D
Dave L
Guest
According to scripture, God enabled believers to speak to him in a heavenly language. A language unknown except by him and those to whom he gave a gift for interpreting it (1 Corinthians 14:27–28).
Many think the Apostles spoke supernaturally in human languages at Pentecost. And Jews from different nations naturally understood what they said in their own tongue. But Paul says when a person speaks in tongues, they speak to God and not to men (1 Corinthians 14:2). So on Pentecost, the Apostles spoke to God in a heavenly tongue and devout Jews from every nation overheard them in their own native tongue. So they must have received the gift of interpreting too.
God delivered the gift of tongues personally in the baptism of the Holy Spirit during the Jewish outpouring and about seven years later in the gentile outpouring at Cornelius’ house. But all other times he delivered the gifts through an apostles’ hands (Acts 8:18). Scripture does not mention any other means of distribution apart from these.
In the case of the Samarians, Phillip had the gifts but could not pass them on to others. The Samarians believed and had the Holy Spirit as did the Ethiopian eunuch because faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. But the Apostles came and laid hands on the Samarians giving the gifts.
But this was not the case with the eunuch. He went on his way rejoicing without any mention of the gifts. So in Acts we see the gift (singular) of the Holy Spirit. That is, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the gift. And we see the gifts (plural) of the Holy Spirit the Apostles gave to others through the laying on of their hands.
God placed tongues and interpretation into groups of converts in various regions through the Apostles. So each church would have God’s first New Covenant words spoken personally to them by individual members who received the gift (1 Corinthians 14:2).
We see the laying on of hands in Jerusalem (Acts 6:6), Ephesus (Acts 19:1–7), and Samaria (Acts 8:14–17) and throughout Paul’s journeys where he gave the gifts (2 Timothy 1:6; Romans 1:11). Jesus personally sent Ananias, who according to history was one of the original seventy disciples ordained by Him, through whose hands Paul became healed and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).
Using the gifts, they spoke God’s New Covenant words through tongues with interpretation and through prophecy. With this they passed around the Apostle’s writings that would become the New Testament scriptures. Paul said tongues would stop when a better way, one that is perfect or complete comes (1 Corinthians 13:8–10.) The scriptures being a collection of tongues and prophecy gave the complete view where before the individual messages were only fragments of the New Covenant. Instead of seeing through a glass darkly, they now saw face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Paul contrasts tongues, interpretation of tongues, and knowledge with love, faith and hope. If as some say, prophecy, tongues and interpretation remain until the end of the world, Paul's comparison is meaningless.
So Paul inferred tongues would stop sometime before Christ’s return, before love, hope and faith find fulfillment in the new world where only love remains.
Paul urged believers to come behind in no gift until the coming (apocalypse or Revelation) of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:7). This is the same word John uses for the apocalypse of Jesus Christ. What we call the book of Revelation.
So this is likely what Paul saw through a glass darkly. A revelation he knew was coming but didn’t know how or when. Paul urged them to continue seeking spiritual gifts until Christ provided a revelation. We have the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1) through John about the time speaking in tongues disappears from history. If tongues remained, the entire church would exercise them spontaneously just as they did in Acts. But all later claims to the gifts are sporadic among sects of questionable faith.
Many gifts continue today as permanent endowments to the Church. We have miracles and healings through the prayer of faith (James 5:15). Also pastors, evangelists and teachers with the Apostles and Prophets cast in their writings (Ephesians 4:11). But God removed the apostolic signs and wonders with the death of the last Apostle. And he gave us a more sure word of prophecy than tongues and prophecy could provide (2 Peter 1:17–20).
God withdrew the Apostles, honoring them in the Book of Revelation. He wrote their names in the foundations of heavenly Jerusalem with the names of the twelve sons of Israel. This brought to a close the apostolic age and the gifts that flowed through their hands.
Many think the Apostles spoke supernaturally in human languages at Pentecost. And Jews from different nations naturally understood what they said in their own tongue. But Paul says when a person speaks in tongues, they speak to God and not to men (1 Corinthians 14:2). So on Pentecost, the Apostles spoke to God in a heavenly tongue and devout Jews from every nation overheard them in their own native tongue. So they must have received the gift of interpreting too.
God delivered the gift of tongues personally in the baptism of the Holy Spirit during the Jewish outpouring and about seven years later in the gentile outpouring at Cornelius’ house. But all other times he delivered the gifts through an apostles’ hands (Acts 8:18). Scripture does not mention any other means of distribution apart from these.
In the case of the Samarians, Phillip had the gifts but could not pass them on to others. The Samarians believed and had the Holy Spirit as did the Ethiopian eunuch because faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. But the Apostles came and laid hands on the Samarians giving the gifts.
But this was not the case with the eunuch. He went on his way rejoicing without any mention of the gifts. So in Acts we see the gift (singular) of the Holy Spirit. That is, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the gift. And we see the gifts (plural) of the Holy Spirit the Apostles gave to others through the laying on of their hands.
God placed tongues and interpretation into groups of converts in various regions through the Apostles. So each church would have God’s first New Covenant words spoken personally to them by individual members who received the gift (1 Corinthians 14:2).
We see the laying on of hands in Jerusalem (Acts 6:6), Ephesus (Acts 19:1–7), and Samaria (Acts 8:14–17) and throughout Paul’s journeys where he gave the gifts (2 Timothy 1:6; Romans 1:11). Jesus personally sent Ananias, who according to history was one of the original seventy disciples ordained by Him, through whose hands Paul became healed and filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).
Using the gifts, they spoke God’s New Covenant words through tongues with interpretation and through prophecy. With this they passed around the Apostle’s writings that would become the New Testament scriptures. Paul said tongues would stop when a better way, one that is perfect or complete comes (1 Corinthians 13:8–10.) The scriptures being a collection of tongues and prophecy gave the complete view where before the individual messages were only fragments of the New Covenant. Instead of seeing through a glass darkly, they now saw face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Paul contrasts tongues, interpretation of tongues, and knowledge with love, faith and hope. If as some say, prophecy, tongues and interpretation remain until the end of the world, Paul's comparison is meaningless.
So Paul inferred tongues would stop sometime before Christ’s return, before love, hope and faith find fulfillment in the new world where only love remains.
Paul urged believers to come behind in no gift until the coming (apocalypse or Revelation) of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:7). This is the same word John uses for the apocalypse of Jesus Christ. What we call the book of Revelation.
So this is likely what Paul saw through a glass darkly. A revelation he knew was coming but didn’t know how or when. Paul urged them to continue seeking spiritual gifts until Christ provided a revelation. We have the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1) through John about the time speaking in tongues disappears from history. If tongues remained, the entire church would exercise them spontaneously just as they did in Acts. But all later claims to the gifts are sporadic among sects of questionable faith.
Many gifts continue today as permanent endowments to the Church. We have miracles and healings through the prayer of faith (James 5:15). Also pastors, evangelists and teachers with the Apostles and Prophets cast in their writings (Ephesians 4:11). But God removed the apostolic signs and wonders with the death of the last Apostle. And he gave us a more sure word of prophecy than tongues and prophecy could provide (2 Peter 1:17–20).
God withdrew the Apostles, honoring them in the Book of Revelation. He wrote their names in the foundations of heavenly Jerusalem with the names of the twelve sons of Israel. This brought to a close the apostolic age and the gifts that flowed through their hands.