Paul wrote in I Corinthians 14 that tongues are a sign to them that believe not. But he does not say that they are only for them that believe not. We should view this statement as answering the question, ‘Who are tongues a sign for?’ rather than ‘Who are tongues for?’ Let us consider the context. I Corinthians 21 In the law it is written:“With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,â€says the Lord.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. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. (NKJV)If we study the rest of the book, and even the chapter, we see that tongues are for believers, too, since they are among the gifts given to members of the body of Christ which are said in I Corinthians 12:7 to be ‘for the profit of all’. Speaking in tongues edifies the individual, but tongues together with interpretation edify the church (14:4). It makes no sense to say that these gifts are not for the church. That contradicts other passages in this very epistle. The passage about tongues being a sign for unbelievers is in the context of the fulfillment of Isaiah 28:11quoted in I Corinthians 14:21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.When the unbeliever or unlearned comes into an assembly and all speak in tongues, and he says ‘ye are mad’, he does not hear God in the speaking in tongues, and the prophesy is fulfilled in that way. This is a sign– a fulfilled prophecy.But tongues does not edify the rest of the church without interpretation. There are individuals who have this gift and there are assemblies where this gift is exercised.Here is a quote from a historical commentary on the idea of of tongues as a ‘sign’ in a negative way in this passage.XV. They spoke with strange tongues, and not those of their native land; and the wonder was great, a language spoken by those who had not learned it. And the sign is to them that believe not, 1 Corinthians 14:22and not to them that believe, that it may be an accusation of the unbelievers, as it is written, With other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people, and not even so will they listen to Me Isaiah 28:11says the Lord from Gregory the Theologian from Oration 41, XV. See the following for a citation of the translation, etc. www.newadvent.org/fathers/310241.htm
Left in the prayer close________________
I think I first read Fee’s commentary on 1st Corinthians around 1990.What follows is a lengthy excerpt from the commentary (for 14:22) for anyone who would care to read it. Personally, I think he nails it…Summary: Tongues are indeed a sign – the question is, What is the sign?(I wish I could have somehow included all the footnotes…)
I agree Tom, I think Fee nailed it. I have this volume in my library and it is a fine work.
The only thing that stands out as something that I would disagree wiht is the comment about stopping the public use of tongues. The overall emphasis of the passage in that regard is to stop the public __uninterpreted__ use of tongues in the meeting.