“When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands
the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money . . . . ” —Acts 8
He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. . . In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues . . .
Fortunately, the apostles acknowledged and believed. What we see in Acts 2:4-12 seems clear enough—
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look are not all these who speak Galileans?
As we can see, the gift of speaking in tongues (or languages without having studied those languages), was a divine gift which was given to the apostles of Christ. Those who heard them speak could understand them since the apostles spoke in the tongues (languages) which the people spoke. It is very important that we pay attention to this detail.
The gift of speaking in tongues was given not only to the apostles of Christ, but also to the Gentiles (the household of Cornelius, who were the first Gentiles who heard and received the gospel.) In Acts 10:44-48 we read—
While Peter was still speaking these words (those of verses 34-43), the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.” (Read the reference in Acts 11:14-18).
Only in these two cases mentioned above does it say that the Holy Spirit was received directly from heaven. The Spirit came directly upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, and on the first Gentiles who heard the gospel at the house of Cornelius. From there forward, the rest of the disciples who also had the gift of speaking in tongues, or other gifts, received them only by the laying on of hands by the apostles.
Consider, for example, the case of the brethren in Samaria—
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money. . . . —Acts 8:14-18
The apostle Paul was the only author in all the New Testament who wrote about this matter of the gift of speaking in tongues. In I to Corinthians 12, he talks about the nine spiritual gifts, but in chapter 14 he deals specifically with the gift of speaking tongues. It is very important that we note what he says about himself. —
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue —I Corinthians 14:18,19
—Roberto V. Spencer
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