Monday: The Gift of Tongues
In Acts 2:4, the gift of the Spirit was manifested through speaking in tongues. Yet, this gift was only one of many different manifestations of the Spirit (Acts 10:45-46; Acts 19:6). Others include foretelling the future (Acts 11:28), visions (Acts 7:55), inspired speech (Acts 2:8, Acts 28:25), healing (Acts 3:6, Acts 3:12; Acts 5:12, Acts 5:16), and qualification for service (Acts 6:3, Acts 6:5).
The gift of tongues at Pentecost did not occur because it is the typical or the most important evidence of the endowment of the Spirit. It was manifested in order to launch the church’s world mission. That is, the calling given in Acts 1:8 required the gift of tongues. If the apostles were to cross cultural barriers and reach the ends of the earth with the gospel, they would need to be able to speak in the languages of those who needed to hear what they had to say.
Read Acts 2:5-12. What is the evidence that at Pentecost the apostles spoke in existing foreign languages?
It is estimated that in the first century there were eight to ten million Jews in the world and that up to 60 percent of them lived outside the land of Judea. Yet, many who were in Jerusalem for the feast were from foreign lands and could not speak Aramaic, the language of Judean Jews at that time.
There is no question that most converts at Pentecost were Jews from various lands who could now hear the gospel in their own native languages. That the apostles spoke in existing foreign languages, rather than in unknown ecstatic languages, is evidenced by the term dialektos (Acts 2:6, Acts 2:8), which means language of a nation or a region (compare with Acts 21:40, Acts 22:2, Acts 26:14). Clearly, then, they were speaking in these different languages. The miracle was that simple Galileans could now speak a language that, even hours before, they did not know. For those local Jews who witnessed the scene but were not acquainted with these languages, the only possible explanation was that the apostles were drunk, uttering strange sounds that made no sense to them. “Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine’ ” (Acts 2:13, NIV).
| A powerful manifestation of God is happening before their eyes, and yet these people think it is just drunkenness? How can we be careful not to be so spiritually blind ourselves? |
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Rev 14 helps us understand why we need to speak many languages - Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and kindred and tongue and people,
If we are connected to Christ we perceive things from above! The Holy Spirit awake us and we are able to see what is sacred. Foolishness comes from a heart that is not taking seriously the Godly things. May we all discern the Holy Spirit's voice today, and may we live/do by what He says!
JC,
What does "connected to Christ" mean to you?
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
By doing that we are already connected to Christ! Of course, constant prayer and reading of what's based on the TRUE (Bible) also helps!
JC, I don't believe that we can always think like that unless we allow the Holy Spirit to motivate our thoughts and feelings.
I think you have the right idea. However, we live in a noisy spiritual environment and the Godly things are sometimes difficult to hear among the noise of those who claim a connection with the Holy Spirit. Within the church community, we have many different perceptions and one of the difficulties we have is that we don't know which ones relate to our salvation and which ones are just our own ideas. We need to remember that we are a family and while we may not see eye to eye on issues we are in the church family together and it is our privilege to grow together in Christ.
Well put, we are still friends, and love each other even if sometimes we agree to disagree. I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God.
We may have different points of view, there is no problem with that! But when we are used to listen to Christ's voice (or the Holy Spirit's) we do know what to discern! Yes, we live in a noisy world, but the voice of God is The One! All we need to do is to learn to listen more, to search for Him in quietness, to grieve for Him! The voice of Christ is singular and it touches the heart, in a way that it burns! " Whoever belongs to God hears what God says"...
the disciples were speaking in their own language, people from other places heard them in the language they used and understood. A pastor I once knew went to a foreign country to preach. He was supposed to have a translator but the translator was sick and never came. He got up and spoke anyway and everyone there heard him in their own language. The pastor was just speaking English like he always did. It wasn't until afterwards that he discovered the miracle. The disciples were not saying things they didn't understand, they were just talking like they always did.
