But Shouldn't Tongues Be Interpreted?
What are tongues?
A tongue is a language.
What is language?
Language is communication from one person to another.
Now, if the person being spoken to doesn't understand what is being spoken, interpretation is in order.
But if the person being spoken to understands, then no interpretation is needed.
Prayer in tongues is not spoken to man.
1Cor. 14:2 "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."
This is private prayer. The One being spoken to, understands what my spirit is praying.
I myself don't even understand what I'm saying, when I pray in tongues.
1Cor 14:14 "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful."
My spirit knows what it's praying. My brain doesn't. My spirit is not talking to my brain. It's talking to God, Who understands my prayer.
What's the purpose of all this? To build up my spirit. Another word for "build up" is "edify."
1Co 14:4 "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself..."
When did that ever become a bad thing?
You edify yourself by reading the Bible and praying in English, by fasting, by attending church, by good works... why is it somehow a bad thing to edify yourself by prayer in tongues? The Scripture never even hints that it is. You have to start with that mindset, to imagine it's there!
In fact, Jude tells us to build up ourselves by praying "in the spirit" (Jude 1:20)
... which cross-references to 1Cor. 14:14-15a: "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit..."
Prayer "in the spirit" or "with the spirit" is clearly defined by I Cor 14: 14 and 16.
Why then does anyone want it to mean something different in verse 15?
Therefore, tongues can operate as personal prayer, which needs no interpretation, because everyone being spoken to, understands.
My brain gets jealous, though. Oh, how I wish I knew what those syllables mean! But that's in the realm of my soul. The reason my brain wants to know, is because if it knew what a certain few syllables meant, then the brain would tell my tongue to say those syllables!
But it would then cease to be prayer in the spirit, but from the earthly mind.
The main reason we need prayer in the spirit, is to allow the spirit to pray, unhindered by the mind!
....
Now, there's a public-address function of tongues, which is something completely different.
This is a concept completely different from logic-oriented theologians' theories.
You see, when the Spirit of God falls upon someone to give a public address in tongues, it's altogether different from personal prayer in tongues. It sounds different. Instead of personal control of volume, the volume is raised, and a projecting voice is used. And this is not done by personal volition. Yes, the person speaking is choosing to yield to the Spirit of God, but that's where personal choice ends. The tone of voice and the volume is very loud and attention-grabbing. Like a town-crier of old, who stands on a street-corner, and proclaims a message for everyone to hear.
To the one giving out the message in tongues, it feels very different from personal prayer tongues. There's an urgency and a power that takes over the entire person, until the Spirit lifts, and the message is over. It's not an experience that appeals to pride, because I'm not in control. The entire episode is a complete removal of self from the driver's seat. It's a very humbling thing.
Paul was talking to Pentecostals in 1 Corinthians 14. Only Pentecostals can really understand.
What needs interpretation is the message in tongues, not the prayer in tongues.
As for the gift of interpretation... that usually comes after one first operates in giving messages in tongues. Yes, someone can receive this as a primary gift, but usually it's not that way.
1Cor. 14:13 "...let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret."
Now, is it sinful for a message to be given forth in tongues, and left uninterpreted?
Let's read the Word:
1Cor. 14:27-28 "If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God."
So, let's put this all together, in a practical sense.
If a person gives forth a message in tongues, and does not yet have the gift of interpretation, he is dependent on someone else to interpret for him. Right?
What if he doesn't know if there's an interpreter there or not? What if he's visiting a church, and God wants to bring a message in tongues through him? Dare he yield to the Spirit, giving out that message in tongues?
How can he know, unless he gives it a go?
This is how the Scriptures flow. This person gives a message in tongues, and waits for an interpretation, which awkwardly doesn't happen. So he "keeps silence" (which has the sense of coming to silence, after talking.) And from that point, he prays to be able to interpret, so this doesn't have to happen! And yet, in his silence, he continues to speak between himself and God!
This means, after giving out an uninterpreted message, he may continue to pray in a way that does not disturb the meeting.
