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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
August 13
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Today's Pathway:
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I Corinthians 13:1-3
- Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
- And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
- And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
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Yesterday I mentioned that we needed to define a few words in this passage. The first word we looked at was "charity". Next I want to look at the word "tongues". The Pentecostal/Charismatic movement has completely obliterated the Biblical doctrine of speaking in tongues, and started by defining it in an unbiblical way. Speaking in tongues in the Bible always meant that the speaker was talking in a language unknown to himself, but known by others. In Acts 2:4-11 the Bible describes what happened when the disciples first spoke in tongues on the day of Pentecost. It states,
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."
Please remember that the disciples were Jewish men from Israel. According to Acts 4:13 the religious leaders in Jerusalem perceived that Peter and John, who certainly would be considered leaders among the disciples, were "unlearned and ignorant men". These men probably knew Greek as their trade language, Hebrew as their religious language, and Aramaic as their common language. However, they could not possibly have known all the different languages that are listed in Acts 2. Sixteen different areas are listed, and some of them probably encompassed more than one language group. And note that those hearing them speak were amazed that these men from Galilee could speak the native languages of all these locations. So, in the initial speaking in tongues, what occurred? Men who did not know a language were able to speak intelligently in that language. It was a language that was new to them (Mark 16:17), but not gibberish. Some have claimed that modern speaking in tongues is an "angel" language, and have used I Corinthians 13:1 as their proof. Again, what does the Bible tell us? Every time in the Scriptures that an angel spoke to someone, the person clearly understood what was being said in his or her own language. So, as far as we know from the Bible, the "tongues of angels" is a language that can be understood by the human hearers. It is not some mystical babble that has no meaning and makes no sense.
The third word that I want to define is "prophecy". It has been said by some well-respected and dedicated Bible teachers that prophesying includes both "Foretelling" (telling about something that is going to happen, or revealing a truth that could only be known by divine revelation) and 'Forth-telling" (preaching). Those who teach this then normally add that prophecy is still in existence today, and thus preachers are modern day prophets. This is not the case. The office of the prophet has been done away with according to I Corinthians 13:10, yet preaching is still the means by which men are saved and believers are instructed (I Corinthians 1:21). In addition, there is no place in the New Testament where the the word "prophesy" is used as a synonym for "preach". So when Paul refers to the gift of Prophecy, he is referring to an action whereby God divinely reveals a truth to the person who has that gift so that he can tell it to those around him. Prophets were given divine revelation from God that no one else knew and proclaimed it. Preachers take the divine revelation of the Bible that everyone has access to and proclaim it.
Tomorrow we will look at the application of these verses.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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