[B-Greek] Tongues and Interpretation
Eric Weiss
papaweiss1 at yahoo.com
Mon Aug 29 10:44:09 EDT 2005
The NASB rendering seems fairly accurate (note: "he interprets" (14:5) and "he may
interpret" (14:13) are identical). The lack of TIS (someone) or hEIS (one) suggests to
me that the verb refers to the one who gave the message in tongues - i.e., he should interpret
his own message.
However, 14:27-28 says "if someone (TIS) should speak in/with a tongue ... and let one (hEIS)
interpret" when saying that two or at most three could speak in tongues, and then says "if
there should not be an interpreter" (DIERMHNEUTHS, referring to the hEIS interpreting in the
preceding verse). Here it appears that one person is an "interpreter" (maybe one of the two or
three who spoke in tongues, or perhaps a different person entirely).
14: 27-28: EITE GLWSSHi TIS LALEI, KATA DUO H TO PLEISTON TREIS, KAI ANA
MEROS, KAI hEIS DIERMHNEUETW. EAN DE MH Hi DIERMHNEUTHS, SIGATW EN
EKKLHSIA, hEAUTWi DE LALEIN KAI TWi QEWi.
(Is it possible that KATA DUO H TO PLEISSON TREIS, KAI ANA MEROS is referring to
a single tongues-speaker giving 2 or 3 "messages" in order, and the hEIS DIERMHNEUETW
possibly refers to that same tongues-speaker? After all, Paul keeps the singular when he
refers to the person being quiet and speaking to himself (and to God). However, 14:29ff when it
refers to 2 or 3 prophets would seem to suggest to me that Paul is referring to 2 or 3 tongues-
speakers in what he just wrote.)
My conclusion: 14:5 and 14:13 seem to support the tongues-speaker as also giving the
interpretation of what he said, and 14:27-28 seems to expect there to be a separate person
who gives the interpretation, or that one of the tongues-speakers gives the interpretation for his
own message as well for the message(s) of the other one or two tongues-speakers - unless it's
possible that 14:27-28 is all referring to the same person (unlikely in my opinion, as I explain
above).
But comparing 14:5,13 with 14:27-28 and discussing what they mean in terms of how
churches should allow or practice glossolalia is outside the scope and rules for this list, unless
perhaps the discussion is focused on the meaning of the Greek (e.g., my question if KATA
DUO H...TREIS, KAI ANA MEROS can be referring to a single person).
Hope this helps.
Eric S. Weiss
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