By Craig Bluemel
DISCLAIMER: While I personally detest the fanaticism and spiritual charade of charismania, this study and series is not intended as a tool to disarm the charismatic church from its proper use of prophecy, speaking in tongues and interpretation of “kinds” of tongues. Throughout this series I affirm the use and personal practice of hetérais glossalaliá (i.e. – speaking by the spirit in unknown tongues as in 1 Corinthians 14:2). What this study explains is the correct application for the apostle Paul’s written instructions to the early Corinthian church regarding the practice of various kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 30.
In this Part 7 the meaning of various kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 30; 14:3 ff will be discussed. To truly understand this subject outside the paradigms of Pentecostalism’s extremes and outside the rigid legalism of Christian fundamentalism, one must be acquainted with the historical development of the early church in Corinth, beginning with its founding in 55 AD. The development of the first church in Corinth is recorded in the Book of Acts chapter eighteen. Unlike the activity of the churches in Jerusalem that were forced to meet house to house due to the control of the temple and synagogues by indignant, self-righteous Pharisees and scribes, Corinth was a city where some synagogue leaders embraced Paul’s gospel message and believed in Jesus as the Messiah.
When Paul first came to Corinth (after leaving Athens), he met a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They had recently been deported from Rome, along with thousands of other Jews, when Emperor Claudius issued an edict that all Jews must leave the city. Paul stayed with them, working with Aquila in their common craft as tentmakers and each Sabbath he reasoned with both Jews and Greeks from the Scriptures (Acts 18:1-4). Once settled in Corinth, Paul sent word to Macedonia for Timothy and Silas to join him. By the time Timothy and Silas arrived at Corinth, Paul was fully engaged preaching and teaching in the synagogues and certain Jews that were displeased at Paul’s gospel gave him such strong opposition, that just as had happened in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:46 ff), he told them, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” He left the district of Corinth where the hostile Jews were, and went to the house of Titius Justus (Acts 18:1-7).
· Acts 18:7-18 He then left there and went to the house of a man named Titus Justus, who worshiped God and whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 But Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed that Jesus is the Messiah, together with his entire household; and many of the Corinthians who listened to Paul also believed and were baptized. 9 And one night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Have no fear, but speak and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no man shall assault you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.” 11 So he settled down among them for a year and six months, teaching the Word of God. 12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia (most of Greece), the Jews unitedly made an attack upon Paul and brought him before the judge's seat, 13 declaring, “This fellow is advising and inducing and inciting people to worship God in violation of the Law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth to reply, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of some misdemeanor or villainy, O Jews, I should have cause to bear with you and listen; 15 but since it is merely a question of doctrine about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves; I decline to be a judge of such matters and I have no intention of trying such cases.” 16 And he drove them away from the judgment seat. 17 Then they all seized Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him right in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this. 18 Afterward Paul remained many days longer, and then told the brethren farewell and sailed for Syria; and he was accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. AMP
Acts 18:7-18 is the account of the birth of the Corinthian church and it provides a glimpse of how believers met weekly on the Sabbath. In this narrative the early church imitated the protocol of the Jewish synagogue meetings by reading the Old Testament Scripture aloud. After the Scripture reading certain individuals were allowed to stand up and exhort. Those who were qualified to teach interpreted the meaning of a particular Scripture passage.
A man named Crispus was the leader of the synagogue and along with his household and many other Corinthians he believed the gospel message (Acts 18:8). Paul stayed in Corinth for 1 ½ more years teaching the word of God, and toward the end of his first stay in Corinth, the Jews brought false charges against him in the Roman court of Galileo, the proconsul of Achaia. Galileo refused to hear the charges against Paul because it was a matter of Jewish religion, proving the early church had been meeting during this initial time period in the synagogue (Acts 18:11-13). When Galileo refused to listen to them, the Jews beat another man named Sosthenes, who was also the leader of the synagogue. The names of Crispus and Sosthenes as leaders of the synagogue are important because Paul mentions these men by name in his epistle to the Corinthians.
· 1 Corinthians 1:1-2, 11-14 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 to the church of God which is at Corinth… 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius…NAS
Paul and Sosthenes both wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians while they were staying in the city of Ephesus (1 Corinthians 1:1-2). After being severely beaten Sosthenes departed Corinth with Paul to escape the Jewish hostility. However, the other synagogue leader named Crispus remained in Corinth and may have become one of the first elders appointed in the church there.
In 1 Corinthians 1:12 Paul rebukes the Corinthian believers because each one was saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." The name, “Cephas,” is the Aramaic equivalent for Peter; both of these words means, “rock.” The fact that Paul writes his rebuke to the Corinthians by using the Aramaic name instead of the Greek name lends credibility to the fact he is addressing a predominantly Jewish-convert church, because Aramaic was often the language spoken among Jews, whereas Greek was typically the language spoken among Gentiles in Asia.
The mention of a Jewish man named Apollos in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is important because Apollos was highly educated and well schooled in the Scriptures. Apollos was probably trained in the rabbinical tradition, and he journeyed to Corinth after his conversion. Having been instructed more accurately in the Scriptures concerning Jesus as the Christ, his oratory prowess and knowledge enabled him to powerfully refute the Jews publicly in Corinth, making him a valued asset there (Acts 18:18-19:1)
SUMMARY – Paul, Aquila and Priscilla, Timothy and Silas worked to galvanize the Corinthian church. The church first met in the home of Titius Justus, and shortly thereafter in the synagogue whose leaders included Crispus and Sosthenes. Apollos joined the church at Corinth later to assist with teaching and publicly refuting the Jews. When Paul, Aquila and Priscilla departed Corinth to journey to Syria, Timothy remained there as a teacher in the church because his Greek and Jewish background enabled and to mediate some of the problems there. The various ethnic tongues spoken by believers in Corinth were Greek, Aramaic, and Latin, and in the synagogues, Hebrew was spoken, especially during the public reading of the Old Testament Law and Prophets.
