tongues, interpretation of tongues
This is the final group. Again, I don’t know why Paul has
grouped these manifestations of the Spirit this way. We’ll see this again at
the end of the chapter.
10 kinds of tongues – speaking in tongues is when the Holy Spirit gives you the ability to speak in a language that neither you nor those you are with know. There have been occasions when someone spoke in a language they didn’t know and there was someone there who knew it, but that is not the norm.
There is public tongues and private tongues. What? Tongues here is public, that is, speaking in tongues out loud in a group setting. Speaking in tongues in private is often called a prayer language. When you receive this gift, you can use it anytime, anywhere. We’ll see that in ch 14. But here in ch 12 he is referring to public tongues, and that calls for the prompting of the Spirit. We’ll see more about that in ch 14 as well.
kinds of tongues - “One morning I woke up with this phrase in my mind, as clear and distinct as anything: “Kinds of tongues: praise, intercession, rebuke, and exhortation.” I feel the Holy Spirit was showing me at least a part of the meaning of kinds of tongues—different kinds of prayer given in tongues that suit the types of prayer. It also refers to exhortation or instruction. I am in no way suggesting these four types exhaust the possibilities. In many ways, although the gift of kinds of tongues is one of the hardest to understand and enter into, it is also one of fullest and most effective when it is correctly operated.” (DP)
10 interpretation of tongues – tongues is the ability to speak in a language that neither you nor your listeners understand; interpretation of tongues is when the Holy Spirit gives the explanation of what was said in your language. We will see a lot more about tongues and interpretation ch 14.
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
One and the selfsame Spirit – This is the repeated and stressed theme in this chapter: all the gifts come from one Spirit, the same Spirit. It seems the Corinthians overemphasized speaking in tongues, perhaps those who didn’t speak in tongues felt less, “but all these [gifts] worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit.” The same Source – the Holy Spirit; the same goal – the profit of all. Therefore, all the gifts are valuable, all are good, all are a blessing.
Dividing to every man severally as he will – The Spirit distributes the gifts as he will. I believe 7-11 is referring primarily to a group gathering, church, Bible study, prayer meeting, and the Spirit works by giving different ones these manifestations. These aren’t ministries or take home gifts, no, one has a prophecy, another has a tongue, another an interpretation, another a word of knowledge. In other words, any believer could manifest any of these gifts as the Holy Spirit moves in our midst. I’ve personally experienced many of these, and some I have never experienced. For example, I have never had an interpretation of tongues, but I could if the Spirit wanted me to. It’s also probably true that we will tend to move in certain gifts most often, but we need to expect the Spirit to move among us and be open and willing to be the one through whom he moves.
One of the questions I hoped to answer was, When are
spiritual gifts received? It seems pretty plain to me: You don’t receive these
when you are saved; you receive and experience them after you are
born again. What is the doorway that leads to experiencing the gifts? I believe
an essential step is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. I admit this is not
stated in chapters 12-14, this comes from another study in the Book of Acts.
NEXT WEEK: The rest of chapter 12, chapter 13, and begin chapter 14
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