So, he's praying for the gift of interpretation. he already has the gift of speaking in tongues, as a public message. This is "coveting earnestly the best gifts." (1 Cor 12:31) Because, remember, when interpretation follows tongues, that's equal to the value of prophecy, which can edify the entire body!
As was said at the beginning, tongues are languages. Real languages.
But the Bible never says humans have to recognize them, and identify what languages they are.
Yes, that happened on the Day of Pentecost, but never again in the Bible did it happen!
Tongues are extremely versatile, and can operate in many ways.
What happened on the Day of Pentecost was not a box God designed for Himself!
Yes, tongues are real languages.
Real languages are sounds with meaning, that communicates from one person to another.
Where did languages come from?
They all originated in the Mind of God, before He ever divided the human race into different language groups at the tower of Babel. And in one instant, he gave those people the ability to speak a completely different, new language!
God hasn't changed. He can do it again, as often as He wishes.
And as much as He loves every one of His children, He would be completely in character to create a special language just to communicate with one of His children, personally!
Another thing. When a baby talks, he might say a few words over and over. And that's okay.
In fact, to his parents, those few words repeated over and over are amazing! But to a foreigner, that baby-talk is no "real language." Be careful how you criticize those who speak limited tongues. God might be using that in a very special way, for His glory.
I've heard of a man who spoke only a couple syllables in tongues, over and over. He was tempted to be very discouraged. He thought he didn't have a "real language."
But his friend visited Israel, and at the Wailing Wall, this friend heard those same syllables, over and over. He asked his guide what those syllables meant. The answer: "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!"
God had appointed to this man the honor of crying the same thing the angels have cried around the throne for millennia, "Holy, Holy, Holy!"
Remember, God says He chooses the things human wisdom despises, to show His wisdom.
To conclude,
Yes, tongues are supposed to be interpreted, if they are addressed to a public assembly.
But God isn't a harsh, condemning Father. He invites us all to use what we have, and to grow into new abilities. That allows for mistakes. If a child is learning to walk, the parent doesn't focus on the occasional loss of balance.
A church that focuses on uninterpreted tongues will never see tongues happen at all.
Because they don't want them.
God won't force anyone to receive a gift they don't want.
But if you want something, you need to ask.
A tongue is a language.
What is language?
Language is communication from one person to another.
Now, if the person being spoken to doesn't understand what is being spoken, interpretation is in order.
But if the person being spoken to understands, then no interpretation is needed.
Prayer in tongues is not spoken to man.
1Cor. 14:2 "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."
This is private prayer. The One being spoken to, understands what my spirit is praying.
I myself don't even understand what I'm saying, when I pray in tongues.
1Cor 14:14 "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful."
My spirit knows what it's praying. My brain doesn't. My spirit is not talking to my brain. It's talking to God, Who understands my prayer.
What's the purpose of all this? To build up my spirit. Another word for "build up" is "edify."
1Co 14:4 "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself..."
When did that ever become a bad thing?
You edify yourself by reading the Bible and praying in English, by fasting, by attending church, by good works... why is it somehow a bad thing to edify yourself by prayer in tongues? The Scripture never even hints that it is. You have to start with that mindset, to imagine it's there!
In fact, Jude tells us to build up ourselves by praying "in the spirit" (Jude 1:20)
... which cross-references to 1Cor. 14:14-15a: "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit..."
Prayer "in the spirit" or "with the spirit" is clearly defined by I Cor 14: 14 and 16.
Why then does anyone want it to mean something different in verse 15?
Therefore, tongues can operate as personal prayer, which needs no interpretation, because everyone being spoken to, understands.
My brain gets jealous, though. Oh, how I wish I knew what those syllables mean! But that's in the realm of my soul. The reason my brain wants to know, is because if it knew what a certain few syllables meant, then the brain would tell my tongue to say those syllables!
But it would then cease to be prayer in the spirit, but from the earthly mind.
The main reason we need prayer in the spirit, is to allow the spirit to pray, unhindered by the mind!
....
Now, there's a public-address function of tongues, which is something completely different.
This is a concept completely different from logic-oriented theologians' theories.
