- I have made a number of presentations on the subject of "Tongues" and authored a book where I work through every passage in the Bible on this subject and ask all the hard questions. The book is available on Amazon.
This presententation like all my other presentations on this subject is not about the Cessation versus Continuation argument. I am not convinced that this argument is well framed. There are those who claim that the modern sign & wonders movement predominantly in the Pentecostal community is a replica of the miracles in Christ's and his apostles ministries, they claim they have the same power to work miracles, heal the sick, prophecy the future and many other signs. An honest onlooker from the outside very quickly realises that these claims are false, people like Benny Hinn who claims to heal the sick, does not, the prophets who claim to foretell the future either make claims that are so vague they cannot be verified, or they make downright false claims and then bork at ministries like this one who challenges their claims. Then there are those who claim God stopped working miracles altogher once the canon of the Bible was completed. Humbly said both of these views are extremes that should be rejected on the evidence.
My view is that miracles were never "normative" i.e. every day occurences for all people. An honest student of the Bible will find miracles throughout the Old and New Testament periods, but only when a particular chosen minister was to be authenticated
did God work the extraordinary. We see this in the miracles of Christ, and to a lesser degree in the ministry of the apostles, but already in the writings of the epistles of the New Testament we can see a fading of the miraculous, people are sick and pastoral advice is given how to handle this. The general picture given by the early church patristics is one of gradual lessening of the miraculous, over the course of the first 3-5 centuries. Nonetheless we see miracles do continue to occur throughout the history of the church, but to a far lesser degree. Miracles and the supernatural are simply not normative and one has to close ones mind and rational thinking capacity not to recognise this.
My view on the topic of tongues is that in the New Testament they are always "natural, real languages" like Latin, Spanish or French.
As I said I have a whole series of presentations working through every New Testament passage on this subject.
Given that I hold to the protestant axiom called "Sola Scriptura", you might be wondering "why am I concerned with what the Early Church Fathers say on this topic"?
1. Sola Scriptura does not mean the Bible is the ONLY authority, but the FINAL authority.
2. It is therefore really important to see what the Early Church believed, especially those who were literally only one or a few generations away from the actual apostles themselves
3. If they all agree with our own interpretation of scripture then this should give us more confidence that we have not misunderstood or dare I say misinterpreted the texts under review
This presentation is basically me giving you readings of quotes by many early church fathers. I will give references for each quote in the presentation description so you can read up and also read all the context, which I would always recommend.
I was actually surprised just how many theological giants of the early church period, the men who fought against the many christological heresies the church battled with during that period, actually took the time to comment on Acts and 1 Corinthians
and give us a window into what they believed on this important subject. The findings might surprise you.
This session is may be a little "dry" because my aim here is just to bring up a line of very early church fathers and simply find out what they believed on the topic of Speaking in Tongues.
I have already made a series of presentations on pretty much every single passage of scripture on this topic. I have written a book which is available on Amazon. For those who can't afford the book, or who are unsure whether investing in the price of the book is a good investment, I have actually published most the book chapter by chapter on this substack. You can read it there for free, and I hope that if you are edified by the content that you might support my work by buying a copy.
For the sake of brevity I am only giving you the quotes with just enough information to be able to see what their firm beliefs were on this subject. In the presentation notes I will list all the source material where you can do your own due dilligence and read
all the context of these quotes, so you know I have not taken them out of context or made them say what they did not intend.
First up let's look at the 1st few centuries, AD 100-300
Irenaus. c. 120-200 AD (his writings date to this time)
Irenaus was the bishop of the Roman province called Gaul, now Lyons in France. He originally came from a Christian family in
Smyrna where at an early age he witnessed the preaching of Polycarp, who himself was a disciple of the apostle John. He is therefore a really important early witness of the teaching of the apostles. It is really clear from his writings that he believed the gift
of tongues to be nothing other than the miraculous ability to speak in real natural foreign languages, with it's original purpose of bringing all nations into one accord with the Gospel of Christ. He is most known for his major work "Against Heresies".
