Mark 16:17-18 (Misinterpreted Scriptures)
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Misinterpretation: This Scripture is often used to support the UPC doctrine that says a person must speak in tongues to be saved.
Facts: First, this is an apocryphal Scripture (see my comments on Mark 16:16). Second, if this Scripture means that all believers will speak in tongues then it also means that all believers will cast out devils, take up serpents, and heal the sick by laying hands on them. Finally, even if this Scripture is not apocryphal, there is nothing in it that says that all believers will do these things. It only lists some signs that will follow believers as a whole, not as individuals.
No one doubts that the early Church spoke in tongues, and quite a few Christians do not doubt that tongues and interpretation is still a spiritual gift that God gives out today. The problem is when people start to teach that all believers will speak in tongues, and they try to use Mark 16:17-18 to prove it.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
If one is going to argue from this ending of Mark, then one should continue on to vs. 20, ” And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” These signs were to confirm the validity of the Word they preached. Moreover, since the Lord Jesus in Matt 4:7 rebukes the devil by saying “You are not to put the LORD your God to the test” we should not test the Lord our God either by performing certain tests of faith like snake handling, working up some sort of tongues, etc. Signs were a sign from God, not a test from a manward perspective. The twisted view of signs directly contrasts I Cor 12 where Paul points out that not all speak in tongues, and I Cor 13 which teaches that these gifts will cease when the perfect (completion of Scripture) has come. We see that in later New Testament books, these gifts are already dying out as the apostles’ lives come to an end (as Eph 4:20 explains that the foundation as “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets”…once built, the foundation, verified by signs and wonders is finished, therefore, signs like tongues will cease.)
June 11th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Stephanie, I certainly agree with this article, but I disagree with what you just mentioned. Yes, the signs followed Jesus and his apostles… but they are the ones who laid hands on folks, and asked Jesus to heal them (or proclaimed healing on them in the name of Jesus). When 1 Cor. 13 says “when that which is perfect is come” it seems clear to me that it is a reference to complete spiritual maturity (heaven and the coming of the Lord) — not to the completion of scripture (which is a man-made doctrine, and is found nowhere else in the Bible)… that which is perfect was a full revelation, or entering into, of the kingdom of God.
July 16th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Again cart before doney sort of thinking. There are many fruits of the spirit after someone has had God’s grace applied to their life.
Modern tounges is practiced in many religions. In fact I read an article about US troops providing protection to a muslim group in Afganistan who spoke in tounges to the disaproval of the taliban. Many eastern religions have simular manifestations or chanting.
I have a feeling that truely biblical tounges and the present modern day so called manifestation could be two very differnt things. I even question my own experience and wonder how much of my so called fire baptism was divine and how much of it was from my altered emotional state and hearing of tounges arround me.
I have decided instead to focus on what is really importaint. God application of grace in my life.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:44 am
hi josh.
it says it right here.
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, into the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the Holy Spirit–for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. (Acts 2:38-39)
also after the day of pentecost it says that everyone will be able to reseve the gift of the holy ghost.
read it.
we are promised the gift of the spirit.
i have the holy ghost. are you saying that every believer that say the holy ghost is a liar?
we just sit there and be stupid? no.
you cant prove its not real.
you i guess you havent read the hole thing.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:32 am
I have a big problem with this scripture since there is no proof that the Apostles drank poison, thus this scripture shows an alleged prophetic statement by Jesus that was not fulfilled in the New Testament since there is no recording of poison being taken in by the Apostles.