The Corinthian church patterned its meetings after that of the Jewish synagogue, since the synagogue was the place where everyone could hear the Scriptures read and explained. Unless you understand the way the synagogue services operated, you cannot understand the apostle Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian church. Below are select excerpts from the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1996 by Biblesoft to describe how the synagogue operated:
Synagogue, from the Greek word sunagoge means, "gathering" (Acts 13:43), "gathering-place" (Luke 7:5), and was the name applied to the Jewish place of worship in later Judaism in and outside of Palestine. Próseche, "a place of prayer" (Acts 16:13), was probably more of the nature of an enclosure, marking off the sacred spot from the profane foot, than of a roofed building like a synagogue.
The essential aim of the synagogue was not prayer, but instruction in the Law for all classes of the people. Philo calls the synagogues "houses of instruction, where the philosophy of the fathers and all manner of virtues were taught." (Compare Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:21; 6:2; Luke 4:15,33; 6:6; 13:10; John 6:59; 18:20). There was usually a moveable ark, in which the rolls of the Law and the Prophets were kept. In front of the ark, and facing the congregation, were the "chief seats" for the leaders of the synagogue and the learned men (Matthew 23:6). From Nehemiah 8:4 and 9:4 it appears there was a platform from which the Law was read, although it is not mentioned in the New Testament, was of ancient date, and in use in the time of Christ.
The “leader” of the synagogue (such as Crispus or Sosthenes) are sometimes referred to as “rulers” of the synagogue. The word translated “rulers” is from the Greek “archisunagogos,” (Compare Mark 5:35; Luke 8:41,49; 13:14; Acts 18:8,17). In most synagogues there were several leaders (Compare Mark 5:22; Acts 13:15). The leader(s) were most probably chosen from among the elders. Usually it was required that a synagogue has ten leaders, and of those ten leaders, three of them were chosen as the chief seats. It was the responsibility of the leaders to control the synagogue services and to decide who was to be called upon to read from the Law and the Prophets and who was to be chosen to preach (Acts 13:15; compare Luke 13:14); he also had to look after the discussions, and generally to keep order. The person that read the Law and said the prayers had to be someone of good character. The leader of the synagogue appointed a man at each meeting known as, the interpreter. It was the interpreter’s duty to translate into Aramaic the passages of the Law and the Prophets, which were read in Hebrew (Meghillah 3:3; compare 1 Corinthians 14:28). This also was probably not a permanent office, but at each meeting the leader chose someone of good character to fill the position.
The reading of the Law and the Prophets took place after prayers were read. A section of the Pentateuch called a “pericope,” was read aloud from the law every Sabbath. Once the section of the Law had been read, then the interpreter translated verse by verse from Hebrew into Aramaic (Meghillah 3:3). The whole Pentateuch was divided into 154 pericopes, so that in the course of 3 years it was read through in order. After the reading of the Law a section of the Prophets was read called the “Haphtarah,” which was the pericope from the Prophets for that particular Sabbath. The interpreter did not necessarily translate from the Prophets verse by verse, but in paragraphs of 3 verses (Meghillah, loc. cit.).
After the Law and the Prophets were read a sermon followed, which was an exposition of the Law. Eventually the sermon became more devotional in character. Anyone in the congregation might be asked by the ruler to preach, or might ask the ruler for permission to preach. After the sermon a Levitical priest was called upon to beseech of God’s blessing and at the end of the blessing the congregation said in unison, “Amen.” (From International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Electronic Database Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft)
Synagogue meetings provided an opportunity for all manner of people to hear and learn about the Law and the Prophets. Even the Greek word ecclesia, which is usually translated as, “church,” in modern Bibles, originated in the synagogue. The Septuagint is the Hebrew Old Testament translated into Greek and it uses the word ecclesia seventy times when it translates the Hebrew word, “kve,” or “qahal,” (could also be spelled Cahal). It means to call together, to assemble, or gather together. In Corinth, the church gathering included slaves and they were numerous because the greater percentage of the human population was made up of slaves. Many slaves came from regions of North Africa, Egypt, and many other places where Roman conquests resulted in subjugating defeated foes into slavery. Eventually the apostle Paul gave written instructions in his epistles concerning them and specified that slaves must be taught the word of God just like the rest of the believers.
· 1 Corinthians 7:21-22 Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let that trouble you. But if you are able to gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. 22 For he who as a slave was summoned in to union with the Lord is a freedman of the Lord, just so he who was free when he was called is a bond servant of Christ. AMP
· 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. NAS
Once a community of Jews was converted to faith in Jesus as the Christ and the new covenant was fully embraced, elders were appointed from among the believers in the church. The elders of the church did not necessarily correspond to the former leaders of the synagogue. The elders that labored diligently in oratory discourse (interpreting) and teaching of the Law and the Prophets were considered by all to be teachers.