Here is a quote from: Against Heresies (Book 3, Chapter 17:2)
“Who also, as Luke says, descended at the day of Pentecost upon the disciples after the Lord’s ascension, having power to admit all nations to the entrance of life, and to the opening of the new covenant; from whence also, with one accord in all languages, they uttered praise to God, the Spirit bringing distant tribes to unity, and offering to the Father the first-fruits of all nations. Wherefore also the Lord promised to send the Comforter, who should join us to God.”
- REF: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103317.htm
Here is another quote from: Against Heresies (Book V, Chapter 6:1)
“Terming those persons 'perfect' who have received the Spirit of God, and who through the Spirit of God do speak in all languages, as he used Himself also to speak. In like manner we do also hear many brethren in the Church, who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms “spiritual,” they being spiritual because they partake of the Spirit.”
- REF: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103506.htm
It is clear from his writings here that the gift of tongues was the ability to speak in a foreign tongue. The purpose of the gift was to bring all peoples and nations into one accord.
Tertullian c. 155-225 AD
Tertullian is an early Church father best known for his writings against the Marcionites, who claimed that the God of the Old Testament was a different God that the God of the New Testamant. They totally rejected the Old Testament and indeed several of the most Jewish books of the New Testament!
Here is a quote from Tertullian: Against Marcion. Book V. 8:7-12
“Seeing as the Creator especially promised the gift of the Spirit in the latter days; and moreover Christ appeared in these latter days as the dispenser of spiritual gifts to which the apostle says, ”But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son,” and again, ”Because the time is now in short supply”, and it is evident that this gift of the Spirit leads with praises towards Christ. Now compare the types between the apostles and Isaiah: “To one is given”, he says, “by the Spirit the word of wisdom;” and Isaiah steadfastly prefers the spirit of wisdom. “To another, the word of knowledge;” this will be the spirit of understanding and counsel. “To another, faith by the same Spirit;” this will be the spirit of holiness and fear of the Lord. “To another, the gifts of healing, and to another the working of miracles;” this will be the power of might. “To another prophecy, to another another discerning of spirits, to another various kinds of languages, to another the interpretation of languages;” this will be the spirit of knowledge. See how the apostle is bringing together and developing the concept of one spirit and in the prophet’s precise way that applies about interpreting. I can say this very thing that he has harmonized throughout the many and diverse members of our body the unity of the various gifts into a structured form, and on the same theme he shows the Lord in regards to the human body and Holy Spirit, which he did not want the merits of the gifts to be in the context of a spiritual body, nor did he establish such things in the context of a human body in relation to love, which is naturally put ahead too over all the other gifts. This guided the apostle as the lead principle to be established and because Christ esteemed this: 'You shall love your neighbour as your own self.'"
I said it was going to be a bit "dry" some of the quotes of these men are tedious. The main take away here is that Tertullian rejected any mystical ideas about the gifts and there is no room here for inserting any "unintelligible babble" style prayer language into his ideas on the subject.
https://www.tertullian.org/anf/anf03/anf03-35.htm#P7138_2070665
Origen
Origen was an early patristic theologian and one of the most prolific writers in the early church. Much of what we know about Origen comes from early church father Esebius who writes very positively about Origen. He got himself into some controversy over his ideas about "Universalism", and one does not have to agree with him on this subject to recognise the validity of his comments about other issues. At the very least from his comments on the gift of tongues we can get confirmationwhat the generally held beliefs in his time were on this subject.
Here is a quote from his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans: MPG. Vol. 14. Book I:13. Col. 859ff
"It must be understood that as he who trades many pearls, comes upon a precious one, sold everything, and acquired that one, so that anyone who begins with many fruits, is destined to strive for the one perfect fruit. Now one must ask how the Apostle is under obligation to the Greeks and the non-Greeks, to the wise and the foolish ones — namely what did he learn from them that he was obligated to them? I certainly think that he had become indebted with the diverse nations because he was speaking in the languages of the nations which he received through the gift of the Holy Spirit, even as he himself said, “I speak in tongues more than you all.” Because then he did not acquire the knowledge of languages on his own account alone but for those he was about to preach, the debt is being accomplished to all these of whom he received the knowledge of many languages from God."