So either the scripture is an addition or Jesus fails the prophet test that says a prophet was to be perfect in their prophetic words. I have heard the defense that not all events were recorded about the Apostles lives, still for a prophetic word to not be backed up with recorded scripture frankly should be an impossibility, so my conclusion is that this longer ending of Mark is a fabrication done for unknown reasons and that the passages about drinking poison is our way to seeing through the hoax.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
well, Josh if you really do believe that that is true, thats your personal desision, but i’m full of the Holy Ghost. I totally agree with britney, plus John 3:5 says “except a man be born of the water and of the SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER UNTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD”, therefore, you have to receive the Holy Spirit to go to Heaven, so it is a promise to us from God. The Oneness: This is what you said (NOTICE THE BOLD PRINT): “Is JESUS (if Jesus has that power than He is GOD, right, idk you said it :/) really going to take a person who love Him and faithfully served Him, but was baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and send them to hell—especially when He was the one who told them to be baptized that way? Is that really the kind of GOD (you called him God AGAIN) that we serve?Furthermore, if the UPC view is true then the majority of so-called Christians for the last 2,000 years have gone to hell.” -well scripture also says [paraphrasing] “If the righteous SCARCELY be saved…” so obviously, most Christians are probably in the wrong. Make up: back in the time when the Bible was written, make up was used by WHOREMONGERS and prostitutes, which leads on to hair, male prostitutes were known prostitutes for their LONG HAIR, and wearing make up. PANTS AND SKIRTS- ok, first, women starting wearing pants in the mid 50’s, pants came from biblical times, from men taking up their robes and pinning it, which made what looks like pants, for working in the fields, while the women worked in the home, that being said, women started wearing pants because it was a sign of teen rebellion in TV programs and movies. One more comment and i’m wrappin it up, SARAH R, if 1 Samuel 16:7 refers to that at all, then we could all go naked, and it wouldn’t be a problem… WRONG… that scripture obviously means God just wants what is inside, and that he doesn’t want us to make ourself look better to please him, on the contrary, that’s a good scripture for make up, thanks :) that’s what i’m spittin. -John R.
March 17th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
I totally and completely disagree with the ‘assumption’ that the scripture is saying that every Christian MUST speak in tongues to be saved…I’ve been walking a ‘tight walk with the Lord for over 22 years…and I have NEVER heard this scripture given to say that. personally, i think EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD speak in tongues…it’s a GIFT!! Why wouldn’t you want a GIFT from your Heavenly Father??? AND — even this: Speaking in tongues REVOLUTIONZED my walk with HIM…..it set a flame under me…I was saved for two years — with not much happening to me at all…once I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit w/the evidence of speaking of tongues…it changed EVERYTHING!! GOD IS AWESOME….HE doesn’t hand out gifts lightly….HE wanted this for HIS children…so HE made it available to them…It’s like slapping someone in the face – rejecting a gift they give to you freely…GOD BLESS …I won’t and don’t want to argue with WHAT HE HAS given us…and written in HIS WORD…it says what it says – and it means what it means….don’t make up false interpretations….
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
I speak in tongues
and it absolutely strengthens me and empowers my prayer life,
out of experience the biggest breakthroughs Ive had in my life
are when I pray in tongues,
my husband was an unsaved man from catholic backround
and a mouth on him of swearing and abuse,
there were days I was in torment thinking I was bound to
him forever with no way out,
I never gave up I prayed!!
4 years later I testify he is becoming an awsome man of God,
I am so blessed he is such a good and loving, faithful husband
and amazing dad.
Demons hate tongues!! so do the opposite to what they want
pray in tongues if God gives you the gift, break satans power
God has broken many generational curses in my line and husbands line,
we need to connect to the supernatural and tongues is a great way to
plug into the power source,
I have seen great fruit from it and know its a blessing from the Holy Spirit.
I pray in tongues I bind and loos MATHEW 18 18 we have so much
authority in christ through prayer and I visualize strongholds and walls
breaking while I speak in tongues, I wish i did it more!!
I think everyone can benefit from tongues but not sure about it not
been for everyone, I think its for those of us who ask for it its simple.
July 28th, 2010 at 8:51 am
What saves us is the BLOOD OF JESUS!!!! The BLOOD of Jesus washes away our sins – not tongues! However, speaking in tongues is VERY POWERFUL! If someone doesn’t believe in it, then obviously they have never had an experience!