1 Corinthians
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1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians 13
1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
Commentary · verse 1
2And 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 have not love, I am nothing.
2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Commentary · verse 2
Prophecy, knowing mysteries, all knowledge, and having all faith made you nothing if you did not have love. Again, love is a right HOW/WHY which leads to profitability. Remember, Paul began his addressing of the questions from the church in Corinth with a brief introduction (1 Corinthians 8:1-3) that contrasted knowledge with love. That was the way Paul began his first three chapter answer. Verse 2 showed that "all knowledge without love" resulted in no profitability.
Doctrines on this passage
3And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Commentary · verse 3
Sacrificing your possessions and your body is nothing without love. Paul continued to emphasize love being a right HOW/WHY. Remember, the definition of love according to Jesus in Luke 6:35 was "giving without expecting anything in return from the one to whom you gave." Verse 3 presented half of the definition of love: giving. Verse 3 did not present the right HOW/WHY, only the WHAT. Consequently Paul called it giving without love and the result was not profitable.
Commentary · verses 4-8
Verses 4-8: sixteen effects of love, the effects of "giving without expecting anything in return from the one to whom you gave." Notice also that nine of these effects were what the effects of love were not.
4Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Commentary · verse 8
If you do God's definition of love, all sixteen effects listed will be a result. Notice, verse 8 stated that knowledge would eventually be "done away," but love will never cease. Again, this was another example from Paul contrasting knowledge and love. In eternity, knowledge will eventually end because all facts will eventually be known, which means all languages will be known (tongues) and all prophetic events will be known. (Notice, Paul began this chapter contrasting knowledge, tongues, and prophecy with love.) However, Paul wrote in Ephesians 4 that the Bride will eternally build itself up in love, by speaking the truth in love to one another. It appeared truth would also never cease. Notice, the WHAT of truth will cease: knowledge. However, the right HOW/WHY of truth will never cease just as the right HOW/WHY of love will never cease.
Doctrines on this passage
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Commentary · verses 9-10
Some people use these verses to say that today, tongues and prophesying has ceased. They would say that the Holy Spirit, which is perfect has come. However, Paul wrote this letter after the Holy Spirit had come and they were still operating in these gifts. Has knowledge been done away with? Knowledge will be done away with, eventually, when we are perfect, which will eventually happen in eternity.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.
12For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Commentary · verses 11-12
Some people only quote verse 12 to justify our inability to know anything more than we know right now. Verse 11 told us to not have that childish mentality, but to become an adult. We ought to act as mature adults and continue to learn more. We will eventually have full knowledge but this is not an excuse to not learn more now. How will we eventually have full knowledge? We will have to continue to grow and learn in the new Jerusalem.
13But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Commentary · verse 13
Now abides faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is love, because love is an action with a right HOW/WHY. The belief that love is the most excellent way has been a consistent reoccurring theme throughout this letter.
Theme of Chapter 13: Love. Paul made the case that love is the most excellent way, and that the things believers tend to desire (knowledge, tongues, and prophecy) are not profitable without love and will eventually cease in eternity. Next, Paul was able to conclude his three chapter answer to the topic of spiritual gifts.
Doctrines on this passage
Paul spoke with tongues (languages) of men and angels but if he did this without love, it was just noise. Speaking languages (words), known or unknown is a WHAT. The right HOW/WHY is in love.