Origen believed that Paul was endowed of the Holy Spirit to speak in many languages to make the Good News an international one. However, he did not state how Paul arrived at such a blessed condition. It is not clarified whether the Holy Spirit empowered Paul learning a language by natural means through study, that he was being prepped since birth in such a vocation, or immediate revelation.
Here is a quote from his writing: Against Celsius 7:8-9
"Moreover, the Holy Spirit gave signs of His presence at the beginning of Christ’s ministry, and after His ascension He gave still more; but since that time these signs have diminished, although there are still traces of His presence in a few who have had their souls purified by the Gospel, and their actions regulated by its influence."
This is just one way of Origen telling us that the gifts were slowly abating
And another Against Celsus 8:37
“In the next place, Celsus forgets that he is addressing Christians, who pray to God alone through Jesus; and mixing up other notions with theirs, he absurdly attributes them all to Christians. “If,” says he, “they who are addressed are called upon by barbarous names, they will have power, but no longer will they have any if they are addressed in Greek or Latin.” Let him, then, state plainly whom we call upon for help by barbarous names. Any one will be convinced that this is a false charge which Celsus brings against us, when he considers that Christians in prayer do not even use the precise names which divine Scripture applies to God; but the Greeks use Greek names, the Romans Latin names, and every one prays and sings praises to God as he best can, in his mother tongue. For the Lord of all the languages of the earth hears those who pray to Him in each different tongue, hearing, if I may so say, but one voice, expressing itself in different dialects. For the Most High is not as one of those who select one language, Barbarian or Greek, knowing nothing of any other, and caring nothing for those who speak in other tongues.”
https://charlesasullivan.com/1215/origen-gift-tongues
Origen is yet another of the Early church fathers who can not be used to support the modern version of tongues
AD 301-476
Pachomius, a Coptic Christian who lived in Egypt (4th century)
> Pachominus was an Egyptian Christian convert, who is known for forming Christian monastic community during a time of
persecution
- Pachomian Koinonia. Cistercian Studies: Number 46. Volume 2.
( see the testimomy of how he received the gift of tongues himself in the reference)
https://charlesasullivan.com/3875/pachomius-receiving-the-gift-of-tongues-in-english-and-greek/
This is yet another solid piece of the evidence puzzle showing us that in the 3rd century tongues still did occur, but the real language version that we see in the book of Acts
St. Ephrem (4th century Syrian)
Ephrem was a Syriac Christian, a deacon and theologian. He was from Nisibus in Mesopotamia (somewhere in today's Modern Turkey & Syria). He is know for founding the earliest Syriac church training ministry schools.
There are two documented encounters of Ephrem actually using the gift of tongues, both of the demonstrate him being suddenly able to speak a language he did not learn. One was with an Egyptian where he could speak his language and the other with a Greek. You can follow up both of these encounters by following the references in the notes. They are quite similar to Pachminus
Let's look at his commentary notes on 1 Corinthians 14.
Here is his commentary on - I Corinthians 14:13
“Therefore, the one who speaks in a language, let the person pray, that this person of the Greeks may be interpreted through the authority of the Greek language because he is speaking in a foreign language. For the gifts of the Spirit were in accordance with this course, because kinds of languages were given to one, and another interpretation of languages, and the one requires the work of another. Namely, that person who was speaking was on behalf of him who was being interpreted: moreover, the Church is both entities.”
I Corinthians 14:22
“If, therefore, languages had been given that person on account of the people, so that they knew the time of the new Gospel through the agency of language. Therefore, languages are now a sign; they are not for believers. What kind do you ask? but for unbelievers. One may see clearly with why the Jewish people had been dispersed, to those of which was written, and they do not take heed in such a way, said the Lord. Prophecy, on the other hand, is not for unbelievers, but believers: if then they do not believe what you are saying, how can they hear what you are speaking?”
- REF: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05498a.htm
The church was spread all over the Roman/known world and we indeed have witness of a broad variety and indeed in lot's of different localties testifying to the same doctrine on this topic.
