1 Corinthians 12:7-10 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: (8) for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”
In this section we want to discuss the spiritual gift of different kinds of tongues, i.e. to whom is it given and what is its purpose. In the above quoted passage of scripture the apostle Paul lists the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. Numerous scriptural examples reveal to us that the prophets under the Old Covenant operated in seven of the nine gifts. The two spiritual gifts that the Old Testament prophets were precluded from operating in were the gift of different kinds of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues. So why is that? The reason is because the gift of different kinds of tongues manifests directly from the spirit of the individual, and the gift of interpretation of tongues is obviously reliant on the gift of different kinds of tongues being manifested. Because the spirits of the Old Testament prophets were still unregenerate, they were therefore unable to operate in either of those two spiritual gifts. And so we see that just as with the gift of other tongues, the gift of different kinds of tongues is unique to the church dispensation. Unlike the gift of other tongues however, the spiritual gift called different kinds of tongues is not given to every believer; for just like all the gifts of the Spirit, the gift of different kinds of tongues is only given to a select few. So what is the gift of different kinds of tongues? Different kinds of tongues, is similar to the gift of prophecy; except that it is prophecy delivered in a language that is unknown to the one who is prophesying. One who has received the gift of different kinds of tongues will also have the gift of other tongues. In other words they will have received two spiritual languages, and the two languages will be completely different. Just like any believer who has been baptised with the Holy Spirit, these individuals will be able to speak in the language of other tongues any time they choose. The spiritual language of different kinds of tongues however, will only manifest when the Holy Spirit anoints them to prophecy in that language. In other words they will not be able to speak in the language of different kinds of tongues any time they choose. The Lord uses me in the gift of different kinds of tongues and I also speak in other tongues when I pray with my spirit. The two languages are completely different, and in fact from time to time the gift of different kinds of tongues also manifests itself in several varied languages. However, those languages are only manifested through me when the Holy Spirit comes upon me to speak out (prophesy) in a church gathering. Those languages also manifest through me from time to time in my prayer closet, if and when the Holy Spirit has a word for me that He wants me to interpret. An individual who “prophesies” in their normal prayer language of other tongues is not bringing a message from the Holy Spirit through the spiritual gift of different kinds of tongues. They are simply speaking out of their own spirit, and so one who tries to speak the interpretation of that tongue would not be speaking by the Holy Spirit, because He never gave the message requiring interpretation in the first place.
Acts 2:7-11 “Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? (8) And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? (9) Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, (10) Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
The above quoted passage of scripture records the event of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. There are two truths that we can glean from this passage regarding the gift of different kinds of tongues. Firstly, we see that it is entirely possible for one anointed with this gift to speak out in a known language that people understand. In this instance the disciples from Galilee were prophesying in various languages that were understood by the people of those nationalities who were listening to them. Nevertheless as far as the disciples that were prophesying were concerned, they had no idea what they were saying because the languages they were speaking were foreign to them. Secondly, we see that unlike when we pray in other tongues and we speak to God (1 Corinthians 14:2), when one speaks through the gift of different kinds of tongues then the individual is not speaking to God but rather to men, for notice that they were declaring to men the wonderful works of God. And so just as prophecy speaks to men, edification, exhortation and comfort, so the gift of different kinds of tongues also speaks in the same manner, but just in a language that is unknown to the speaker.
1 Corinthians 13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”
We have seen in the previous scripture that it is entirely possible for one who has the gift of different kinds of tongues to speak in a known language. Nevertheless from the above quoted passage of scripture we can see that it is also possible for one who has the gift of different kinds of tongues to speak angelic languages as well, for Paul teaches us in this passage that we can speak with the tongues of men and of angels. Obviously in those instances no man will understand what the speaker is saying. And so because an individual who speaks in different kinds of tongues is not speaking to God but rather to men, it is again entirely possible that the one who speaks in an angelic language is in fact speaking directly to angels as well.
1 Corinthians 14:22 “Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.”
Although we saw that on the day of Pentecost some of the disciples were speaking in languages that at least some in the audience understood, this is not the norm, for normally when an individual speaks with different kinds of tongues no one understands what they are saying (1 Corinthians 14:2). So if that is the case, why does God use this gift in the church? The above quoted passage of scripture gives us the reason why God does this. He does it for a sign to unbelievers, for when an individual speaks out fluently in an unknown language it demonstrates the supernatural power of God to the unbelievers who are present. I recall the first time I heard this gift being manifested. I was newly born-again, knew nothing about the things of the kingdom of God and I was attending my first meeting among Pentecostals. It was during the worship part of the service that someone spoke out in the gift of different kinds of tongues. My eyes were closed at the time and I was convinced that an angel had appeared in the meeting and was addressing us. To my complete surprise, when I opened my eyes I saw a man speaking in what to me sounded like an angelic language. And so I can attest to the fact that God certainly uses this gift as a sign to unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 12:28-30 “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. (29) Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? (30) Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”
And so we come back to the passage of scripture referred to earlier, which many misquote to explain why not all Christians can speak with other tongues. Nevertheless we have shown in this section that the gift referred to by the apostle Paul in this passage, is the gift of different kinds of tongues and not the gift of other tongues. This is why Paul could quite correctly ask the question, do all speak with tongues? For just as not all have received the gift of prophecy, neither have all received the gift of different kinds of tongues. I will close this section with a personal example of the operation of this gift. A few years ago at a Christian breakfast meeting I delivered a message through the operation of the gift of different kinds of tongues. Someone else in the meeting interpreted the message through the gift of interpretation of tongues. After the meeting was over a woman approached me to ask me if I spoke Hebrew. I told her that I knew nothing about the Hebrew language. She said that she had some friends who spoke Hebrew and to her it sounded like I was speaking in Hebrew when I delivered my message. As I have already mentioned, when I operate in the gift of different kinds of tongues, the language that I speak varies from time to time, as it did on this occasion.
Michael E.B. Maher
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