The churches in Asia were usually patterned after the synagogue and this is overtly obvious by the tone and use of words in the apostle John’s writings to the seven churches that are in Asia (Revelation 1:4). In his message to Smyrna, John warns the church elders in Revelation 2:8-9 of the blasphemy spoken by those who say they are “Jews,” but are in reality a part of the, “synagogue of Satan.” Why would the apostle John refer to the church as a synagogue unless the synagogue (meaning “gathering place”) was the stereotypical model and protocol for assembling together?
The apostle John writes a similar message to the church in Philadelphia (see Revelation 3:7-12), whereby he uses a quote from Isaiah 22:22 ff to describe the messianic role of Jesus as the one who holds possession of, “the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.” This wording indicates John is writing to a Jewish convert base of NT believers. As he wrote of the “synagogue of Satan,” to the church of Smyrna, he offers the same warning to the Philadelphia church saying, “Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.” What all of this proves is that the churches in Asia are not to be presumed as Gentile converts only when in reality they are deeply rooted in the Judaic background.
The Christian church in Corinth eventually modified the way synagogue meetings were operated because of the change in covenants and individual interaction with the spirit of God and of Jesus. Weekly reading of the Scripture on the Sabbath continued but there was much more liberty and spiritual freedom and women were given opportunity to speak unlike the strict format of Judaism in synagogue. The various ethnic tongues spoken by believers in Corinth included Greek, Aramaic, Latin, some Egyptian dialects, Syriac and in the synagogues, Hebrew was usually spoken during the public reading of the Old Testament Law and Prophets.
The dominant language in Corinth was Greek. Latin was probably spoken in some circles because of the number of retired veterans from the Roman army that had been settled there. Latin was typically the language of the Roman government though more often than not edicts published in Latin were also published in Greek. That Latin was widely used in Corinth should not come as much of a surprise, for even in Jerusalem we find evidence that Jews spoke Latin, Greek and Hebrew as illustrated in the inscriptions used on the sign hung over Jesus when he was crucified.
· John 19:20 And many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. AMP
Interestingly, though not usually noticed, is that Paul uses several Greek words in his epistle to the Philippians that probably reflect on its status being like that of like Corinth (as a Roman colony); the words he uses were possibly intended to counter imperial propaganda (e.g., 2:6, 'ísa theoú'-‘like god,’ a term used of the emperor in the imperial cult). Latin would have been more predominant in cities designated as Roman colonies such as Philippi and the region of Achaia, of which Corinth was the principal city.
Aramaic would have just been spoken among Jews though evidence from inscriptions probably points to Greek as the everyday language of Corinthian Jews. Aramaic was primarily used by Jews of Palestine and parts of Mesopotamia and a related language, Syriac, was common in the area we now call Syria, but in reality, this tongue consisted of variations of Aramaic. In addition to speaking Greek, Hebrew and Latin, Aquila and Priscilla, two important figures working with Paul to establish the church in Corinth spoke Syriac because Aquila was born in Pontus, which is modern-day Syria. Aquila and Priscilla spoke Latin because they lived in Rome prior to Claudius’ edict for all Jews to leave the city (Acts 18:2), and they spoke Greek and Aramaic in the course of everyday life as part of their ten-making trade (Acts 18:3-4). It is certain they spoke Hebrew as well because they were able to explain the way of Jesus to Apollos more accurately from the Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 18:26).
Hebrew was pretty much limited to Jewish scholars, scribes and rabbis in the study of the Old Testament. Generally in synagogues outside of Palestine the weekly scripture reading would be given in Hebrew, then a translation often with commentary was read in Aramaic and perhaps in Greek in many synagogues. The primary version of the Old Testament used by Diaspora Jews was the Greek Septuagint. Greek was also the primary language of the cities of the province of Asia. However, in the countryside a number of native languages would have been encountered such as Phrygian.
An understanding of how these languages were put into practice in the church meetings explains what Paul’s written instruction in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 mean regarding, “various kinds of tongues,” and the, “interpretation of tongues,” as a manifestation of the spirit for the “common good” in the church. The “interpretation of tongues,” could refer to the modifications made to the traditional rabbinical synagogue sermon after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, as certain NT elders developed into teachers in the church. The reason we know tongues and interpretations are related to the function of teachers is because excerpts taken from the context in which Paul mentions them in his letter of instructions to the Corinthians say so.
· 1 Corinthians 12:28-31 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers… and those speaking in different kinds of tongues…Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers…do all speak in tongues… do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. (NIV)
A teacher was a man in the church that had working knowledge of the languages of the people and the languages of the Scriptures, providing expressions of wisdom and knowledge through exhortation, admonition and revelation. Teachers also devoted their time and efforts to didactic teaching, which developed into a form of thorough explanation combining the translation from Hebrew in the OT into the tongue of the people, known in Greek as, “hermeneuo,” or the combination of translation plus detailed explanation of its meaning known in Greek as, “diermeneuo.”
This Greek term, “diermeneuo,” is the same word Luke uses in his gospel to describe how the greatest Teacher of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, translated and then interpreted by giving his disciples a detailed explanation of the Old Testament Scriptures, explaining to them how the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled in and through him as the Christ (see below).
· Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and throughout all the Prophets, Jesus went on explaining and interpreting (diermeneuo) to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself. AMP
In 1 Corinthians 12:30 when Paul poses two rhetorical questions, “Do all speak with tongues?” and, “Do all interpret?” He alludes to the role and function of teachers. What he is asking is this: Do all believers in Corinth have the capability to speak in the tongues (glossa) of the Hebrew Old Testament Scriptures? Do all have the capability to translate and then interpret by providing a thorough explanation of the Scriptures to others in the church? The obvious answer to these rhetorical questions is a resounding, “No.” Those who assume the responsibility of teaching take upon themselves a heavy weight of responsibility, as the Book of James says:
· James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, self-constituted censors and reprovers of others, my brethren, for you know that we teachers will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation. AMP
Exhortations, admonitions and verbal expressions of knowledge and wisdom were not limited to only teachers, but came preferably from mature believers. These verbal expressions of knowledge and wisdom are described in 1 Corinthians 12:8 as, “the word (logos) of wisdom and the word of knowledge,” respectively. The Amplified Bible does a nice job of translating this verse:
· 1 Corinthians 12:8 To one is given in and through the Spirit the power to speak a message of wisdom, and to another the power to express a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit. AMP
In his epistles, Paul uses the Greek word, “logos,” to describe the public oration given by those who understood and could explain how the Old Testament related to Jesus Christ and the church. Logos is a Greek word that denotes, “the expression of intelligence.” In the first epistle to the Corinthians, logos is the verbal expression of one’s spiritual knowledge and wisdom and translated in modern Bible texts as, “the word of knowledge,” and, “the word of wisdom,” (1 Corinthians 12:8). This required that the speaker have knowledge of Scripture of course, but also that he be endued with the divine capabilities that are demonstrative of the quality of character consistent with those who walk according to the Spirit of God and of Christ and not after the flesh.
· 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. NASU
The “various kinds of tongues” represent the public reading of Hebrew Scripture (i.e. - the Law and Prophets); the corresponding, “interpretation of tongues,” is the translation of the Hebrew reading into Aramaic and Greek (or whatever languages were spoken by believers in the church). Because the way for salvation thru Christ was opened to the Gentiles, who were usually Greek speaking, the interpretation to the reading of the Scriptures each Sabbath included a corresponding translation from Hebrew into Greek. Paul was certainly qualified as one that could speak in several tongues, and he could also interpret, as evidenced by his conversation in both Greek and Hebrew in the selected passages below:
· Acts 21:37, 39-22:2 Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the commandant, “May I say something to you?” And the man replied, “Can you speak Greek?” Paul answered (in Greek), “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant or undistinguished city. I beg you, allow me to address the people.” 40 And when the man had granted him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, gestured with his hand to the people; and there was a great hush. Then he spoke to them in the Hebrew dialect, saying, 22:1 “Brethren and fathers, listen to the defense, which I now make in your presence.” 2 And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they were all the more quiet. AMP
To “interpret” kinds of tongues meant more than merely translating from Hebrew to Aramaic or Greek because it involved an explanation of what was being said. The people needed to know how the Old Testament Scriptures testified to Jesus as the Christ. Since the Corinthian church was comprised at first of mostly Jews and Jewish proselytes newly converted to faith in the gospel message of Jesus Christ, Paul’s style of writing throughout his first epistle always included an explanation of Old Testament Scripture. His method combines spiritual thoughts with spiritual words in an exhortation-style epistle that is often poetic and didactic and associates the Law and the Prophets with current spiritual and mundane issues among Christians.
SUMMARY: The Corinthian church patterned its meetings after the Jewish synagogue, as a place where all classes of people could hear the Scriptures (i.e. - the Law & the Prophets) read and explained. The meetings began with a prayer, followed by reading Old Testament Scriptures aloud in Hebrew from scrolls by someone appointed by the leader. Following the reading in Hebrew, a bilingual direct translation of the Law in the common tongue was spoken for all to understand. Later, the direct translation of the Law included an interpretation in Greek to accommodate the needs of the Greek-speaking Gentile converts. As the gospel message spread throughout the world in the first century the scriptures were translated into more and more “kinds” of tongues to accommodate the growing needs of all NT believers to hear and understand God’s inspired written word.
The Greek word translated as “interpretation” in 1 Corinthians 12:10 is, “hermeeneía,” (NT: 2058), which means, “to translate.” The only other place in the Greek NT this exact word hermeeneía is used is in 1 Corinthians 14:26 (below); in this context there is little doubt Paul is discussing proper technique for the interpretation or translation after someone reads the Scripture aloud in a tongue:
· 1 Corinthians 14:26-28 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation (hermeeneía). Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret (diermeneuo); 28 but if there is no interpreter (diermeneuo), he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. NASU
A simple clue that it is the Old Testament Scriptures being discussed by Paul is found in the phrase, “each one has a psalm.” Individuals would use the psalms, often in connection with a musical chord as a means of supplying spiritual edification to others. Many of the Old Testament psalms are composed in a lyrical manner and set to be expressed with music. This ancient Hebrew custom was already in existence centuries before the Christian church was born. The same word is used of teaching the Scriptures with the wisdom of Christ in Paul’s epistle to the Colossian church.
· Colossians 3:16-17 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. NAS
Notice Paul divides his instructions in between 1 Corinthians 14:26 & 14:27 regarding proper church etiquette (as it pertains to the reading of the Law). In 1 Corinthians 14:26 he says, “each one,” has, “a tongue,” and also each one has, “an interpretation.” The Greek word used for, “interpretation,” in 1 Corinthians 14:26 is hermeeneía and should be rendered simply, “a translation.” The distinction between 1 Corinthians 14:26 and 14:27 is that 14:27 uses a slightly different Greek word, “diermeneuo,” (defined below) instead of hermeeneía and the second distinction is that 1 Corinthians 14:26 says each one “has” a tongue whereas 1 Corinthians 14:27 says if anyone “speaks” in a tongue.