Epiphanius - Bishop of Salamis - 4th century
He is considered one of the strongest apologists for the Christian faith of that period.
Here is the central part of the text found in Epiphanius’ Panarion Book I, Section III, Heresy 42 starting at Scholion XIII and XXI:
“Therefore languages are from a grace of the Spirit. Of what kind does the Apostle speak? He knew how not only the different Hebrew sounds, and manifold expressions in every single word with skills adorned with eloquence, but also the proud language of the Greeks; some who boast the ability to speak Attic, Aeolic, and being able to utter the language of the Dorics, of whom had caused the disturbances, and factions within the Corinthians, to which the Epistle was dispatched. And he confessed the gift which is having the ability to proclaim [the oracles] with the Hebrew words and also teaching the Law to be a spiritual endowment. And he agreed that it is a spiritual grace to proclaim and to teach the Law in the Hebrew words.”
The Epiphanius text states two things about the Corinthian conflict: it was a clash between different Greek ethnic groups and the Hebrew language had some role in the Corinthian assembly. There was no reference to an out-of-this-world mystical experience, or something supernatural.
Cyril of Jerusalem - Bishop - 4th century
Cyril was the bishop of Jerusalem and a well respected theologian in early Palestine. He was also involved with fighting many of the early heretical attacks on the gospel. He was involved in the Nicene Creed. At this point it bears noting that very few believers today even know about the early church battles and all the wonderful creeds that come from this period.
When the reformers coined the famous phrase "ad fontes" in Latin which means "back to the sources", they didn't just meanlet's go back to the scriptures, they also wanted to demonstrate that the church had drifted away from the faithful early church fathers who are very much also the father of Protestantism.
“And they began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak.” The Galilean Peter and Andrew spoke Persian or Median. John and the other Apostles spoke all the tongues of various nations, for the thronging of multitudes of strangers from all parts is not something new in Jerusalem, but this was true in Apostolic times. What teacher can be found so proficient as to teach men in a moment what they have not learned? So many years are required through grammar and other arts merely to speak Greek well; and all do not speak it equally well. The rhetorician may succeed in speaking it well, the grammarian sometimes less well; and he who is skilled in grammar is ignorant of philosophical studies. But the Holy Spirit taught them at once many languages, which they do not know in a whole lifetime. This is truly lofty wisdom, this is divine power. What a contrast between their long ignorance in the past and this sudden, comprehensive, varied and unaccustomed use of languages.”
https://charlesasullivan.com/1021/cyril-of-jerusalem-on-the-miracle-of-pentecost/
Again this is a powerful testimony to the gift of tongues as we see it in the book of Acts.
De Trinitate - attributed to Didymus the blind of Alexandria - 4th century
Didymus was a theologian in Alexandria, under the tutalage and approval of well known bishop Athanasius. Together with Athanasius he was well engaged in the battle against the Arian heresy. The Arians denied the trinity and in particular thedivinity of Christ. To them Christ was a created being. Modern Jehovah's witnesses are responsible for resurrecting this ancient heresy. Athanasius is known for the "Athanasian creed" with it's high christology.
“And they were speaking as well in different languages, “even as”, it says, “the Spirit was giving them to utter.” And the Galileans were understanding19 the instruction of Parthians, Medes, Persians; and the different sorts of foreign speech of mankind, including also Greek, and the Ausonian language. Many voices were indeed produced, and were showing of such things, we are destined to discover about the age to come, when having been liberated from the bonds of this present world, which corresponds to the voice of Paul, “Where there is not among them Greek, Barbarian, Scythian, but Christ is the all and in all.”
Gregory of Nyssa
Gregory was a Roman bishop of Nyssa from 372-376 - he was the elder brother of Basil of Caesarea.
