Is Acts 2:8 the biblical definition of tongues?

[Jamech]

After reading the thread on sign gifts in the church today I reread Acts 2 and verse 8 has always struck me as evidence that the tongues practiced today are not the same as the tongues of Pentecost. Either the gift was a gift of hearing in their own language unintelligible speech (a gift I've never heard claimed) or a gift of the speaker to speak a language not formally known to them but a real language which existed in that day among the list of ethnicities in verses 9-11.
As this is the entry of the gift of tongues into the church would this definition of tongues not establish the practice and reality of the gift and contradict the claims of current Christians who speak tongues in a language which exists in no earthly ethnic group.
I hope I am not being too controversial in my first post but I really would like to read other views on this subject.

Jamech

 

[ktn4eg]

First of all, Welcome to BB! :wavey: We need as many people from Tennessee to keep the rest of them thar furners in line!! :thumbs:

To answer your question, I also tend to agree with your position on tongues.

One of the best smaller works on this subject I've read is the 248-page paperback one written by BB member John of Japan's grandfather John R. Rice entitled The Charismatic Movement [(c) 1976, Sword of the Lord Publishers; Murfreesboro, TN].

Of course there are other fine works available, but that book is a good starter.

 

[JesusFan]

After reading the thread on sign gifts in the church today I reread Acts 2 and verse 8 has always struck me as evidence that the tongues practiced today are not the same as the tongues of Pentecost. Either the gift was a gift of hearing in their own language unintelligible speech (a gift I've never heard claimed) or a gift of the speaker to speak a language not formally known to them but a real language which existed in that day among the list of ethnicities in verses 9-11.
As this is the entry of the gift of tongues into the church would this definition of tongues not establish the practice and reality of the gift and contradict the claims of current Christians who speak tongues in a language which exists in no earthly ethnic group.
I hope I am not being too controversial in my first post but I really would like to read other views on this subject.

Jamech

Welcome to BB!

was the Gift from the Holy Spirit that Peter spoke in all those other "tongues" or that peter spoke the message in his own native language and the HS "translated" it into language for each hearer of the message?

Still adebate even in pentacostal circles IF the Tongues for Church use actually same as was used by Peter here, as that Tongue fulfilled prophecy, but in Espitles they would say different type of utterance!