· “Interpret, interpreter” (1 Corinthians 14:27–28) = diermeneuo (NT: 1329); it means, “to interpret or translate by thoroughly explaining.”
The Greek cognate of diermeneuo used in 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 is referring solely to the translation and thorough interpretation of the Old Testament Scriptures, Jesus uses this very Greek word diermeneuo in his efforts to expound upon the Law and the prophets, describing himself and how these verses are fulfilled in him to his disciples on the road to Emmaus after the resurrection.
· Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and throughout all the Prophets, Jesus went on explaining and interpreting (diermeneuo) to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself. AMP
In 1 Corinthians 14:26 Paul says each individual person has (possesses) his or her own native tongue (language or dialect), but 1 Corinthians 14:27 says anyone that SPEAKS in a tongue, it must be, “by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret (diermeneuo).” This obvious distinction between simple possession of a tongue in 1 Corinthians 14:26 and the verbal expression of a tongue (i.e. – speaking) in 1 Corinthians 14:27 is made by Paul to differentiate between what is done by a believer to edify SELF (14:26) and what is done by a believer to edify the CHURCH (14:27-28).
Hermeeneía in 1 Corinthians 14:26 implies the individual’s ability to be holding in his or her possession an ethnic dialect (i.e. – tongue) or the translation (hermeeneía) of the Scriptures in that same dialect. On the other hand, 1 Corinthians 14:27 uses diermeneuo because it is a word that conveys more than merely holding in one’s possession a translation; rather, diermeneuo infers in this text active participation to bring edification to others by translating the Scriptures thoroughly; in other words, to translate by providing a detailed explanation.
Among Corinthian churches a confusing state of affairs developed each time they assembled together because some Christians were speaking aloud individually in an unknown tongue, while others, feeling the spirit of God for the first time ever would stand and speak from the Scriptures by using his or her own native ethnic dialect (from whatever country or region in which they were born or lived as residents). Chaos ensued and soon directions for church protocol and etiquette became necessary for any meaningful growth to happen. Hence Paul’s words, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret.”
The Greek word Paul uses for, “interpret,” in 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 is a modification of hermeneuo and is a compound word that joins the preposition diá (meaning, “through,”) to the word hermeneuo (meaning, “translate”) producing the Greek word, “diermeneuo.” Diermeneuo means literally, “to translate through,” or more user-friendly definition, “to translate by thorough explanation.” Diermeneuo is the Greek word that Paul uses to illustrate what transpired during the reading of the Scriptures in the Corinthian church. To get an idea of how these early church meetings functioned, look closely at Paul’s encounter with the synagogue protocol at Pisidian Antioch:
· Acts 13:14-16 … They arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, "Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it." 16 And Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen…” (The entire narrative can be found in the text of Acts 13:14- 49) NAS
In the narrative above, we see an exact case of how the synagogue officials, after the reading of the Scriptures, asked Paul to exhort them, recognizing he was a learned teacher (rabbi). This corresponds to either the interpretation, or the sermon aspect of synagogue protocol. Both of Paul’s epistles to the Corinthians contain quotes from the OT and the first epistle to the Corinthians has numerous mentions about, “the Law.”
· 1 Corinthians 9:8-9 I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing." God is not concerned about oxen, is He? NAS
· 1 Corinthians 9:20-21 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. NAS
Most relevant to this study is the apostle Paul’s mention and use of actual quotes from the Hebrew OT in his instructions to the Corinthians concerning speaking in tongues; this is proof that interpreting a tongue has something to do with explaining the meaning of OT Scripture verses. Below are three places in this context the Law is mentioned and/or quoted from:
· 1 Corinthians 14:21 In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. NAS
· 1 Corinthians 14:34, 36-37 Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says… 36 Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only? 37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment. NAS
· 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. NAS
· 1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law. NAS
Why does the apostle Paul refer to the OT Scriptures so many times in his first letter to the Corinthian church? Perhaps the reason lies in the fact that this church was comprised of a strong Jewish convert base, along with many educated Greek-speaking converts, (aka Gentiles). The educated Greeks were undoubtedly proselytes to Judaism, and this is evident from the context of Acts chapters 17-19 where Paul is seen first entering Jewish synagogues in every city he evangelized. In Berea and Athens (just before Corinth) both Jews and Greeks believed Paul’s gospel, and then in Corinth, he was aided by Aquila and Priscilla, along with Apollos, Timothy and Silas, all of whom were Jewish converts to Christ, and mighty in the Scriptures, able to instruct others in the Law and the Prophets concerning the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus as the Messiah to Israel.
Salient to this discussion about synagogues is the fact that synagogues were a community affair and not just a place to meet and go to church. As mentioned previously, the foremost aim of the synagogue was teaching people of all classes and races the Scriptures. One reason such large volumes of people were converted to the gospel at one time is due to their mutual understanding of the Law and the Prophets thru the teaching provided each Sabbath in synagogue. Every three years completed the designated cycle for reading thru the entire Pentateuch, which included the translation in the common dialect(s) of the people, and sermons, exhortations, and quite regularly, didactic teaching by the rabbis. This meant the entire community was typically of one mind and heart concerning the interpretation of the Scriptures, resulting in mass conversions once the synagogue leaders embraced the gospel of Jesus as the Christ.
