Whether the Gift of Tongues Is More Excellent Than the Grace of Prophecy?
Objection 1: It would seem that the gift of tongues is more excellent
than the grace of prophecy. For, seemingly, better things are proper
to better persons, according to the Philosopher (Topic. iii, 1). Now
the gift of tongues is proper to the New Testament, hence we sing in
the sequence of Pentecost [*The sequence: _Sancti Spiritus adsit
nobis gratia_ ascribed to King Robert of France, the reputed author
of the _Veni Sancte Spiritus._ Cf. Migne, Patr. Lat. tom. CXLI]: "On
this day Thou gavest Christ's apostles an unwonted gift, a marvel to
all time": whereas prophecy is more pertinent to the Old Testament,
according to Heb. 1:1, "God Who at sundry times and in divers manners
spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets." Therefore it
would seem that the gift of tongues is more excellent than the gift
of prophecy.
Obj. 2: Further, that whereby we are directed to God is seemingly
more excellent than that whereby we are directed to men. Now, by the
gift of tongues, man is directed to God, whereas by prophecy he is
directed to man; for it is written (1 Cor. 14:2, 3): "He that
speaketh in a tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God . . . but
he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men unto edification." Therefore
it would seem that the gift of tongues is more excellent than the
gift of prophecy.
Obj. 3: Further, the gift of tongues abides like a habit in the
person who has it, and "he can use it when he will"; wherefore it is
written (1 Cor. 14:18): "I thank my God I speak with all your
tongues." But it is not so with the gift of prophecy, as stated above
(Q. 171, A. 2). Therefore the gift of tongues would seem to be more
excellent than the gift of prophecy.
Obj. 4: Further, the "interpretation of speeches" would seem to be
contained under prophecy, because the Scriptures are expounded by the
same Spirit from Whom they originated. Now the interpretation of
speeches is placed after "divers kinds of tongues" (1 Cor. 12:10).
Therefore it seems that the gift of tongues is more excellent than
the gift of prophecy, particularly as regards a part of the latter.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (1 Cor. 14:5): "Greater is he
that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues."
_I answer that,_ The gift of prophecy surpasses the gift of tongues,
in three ways. First, because the gift of tongues regards the
utterance of certain words, which signify an intelligible truth, and
this again is signified by the phantasms which appear in an imaginary
vision; wherefore Augustine compares (Gen. ad lit. xii, 8) the gift
of tongues to an imaginary vision. On the other hand, it has been
stated above (Q. 173, A. 2) that the gift of prophecy consists in the
mind itself being enlightened so as to know an intelligible truth.
Wherefore, as the prophetic enlightenment is more excellent than the
imaginary vision, as stated above (Q. 174, A. 2), so also is prophecy
more excellent than the gift of tongues considered in itself.
Secondly, because the gift of prophecy regards the knowledge of
things, which is more excellent than the knowledge of words, to which
the gift of tongues pertains.
Thirdly, because the gift of prophecy is more profitable. The Apostle
proves this in three ways (1 Cor. 14); first, because prophecy is
more profitable to the edification of the Church, for which purpose
he that speaketh in tongues profiteth nothing, unless interpretation
follow (1 Cor. 14:4, 5). Secondly, as regards the speaker himself,
for if he be enabled to speak in divers tongues without understanding
them, which pertains to the gift of prophecy, his own mind would not
be edified (1 Cor. 14:7-14). Thirdly, as to unbelievers for whose
especial benefit the gift of tongues seems to have been given; since
perchance they might think those who speak in tongues to be mad (1
Cor. 14:23), for instance the Jews deemed the apostles drunk when the
latter spoke in various tongues (Acts 2:13): whereas by prophecies
the unbeliever is convinced, because the secrets of his heart are
made manifest (Acts 2:25).
Reply Obj. 1: As stated above (Q. 174, A. 3, ad 1), it belongs to the
excellence of prophecy that a man is not only enlightened by an
intelligible light, but also that he should perceive an imaginary
vision: and so again it belongs to the perfection of the Holy Ghost's
operation, not only to fill the mind with the prophetic light, and
the imagination with the imaginary vision, as happened in the Old
Testament, but also to endow the tongue with external erudition, in
the utterance of various signs of speech. All this is done in the New
Testament, according to 1 Cor. 14:26, "Every one of you hath a psalm,
hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation," i.e. a prophetic
revelation.
Reply Obj. 2: By the gift of prophecy man is directed to God in his
mind, which is more excellent than being directed to Him in his
tongue. "He that speaketh in a tongue" is said to speak "not unto
men," i.e. to men's understanding or profit, but unto God's
understanding and praise. On the other hand, by prophecy a man is
directed both to God and to man; wherefore it is the more perfect
gift.
Reply Obj. 3: Prophetic revelation extends to the knowledge of all
things supernatural; wherefore from its very perfection it results
that in this imperfect state of life it cannot be had perfectly by
way of habit, but only imperfectly by way of passion. On the other
hand, the gift of tongues is confined to a certain particular
knowledge, namely of human words; wherefore it is not inconsistent
with the imperfection of this life, that it should be had perfectly
and by way of habit.
Reply Obj. 4: The interpretation of speeches is reducible to the gift
of prophecy, inasmuch as the mind is enlightened so as to understand
and explain any obscurities of speech arising either from a
difficulty in the things signified, or from the words uttered being
unknown, or from the figures of speech employed, according to Dan.
5:16, "I have heard of thee, that thou canst interpret obscure
things, and resolve difficult things." Hence the interpretation of
speeches is more excellent than the gift of tongues, as appears from
the saying of the Apostle (1 Cor. 14:5), "Greater is he that
prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues; unless perhaps he
interpret." Yet the interpretation of speeches is placed after the
gift of tongues, because the interpretation of speeches extends even
to the interpretation of divers kinds of tongues.
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