Bible Study 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13

 

Commentary of the Book of 1st Corinthians

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study 1 Corinthians 13: 1-13

Text: 

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body [a]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up; 5 it does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered; 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 [b]it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails, but if there are gifts of [c]prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the [d]perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I [e]became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror [f]dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now abide faith, hope, love—these three; but the [g]greatest of these is love.

Verse by verse commentary

Verse 1: “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Paul employs intentional hyperbole to underscore the futility of spiritual gifts exercised without love. The phrase "tongues of men" likely denotes the gift of speaking in foreign languages, whereas the inclusion of "and of angels" may constitute a deliberate exaggeration (a parallel to "know all mysteries" and "remove mountains" found in verse 2). It is impossible to ascertain whether the Corinthians claimed to employ angelic speech. The Bible contains no teaching that suggests people can acquire or speak a specialized language used by angels.

Verse 2: “And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

Prophecy, which Paul considers the most essential gift because it conveys God's truth, must be administered through love. Similarly, gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, and discernment which allow one to "know all mysteries and all knowledge" should also be exercised in love.

Verse 3: “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”

The practice of burning Christians at the stake did not commence until some years thereafter, yet it was distinctly recognized as an exceedingly horrific death. Neither the voluntary relinquishment of one's possessions nor the undergoing of burning would yield any spiritual advantage if not undertaken out of love for the body of Christ.

Verse 4: “Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up;”

The King James Version often captures the essence effectively: “Charity (love) suffers long.” To love frequently entails suffering. “Love suffers long,” signifying that it is patient and kind. Love is impossible without kindness. Love devoid of kindness is akin to springtime without blossoms, or fire without heat. Recall Paul’s admonition, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” This represents the positive dimension. Now, consider the negative dimension. Love “is not jealous.” Love does not envy, which implies that love is contented with its portion. It is widely acknowledged that life is characterized by inequality. When some individuals possess great wealth, one hears Christians inquire, “Why did God bestow such affluence upon that man and not grant me a share?” Love recognizes these disparities and is satisfied with its lot. It is worth remembering that the very first murder, when Cain slew Abel, was motivated by envy.

Verse 5: “it does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered;”

Love does not behave "unbecomingly"; that is, it avoids inappropriate conduct. Although 1 Peter refers to believers as a peculiar people in the King James Version, this literally signifies a people for His possession, not a call to act strangely. We are therefore obligated to exercise courtesy and refrain from rudeness. Politeness should characterize our interactions. Regrettably, much contemporary religious expression could be deemed unlovely. However, love does not behave unseemly. Love "does not seek its own." Love prompts an examination of the motives behind one's actions, asking, "What is the purpose of this endeavor?" Love is the foundation of genuine service. Love "is not provoked." It maintains an even temper. Being easily provoked is frequently a vice of the virtuous, a failing prevalent among many. Love "does not take into account a wrong suffered." It is disheartening to observe individuals who relish and disseminate gossip, including Christians who engage in slander.

Verse 6: “it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;”

Love takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but instead finds joy in the truth. What is the source of your heart's delight? Is it in the ill or the good? Which one prevails? If you receive news of misfortune concerning an adversary or someone you dislike, do you celebrate? Or does the suffering of your enemy evoke sorrow? What would be Paul’s reaction?

Verse 7: “it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Love “bears” all things. "Bears" suggests the concept of protection; love provides shelter for others. Love "believes all things." This does not imply that love is naively credulous. It signifies that love does not regard individuals with suspicion. Love "hopes all things." This highlights the inherent optimism of love. It "endures all things." Love maintains its strength despite trials and adversity. From this, we deduce that while love is an abstract noun, it must not remain merely theoretical. It is intended to be translated into lived experience and concrete action. It must manifest itself through patience, through kindness, without envy, and without boastfulness.

Verse 8: “Love never fails, but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.”

Love is eternal. Consequently, the conclusion of the chapter states, “But now abide faith, hope, love—these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Love endures; it is permanent. Prophecies shall cease—that is, they will be accomplished. They will then transition from prophecy to historical fact. Speaking in tongues will cease. The cessation of tongues is evident in their absence from all New Testament books except Acts. As Scripture was being completed, the issue or practice of tongues faded from the record of the early church. Furthermore, the practice has generally been absent throughout church history since the first century, appearing only infrequently and typically within questionable groups. Knowledge will eventually disappear. For instance, the scientific understanding acquired during my college studies is already obsolete. The scientific knowledge of the present will be superseded by the scientific advancements of the future. Knowledge is a dynamic, progressive entity; it is ultimately transitory.

Verse 9: “For we know in part and we prophesy in part,”

He suggests that these gifts are merely suited to a state of imperfection. Our most profound knowledge and our greatest capacities are presently, like our circumstances, limited and transient. For this reason, we must depend on the written Word of God to be the standard for our lives and practices.

Verse 10: “but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.”

Regarding the interpretation of "the perfect," at least two interpretations exist. The prevailing contextual argument strongly suggests that Paul refers to the Second Coming of Christ, representing the culmination of God's plan for redemption and revelation. In light of this future event, current spiritual blessings are acknowledged as partial and consequently imperfect. Therefore, the Corinthians' elevation of temporary, incomplete spiritual gifts to ultimate significance signals spiritual immaturity. An alternative perspective posits that Paul may be referencing the complete revelation contained within the New Testament Scriptures, which would render prophecy and other revelatory gifts obsolete. I favor the former interpretation, believing the term refers to the Second Coming of Christ.

Verse 11: "When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

The contrast between our earthly and heavenly perspectives is profound. Just as children possess limited, often confused understanding compared to adults, we too will find our current gifts and knowledge insignificant upon reaching heaven. When our spiritual maturity is fully realized in Christ, we will naturally discard our present, immature thoughts and achievements—the very things we now value—recognizing them as childish folly we once took pride in.

Verse 12: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

Paul concludes by emphasizing the partial nature of all current knowledge, perhaps because the Corinthians were inclined to boast about what they knew. The apostle often shifts from the active voice ("know") to the passive voice ("have been fully known") in his letters, as he does here, to underscore our dependence on God's grace. This highlights the intimacy and immediacy of God's knowing, a knowledge we are destined to share in the future.

Verse 13: “But now abide faith, hope, love—these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Faith and hope will be fully realized and completed in heaven. However, love, the divine and everlasting virtue, is eternal. Heaven will be a realm where only perfect love is expressed toward God and fellow beings.