Greetings to you all as we come to the end of this little series on the Gifts of the Spirit.
Paul concludes with ‘to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[and to still another the interpretation of tongues’.
Firstly we need to distinguish between Languages and Ecstatic Utterance or Glossolalia.
At the great Pentecost event we read:
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
So, were they drunk? No, it was only 9.0am. What was happening. They were given a gift of being able to tell people the great things that God had done in ways that many different people of diverse backgrounds could understand. It is to do with God.
Interestingly the Disciples themselves didn’t seem surprised by it. I would certainly be saying ‘I didn’t know that I could speak Aramaic, Greek and Latin!
But in the list we have been exploring from Corinthians, Paul is talking about ecstatic utterance.
This was causing all sorts of perplexity in the church in Corinth.
It was possibly like this. At some sort of service, someone would fall into an ecstasy and pour out a torrent of words or unintelligible sounds in no known language. Maybe because they were on such a spiritual high that words as we know them were not enough to express their joy.
This was a sought after gift because people believed it was a direct influence of the Holy Spirit who can take our offerings and turn them into something beautiful for God.
Others though the utterances were completely meaningless. So confusion and consternation arose.
Some people would speak in tongues, but then interpret what they had said or meant.
Others sometimes had the gift of being able to discern the meaning of what someone else was saying whilst in their ecstasy.
Paul never questions the reality of this gift of tongues, but he was well aware that it had its dangers, both by being divisive, but also ecstasy and self hypnosis are difficult to distinguish.
What we can say is that the image we have of the early church is that it was vividly alive. Things happened, in fact astonishing things happened. Life was heightened and intensified, and there was nothing dull or ordinary about. Paul believed that all this powerful activity was the work of the Holy Spirit who gave to each person gifts to use to build the Kingdom.
My belief is that the Holy Spirit remains active in our Chaplaincy and in our lives. It is our joy to be open to his presence, his power and his inspiration. We can be led by him, and do great deeds.
You can be the miracle – the one that is needed most. It will bring untold joy.
Bless you, Bless you, Bless you.
As ever,
Fr Marcus