languages. Thus, we not only have the occurrence of the Gift of Tongues here, we also have the Gift of the Interpretation of Tongues. This is a signifi-cance that should not be overlooked, and that will be dealt with in more detail later in this study.

Because the Birth of the Church in this passage is accompanied by the sign gift of speaking in tongues, it is clear that this is the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophe-cies recorded in both Isaiah 28, and mark 16. It is also clear that the tongues, or lan-guages spoken by the Apostles were unknown to them, adding a new dimension to sign gift. It was to be:

1. A sign to National Israel of God’s judgment, and Gentile inclusion in the plan of God.

2. The speaking of a tongue (language) that is not new in time, but only in respect to how it is used.

3. The Speaking of a language unknown by the speaker.

While it is probable that this sign gift was in wide-spread use during the early church era, there are only three other recorded instances of its outbreak in the Bible, with two of these instances being listed in the book of Acts

Acts 10:44-46 – “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.”

Acts 19:6 - “And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

In theological terms, the book of Acts falls into the category of what is called “histori-cal narrative.” The intent of biblical historical narrative is to illustrate for the student of scripture, WHAT occurred during a given period of time, without necessarily making reference to its accuracy. It is for that reason that, while doctrinal matters may be seen IN them, no doctrine should be built ON them. That is, unless a doctrinal matter is specifically being taught in the narrative, as with Jesus Christ and the Sermon on the Mount. And even in these instances, the Time Principle of Biblical Hermeneutics applies.5 Aside from these exceptions, ALL teachings should be based upon the portion of scripture designed for the explicit purpose of clarifying doctrinal issues: the Epistles.

In the first epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, he addresses troubling issues of doctrine that had plagued this church. The entire letter was basically a long letter of correction as seen in the following:

1. There are divisions amongst them – Chapter 1.

2. They confused the wisdom of man with the wisdom of God - Chapter 2.

3. They were extremely carnal in their service to God - Chapter 3.

4. They were arrogantly supporting one leader over and against others - Chapter 4.

5. They were tolerant of immorality in their midst - Chapter 5.

6. They were incapable of settling the simplest matter amongst themselves - Chap- ter 6.

7. They had a fundamental misunderstanding of interpersonal relations - Chapter 7

8. There was no concern for the well being of developing Christians – Chapter 8.

9. They questioned the credentials of the Apostle Paul – Chapter 9.

10. They had to be warned against lusting for evil things – Chapter 10.

11. They had to be taught divine order and respect – Chapter 11.

12. They had a fundamental misunderstanding of Spiritual Gifts – Chapters 12 & 13.

13. Because of this misunderstanding, they have misused the Gift of Tongues – 14.

It is in these last two illustrations that we find the last biblical reference to the pheno-menon of speaking in tongues.

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (I Cor 12:4-11; emphasis added)

In this passage you have the Apostle Paul giving emphasis to what spiritual gifts are individually, why they were/are given, and how they fit into God’s plan overall. They were/are diverse gifts, manifested by the Holy Spirit, as one of His different ministries, according to His will alone, for the profit of the entire Body of Christ, functioning as one of God’s diverse activities, by which He works all in all.

Because they had a fundamental misunderstanding of this functionality of spiritual gifts, the Christians of Corinth instead saw in them symbols by which they could gain a certain status within their church. The flashier the gift, the more sought after it was by them. Because there was no gift flashier than the gift of tongues, it was the subject of widespread abuse by this first century church, abuses we will delve deeper into later in this study.

After the illustration of abuses recorded in I Corinthians, nearly 100 years would pass before this phenomenon again surfaced in history.

Tongues in the Age of the Apostolic Fathers

The Age of the Apostolic Fathers identifies that period immediately following the death of the last Apostle. It began, roughly, at the close of the first century, after the death of the Apostle John, and ended in the mid second century. This period included such Christian notables as:

Clement of Rome (c. 30 – 100) - Bishop of Rome, and believed to be a disciple of both the Apostles Peter and Paul.

Ignatius (c. 35 – 105) – Bishop of Antioch and a disciple of the Apostle John.

Hermas (late 1st – early 2nd) – Was a contemporary of Clement. Known primarily for his work “The Shepherd.”

Papias (c. 60 – 130) – Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor, and disciple of the Apostle John.

Polycarp (c. 69 – 160) – Bishop of Smyrna, and disciple of the Apostle John.

It is important to note here that this age is crucial to the student of church history in that it identifies continuity of Christian doctrine as it was lived out in the everyday lives of the early Christian community. This continuity can be seen in that many of these early Christians were alive during the time of the Apostles. Some had even experienced their teachings first hand or by the original autograph.6 Undoubtedly, they would have quickly recognized any improper shifting of doctrine and/or tradition that occurred that was inconsistent with apostolic teaching. There were no recorded instances of speaking tongues during this era, nor were there any recorded instances of their absence during this period being considered out of the norm.

Tongues in the Age of the Apologists.

The period immediately following the deaths of the last of the individuals who were personally discipled by the Apostles saw rise to numerous “new” doctrines, purportedly to be from the Apostles, as well as blatant distortions of teachings already well established in the fledgling Christian community. In response to this challenge, there arose an elite cadre of individuals called Apologists,7 who met this heresy head on. This period included:

Quadratus (early 2nd century) – Bishop of Athens.

Aristides (early 2nd century) – Athenian philosopher. Greatly influenced by the writings of the Apostle Paul.

Justin Martyr (c. 100 – 165) – A converted philosopher who is considered the greatest of the Apologists.

Tatian (c. 110 – 172) – Produced the first harmony of the Gospels. Was a disciple of Justin Martyr.

Irenaeus (c. 130 – 200) – Bishop of Lyons, and disciple of Polycarp.

Tertullian (c. 160 – 220) – The son of a Roman army officer who was trained in law. Was the first to write systematically concerning the doctrine of the Trinity.

Hippolytus (c. 170 – 238) – First to ardently oppose the growing power of the Roman bishops. Was a disciple of Irenaeus.

During this period of time, which lasted roughly, from 130 to 180 A.D., there are only two recorded outbreaks of what can loosely be described as speaking in tongues. These occurred amongst the Gnostics and the Montanists, both identified and opposed as heresies by the Apologists.

The Great Gulf.

After the outbreak of ecstatic speaking by the Gnostics and Montanists, there are no recorded instances of this phenomenon for nearly two thousand years. In the Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements,8 a publication sympathetic to the tongues phenomenon, the writers assert:

“What counts for glossolalia in Christian history depends on how the term is defined. The technical term glossais lalein (in the plural) is limited to the NT itself, until the phrase is picked up by patristic commentators citing the NT. But if ecstatic speech and nonsense-written syllables are counted, then glossolalia can be sporadically located over the whole history of the church until its exponential spread in the twentieth-century Pentecostal and Charismatic movements” (p. 339; emphasis added)

Thus, it can be accurately concluded that there were NO biblically defined occurrences of speaking in tongues until the beginning of the twentieth century, and the birth of the Pentecostal Movement.