Only a few Jewish rabbis or scribes spoke fluent Hebrew, which was the language of the Old Testament scriptures. The OT was the primary Bible used by the early church, before the Pauline and other epistles had been written, then copied and circulated. Because manuscripts of the OT were limited the only place to hear them read was at a Jewish synagogue. This became problematic because learning about the OT was essential for every Christian believer to understand God’s plan of atonement thru Jesus and the need for a Messiah. With the advent of the gospel came necessary changes in venue and previous exposure to OT paved the way for a new and improved message and format. With salvation the Scripture sermons and exhortation focused on Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) who suffered and rose from the dead; this was always Paul’s emphasis.
The use of Scripture was fundamental for defense of the faith against the Jews that opposed the church, especially the efforts to evangelize Jewish synagogues. From the beginning the Scriptures played an important role in the Corinthian and other churches. Paul's custom in every city was to reason with the Jews from the Scriptures by explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead.[1] A prime example of this is a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, who was mighty in the Scriptures, but had only known John’s message. Priscilla and Aquila taught him more accurately the message of Jesus from the OT, and as a result, Apollos used the Scriptures as Paul did to demonstrate that Jesus was the Christ.[2]
Just before arriving in Corinth Paul and Silas went to Berea and entered the synagogue of the Jews. These noble-minded Jews examined the Scriptures daily, and many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. This is proof that churches in this region of Asia were comprised of both Jews and Greek converts.[3] It is very important to prove how integral the OT Scriptures were to the fabric of the Corinthian church. This gives a foundation for understanding exactly what “kinds of tongues” and “interpretation of tongues” meant in relation to the public reading and explanation of the OT scriptures. The apostle Paul mentions his use of the Scriptures initially to make known the gospel in Corinth, illustrating the fact that chapters 12, 13 and 14 are also related to them.
· 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. NAS
Paul stayed in Corinth for 1 ½ years teaching the churches from Scripture, along with Timothy, Silas, Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla, to but a few workers. In his letter of instructions to Timothy, Paul mentions how important a role the OT Scriptures served in teaching and exhortation.
· 2 Timothy 3:13-17 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them; 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings, which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. NAS
· 2 Timothy 4:11-13, 19-20 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. 12 But Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. 13 When you come bring the cloak, which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments… 19 Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. NAS
Unlike today the early church did not have access to the Scriptures in a tongue most could understand because most Bibles (bíblos) were either parchment or papyri scrolls (manuscripts) that were scribed in ancient Hebrew. Some copies of the Septuagint scriptures were in use; the Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Some manuscripts were available in Syriac and a few other dialects as well, but these were relegated to a few areas, often remote and rural.
There was a need for people able to “interpret” the OT Scriptures on behalf of all the believers meeting together. Those with “kinds of tongues” and “interpretation of tongues” are used by Jesus to bridge language barriers, especially during the public reading of Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures. Below is only a brief list of dozens of passages in Paul’s epistles to the Corinthian church that contain quotes or paraphrased quotes from the Old Testament. Note carefully his use of the phrase, “It is written,” because this is always a reference by Paul to the Old Testament Scriptures (albeit often a paraphrase or taken from the Septuagint version). For comparison, below the NT quote of the OT I indent and bullet the actual Scripture verse Paul references from either the Law or the Prophets.
· 1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside."
· Isaiah 29:14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed." NASU
1 Corinthians 1:31 that, just as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." NAS
·
Jeremiah 9:24 But let him who boasts boast of
this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises
lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these
things," declares the LORD. NASU
1 Corinthians 2:9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” NAS
· Isaiah 64:4 For from of old no one has heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who works and shows Himself active on behalf of him who earnestly waits for Him. AMP
1 Corinthians 3:19-20 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” NAS
· Job 5:13 He catches the so-called wise in their own trickiness, and the counsel of the schemers is brought to a quick end. AMP
· Psalms 94:11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are vain, empty and futile--only a breath. AMP
1 Corinthians 10:7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, " The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." NAS
· Exodus 32:6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. NASU
1 Corinthians 15:45 So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. NAS
· Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. NASU
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? NAS
· Deuteronomy 25:4 You shall not muzzle the ox when he treads out the grain. [Also see this quoted in 1 Timothy 5:17,18.] AMP
The text of 1 Corinthians 9:9 is written almost identical to Paul’s other letter that he wrote to Timothy (see below). Timothy spent much of his time instructing the churches between the city of Ephesus (his base of operations) to the north, but he was foremost among teachers in the city of Corinth, which was at the southern-most end of his travels. When Paul first entered Corinth, he recognized immediately the need for qualified help to bridge the language and cultural barriers, so he sent to Ephesus and had Timothy and Silas journey to Corinth.
·
Acts 16:1-3 Paul came also to Derbe and to
Lystra. And
a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a
believer, but his father was a Greek, 2 and he was well spoken of
by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took
him and circumcised him because of the Jews who
were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. NASU
When he met Timothy Paul realized immediately that his background, as both Jew and Greek, would be an asset in breaking down cultural barriers. An added benefit was the fact Timothy was raised from an early age to have a working knowledge of the Scriptures. This means Timothy was probably one of the believers Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, & 30 that spoke in the various individual ethnic languages (i.e. – “kinds of tongues” or more literally, “kindred languages”). Timothy’s role was very important in this regard, because he was able to explain the meaning of the Bible to the Greeks and the Jewish converts alike, relating to them how Jesus fulfills the messianic passages. Though he was younger than the typical age for an elder, Timothy’s strong background in Scripture qualified him as such, as seen in Paul’s instructions to him in 1 Timothy 5:17-18.