You see, when the Spirit of God falls upon someone to give a public address in tongues, it's altogether different from personal prayer in tongues. It sounds different. Instead of personal control of volume, the volume is raised, and a projecting voice is used. And this is not done by personal volition. Yes, the person speaking is choosing to yield to the Spirit of God, but that's where personal choice ends. The tone of voice and the volume is very loud and attention-grabbing. Like a town-crier of old, who stands on a street-corner, and proclaims a message for everyone to hear.
To the one giving out the message in tongues, it feels very different from personal prayer tongues. There's an urgency and a power that takes over the entire person, until the Spirit lifts, and the message is over. It's not an experience that appeals to pride, because I'm not in control. The entire episode is a complete removal of self from the driver's seat. It's a very humbling thing.
Paul was talking to Pentecostals in 1 Corinthians 14. Only Pentecostals can really understand.
What needs interpretation is the message in tongues, not the prayer in tongues.
As for the gift of interpretation... that usually comes after one first operates in giving messages in tongues. Yes, someone can receive this as a primary gift, but usually it's not that way.
1Cor. 14:13 "...let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret."
Now, is it sinful for a message to be given forth in tongues, and left uninterpreted?
Let's read the Word:
1Cor. 14:27-28 "If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God."
So, let's put this all together, in a practical sense.
If a person gives forth a message in tongues, and does not yet have the gift of interpretation, he is dependent on someone else to interpret for him. Right?
What if he doesn't know if there's an interpreter there or not? What if he's visiting a church, and God wants to bring a message in tongues through him? Dare he yield to the Spirit, giving out that message in tongues?
How can he know, unless he gives it a go?
This is how the Scriptures flow. This person gives a message in tongues, and waits for an interpretation, which awkwardly doesn't happen. So he "keeps silence" (which has the sense of coming to silence, after talking.) And from that point, he prays to be able to interpret, so this doesn't have to happen! And yet, in his silence, he continues to speak between himself and God!
This means, after giving out an uninterpreted message, he may continue to pray in a way that does not disturb the meeting.
So, he's praying for the gift of interpretation. he already has the gift of speaking in tongues, as a public message. This is "coveting earnestly the best gifts." (1 Cor 12:31) Because, remember, when interpretation follows tongues, that's equal to the value of prophecy, which can edify the entire body!
As was said at the beginning, tongues are languages. Real languages.
But the Bible never says humans have to recognize them, and identify what languages they are.
Yes, that happened on the Day of Pentecost, but never again in the Bible did it happen!
Tongues are extremely versatile, and can operate in many ways.
What happened on the Day of Pentecost was not a box God designed for Himself!
Yes, tongues are real languages.
Real languages are sounds with meaning, that communicates from one person to another.
Where did languages come from?
They all originated in the Mind of God, before He ever divided the human race into different language groups at the tower of Babel. And in one instant, he gave those people the ability to speak a completely different, new language!
God hasn't changed. He can do it again, as often as He wishes.
And as much as He loves every one of His children, He would be completely in character to create a special language just to communicate with one of His children, personally!
Another thing. When a baby talks, he might say a few words over and over. And that's okay.
In fact, to his parents, those few words repeated over and over are amazing! But to a foreigner, that baby-talk is no "real language." Be careful how you criticize those who speak limited tongues. God might be using that in a very special way, for His glory.
I've heard of a man who spoke only a couple syllables in tongues, over and over. He was tempted to be very discouraged. He thought he didn't have a "real language."
But his friend visited Israel, and at the Wailing Wall, this friend heard those same syllables, over and over. He asked his guide what those syllables meant. The answer: "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!"
God had appointed to this man the honor of crying the same thing the angels have cried around the throne for millennia, "Holy, Holy, Holy!"
Remember, God says He chooses the things human wisdom despises, to show His wisdom.
To conclude,
Yes, tongues are supposed to be interpreted, if they are addressed to a public assembly.
But God isn't a harsh, condemning Father. He invites us all to use what we have, and to grow into new abilities. That allows for mistakes. If a child is learning to walk, the parent doesn't focus on the occasional loss of balance.
A church that focuses on uninterpreted tongues will never see tongues happen at all.
Because they don't want them.
God won't force anyone to receive a gift they don't want.
But if you want something, you need to ask.
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