Unknown Tongue By Grady Miller

Some people say the "unknown tongue" (1 Corinthians14) is not a real language but a personal, private, ecstatic outpouring of emotion from the heart of the believer to the ears of God, and that it is not supposed to be understood by anyone except God and the speaker. What is the "unknown tongue!"

Our "charismatic" friends point to 1 Corinthians 14 as certain proof that speaking in tongues, at least in Corinth, meant a spontaneous overflow from the heart of the believer of praise, worship and devotion that found voice in certain sounds that others would find unintelligible and meaningless. It is argued that the "unknown tongue" was unknown by design. It was a personal communication between the worshiper and his God. No one else in the assembly needed to understand what the speaker was saying. God heard, and God knew.

And, of course, many of our religious friends contend that this gift of God's Sprit still exists today. "Speaking in tongues" is hailed as evidence that God is moving among His people.

But a careful reading of 1 Corinthians 14 will convince us that the "tongues" under consideration were not a nonsensical, unintelligible, bewildering mixture of grunts and moans and jargon, impossible for others to interpret or understand. In fact, Paul's instruction to the church of God at Corinth makes no sense if we understand "tongues" as ecstatic utterances.

The King James Bible is the only standard English translation that has "an unknown tongue." That word "unknown" is not in the original Greek, but was supplied by the King James translators to round out and better explain the meaning of verse 2.

It is obvious from the text that the speaker under consideration was speaking in the assembly, but he might as well have been speaking to God only since no one else understood his words. In that sense, his tongue was "unknown." Paul declared his message was a "mystery" because his fellow worshipers were unable to understand what he was saying. Almighty God could understand him, of course.

How do we know that the "unknown tongue" [KJV] of 1 Corinthians 14:2 was a real language spoken in the assembly in Corinth — whether it was Latin, Aramaic, Hebrew, Arabic, or Persian does not matter —but was a foreign and therefore unknown language to the saints engaged in praise and worship? Notice the regulations Paul gave for the "unknown tongue" and ask yourself which explanation fits — ecstatic jargon or a real language?

The purpose for "speaking in tongues" was not to give secret, personal praise to God but to persuade and convince the unbeliever to turn to Jesus for salvation.

What could be plainer than verse 22? "Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to those who do not believe..." The unbeliever in the assembly needed to hear evidence and find reason to believe in Jesus Christ. What good was a testimony spoken in Hebrew be if he did not know Hebrew? The most eloquent and well—reasoned sermon, if spoken in a tongue no one understood, is as useless as someone "speaking into the air" (verse 9). An unbelieving guest, hearing only folks babbling in a language he could not understand, would have said the saints in Corinth were crazy (verse 23). No wonder Paul told the Corinthians that if no one were present to interpret their preaching, they were to be quiet! (verse 28).

Ecstatic jargon or sounds are not meant to be understood or interpreted. A grunt or a moan or a bark cannot declare God's will to anyone!

Jargon cannot teach or convince others (verse 2}. We are told that someone "speaking in tongues" today does not even understand what he or she is saying, but the speaker of an unknown language in the assembly at Corinth knew what he was saying and was edified, even if no one else could understand him (verse 4). The "tongues" of 1 Corinthians 14 could be interpreted by others (verse 5), but jargon has no grammar, no syntax, no words (verse 19) at all!

None of us question the sincerity and honesty of our friends today who claim to "speak in tongues." But in all kindness we must point out their misunderstanding of what the Bible teaches about "tongues" and attempt to correct their abuse of Scripture.