LESSON 10
THE GIFT OF INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
You are welcome to another edition of Insights from God's Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing God's Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself.
In this edition, we continue with our series on The Gifts of the Spirit. The topic for this study is: The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues. In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul listed several spiritual gifts which are manifested in the body of Christ. These spiritual gifts include the following:
"12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; TO ANOTHER THE INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES:"
(1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Capital Emphasis Added)
The passage above, coupled with several others (see Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11), outline various spiritual gifts that are provided by the Holy Spirit to members of the body of Christ. In this study, our focus will be on the gift of interpretation of tongues. In the passage of 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gave the following general counsel on how the Church of Corinth should open up to brethren from foreign nations:
"14:27 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.
14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God."
(1 Corinthians 14:27-28)
From the passage above, it is clear that the gift of interpretation of tongues becomes necessary only when the language that is to be utilised within the church at a particular time is not understood by majority of the congregation. From the context of the passage of 1 Corinthians 14, it is clear that the gift of interpretation of tongues is not a supernatural ability to interpret a language that one has no prior knowledge, but rather, the God-given ability to clearly interpret a foreign language into a local language so the congregation can be edified. The fact that it is possible that there can be no interpreter of a foreign language in the church at a point in time (review 1 Corinthian 14:28) suggests that this gift works with persons in the local church with a prior knowledge of a particular foreign language that is needed at a particular time.
At this point in our study, I want us to consider an important fact from the passage of Acts 2. Acts 2 makes it clear that on the day of Pentecost, the Jews who had come from the various nations across the world heard the apostles speak in their own mother languages as they preached about the resurrected Christ (see Acts 2:5-8). There was no need for any interpreter on this occasion. Thus, it is reasonable to point out that the Holy Spirit can give out the gift of tongues today in such a manner as He gave to the apostles at Pentecost without the need for interpretation if He deems it necessary. This point comes to explain the widely misinterpreted text in 1 Corinthians 14 which states that "Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret" (1 Corinthians 14:13).
You see friends, if the Holy Spirit can make a person speak in an unlearned foreign language first hand to a congregation such as occurred on the day of Pentecost, why would He first communicate the message in a medium the recipient cannot understand, and then wait to unravel the mystery of the 'tongue' after such a recipient prays for the interpretation? Beloved, the biblical position is simple: it is either the Holy Spirit enables one to speak directly in a foreign language that he has never learned or the Holy Spirit utilises another person with knowledge of the foreign language to interpret the message of the speaker to the local congregation.
From this background, it is clear that Paul's statement that "Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret" (1 Corinthians 14:13) basically suggests that the one who has a message to be communicated to the church through a foreign language must pray that there will be someone around to interpret the message when the time comes for him to deliver. This point synchronises with Paul's counsel to the Corinthian church; whereby foreigners who wanted to present something to the church had to either use an interpreter, or keep silent (review 1 Corinthians 14:27-28). It is important for us to note that there was no room for anyone to pray so they could interpret their own foreign tongues or languages. If they could do that, then there would not have been any room for a third party interpreter. Thus friends, the teaching that the gift of tongues is an 'unknown' language, and as such one must pray to interpret this 'unknown' language, breaks down on the strength of the clear teaching of Scripture. For as we have noted earlier from Acts 2, God is able to make his children speak directly in a foreign language which they had never known or learned.
From the various scriptural passages we have reviewed so far, it is clear that the spiritual gift of interpretation of tongues is not a supernatural ability to interpret foreign languages that one has not previously learned. However, it is a God-given ability to clearly interpret a foreign language that one has a previous knowledge into a local language for the benefit of the entire congregation. As the church marches forward to complete the gospel commission in these last days, the gift of interpretation of tongues has become very important than ever before. It is clear today that people who have knowledge of several languages, and have the unique gift to interpret for preachers and evangelists are key to the success of missions in these last days. It is encouraging to learn that the Holy Spirit has blessed the church with many people who possess the gift of the interpretation of diverse kinds of tongues in our day when it is so much needed.
Exhortation: "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11).
In our next study, we will consider the topic: "Let your women keep silence in the churches": An exposition on Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 14:34. The Bible Study references for this study are 1 Corinthians 14:27-35, 1 Corinthians 11:1-16, 1 Timothy 2:11-13, Titus 2:3-5, Acts 18:24-26, Joel 2:28-29, Acts 21:8-11 and Romans 16:1-5. Please do well to go through these passages before the next study is released.
Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.
Maranatha!
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