· 1 Timothy 5:17-18 Let the elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, ‘Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward.’ Webster’s Bible
There are many more OT references used throughout both the first and second epistles Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, but space forbids listing them all. The most specific to the subject of tongues and interpretation is 1 Corinthians 14:21, because here Paul uses a passage from Isaiah 28:9-13 to prove there were some in the Corinthian Christian community that would not listen to his correction. This is seen by the tenor of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians throughout his first epistle, where he asks them if they prefer him to come with a rod or in love. Isaiah’s prophecy has an application to the converted Jews within the community of believers (i.e. – the church) that continued in the immaturity and fleshly ways, refusing to “listen” to the correction being given to them.
1 Corinthians 14:21 In the Law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me," says the Lord. NAS
· Isaiah 28:9-13 "To whom would He teach knowledge, and to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? 10 For He says, 'Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.'" 11 Indeed, He will speak to this people through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, 12 He who said to them, "Here is rest, give rest to the weary," And, "Here is repose," but they would not listen. 13 So the word of the LORD to them will be, " Order on order, order on order…” NASU
The “lips of strangers” is also a reference to the way these immature Jewish converts treated Timothy, who was, by many of the Jews considered to be lesser than them due to his Greek father. As you recall, Timothy was sent to Corinth by Paul to mediate on his behalf, and address some of the immorality and other problems. Just a few verses later, Paul makes mention of their resistance to Timothy and he warns them to accept Timothy and his teaching and exhortations.
· 1 Corinthians 16:10-11 When Timothy arrives, see to it that you put him at ease, so that he may be fearless among you, for he is devotedly doing the Lord's work, just as I am. 11 So see to it that no one despises him or treats him as if he were of no account or slights him. But send him off cordially, speed him on his way in peace, that he may come to me, for I am expecting him to come along with the other brethren. AMP
The apostle John identified pseudo brethren within the church in his apocalyptic message as being of, “the synagogue of Satan,” and referring of course to false brethren, who, “say they are Jews, but lie.” (Revelation 2-3) The verses just prior to 1 Corinthians 14:21 speak of the immaturity of those converted Jews that were not acting in love:
· 1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, do not be children immature in your thinking; continue to be babes in matters of evil, but in your minds be mature men. AMP
SUMMARY: Speaking in kinds of tongues is a reference to the various languages (dialects) used to read and “interpret” the Scriptures. The Greek word for “interpretation” in 1 Corinthians 14:26 is akin to that used in Luke 24:27 when Jesus “interpreted and explained” the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, beginning with Moses, as he walked with his disciples after the resurrection.
There are basically two different types of speaking in tongues discussed by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church.
1. The first is referred to as, “various kinds of tongues,” in the text of 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, & 30; this is a reference to those who speak by divine inspiration to explain, translate or interpret the meaning of OT scripture.
2. The second type of “tongues” discussed in the epistle of First Corinthians is a prayer to God in an unknown language or tongue mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:2 ff.
Much confusion exists in Christendom today concerning these two complete different types of tongues. A great deal of confusion and misinterpretation by Christians comes from doctrinal prejudice and poor translations of the Bible available. For example, the Greek word “glossa” is mistranslated as “tongues” throughout 1 Corinthians chapters 12 thru 14. The Greek “glossa” is the most common Greek word used in the New Testament for languages; however it is almost always translated as, “a tongue” or as “tongues” in nearly all Bible versions available.
Adding fuel to the fire of confusion is how uninformed Christians, charismatic and non-charismatic alike, associate the word, “tongues” with Pentecostalism. Ask most Christians what it means to speak in a tongue, or to speak in tongues (plural), and you’re likely to get a rhetorical reply, “Do you mean ‘tongues’ as in ‘speaking in tongues?’ Like the charismatic churches practice?”
On the other hand, if someone asks, “What is your native tongue,” it is obvious their inquiry is about one’s language or dialect. When speaking in a “tongue” is mentioned outside the narrow paradigms of doctrinally prejudicial religious conversations, people understand the primary application of is a language and not a spiritual gift. A “tongue” is simply a language or a dialect spoken, but in Christian circles, reference to tongues, kinds of tongues, and speaking in tongues connotes Pentecostalism.
To determine whether tongue refers to a known dialect or to an unknown prayer in tongues, it is important to follow basic guidelines such as following the tenor of context , taking into consideration the historical, societal, and cultural environment of the people to whom the epistle was written, by whom it was written, and why it was written; these fundamental considerations must always be applied objectively and without partiality. Also, in the diligent study of New Testament Scriptures, always consult with the original Greek text to establish root word definitions, use of prepositions, verb tenses, etc. If a person uses only his or her English Bible version, it is impossible to determine the meaning and application of tongues in 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14.
The “various kinds of tongues,” in the text of 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, & 30 refer to indigenous languages spoken by individual NT believers, many of whom were from unrelated ethnic backgrounds. The assemblies of believers in the mercantile city of Corinth were multilingual in two ways. First, nearly everyone spoke Greek as a common tongue, unless they were from Palestine, in which case they may have spoken both Aramaic and Greek. For the most part, Jews from Jerusalem were the only ones that continued speaking Hebrew. Hebrew was a tongue fading in NT times.[4] We see evidence that Jesus and his disciples may have communicated with each other in both Hebrew and Aramaic.
