LESSON 20
(13:1-13)

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, bu have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; 5 it is not arrogant or rude.  Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrong,, but rejoices in the right.  7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease, as for knowledge, it will pass away.  9 For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; 10 but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.  11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.  12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.  13 So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

“I will show you a way (to be Christian) that surpasses having spiritual gifts” is the way that Paul ends the general discussion in 12:1-31.  If some of the Corinthians were wondering what could be better than the gifts in question, the answer is given in our lesson text.  Love is the greater and surpassing way of living.  It is eternal in character, god-like in nature, the foundation for all that is done (as will be pointed out shortly) and the cure for the ills of some in Corinth.
While gifts were to be desired, (dz_lo_), love was to be pursued (di_k_), 14:1.  Love was sufficient, in contrast to gifts, were it alone.  Love would make the gifts profitable when they would otherwise not be so, Paul argued.  Love was a true motivator, an energizer, a mind-set that developed a Christ-like spirit and a godly life style.  Love was a necessity while other things that seemed so necessary to some were but momentary in nature.  Without love, a person would be but a noise in the ears, or a jangle that disturbed, and certainly profitless was what Paul saw fit to write.  We will do well to take notice, won’t we?
13:1 tongues – Better translated as “languages” as noted on 12:10.  See also on 14:13, 21.  There is no compelling reason to suppose that a language is anything but what is commonly thought.  Some argue that there is an “angelic” language, by which is meant something ecstatic.  We know of no such thing.  The Bible presents angels as always speaking in an intelligible way, even to man.  However, the point is that whatever gift might be given, love is what turns its use into something profitable.
gong . . . cymbal – While those are of some value under certain conditions, apart from those conditions they are not desirable.  Such is the case with spiritual gifts outside the context of love.
V. 2 – prophetic powers – In fact, Paul was a prophet, Eph. 3:3-10, in that he revealed God’s mystery to men.  Many others in the early church were gifted in this way.  The prophet was, in all religions, considered to be a revealer for the god of that religion.  So it was with Israel and then in the church.  While the prophet did not always speak in a revelation sense, yet that facet can’t be divorced from the word.  Hence, in the Biblical sense of the term, the prophet disappeared from God’s complete revelation in our Bible, and need nothing more.  The Scriptures are of such nature that every Christian can know God’s will, and grow unto the stature of Christ, Eph. 4:13.
mysteries –The new covenant was God’s mystery revealed, as Rom. 16:25-27; Eph. 1:3-14; etc. point out.
knowledge – While Paul had some knowledge and understood some things, yet God did not choose to reveal all His will through him.  God used others such as Luke, John, Peter and Jude to bring to light what men needed to know.
faith – As mentioned in 12:9, this may mean a special measure of faith rather than the faith required for salvation.  It may mean the sort of faith of which Jesus spoke in Mk. 11:22-23 and Luke 17:6.
In all the cases Paul mentioned, the absence of love meant that he was nothing rather than something.  Quite clearly, for any of the gifts to be of value to one personally (whatever they might be to anyone else), love must be present.
Love has not been defined by Paul except as a quality of character that makes other facets of one’s personality, whether ordinary or special in nature, of value.  Today all sorts of definitions are heard, and the word is used in all kinds of ways.  It is one of the attributes of God, I John 4:8, though God and love are not equal (that is, it can be said that God is love but it cannot be said that love is God).  God has many attributes other than love.  He is just, all-wise eternal, etc.
Turning to the human personality, as with God so with us.  Love is one facet of that which makes us up.  Hate is another.  Both have to do with the mental part of us as well as the emotional part of us.  Love is not merely a mind-set, but an emotional aspect that includes a mind-set.  Obviously, to love God requires knowledge of Him as well as the decision to love Him.  Paul will delineate some of the ways love expresses itself in life in our lesson text.