In his homily called "De Spiritu Sancto sive in Pentecosten:"
“Consequently, the narrative of the Book of Acts says that while these people are gathered in the upper room, is the dividing up in each one the pure and supernatural fire in the form of languages according to the number of disciples. So then these people are thus discoursing in Parthian, Mede, and Elamite in the other remaining nations, adapting their voices with respect to authority to every state language. Even as the Apostle says, “I wish five words to speak with my mind in the Church in order that I may benefit others than a thousand words in a tongue.” Truly at that time the benefit was the same language begotten into foreign languages so that the preaching to those ignorant of the truth would not be in vain when those preaching thwart them by a single voice. Now indeed while existing according to the same sounding language, it is necessary to seek after the fiery tongue of the Spirit for the illumination of those who dwell in darkness through error.”
https://charlesasullivan.com/7212/analysis-gregory-nyssa-speaking-tongues/
The amount of positive testimony to the way tongues were operated in the very early church is quite amazing. What we never find however is any writing testifying the kind of tongues seen in the modern Charismatic & Pentecostal movement.
John Chrystosom 4th Century
Chrystosom was known for his eloquent preaching. He as the bishop of Constantople at an important time in church history, Christianity was gradually being recognised as a true religion and was protected by the Roman state.
Homilies on Corinthians - speaking on the gifts he writes:
“This whole place is very obscure: but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place. And why do they not happen now? Why look now, the cause too of the obscurity has produced us again another question: namely, why did they then happen, and now do so no more?”
On I Corinthians 14:3:
“And it was thought great because the Apostles received it first, and with so great display; it was not however therefore to be esteemed above all the others. Wherefore then did the Apostles receive it before the rest? Because they were to go abroad every where. And as in the time of building the tower the one tongue was divided into many; so then the many tongues frequently met in one man, and the same person used to discourse both in the Persian, and the Roman, and the Indian, and many other tongues, the Spirit sounding within him: and the gift was called the gift of tongues because he could all at once speak various languages.”
On I Corinthians 14:10:
“There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification:” i.e., so many tongues, so many voices of Scythians, Thracians, Romans, Persians, Moors, Indians, Egyptians, innumerable other nations.”
Consistently then he shows that the tongues of Acts and Corinthians are one and the same thing.
https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2201.htm
https://charlesasullivan.com/5347/chrysostom-doctrine-tongues
Augustine 350 - 430 Bishop North Africa - later Rome
Augustine is perhaps the most well known theologian and writer in the early church.
Augustine’s sermon called: Sermo 267
“Brothers, has the holy Spirit not been given now? Whoever thinks this is not deserving to receive. He is given and now. Why then is no one speaking in the tongues of all the nations just as he spoke who at the time was being filled with the holy Spirit? Why? Because this was a sign that has been satisfied.” Can it now be to those receiving the laying of hands when they receive the holy Spirit, is there an expectation with this, that they must speak in languages? Or rather when we laid hands on those infants, does anyone of you pay attention to whether they were speaking in languages or when it was seen of them that they did not speak in languages, was it according to the perverseness of the heart with some of you that you would say, “These did not receive the holy Spirit, for if they had received, would they be speaking in languages even as was done in times past? Then, if it should not now be appointed as the evidence of the presence of the holy Spirit through these miracles, from what point does it take place, from which point does each one know that he himself has received the holy Spirit?”
In his writing called "Retractiones" - later in his life
“Likewise, this statement of mine is indeed true: “These miracles were not allowed to last until our times lest the soul ever seek visible things and the human race grow cold because of familiarity with those things whose novelty enkindled it.” For not even now, when a hand is laid on the baptized, do they receive the Holy Spirit in such a way that they speak with the tongues of all nations; nor are the sick now healed by the passing shadow of the preachers of Christ. Even though such things happened at that time, manifestly these ceased later. But what I said is not to be so interpreted that no miracles are believed to be performed in the name of Christ at the present time. For, when I wrote that book, I myself had recently learned that a blind man had been restored to sight in Milan near the bodies of the martyrs in that very city, and I knew about some other, so numerous even in these times, that we cannot know about all of them nor enumerate those we know.”
