The distinction between tongues and prophecy

They believe in order to hope, but necessary love is to hope so that we do not fall from hope. Therefore he said: love is greater than this; for through love the law is fulfilled.

For if one does not interpret, but only speaks in a tongue and does not manifest the power, as one not possessing this gift of interpretation, he speaks mysteries indeed—for the Spirit provides tongues—and he utters mysteries through the tongues, but he does not build up the church, not understanding what he says. He who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, knowing that what he did not already utter was intelligible; it was a grace of the Holy Spirit in him and he was building up. Just as one speaking in tongues and interpreting is not less than the prophet. Zeal for the prophecy more than the other gifts, he says. And this he said: for to each according to his administration the gifts were given, and in them was what he wished to zealously seek and receive.

But when some speak in tongues, no listener understands. However, even if the things spoken are indistinct to men, the one speaking in the spirit is speaking mysteries—for the Spirit provides mysteries through tongues—the one prophesying benefits those who hear, for he speaks clearly to them. The grace is greater if the one speaking in tongues also receives to interpret; for perhaps he did not obtain both. Just as one speaking in tongues and interpreting is not less than the prophet.

What good would I be to you, he says, if I cannot speak to you about what God has revealed to me, or what he himself knew and understood, or what he learned through the prophets, or what he knew to advise or teach you? If I speak about these things and you do not understand, What good would I do youu? Observe, for he says, that even in the pipes and lyre, if the sounds are not distinguished, the piping or the lyre-playing is blended together. Nothing is without sound, clearly, a kind of human. He speaks the various gifts of the Holy Spirit spiritually.

If, he says, I speak in a tongue which I do not know, not even knowing its power, I am convinced that I have an unfruitful mind, not having the power of the things said. Let him pray so that he may obtain a double grace, to speak in tongues and to interpret these.

To be a tongue is an operation of the Holy Spirit, but for the mind it becomes fruitlessness because of the inability to understand or be benefited by what is being said. Therefore, he says, this must be done by me: to make clear what is supplied to me through the Spirit for the building up of those hearing, so that the mind is not fruitless by lacking the power of the words. Because if I give thanks with a tongue but no one can understand or benefit from what is said, the listener does not give the 'Amen'. He calls the 'layman' like a soldier who has not yet been baptized. He speaks of clarity of mind and common language. Strive to be perfect, to understand the Scriptures.

It must be noted that the Jews, being required, where God spoke to them in many tongues, they were disobedient and have nothing to show; but we demonstrate that when the Holy Spirit came and distributed tongues, the disobedient Jews were saying, 'They are drunk on sweet wine.' Thus, tongues are a sign not for the believers but for the unbelievers, and prophecy is not for the unbelievers but for the believers. Thus, tongues build up when the hearer learns that the speaker speaks a tongue he did not know; yet he does not receive the building up of the benefit of spiritual teaching because of the lack of understanding, so that no progress is made. For prophecy is for those coming, but regarding these things, the one who happens to be there is not the unbeliever but the faithful one.

The unbeliever has need of the one not knowing the tongue used, and of the one demonstrating that it is the Spirit of God in him. Thus, the tongue was a wonder, but prophecy is a wonder from its outcome, not in the speaking itself. Unbelief is said in two ways in the Divine Scripture: the true unbelief is that of the Greeks, and the little faith is that of the pious. He calls the Greek 'unbelieving', and the 'layman' the soldier who has not yet been baptized; for then they did not say 'catechumens' or 'unbaptized'. He calls them 'Law-abiding' like the other prophets, because they lived according to the Law. What was said to Isaiah then applied when the Spirit descended upon the apostles, and they spoke in tongues and the Jews mocked. It is clear that tongues benefit when the hearer knows that the speaker speaks a tongue he did not know nor learned from men; nevertheless, the matter does not benefit the...