The Day of Pentecost-languages?

Hi All!

I've not been on for AGES!

ANYHOW, I'm not trying to stir any kind of controversy here, but I was reading the second chapter of Acts the other day and had a thought....

The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and the believers spoke in new tongues. Those "devout" Jews e.t.c. from other surrounding areas understood the praising of God in their own language!

Traditionally we always understand this to mean that the believers spoke in the language of the foreigners who were at earshop of them. HENCE they were amazed as after all those in the upper room were just "Galileans"

COULD it be that actually, though, the Galileans were speaking in a an angelic "tongue" and those believers were actually understanding the translation in their own language miraculously? Just as Paul says...........er..........in Corinthians somewhere that someone speaks in a tongue and another interprets?

This may sound completely crazy and is probably all wrong. HOWEVER, why would some have said that they had just had too much wine? Perhaps these were the unbelievers and hence it was merely gobledeegook to them?

ANYWAY, I've other reasons in mind regarding this. Anyone willing comment and disagree vehemently?

-Chris

[Zamar]

Hi Chris, as far as the tongues being angelic, that is very possible. I have heard of this happening. And I read Frank Bartelman's book "Azusa Street" recently, and something of that nature happened in one of the meetings.

As for unbelievers thinking tongues is gobbledgook, well of course they did! Same as today, nothing has changed. Although when some witness this in church services, they realize the power of God that is there and then believe. But, most are skeptics until it happens to them personally.

Thanks Zamar.

Yes, the Bible does speak of tongues at length, particularly within the Corinthian books. HOWEVER these tongues that Paul talks of are usually of the "angelic" kind I think, where there isn't actually a human language spoken. But Paul however mentions that they can be interpretted by people who have the interpretation of tongues.

The modern Church does believe the tongues spoken in Acts 2 differ as they are actual human languages recognised by foreigners within the vicinity-BUT I wondered whether as a matter of fact in the end they COULD have all been angelic tongues interprettable by the gift of interpretation.

Okay, I've probably explained that pretty badly.........I know...

[Zamar]

I think I understand what your saying. And that is truly possible. Tongues are used for various things. I think the many times it is an angelic language that isn't necessarily an interpretable language from a certain "people group". Mainly a prayer language to God, which is between the prayer and God. And if it is a message for all to hear, it will be spoken so all can hear, then someone with the gift of interpretation will interpret.

I know of some instances that God gave a language to people who knew nothing of that language, but when it was heard by a bystander, that message was for him/her in their own language. Although the speaker has no idea what he/she said.

I understand the event as being the disciples preaching the way they normally did and the Holy Spirit gave the crowd a gift of hearing in their own tongue. So it was a gift of hearing rather than speaking.

FASCINATING! Angel.

I've never heard anyone believe that before.

The traditional belief. the one I've only known before is that other human languages were spoken in Acts 2...........

[Someday]

I think what gets lost on many followers of speaking in tongues in this day and age is the simple fact that on the day of Pentecost, there was no need for anyone with "the gift of interpretation". They understood the words spoken as if they were in their own languages. There was no dogmatic methodology involved in any of it...... It just..... happened.

Blessings

Yes, but Someday, could it be that with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost MANY gifts were poured out on all believers. Paul recognises "tongues" as being a gift and having the "gift to interpret tongues" as a gift aswell. PERHAPS this time in history was an explosion of God's spiritual gifts all at once...

Therefore this is the reason why they understood what was being said even though it wasn't their own language. They were amazed as they could interpret and they didn't know how!

[Someday]

Is it Possible that Paul was talking about mundane earthly languages here? He spoke of other "spiritual" gifts as well. He mentions the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, healing, and in a separate entry, the gift of the workings of miracles.

1Co 12:7-11 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. (8) For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit: (9) to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; (10) and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues: (11) but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.

My question to you is this:
Why did Paul differentiate between the workings of miracles and tongues?

Isn't it possible that in the Roman world, it was very beneficial to the Body of Christ to have people who knew a variety of languages? If you knew someone in your Church who could speak other languages, wouldn't that be considered a "spiritual" gift just like singing and preaching? How about that person that stands up front and interprets the sermon for the deaf?

Blessings

[JM]

Ill throw one more in there

Is it possible this was a historical rave with lots of hallucinations, the first recording of people taking speed

Nah on a serious note Is it possible that none of it happened?