The Lord gives gifts of the Spirit to New Testament (NT) Christians, which enable them to accomplish God’s will and purposes. This topic surveys the various gifts of the Holy Spirit (HS).
In Christian conversion we’re introduced to godly life via the Bible, the HS, and the church. Peter said in Ac.2:38, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. Freely. The HS will indwell the repentant Christian.
Christians are the allegorical branches which bear the fruit of the HS. (Jesus is the vine, Jn.15:5.) Jn.15:16 Jesus exhorted His disciples, “You should bear fruit, and your fruit should remain”. Kinds of fruit of the Spirit are seen in Paul’s writings. e.g. Ga.5:22-23 “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, [etc.].” The topic “Living Water Produces Spiritual Fruit” identifies 12 fruit of the HS in the NT.
The HS reflects God’s character. Attributes of the HS are seen in Is.11:2 LXX. “The Spirit of God…the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge [Strongs g1108 gnósis, Greek] and godliness…the spirit of the fear of God.” These seven attributes of the indwelling (sevenfold) HS are imparted to Christians. JFB Commentary Is.11:2 “Compare ‘the seven Spirits’ (Re.1:4, 4:5), the Holy Ghost in perfect fullness; seven being the sacred number.”
Attributes of the HS are also reflected in Pr.8:12-14. “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord. Counsel is Mine. I AM understanding, strength is mine.” (The identity & characteristics of the HS are addressed in the topic “Holy Spirit Personification”.)
Holy Spirit indwelling imparts boldness, power, and gifts for Christians. (see also “Holy Spirit-Filled”.)
1Co.12 is about gifts of the Spirit. The HS distributes various gifts to the church according to God’s choosing. Paul wrote in 1Co.12:1, “Concerning various spiritual gifts, I don’t want you to be unaware”. v.4-7 “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit….for the common good.” For mutual edification.
1Co.12:8-11 “To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge [g1108] by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts [g5486 chárisma] of healing, to another workings of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discerning of spirits, to another kinds of tongues [g1100], to another the interpretation of tongues. There is only one Spirit who does all these things by giving what God wants to give to each person.” God, not man, determines which gifts and functions are given to whom. We don’t prescribe our gift(s).
Bible teachers divide the above nine gifts into three groups. Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits are revelatory gifts. Faith, healings, miracles are called power gifts. Prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues are vocal gifts. (Miracles and healings, e.g. Ja.5:14-16, are ongoing.)
In the Old Testament (OT), the patriarch Joseph was given a lengthy word of wisdom plan for the sustenance of Egypt during seven years of famine (Ge.41:33-ff). Samuel was given the word of knowledge that Saul’s donkeys had been lost three days ago (1Sm.9:3, 20).
Paul lists and orders other giftings of the Spirit in 1Co.12:28-30. “God has appointed in the church: 1st apostles, 2nd prophets, 3rd teachers, then miracles, gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they?…not teachers, not workers of miracles? All don’t have gifts of healings…all don’t speak with tongues…all don’t interpret [tongues]? But earnestly desire the greater gifts.” Paul asked rhetorical questions.
Ministry giftings of the HS are apostles, prophets, teachers…in that order. Deacons/ministerial servants (g1249 diákonos) and others perform “helps”. Shepherds, overseers, elders do “administrations” and counseling, and may prophesy. Ep.4:11-13 “He gave some apostles, and prophets, evangelists, shepherds [poimén g4166], and teachers; for equipping the saints for service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” Evangelists and missionaries spread the gospel. Interestingly, Spiritual Gifts: Evangelist, Pastor and Teaching/Teacher notes, “The church office of ‘pastor’ wasn’t an official title during the 1st century church”. (Though shepherds ‘pasture’ the sheep.) It is understood that the Lord Jesus is our ultimate Shepherd & Bishop/overseer (g1985 epískopos)…ref Jn.10:14, He.13:20, 1Pe.2:25.
Paul also wrote about gifts in Ro.12:4-8, 13. “Just as we have many members in one body and all the members don’t have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.” In this passage, Paul includes serving, exhorting, giving, contributing to the needs of others, hospitality, etc. (also see “Church Structure and Member Functions”.) The HS provides multi-faceted gifts to build up God’s church and disseminate the gospel.
What do “prophets” (g4396) do, or what constitutes the gift of prophecy in scripture (1Co.12:10, 28)? Prophets “prophesy” (g4395) and may foretell the future. Ac.11:27-28 “Some prophets [g4396] came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Ágabus began to indicate by the Spirit that there would be a great famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the reign of Claudius [41-54 AD].”
NT prophets may resemble the OT seer or ‘see-er’ who ‘saw’ God’s will and God’s acts into the future (1Sm.9:9-11, 2Sm.24:11-ff), sometimes via visions (Nu.12:6, 2Ch.9:29). Lk.24:44 Jesus spoke of the tripartite division of the OT into “the Law and the Prophets” (g4396), and the Psalms/Writings.
