Spiritual Gift: Interpreting Tongues

Guest blog by Adriel Sanchez

The gift of interpretation of tongues is extremely important in the body of Christ. This is because without interpretation, the gift of tongues has no edificational value for the corporate body of Christ (it solely benefits the speaker). When Paul was writing to the Corinthians, he was encouraging them to pursue the greater gifts, i.e. the gifts that would edify the body as a whole. He makes this clear in ICor 14:1-2, "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God; for no one understands him, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries." and then in verses 3-4 Paul explains why prophesy is to be a more coveted gift, "But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but one who prophesies edifies the church." In other words, Paul is saying, "Listen Corinthians, seek the gifts that are going to edify the body as a whole! Dont just get involved in self edification." Without the gift of interpretation - tongues will not corporately edify the body of Christ! Paul writes in 14:5, "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, UNLESS he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying." (emphasis mine)

The gift of interpretation is a supernatural gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit which allows someone in the congregation (and often times the tongues speaker himself) to interpret the unknown utterance that was given. When someone speaks in tongues, they don't understand what they are saying. Paul affirms this in ICor 14:14, "If I pray in a tongue my Spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful." In order for the congregation to understand what the Spirit has said through the tongues speaker, an interpreter must be present. It is also important to note that Paul says in 14:13 that the one who prays in tongues, should also pray that he may interpret (this is especially important to note when you're speaking in tongues in the assembly) This seems to indicate that the tongue's speaker can himself have the gift of interpretation, and should pray that he has the ability to do so in order that he might edify the body. The gift of interpretation is not when someone simply understand the tongues that are being spoken (such was the case during the day of pentecost, with the Jews who were present during the Holy Spirits outpouring) but rather when someone is granted supernatural understanding by God, in order to be able to articulate the unknown tongue being spoken.

I want to also make it clear the the gift of tongues has a personal edificational value. Some people argue that tongues should never be spoken if there is no interpreter, however this is simply not true due to the fact that all tongues speaking serves to edify the speaker. However tongues should not be spoken out loud in the midst of the assembly, if there is no interpreter. Paul makes this clear in 1Cor 14:19. Tongues then aught to be used in the privacy of ones prayer closet (self edification) and in the midst of the body of Christ when accompanied by an interpreter (corporate edification). The question remains, will you take Paul's commandment in 1Corinthians 14 seriously to "desire the greater gifts," and to "seek to abound for the edification of the church." (14:12) That's a mandate that is often overlooked by many Christians, but was an imperative from Paul for the Corinthians, and for the present day saints as well!