The Holy Spirit and the Southern Baptist Convention (XXXVIII): “Untangling the Purpose of Tongues in 1 Cor. 14:20-25″

This passage has always been particularly difficult for me to grasp.  However, much of the time I was working with it, I was a cessationist and perhaps reading into those assumptions.  In this post, you, the reader, will get to see whether I am any better at letting the text speak for itself as a continuationist than I was as a cessationist.  (I’m not making any guarantees here, so please feel free to hold my feet to the fire!)

First, it is completely proper to begin by asking what part this paragraph plays in Paul’s argument in chapter 14.  I think this may well be the most overlooked–or, at least underappreciated–part of this ongoing discussion.  You see, in 14:1-19, there is no indication at all that any unbelievers would be part of the congregation.  The issue seems to be strictly a comparison between the potential for edification for the church by the gift of prophecy vs. the gift of tongues, if it is uninterpreted.  But, by mentioning unbelievers four times in 14:20-25, the issue at hand has taken a turn.  Now, Paul’s discussion shifts to how prophecy and tongues affect both believers and unbelievers.

Having said this, though, this section is still tough to figure out.  But, I’m going to give it my best shot… and we’ll see what happens.

Verse 20 seem to me to be as much a conclusion to the Apostle’s argument in 14:1-19 as a lead-in to the present section.  If that is a correct perspective, the Corinthian Christians needed to grow up–to mature spiritually–in regard to their understanding of the use of tongues (especially in comparison to the edification offered by prophecy).  That much seems pretty clear.  However, Paul’s use of the immediately following supporting Scripture from Isaiah 28:11-12 is not.

To make a very long discussion short, in context, Isaiah 28:11-12 is referring to the invading Assyrian armies speaking to the conquered people of Israel in “other languages” than Hebrew.  Apparently, the meaning here is that, Israel could not understand what was being said… but, even if they could have understood, they were so hard-hearted against the Lord that they would not have listened.  If you do get my implication here, it appears that Paul uses the quote from Isaiah 28:11-12 here to make the point that, with unbelievers, uninterpreted languages (tongues here) do no more than further harden their unbelief. 

Now, I know that at least some of my cessationist friends will howl with disagreement at this point.  They will protest that, on the Day of Pentecost, tongues were used to present the gospel to many unbelievers who were saved.

However, a close reading of Acts 2 shows that is not the case.  All 2:11 says they heard was “the magnificent acts of God” (HCSB).  They did not hear the gospel until Peter preached it to them, starting in 2:14.

With the coloring presupposition of Acts 2 now out of the way in 1 Corinthians 14:20-25, we can now probe more deeply.  Verse 22 states that tongues is a “sign” (Gk. semeion) to unbelievers.  And, our understanding of the rest of the passage seems to ride on the proper interpretation of this word.

So, how should “sign” be taken here?  In my studied opinion (which is based on the flow of the argument), in the following manner: “If the first ’sign’ an unbeliever picks up on upon entering your congregation is speaking in unintelligible tongues, he or he will conclude you are all crazy” (see verse 23).  By contrast, if that first ’sign’ is intelligible prophecy, the unbeliever will glorify God (vv. 24-25)–and quite possibly become a believer.

Therefore, in this understanding, tongues are a ’sign’ for unbelievers because it hardens them in their unbelief.  On the other hand, prophecy is for believers because not only does it greatly edify believers (14:1-19), but it can also help unbeleivers become believers (14:24-25).

This could have been a much more involved discussion, but why stretch things if you don’t need to do so?  Bottom line: That’s all I’ve got.  Now, it’s your turn.

Coming Saturday: “Saturdays are for Newspaper Articles”