But NT prophets may not foretell future events. In Ac.15:32, two prophets exhorted and strengthened the church brethren with a lengthy message. Paul wrote in 1Co.14:1-3, “Especially desire to prophesy. One who prophesies [g4395] speaks to people for edification, encouragement and consolation.” Greek Bible scholar Dr. Spiros Zódiates: Prophesy “To declare truths through the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, whether by prediction or not.” Paul stated concerning church meetings in 1Co.14:29, “Let two or three prophets speak”. Merriam-Webster defines Prophecy (g4394) as “The inspired declaration of divine will and purpose”. It may or may not involve predicting future events.
What are NT “tongues” and the glossolália (tongue-talking) phenomenon? The Greek term for tongues is g1100 glossá singular, glossái plural; occurring 50 times in the NT. The term can refer to the bodily organ of speech in the mouth, 18 times: Mk.7:33, 35; Lk.1:64, 16:24; Ac.2:3, 26; Ro.3:13, 14:11; 1Co.14:9; Php.2:11; Ja.1:26, 3:5-6 (3), 8; 1Pe.3:10; 1Jn.3:18; Re.16:10. Also, it refers to a distinct language/dialect and ecstatic utterances, 32 times (the citations are below).
In the baptism of the HS, recipients of the gift of tongues were enabled to speak dialects/languages they hadn’t learned. Ac.2:4 Jesus’ disciples in Jerusalem “were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues [glossai g1100] as the Spirit gave them utterance”. These tongues were mostly unlearned ethnic dialects of other nations (not the Aramaic or Greek spoken locally). The gift of ethnic tongues would help the apostles effectively communicate to the nations in spreading the gospel.
But not all tongues via the HS were ethnic dialects. Some tongues were ecstatic utterances, not dialects spoken in nations. In reading the NT “tongues” passages, how can we distinguish which was which?
Dr. Zodiates explains that the NT Greek grammar shows the distinction. “When the word glossai is used in the plural with a singular pronoun, reference is made to ethnic languages. When the word ‘tongue’ is used in the singular glossa with a singular personal pronoun, it refers to the Corinthian ecstatic utterance.” The Greek g1100 noun form is the key! Is it plural or singular? Plural glossai = ethnic dialects. Singular glossa = ecstatic utterances. Following is the breakdown of verses:
Tongues as ethnic dialects (g1100 glossai plural) occur 24 times: Mk.16:17; Ac.2:4, 11, 10:46, 19:6; 1Co.12:10 (2), 28, 30, 13:1, 8, 1Co.14:5 (2), 6, 18, 22, 39; Re.5:9, 7:9, 10:11, 11:9, 13:7, 14:6, 17:15.
Tongues as ecstatic utterances (g1100 glossa singular) occur 7 times: 1Co.14:2, 4, 13-14, 19, 26-27. These 7 occurrences are found only in 1Co.14…nowhere else in the NT.
To aid reader understanding, the KJV, Young’s Literal Translation, and others inserted the English word “unknown” in 6 of the 7 preceding 1Co.14 verses…to show that those tongues referred to ecstatic utterances. (1Co.14:26 KJV “unknown” wasn’t added; yet v.26 CEV has “an unknown language”.) Possibly the old KJV translators, Robert Young, and others understood the grammatical significance?!
Dr. Zodiates also says that the word tongue (g1100) refers to the ecstatic utterance when it’s used “in the plural with a plural pronoun [1Co.14:23]”. 1Co.14:23 CEV (the 8th occurrence), “Suppose everyone in your worship service started speaking unknown languages [g1100], and some outsiders or unbelievers come in. Won’t they think you are crazy?” cf. Ac.2:13 at Pentecost when the tongues miracle first occurred. “Others made fun of the Lord’s followers and said, ‘They are drunk.” Perhaps Jesus’ disciples also uttered ecstatic syllables on that occasion?
In Ac.2, Jews and proselytes from all over the Roman world had come to Jerusalem. Ac.2:6 they each heard Jesus’ disciples speaking in the “language” (diálektos g1258, occurs 6 times, all in Acts) of their own nation; actual languages heard & understood by the many pilgrims visiting Jerusalem at Pentecost. Some varieties of dialektos and glossai: Aramaic was Eastern (Babylon) and Western (Judea); Greek was Attic, Doric, Aeólic, Ionic, Koiné. (Linguists debate whether the root class is dialektos or glossai.)
Jewish meturganim were skilled language interpreters. These would stand beside the reader of Hebrew (or Greek?) OT verses and interpret/render the teaching into the language of the listeners. ref Ne.8:8.
Paul claimed in 1Co.14:18 KJV, “I speak with tongues [g1100] more than you all”. Paul was well-educated and well-traveled; he could speak a variety of dialects.
