You Are Gifted by Ken Hemphill

Author:Ken Hemphill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Published: 2009-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

If Anyone Speaks in a Tongue

The use of the indefinite “if anyone speaks in a tongue” leads once again to the conclusion that the public use of tongues was for Paul the exception and not the rule. His concern is twofold, the difficulty with which tongues can be used to edify the body and the effect on the unbeliever. Paul first limits the number of participants to two or three speakers in any one session of the assembled church. They must speak in turn, and their speech must be accompanied by interpretation. In other words, there would be no wholesale speaking in tongues that would only serve to add further to the confusion of tongues spoken aloud.

Our understanding of this passage is somewhat limited by our inability to reconstruct the practice of tongues plus interpretation in the first century. This is the only passage in the Bible that addresses the issue. Thus we have only our understanding of the larger Corinthian situation and the full context of this chapter to inform us on this controversial topic. We have already established that some individuals in Corinth valued tongues for their “sign” value. Further, we have noted that it is highly unlikely that the spirituals were concerned about control or interpretation since that would undermine the “sign” value. Paul now addresses the manner in which one might use this gift to edify others.

The phrase translated “one must interpret” is the key to understanding this section. When it is interpreted emphatically, as in the NASB, it appears to suggest that Paul anticipates that one person would interpret the message of several persons who may speak in tongues. Are we to assume that a single person with the gift of interpretation could interpret anyone's tongues speech? Nothing in this chapter supports such a conclusion.

This problem is alleviated when one translates the phrase in an indefinite sense “someone must interpret” as in the HCSB, which allows the immediate context to define the “someone” Paul has in mind. Bible teachers have struggled to understand how the tongues speaker could know in advance that an interpreter was present when he began to speak. Was the interpreter well-known to the church and thus conspicuous by his presence or absence? Could the person speaking in tongues know in advance that the interpreter could interpret his particular tongue?

“Let someone interpret” is the better translation of this Greek construction. The identity of the “someone” must be determined by what Paul has taught in his previous references to tongues plus interpretation (14:5, 13–16). Earlier texts make clear that Paul expects any tongues speaker who desires to edify the body to pray for and receive the gift of interpretation. In verse 5 Paul compares the tongues speaker with the prophet when “he interprets.” Verse 13 is not a subtle suggestion but an imperative: “Let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.”

In light of these earlier texts, Paul does not likely expect someone other than the tongues speaker to provide the interpretation.

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