Paul writing to and instructing the church of the baptized, (those living obedience to the faith in the sacramental life with bishops, priests, and deacons), explained that it is better to prophecy than to speak in tongues because prophecy edifies the universal/ Catholic Church?
He that speaketh in a tongue, edifieth himself: but he that prophesieth, edifieth the church.
1 Cor 14:4
I think that a large majority of the ( so called) speaking in tongues is emotionalism; kind of a group psychosis through desire. From the beginning of Christianity the understanding of speaking in tongues meant the gift to communicate to other cultures in order to evangelize, spread the faith, and establish churches of the one faith that came into being at Pentecost through the Holy Spirit.
6And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. 7And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these that speak Galilean? 8And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, 11Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.
Acts 2:6
The speaking in tongues to those who knew the language was to edify and grow the one sacramental church established by God.
At the council of Jerusalem James saw the prophecy of Amos fulfilled. He was present at an authoritative council which made decisions through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Here through the power of the keys Peter wiped out 1300 years of Mosaic Law when he declared that both Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace not Mosaic Law. To which James the bishop of the diocese of Jerusalem responded:
14Simon hath related how God first visited to take to the Gentiles, a people to his name. 15And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written:
16After these things I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down: and the ruins thereof I will rebuild. And I will set it up:
17That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, and all nations upon whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord, who doth these things.
Acts 15:14
James understood that God fulfilled the prophecy, reestablishing the Kingdom of David as a Catholic Church of both Jews and Gentiles.
It was to this church that Paul explained that the speaking and interpretation of tongues is to edify.
Jesus would never have given Peter the symbolic keys ( in the Old Covenant the keys established the authority of interpretation of the Torah and dynastic succession of the kingdom) of binding and losing unless he was reestablishing the Kingdom of David.
“ I will be my church “
Paul called the reestablished Kingdom of David Mount Sion ( Hb 12:22) showing us the prophecy fulfilled in which we will go to the Mountain of the Lord in order to learn the ways of God.( Isaiah 2:3) He called the reestablished Kingdom of David the Church, the pillar and foundation of truth.( 1 Timothy 3:15) He taught that the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church.( Eph 3:10) To this same church God tells you, “ if they do not listen to even the church treat them as heathens and publicans.”( Mt 18:17) Why? Because the church is spiritually Christ Himself.
Him, who knew no sin, he hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in him.
2 Cor 5:21
And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:4
When Paul said:
Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account of your souls; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief. For this is not expedient for you.
Hb 13:17
He would never have done so to a Protestant church. He is only referring to obeying the prelates ( bishops) of the one church, of one doctrine, the breaking of the bread and the prayers ( From the beginning the breaking of the bread was always understood to be the Holy Mass) the church that is the reestablished Kingdom of David, Mount Sion, the pillar and foundation of truth that teaches the angels the manifold wisdom of God. The church that lived from the beginning the sacramental life in obedience to the faith as the narrow road against Satan’s preternatural deceptions.
Baptism Matt 3:13-17; John 3:5,22; Matt 28:19; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Titus 3:5; Luke 3:3; Gal 3:27; Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Acts 2:38-39; Rom 6:3-5; Luke 7:30
Penance John 20:22-23; Matt 16:18-19; Matt 18:18; 2 Cor 5:17-20; Luke 15:11-32
Eucharist Mark 14:22-25; Matt 26:26; 1 Cor 11:23-30; John 6:4, 51-68; Heb 10:25-31
Confirmation Acts 8:14-17; Heb 6:1-2; Matt 10:32-33; Acts 19:1; Acts 2:1-4
Marriage Gen 1:27-28; Gen 2:21-24; Eph 5:25, 31-32; Heb 13:4; John 2:1-12
Holy Orders Acts 2:1-4; Acts 1:21-26; Luke 24:44-51; 2Tim 1:6; Tim 4:14; Tim 5:22
Anointing of the Sick James 5:14-15; Mark 6:13
This is the church that was given the gift of speaking in tongues so that it could spread the truth to all cultures of all languages. As Christianity spread through out the pagan world, it went from paganism to Catholicism. As Christianity spread throughout the world the Catholic Church translated scripture into the different languages of the people it evangelized.
It was to the Catholic Church born at Pentecost that the Holy Spirit gave the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues to.
From the teaching of the apostles Syriac we read:
And, whilst Simon Cephas was saying these things to his fellow-apostles, and putting them m remembrance, a mysterious voice was heard by them, and a sweet odour, which was strange to the world, breathed upon them; and tongues of fire, between the voice and the odour, came down from heaven towards them, and alighted and sat on every one of them; and, according to the tongue which every one of them had severally received, so did he prepare himself to go to the country in which that tongue was spoken and heard.
And, by the same gift of the Spirit which was given to them on that day, they appointed Ordinances and Laws--such as were in accordance with the Gospel of their preaching, and with the true and faithful doctrine of their teaching:--