1Co.13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues [g1100] of men and of angels.” Paul also may have spoken non-human languages or ecstatic utterances. Benson Commentary 1Co.13:1 “The apostle doubtless meant…a much more excellent language than any that is spoken by men.” Bengel’s Gnomen “Angels excel men, and the tongue or tongues of the former excel those of the latter.” JFB Commentary “Speaking a more exalted language.” Expositor’s Greek Testament “Ecstatic and inarticulate forms of speech…‘tongues of angels’ describes this mystic utterance at its highest.”
Are tongues passé today? Paul wrote in 1Co. 13:8, “Whether there are prophecies [g4394], they shall be done away; whether tongues [g1100], they shall cease; whether knowledge [g1108], it shall be done away”. Some churchgoers think the gift of tongues is obsolete. But McLaren Expositions 1Co.13:8 disagrees, “It is not what Paul means here”. Benson Commentary “When God is ‘all in all’ [1Co.15:28] …tongues shall cease.” God is not yet “all in all”; that time is still future. Barnes Notes “In the light and glory of the world above….the future life.” Matthew Poole Commentary “Another world…where there will be no prophesying, no speaking with diverse tongues.”
Paul wrote of the “word of knowledge” (g1108) as a spiritual gift in the prior chapter, 1Co.12:8. Knowledge (g1108) is an attribute of the HS, Is.11:2 LXX. (HS intuitive knowledge isn’t the arrogant carnal knowledge so-called in 1Co.8:1.) The knowledge had by the HS isn’t done away! For Paul to be consistent, the gifts of prophecy and tongues also aren’t obsolete in the present world.
How many dialects are there on earth? Christian Lingua (2018) “According to Ethnologue, there are 7,097 known languages in the world. At least part of the Bible has been translated into 3,312 of the 7,097 languages.” The Bible has been translated into only 47% of the world’s languages! “Tongues” are still needed to spread God’s word into many remote little-known dialects.
Lastly, Paul recognized the spiritual gift of the “interpretation of tongues” (1Co.12:10, 1Co.14:26). This gift is used in conjunction with the gift of tongues.
1Co.14:27-28 “If someone speaks in a tongue [g1100], let two, or at the most three speak in turn, and someone must interpret what was said. But if there’s no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and speak to himself and to God.” Paul indicates that tongues may be spoken in church meetings only if there’s an interpretation present.
Else just speak ecstatically as a prayer language to God privately at home, and edify the self. 1Co.14:4 “One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.” Paul continues in 1Co.14:14-15, “For if I pray in a (unknown) tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What shall I do? I will pray/sing with the spirit and I will pray/sing with understanding also.” Paul differentiated praying in the spirit from praying with one’s understanding mind. Gill Exposition 1Co.14:15 “In an unknown language.” Vincent Word Studies 1Co.14:15 “Songs improvised under the spiritual ecstasy.”
Compare Jude 1:20 “You, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” Cambridge Bible Jude 1:20 “The ecstatic outpouring of prayer.” (perhaps also Ro.8:26 & Ep.6:18?) Although ecstatic tongues/groanings/intercessions were specifically addressed only in Corinth (1Co.14), it seems they were uttered in other NT church areas too. And by Paul himself.
According to Paul, unknown tongues aren’t to be spoken in the church meeting unless they’re also interpreted into the vernacular or local language. If there’s no interpreter, speaking in tongues could result in confusion not of God (cf. 1Co.14:33). An interpretation isn’t necessarily a word-for-word translation. The inspired interpretation of a tongue may itself resemble a prophecy.
Paul said in 1Co.14:5 ISV, referring to ethnic dialects, “I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages [tongues g1100 glossai], but especially that you could prophesy”. Assuredly Paul valued the gift of tongues…but he valued more the gift of prophecy, a greater gift (1Co.12:1, 28-31).
{Sidelight: Pastor Don Finto (b. 4/30/1930): “I got baptized in the HS by faith in December of 1969, when I was 39 years of age. I didn’t speak in tongues. You can be baptized in the HS and not speak in tongues.” [cf. 1Co.12:30] “Tongues may come; and if it does, praise God!” [His tongues-speaking began in 1971.] “In those two years when I didn’t have it, I didn’t feel like a 2nd class citizen. I had words of knowledge, and words of wisdom, and I’d start praying for somebody and they’d fall out in the Spirit. I knew God was working in me, but I didn’t speak in tongues yet….1Co.14:1 desire gifts of the Spirit, ‘especially prophecy’. It didn’t say, ‘especially tongues.”}
All real gifts of the Spirit are God-given, to accomplish God’s purposes. 1Co.14:1 “Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts.” Paul said the church is to desire spiritual gifts…earnestly! Christ’s church should reflect both love and spiritual gifts, not love without the others.
If we’re unsure of what our spiritual gift(s) is, we can ask God to reveal it to us. Peter wrote in 1Pe.4:10, “As each one has received a special gift [g5486], employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”. And Paul in 1Co.7:7, “Each has his own gift from God”.
Every Christian has been given at least one spiritual gift. May our gifts and talents be used to benefit the church and humanity as a whole…to God’s glory.
Bible Topic Exposition 