Page 66 - Pneumatology - Student Textbook

Australia. Murmuring or speaking gibberish that is construed to be deep mystical insight by holy men is an
ancient practice.

There are basically two aspects to glossolalia. First is talking or murmuring in language-like sounds.
Practically everyone is able to do this; even children before they ever learn to speak can mimic real
language, though unintelligibly. There is nothing extraordinary about this. The other aspect of glossolalia is
ecstasy or the demonstration of trance-like elation. There is nothing unusual about this either, although it is
more difficult to do intentionally than to merely utter language-like sounds.

There are some Christians, especially within the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement, who believe there is a
supernatural explanation for glossolalia similar to that described in the New Testament. They believe that
the chief purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues is to manifest the Holy Spirit being poured out upon
them just as on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), which was prophesied by Joel (Acts 2:17).

Among those Christian churches who do espouse the practice of glossolalia to one degree or another, there
is no uniform agreement as to its workings. For example, some are adamant that it is indeed a gift of the
Holy Spirit, while others minimize its importance, saying Paul taught that the gift of “speaking in tongues”
wasn’t nearly as important as the other gifts of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 13). Also, there are those
wishing to avoid dividing the church on such issues by not speaking of it at all or dismissing it as a simple
psychological experience. Then there are those who regard glossolalia as a deception of Satan himself.

Exotic languages are heard and understood throughout the world, but existing languages are not heard or
understood when spoken as “ecstatic utterances” or “tongues.” What we do hear is a profusion of hype,
claims, confusion, and noise. We simply cannot declare, as at the time of the first church, that “each of us
hears [understands] them in his own native language” (Acts 2:8 NIV).

Simply put, the practice of glossolalia is not the biblical gift of tongues. Paul made it clear that the chief
purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues was to be a sign for those who did not believe and to spread the
good news, the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:19, 22) (https://www.gotquestions.org/glossolalia.html).

So then, what is the gift of speaking in tongues? Why was it
important to the early church?

The first occurrence of speaking in tongues occurred on the day of
Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4. The apostles went out and shared the
gospel with the crowds, speaking to them in their own languages:
“We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11). The Greek word translated
tongues literally means “languages.” Therefore, the gift of tongues is speaking in a language a person does
not know in order to minister to someone who does speak that language. In 1 Corinthians chapters 12–14,
Paul discusses miraculous gifts, saying, “Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good
will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?” (1
Corinthians 14:6). According to the apostle Paul, and in agreement with the tongues described in Acts,
speaking in tongues is valuable to the one hearing God’s message in his or her own language, but it is
useless to everyone else unless it is interpreted/translated.

A person with the gift of interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30) could understand what a tongues-
speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues
interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues speaker to everyone else, so all could

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