In a previous article in this Journal (Fall, 1995), I suggested an alternative explanation for the "other tongues" of Acts 2:4. Historical evidence demonstrates that both the Judeans from Palestine and the Diaspora Judeans shared the same native languages (i.e., Aramaic and Greek). The Judean crowd of Acts 2 had expected to be hearing the "holy tongue" (i.e., Hebrew), the proper language of the temple liturgy, the upper language of the Jewish diglossia. Instead, the disciples of Jesus when filled with the Spirit prophesied in their own native languages (i.e., Aramaic and Greek) and violated the Jewish diglossia. Luke designates these languages as "other tongues" (i.e., languages other than Hebrew). A natural response after exposure to this alternative explanation is to ask: "That makes sense in the context of Acts 2; how, though, does it make sense of the 'tongues' of 1 Corinthians 14?" This article provides an explanation for the "problem tongues" of 1 Corinthians 12-14.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aker, Benny C.1995. The Gift of Tongues in I Corinthians 14:1-5, PARACLETE29/1: 13-21.
2.
Barclay, William.1975. THE LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS. Philadelphia , PA: Westminster Press.
3.
Barrett, C.K.1968. A COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. New York, NY: Harper & Row.
4.
Behm, Johannes.1964. Glossa. Pp. 719-26 in THEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, vol. 1, ed. G. Kittel.Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
5.
Best, Ernest.1975. The Interpretation of Tongues, SCOTTISH JOURNAL OF THEOLOGY28/1: 45-62.
6.
Blackwelder, Boyce W.1971. LETTERS FROM PAUL:AN EXEGETICAL TRANSLATION. Anderson, IN: Warner Press.
7.
Calvin, John.1960. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS , edited by David W. Torrance & Thomas F. Torrance; translated by gentlemen. W. Fraser. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
8.
Carson, D.A.1987. SHOWING THE SPIRIT: A THEOLOGICAL EXPOSITION OF 1 CORINTHIANS 12-14. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
9.
Clark, Gordon.1975. 1 CORINTHIANS: A CONTEMPORARY COMMENTARY. Nutley, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company .
10.
Conzelmann, Hans.1975. A COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS, translated by H. Conzelmann. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
11.
Crystal, David.1989. THE CAMBRIDGE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LANGUAGE. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
12.
Davies, J.G.1952. Pentecost and Glossolalia, JOURNAL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES3: 228-31.
13.
Fee, Gordon.1987. THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.
14.
Forbes, Christopher.1997. PROPHECY AND INSPIRED SPEECH: IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY AND ITS HELLENISTIC ENVIRONMENT. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.
15.
Gundry, Robert H.1966. "Ecstatic Utterance" (N.E.B.)?JOURNAL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES17: 299-307.
16.
Hasel, Gerhard F.1991. SPEAKING IN TONGUES: BIBLICAL SPEAKING IN TONGUES AND CONTEMPORARY GLOSSOLALIA. Berrien Springs, MI: Adventist Theological Society Publications.
17.
Hodge, Charles.1972. AN EXPOSITION OF 1 AND 2 CORIINTHI-ANS. Wilmington, DE: Sovereign Grace Publishers.
18.
Keener, Craig S.1996. 3 CRUCIAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
19.
Lenski, R.C.H.1957. THE INTERPRETATION OF ST. PAUL'S FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. Columbus, OH: Wartburg Press.
20.
Malina, Bruce J., & Jerome H. Neyrey .1991. First-Century Personality: Dyadic, Not Individualistic. Pp. 67-96 in THE SOCIAL WORLD OF LUKE-ACTS: MODELS FOR INTERPRETATION. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.
21.
Martin, Dale B.1995. THE CORINTHIAN BODY. New Haven, CT : Yale University Press.
22.
Meyer, H.A.W.1877. CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY ON THE NEW TESTAMENT, vol. 1, translated by William P. Dickson & Frederick Crombie. Ediinburgh, UK: T & T Clark.
23.
Mitchell, Margaret M.1992. PAUL AND THE RHETORIC OF RECONCILIATION: AN EXEGETICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION OF I CORINTHIANS. Louisville, KY: Westminster/ John Knox Press.
24.
Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome.1979. 1 CORINTHIANS. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press.
25.
Neyrey, Jerome H.1993. Group Orientation. Pp. 88-91 in BIBLICAL SOCIAL VALUES AND THEIR MEANING: A HANDBOOK, edited by John J. Pilch & Bruce J. Malina.Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.
26.
Orlinsky, Harry M.1974. ESSAYS IN BIBLICAL CULTURE AND BIBLE TRANSLATION. New York, NY: KTAV Publishing House.
27.
Orr, W.F., & J.A. Walther.1976. 1 CORINTHIANS. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & company
28.
Poythress, Vern.1977. The Nature of Corinthian Glossolalia: Possible Options , WESTMINSTER THEOLOGICAL JOURNAL40: 130-35.
29.
Robertson, A., & A. Plummer.1914. A CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. Edinburgh , UK: T & T Clark.
30.
Saucy, Robert.1996. An Open but Cautious View. Pp. 97-148 in ARE MIRACULOUS GIFTS FOR TODAY? FOUR VIEWS, edited by Wayne A. Grudem.Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
31.
Thiselton, A.C.1979. The "Interpretation" of Tongues: A New Suggestion in Light of Greek Usage in Philo and Josephus, JOURNAL OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES30: 15-36.
32.
Thomas, Robert L.1978. UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS: THE CHRISTIAN'S SPECIAL GIFTS IN THE LIGHT OF 1 CORINTHIANS 12-14. Chicago, IL : Moody Press.
33.
Wire, Antoinette C.1990. THE CORINTHIAN WOMEN PROPHETS: A RECONSTRUCTION THROUGH PAUL'S RHETORIC. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
34.
Zerhusen, Bob.1995. An Overlooked Judean Diglossia in Acts 2?, BIBLICAL THEOLOGY BULLETIN25/3: 118-130.
