Multilingual Environment of Early Churches

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Acts 2: 1-11

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Acts 6:1-7

Normally, we pay little attention to the language environment of early churches. Most probably, the Lord Jesus and his disciples were talking in Aramaic. Meanwhile, Koine Greek was the lingua franca(International Language). Latin was emerging as an international language as the Roman empire was expanding its domain.

Providentially, God had appointed Koine Greek for the language of New Testament.

Here we see the multilingual environment of early churches. People had at least a double language system(Aramaic/Koine Greek). They used the Septuagint(which is in Greek) for reciting the Old Testament, since few people understood Hebrew.

If we put this situation in our time period, this could be something like people using the English Bible in Japanese churches where Christians from various countries gather together.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, the apostle Paul deals with the issue of languages. The word "tongue" here does not mean unknown gibberish, but "foreign language." (Some say "unknown tongue" in verse 2 means the Hebrew language, which had become a dead language understood by few in those days.)

For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.(Isaiah 28:11)

In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. (I Corinthians 14:21-22)

This multilingual environment is a sign of judgment upon the unbelieving Israel (Isaiah 28:11, I Corinthians 14:21-22), but it also manifests the beginning of God's administration through the new covenant (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:16-18) which brings forth the kingdom of God stipulated in Revelation 7:9-10 consisting of all nations ;

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Here we see the harmony between the one and the many. Though the saints here are from all nations with all kinds of languages, they worship the only true God as one church which is the bride of Christ(Rev. 21:2)

The early churches obviously gave people the foretaste of heaven. This is a hint for the churches in Japan. In my essay "Why Japan?" I proposed that the churches in Japan should be placed in a bilingual (Japanese/English) format. What if we can establish a system that can manage trilingual formats such as Japanese/English/Korean, Japanese/English/Spanish, or Japanese/English/Chinese? Surely this can manifest the glorious foretaste of heaven in churches. This would be a shining witness of the glory of the kingdom of God.

I have already mentioned about Japan-ism in "Why Japan."

One of the main hindrances to church growth in Japan is that churches are entrapped in Japan-ism. When Japan-ism is dominant in churches, the growth of the churches stops. Japan-ism is a group-oriented mind-set. Since Japan-ism is humanistic in its origin it fails to recognize churches and familes as covenantal communities defined in the Scripture.

Surprisingly, the number of Japanese converts outside Japan has almost outnumbered the number of Japanese converts in Japan. Many Japanese young people become Christians outside Japan. This has something to do with the identity crisis which they experience after they leave Japan. Typical Japanese quite often define themselves in terms of the communities to which they belong, such as companies, schools, clubs, and families. They quite often reply to the question "What do you believe?" with something like

"I believe what my company believes."

Here we see the reason evangelism in Japan faces difficulty. Making the Japanese realize their identity as individuals is a difficult task.

When Japanese are separated from their own society by living abroad, they have to see themselves as individuals for the first time in their lives. This is the starting point of the conviction that they are sinners in front of God.

When they return to Japan, they cannot be connected to the churches in Japan, since Japanese churches tend to have a taste of Japan-ism. Since Japanese Christians have a tendency to form a closed community based on the Japan-ism mind-set, the Japanese Christian community is similar to the Jewish community in the time of the Roman empire. Just as the Gentiles could not get in the Jewish community, the 21st century Gentiles such as non-Japanese speaking people and Japanese people who become Christians outside Japan cannot belong to the "Japan-ism mindset" churches.

Now we see many churches entrapped in this subculture called Japan-ism. In the past Japan-ism paved the way toward the churches' compromise with Shinto nationalism. During World War II people in the churches paid respect (actually bowed down) to the image of the Japanese emperor and in the direction of the Imperial Palace before they began worship services. Quite often, we still see this weakness in churches in Japan. In a sense the Japanese churches' "being Japanese like" or "being indigenous" end in a risky and dangerous attempt. In this respect we need help and encouragement from Christians from all over the world.

The multilingual format enables us to overcome this weakness of Japanese churches. In this context, by taking a close look at the early churches' multilingual environment, we see a hint for solving the problem of dwindling churches in Japan.

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:12-22