1 Corinthians 13:8-13

I am a cessationist.  No, I don’t think Montana should secede from the United States and apply for provincial status in Canada, eh.  It means that I believe what are often called sign gifts (tongues, miracles, healings) ended after the time of the Apostles.  I believe they were temporary, given to confirm the message of the gospel after the life, death and resurrection of Christ (Heb. 2:3-4).  

I am not mean-spirited about this.  I am friends with and can serve alongside people who disagree, not to mention having quite a few from Pentecostal or Charismatic background as part of the churches I pastored over the years.  But my Biblical reasons for this position are several.  I believe miracles were never the norm in Scripture but characterized certain times (e.g. Moses and the Exodus) when God’s work needed confirmation (Ex. 4:1-9).  I believe Paul indicates that tongues was just such a sign for in the early days of the Church (1 Cor. 14:20-22).  I also believe what passes for speaking in tongues today is nothing like what happened in Acts when the languages were known languages (Acts 2:4-6).  

Then there is today’s passage.  Paul speaks of three spirituals: prophecy, tongues and knowledge.  It is clear from this passage and from Ch. 14 that speaking in tongues was held in high regard in Corinth.  It is also clear that the Apostle thinks that position is not a good one.  

Take v8 for example.  Unlike love, the three spirituals, however, will come to an end.  The Greek is interesting.  Prophecies and knowledge will cease.  The English versions typically use a different term but the Greek is the same for both (katargeo).  And it is in the “passive voice” meaning that something will act upon these two to cause them to cease.  We are told what will happen in v9-10.  Knowledge and prophesy are partial; but when the perfect or complete comes they will be done away (again, same term as applied to each in v8).  Tongues, on the other hand, will cease but here the Greek is from pauo and it is in the middle voice.  What that means is that there is something in the tongues itself that will cause it to no longer be useful or needed.  It will simply fade out, so to speak.

People who disagree with the cessationist position should at least be asked to explain this difference.  There is something different about tongues that is different than prophecy and knowledge.  And when and why will they cease?  My view is that the perfect Paul speaks of is the revelation of Jesus Christ.  At His return will be the revealing of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19), when what we shall be is finally known (1 John 2:2).  This is the time when knowledge and prophecy will no longer be needed.  As for the time when tongues cease, we will see the answer to that when we come to 1 Cor. 14:20-25.

So again, more than the spirituals, even more than faith and hope, love is what is truly excellent and should characterize God’s people.  May it be so as we serve together in Christ’s Body.