Calvin, there are many relatively modern instances of this particular manifestation of the gift of "tongues" or "gift of hearing," as we might call it. But that doesn't necessarily prove that that's what happened at Pentecost. I understand the the disciples were actually given the gift of speaking languages previously foreign to them so that they could evangelize the world.
That has happened since then, as well. But usually it's not quite as dramatic. Missionaries must usually study another language, but often they learn more quickly than others do. God works miracles to supply a need.
I'm not positive that we must interpret Acts 2 that way Inge. There were 12 disciples (if you count Mathias) and there is a list of 16 languages or people groups. I'm more inclined to consider it "the gift of hearing". This also is in contrast to 1 Cor 14, which no serious Biblical linguist can say is talking about human language.
Since the number "about 120" was mentioned in Acts 1:15, and the Spirit filled all who were in the house, we need not limit the speaking to the 12.
Whether it is speaking in different languages, speaking boldly the truth, healing, casting out devils, etc, the real point to be seen here is the NEED of the Holy Spirit in the life of any who would fulfill the commission of Christ. One can focus on the wonderful manifestations they experienced, or see the importance of exercising faith, as the disciples finally came to do. It was their obedience to the instructions of Jesus, confession, repentance, and prayer, that led them to receive this gift of Heaven, as promised. The promise remains to all who exercise faith in obeying all that our Lord has given us to follow. Is this possible while distracting differences are often in the forefront, with ongoing debates over "adventist issues"? Has the church today found that "one accord" they found?
We can read about THEIR experience and marvel, or we can find the inspiration and exercise faith to receive the experience ourselves as they did. Jesus' promises remain to be believed and acted upon. Until then, we can only admire the experiences of others and have a great discussion over it, while the counsel of the True Witness remains unheeded.
What can we learn from this wonderful account?
Thank you, Jesus, for fulfillingyour promise of sending us Your Representative, the Holy Spirit, who would be with us always.
What evidence do you have that you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit?
Gal 5:22, 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
I reiterate that the Pentecost event was a special occasion. The lasting and effective evidence of the Holy Spirit is the fruit listed in these verses.
In order to not be spiritually blind we must ask the Holy Spirit to lead us on all truth as we study the Bible and He will show us Christ and Gods will. If we do not ask for the Spirits leading then we will be like the scribes and Pharisees who knew Gods Word but missed Jesus.
Here is an article I shared on SSNET last year that may shed some light on today's lesson. https://ssnet.org/blog/gift-tongues-bible/
Sad the gift manifestation is not known. The person speaks his own language, it is the Spirit who translates to the hearer. Pastor Peel of the California Conference gave such a story.
Acts 2:5-12 is very good in supporting speaking in tongues is a gift given by the Holy Spirit to convey the Gospel to those that need to hear it in there own language. Paul points out that speaking in tongues must be understood. 1 Corinthians 14:15. 1 Corinthians 15:19.
"The Acts of the Apostles" in chapter 4 on page 39 you will fine that Sister White does not agree with William and Ramrick, not saying that the Holy Spirit cannot give the gift of Hearing, but that not the gift use here in Acts chapter 2. The gift is clearly described on page 40, "From this time forth the language of the disciples was pure, simple, and accurate, whether they spoke in their native tongue or in a foreign language."
Thanks Jim, but how does that disagree?
disciples recieved H/spirit when Christ went up but all along they had been working with Christ andmanay were healed.
Is it possible to work for Christ/Lord but without having received H/spirit?Please help
I think that the receiving of the Holy Spirit was a special event to encourage the disciples rather than just the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit. Of course, the Holy Spirit had been there all along working like the blowing of the wind - gentle but unseen. We tend to forget that the real evidence of the Holy Spirit was not the flaming doves, nor even the speaking in tongues, but the change in their lives that showed the fruit of the Spirit.
It is worth thinking about how we relate to this whole idea of the working of the Holy Spirit. I get the idea that sometimes we are envious of the epiphany of the Pentecost event, rather than of the work that followed after it. The Bible says a lot more about the quiet work of the Holy Spirit than about Pentecost type events.