Did jesus speaks in tongues?

First of all, how much importance should we place on whether or not a religious practice is currently “normative”? Christianity is not the normative religion of the world today, but this does not keep Christians from proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Light of the world and believing that it is God’s will for all men to come to a saving knowledge of Him. 

While the baptism in the Holy Spirit may not yet be normative in the church of our day, nevertheless, it is growing by leaps and bounds. It was much more normative in the early church than is generally understood. A study of Scripture shows that Christians in Caesarea, Samaria, Ephesus, Rome, Corinth, and Jerusalem received the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues, since either direct or indirect references point to the fact.

We know that the 120 in the upper room at Pentecost spoke in tongues, as did the apostle Paul. From this group emerged almost the entire leadership of the early church. 

Obviously, as they ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit, the experience of tongues was a part of what they shared and passed on through prayer and the laying on of hands. Everywhere the Holy Spirit was received, the supernatural gifts, including tongues, followed.

While it is only in Paul’s first Corinthian letter, chapters 12–14, that we find any lengthy discussion or teaching about tongues and the other charismatic gifts, this was not because the Corinthian Christians were the only Christians experiencing the gifts, but because they were the only ones abusing them.

By comparison, we assume the Lord’s Supper was in widespread use throughout the New Testament church, but it is only in the same epistle, chapters 10–11, that any substantial teaching or instructions are given concerning communion. 

Here again, it was not use but abuse that led to the instructions. Yet, many Christians who have allowed Paul’s criticism of the improper use of tongues to deny their validity and use in the church today would not dream of allowing Paul’s criticism of the improper administration of the Lord’s Supper to deny their right to the current observance of the Lord’s Supper in their church.

As for the second part of the question, it is true that, so far as we know, Jesus never spoke in tongues. His relationship to the Father was unique and His praise to God perfect. Also, we should remember that speaking in tongues and its companion gift of interpretation are the two unique gifts identified with the age of the Holy Spirit, which was ushered in at Pentecost. (All the other gifts had been manifested before.) 

What is significant for us to remember is that the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which Jesus Himself bestows, included speaking in tongues. It was Jesus Himself who listed tongues as one of the “signs” that would accompany His followers: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues” (Mark 16:17). 

It was the risen, glorified Jesus who fulfilled His own prophecy by sending the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues at Pentecost.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues was normative in the early church. We pray it will become normative in the church today.




Basham, D. (1971). A Handbook on Holy Spirit Baptism. Whitaker House.