Speaking in Tongues
In biblical hermeneutics, when a phrase or practice appears repeatedly in Scripture, it functions as a sign of that which is normative. From the Day of Pentecost onward, speaking in tongues has been understood as a sign that a person has received or been filled with the Holy Spirit. The New Testament describes tongues in two primary instances: first, as an initial manifestation accompanying the reception of the Holy Spirit and second, as a spiritual gift identified by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 as “various kinds of tongues.” Paul distinguishes these two expressions in 1 Corinthians 13:1 by referring to those “tongues” of human origin (xenos) and those tongues of heavenly origin (glossa). These two manifestations become inappropriately confused, particularly by those who conflate Acts 2:1–4 and 1 Corinthains chapters 12 – 14 together. The phenomenon has not ceased, as Christians continue to speak in tongues by the inner working of the Holy Spirit in their life today.
