Something occurred to me as I was reading through one of the selections [1 Corinthians 14:1-19] for today's Daily Office. We often hear about the gift of speaking in tongues in Pentecostal circles [and often hear people speak in tongues], but I don't think I've EVER heard a peep about the gift of interpreting tongues.
St Paul makes clear in today's lesson that the former is fairly useless to the wider church without the latter. He goes on to state: "If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God." 1 Corinthians 14:27-28
Has anyone ever seen or heard about someone exercising the gift of interpretation of tongues? I'd be interested to hear.
I was baptized Assemblies of God in the '70's. It was very common during the sermon for one person in particular, though not always him, to stand up and speak in tongues. If it went on for a while, the pastor would climb down from the pulpit and let the man go on. At some point the one speaking in tongues would sit down and the whole congregation would wait until my best friend's mother would interpret. Sometimes it was short other times it was looooooooooonnnnnnngggggg.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's one example of interpretation. I'm curious if the interpreter seemed credible to you, and to the person speaking in tongues.
ReplyDeleteI've thought about this as well since growing up Southern Baptist, this was VERY foreign to me. I once had an Evangelical Christian from Wales talk to me about having a prayer language. I didn't understand that either because why would I want to speak a prayer to God that I didn't even understand. I feel like my God will talk to me and I will talk to him in my own native language and that works for everyone. I can be in close fellowship with him without speaking some unknown utterances. I don't feel like I missing out on anything!
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion,
Tammy