david@cvl.UUCP (David Harwood) (12/10/84)
There has been some discussion lately about glossolalia, or "speaking in tongues". I believe the original meaning of this is not what is commonly supposed. I believe it means "veiled speech", that is, "speaking in figures" which are understood by the religious community but possibly not by others. Paul says that he "speaks in tongues" more than any, yet he does not encourage this practice. I cannot imagine Paul babbling about anything. What Paul does do is use figures of speech, most of which have to do with the revelation of Christ by God. This is probably to exclude pretenders to this revelation from positions of authority, in which they might mislead others about the true faith. It is said that "Jesus spoke (literally 'did') everything in parables." This is so that unrepentant sinners would be left in the dark. Then the parables were to be a sign to them of God's wisdom, prefiguring their own salvation, which they would understand only if they would repent and be saved. If this is so, then we may also understand that the Gospels themselves are primarily parables told by the first of those called to be the apostles of Christ, parables by Jesus, about the kingdom of God, within parables by the apostles, about the revelation of Christ. David Harwood