He was a nuanced cessationist.. humbly said this is the position I hold
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a major player in the Christological controversies of the late-4th and 5th centuries
Cyril writing in his "Catena on I Corinthians" (basically a commentary)
“In fact one observes that to prophesy is to interpret the matters of the prophets in such things through which the word of encouragement is being established, and the mind of those who have been initiated is to be led into the truth about Christ. He also elsewhere shows beyond comparison that the activity of interpreting the prophets is in superiority than the act of speaking in a language.“For he builds himself up,” it says, “the one who is speaking in a tongue.” Of course he understands himself, but someone else, absolutely nothing. This one, who makes use with the voices of those holy prophets and with predictions in regards to the testimony, builds up the Church. Greater then also in the highest ranks, and in the most splendid hopes is the application of prophecy. Indeed, it is better to mutually build up the Church than himself alone speaking out in a language.”
He further writes:
“Seeing that it was unexpected, and truly a gift of the gods, that men being of Hebrew background were being empowered to speak in languages of others, not that some suppose the Apostle rashly determined the nature of the practice to be purposeless, saying it had been given through the work of the Spirit. For it was given as a sign for believers, he favorably approves the practice and says, “Now I wish all of you to speak in tongues,” for he clearly cuts-off at once the eagerness in this certain thing, and moves to a better one, “even more that you prophesy.” Greater and more palpable the orator is who prophesies than the one who speaks in a language.”
The catena by Cyril, recognizes Pentecost as the miraculous ability of the apostles to speak in one or more foreign languages. It also suggests that Paul was also manifesting this same ability in Corinth.
https://charlesasullivan.com/3337/cyril-of-alexandria-on-tongues-conclusion/
Ambrosiaster
Ambrosiaster or Pseudo-Ambrose is the name given to the unknown author of a commentary on the epistles of Saint Paul, written some time between 366 and 384 AD. The term "Ambrosiaster" literally means "would be Ambrose". Scholars simply don't have sufficient evidence to pinpoint who exactly is the author.
Ambrosiaster on the Tongues of Corinth
I Corinthians 14:19:
“I Corinthians 14:19 is the principle-text in the Ambrosiaster document when it comes to explaining the role of tongues, the Law, and the influence of Aramaic and Hebrew in the early Church. “But in the Church,” it is said, “I wish to speak five words according to the Law that I may also build up others than ten thousand words in a tongue.” He [Paul] says it to be more useful speaking in small words in the making of a speech in order that everyone should understand than to have a lengthy speech in obscurity. These were from the Hebrews who at length in the Syrian language and, for the most part, in Hebrew were indulging in homilies or presentations for approval. For they were boasting calling themselves Jews according to the right of Abraham, that the same apostle held this to no account, teaching, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). Indeed, these ones who are mimicking, they prefer to speak in their unknown language to the people in the Church which belongs to them.”
- Ambrosiaster succinctly states in his narrative about I Corinthians 12:28. The glossa (γλῶσσα) is the ability to know two or more languages.
“Kinds of languages.” That the gift of God is to know many languages. “Interpretation of words.” When this is granted to some by the grace of God that he has the expertise of languages which require translations.
Further on, he compares the phenomenon of Latin men singing in Greek. He points to a liturgical aspect where a portion of the liturgy is in a foreign sacred language.
“For if I will have prayed in a language, my spirit prays but my mind is without fruit.” It is clear our soul is ignorant, if he should speak in a language which he does not know, just as Latin men who are singing Greek, by being a delightful sound of words, yet these ones do not know anything they are saying. However the Spirit which was given in baptism, knows anything the soul may pray for, while speaking or whether he concludes in an unknown language from it. But on the other hand, the mind which is the soul, is unfruitful. For who can have fruit who does not know what he is speaking?”
What can we say in Conclusion?
The modern version of speaking in tongues found predominantly in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches has no antecedent in church history prior to the nineteenth century. The writings of the early church fathers quite unanimously affirm the very obvious picture given to us in the book of Acts of tongues being natural and real languages. It also must be said that the many quotes from commentaries on 1 Corinthians by church fathers affirm that the tongues mentioned by paul in this letter are identical to the tongues in the book of Acts.
I hope this helped you in your search for truth and clarity on this subject. It it did, please help get the word out to your friends by sharing the article or the podcast, or indeed the video on my youtube channel:
What Did the Early Church Believe about Speaking in Tongues
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