· John 20:16 Jesus said to her, Mary! Turning around she said to him in Hebrew, “Rabboni,” which means Teacher or Master. AMP
Also, people spoke individual variations of language dialects that were unrelated to each other. For example, a resident of Asia Minor probably spoke Greek, but if his native birthplace were Egypt, then he would have spoken an Egyptian tongue as well. The same person would need Greek to communicate across genetic (racial) lines, but he would speak his native Egyptian tongue in the community he lived in. In the apostle Paul’s written instructions to the Corinthians in his first epistle, he uses the phrase, “various kinds of tongues,” in the context of individual expression for the “common good” in the assembly of believers. You will see later that he is using Greek words, “heterais génee gloossoón,” (“kinds of tongues) applicable for reading Scripture aloud in a dialect common to all.
· 1 Corinthians 12:7, 10-11 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good…10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues (heterais génee gloossoón), and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. NASU
· 1 Corinthians 12: 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. NASU
· 1 Corinthians 12: 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? NAS
The text of 1 Corinthians 12:7 says each Christian in the church of Corinth is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the, “common good.” This tells us that Paul is not writing about prayer in unknown tongues in these particular verses (although he does later).
In 1 Corinthians 12:7, 10-11 Paul writes instructions aimed at those individuals in the church that possess the ability to speak and translate languages (or tongues). The NAS version of 1 Corinthians 12:10, “various kinds of tongues,” is derived from three Greek words, “hetéroo génee gloossoón.” Having previously exhausted my research options in the Greek lexicon dictionary definitions of these words, I found it helpful to try a different approach. I started by combining the first two Greek words, ‘hetéroo’ and ‘génee.’ The combination of these two Greek words equals, “heterogene” and this is closely related to our English word, ‘heterogeneous.’
Heterogeneous is a word that can be traced to the early 17th century and it was formed from Medieval Latin, “heterogeneus.” Heterogeneus is derived from the Greek heterogenes, which is literally “other kind,” from héteros (meaning, “other”) + génos, (meaning, “kind”).[5] Heterogeneous is a contemporary word that best describes in modern English what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthian church nearly 2000 years ago. He uses the word cognates individually, but the meaning conveyed is the same as heterogeneous, “consisting of individual elements that are unrelated or unlike each other.”
Paul is saying that certain people in the Corinthian church spoke tongues (plural) or language dialects, which were ethnic languages unrelated to each other. In other words, they were bilingual or multilingual, or they spoke variations of one language, such as Aramaic. Oftentimes, as in languages spoken today, the variations within a certain dialect are completely unrelated. Or an individual may have spoken Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic (the most likely of all possibilities), making him an effectual tool in the weekly reading of Scripture in the meetings that were patterned after the synagogue protocol.
This should not come as a surprise, given the fact that Corinth was considered an international port city with an estimated population ranging between 600,00 to 700,00 residents, the vast majority of whom were slaves, captives of nations subjugated to Rome. This huge and diverse population meant a large variety of tongues was spoken and many of these tongues were unrelated to each other. Also, there were Roman soldiers, often from different regions, merchants, sailors, prostitutes, religious cults and sects of Jews from different nations, to name but a few of Corinth’s assorted population. Perhaps a factor even greater than the aforementioned was the reign of Julius Caesar who saw the necessity of blending the heterogeneous populations into one people and thus extending Roman citizenship.[6] Only in theory was Julius Caesar’s goal achieved linguistically and though Greek was mandated as the universal tongue, the same mandate had been in effect since the days of Alexander the Great, and in practice the Greek language was not realized uniformly throughout the Empire.
This Greek word gloossoón is a variation of a Greek root word, “glossa.” Our English word ‘glossary’ is derived from glossa. Glossa is a word traced to the Mid-16th century via the Old French word, glose` and is from the Medieval Latin, ‘glossa,’ meaning literally, “an obscure word.” It is from the Greek word, “glossa,” meaning, “tongue” or “language,” which is the source of the English words, ‘epiglottis and polyglot.’ Our modern English word, “gloss,” is a transliterated form of the Greek word glossa; the word gloss (plural glosses).
As a noun gloss or glossa is defined in its relationship to languages or tongues as follows:
1. GLOSS = a short definition, explanation, or translation of a word or phrase possibly unfamiliar to the reader, often located in a page margin or collected in an appendix or glossary; an explanatory word or phrase:.
2. GLOSS = an explanation of something; an interpretation or; (e.g. - Her account provides an interesting ‘gloss’ on the theme of widowhood).
The verb forms for gloss is used in different tenses, (i.e. - past tense = glossed, past participle = glossed, present participle = glossing, 3rd person present singular = glosses). As a verb the word gloss has two applications that are appropriate for its use in First Corinthians:
1. GLOSS = to give a short definition, explanation, or translation of a word or phrase that may be unfamiliar to the reader; to explain a word or phrase.
2. GLOSS = To gloss means to insert explanations in a text; to add or to enter the necessary glosses in a manuscript or piece of writing.[7]
Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines glossa (NT:1100) as: a tongue, i. e. the language used by a particular people in distinction from that of other nations: e.g. - Acts 2:11.[8] The example Thayer’s gives in Acts 2:11 refers to the dissimilar (unrelated) languages (or tongues) spoken by the devout Jews, who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast days. I used Thayer’s because it gives this example illustrating two facts relevant to “kinds of tongues,” and these two pertinent facts are listed below:
1. The Jews heard the Galilean disciples speaking in 16 different tongues (glossa) totally unrelated to the region of Galilee they were from. The list of dialects spoken by the Galileans included the following:
· Parthians
· Medes
· Elamites
· Mesopotamia
·