The word for love in our text is agap_.  It is one of three Greek terms for love used in the N.T. Scriptures, and appears more frequently than the other two terms.  Interestingly enough, it was not used nearly as much in the literature of the day, comparatively speaking, as the other two terms.  Some of the places where it can be seen are Mt. 2:17; Mk. 10:21; Lk. 11:43; Jn. 3:16; 5:42; 13:1; 17:26; 21:15-17; Rom. 5:8; II Cor. 8:7; 12:15; II Tim. 4:8; I Jn. 3:18; 4:7, 8, 16.  It is often stated that it is the “highest type” of love, or that it is the “god-like” type of love.  However, the N.T. does not make any such statements.  That it is essential to pleasing God and being like God is clear and probably all that can be said that is stated in the Bible.
The other two words are 1) storg_ which is found in Rom. 12:10 and used only once, and 2) philia which appears some twenty-five times by itself, and other times in a compound form with some other term.  Check Mt. 6:5; 10:37; 23:6; 26:48; Lk. 22:47; Jn. 5:20; 11:3, 36; 12:25; 15:19; 16:27; 20:2; 21:15-17; Titus 3:15; Rev. 3:19; 22:15 for some texts with this term. Combined with other terms, you can find it in Rom. 12:10 with storg_ in Col. 2:8; I Tim. 6:10; II Tim. 3:2, 3; Titus 1:8, 2:4; etc.  Sometimes, as in II Tim. 3:3, the translation will read “haters of good” (i.e., not a lover of good).  Both agap_ and philia are good words, and each has its place in God’s revelation.  The term philia is turned a bit more toward the “near and dear” than agap_, which is why Peter probably used it in John 21:15-17 rather than agap_.  Now read I Cor. 16:22.
V. 3 – Selfless sacrifice may be admirable, but love makes it personally profitable.  Self-denial may be helpful to others as an example, but the proper motivation must be present for it to mean anything to the one denying self.  One’s motivation for any action is always important, and certainly so for things related to God.  Check Mt. 6:1-18 for this point.  Having shown in 13:1-3 the supremacy of love over other things, now Paul outlines the behavior of love in respect to the people or circumstances about one.  As we move into this section, vv. 4-7, probably some of the people in Corinth needed to “think on these things” about love.  It is pretty clear that some or all of these attributes were missing in the church there.  For the sake of study, we will give the Greek term and some verses to check.
V. 4 – patient – chrasteuomai, also a characteristic of God, Rom. 2:4.  It has the idea of goodness or generosity.  See Mt. 11:30; Lk. 5:39; 6:35; Rom. 3:12; 11:22; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:7; 4:32; Col. 3:12; Titus 3:4 I Pet. 2:3.
jealous – dz_lo_ as in 12:31; 14:1.  This word has to do with desire for something or someone, and thus can be either directed for good or bad.  Zeal for te good is commendable, Jn. 2:17, but for something else is not, Jam. 4:2.  Read these texts: Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13; 7:9; Rom. 10:2; 13:13; II Cor. 12:20; Gal. 4:17, 18; Tit. 2:14; Jam. 3:14, 16; I Pet. 3:13.
boastful – perpereuomai.  The idea is that of the braggart or one who sings his own praises.  One word that describes this person is ostentatious, the “show off” who must have the attention, is vainglorious. 
arrogant – phusio_ as in 4:6; 8:1.  Love and a “puffed up” demeanor are not compatible.
V. 5 – rude – aschamone_, as in 7:36. The idea is of ill-mannered or unseemly conduct in regard to standards or to others.  Recall what some were doing at communion time in Ch. 11.  Read Prov. 21:4.  A closely related term was discussed in 11:4.
its own way – The Greek term, dzate_ means seek for something, as in Mt. 13:45; Mk. 1:37; Lk. 19:10; Jn. 8:50.  Personal interests are always considered in respect to others from love’s point of view.  Jesus lived for others.  Paul did too, II Cor. 12:14-15.  Most church splits or fights center around the demand for one’s own way, since most of such things involve methodology rather than doctrinal issues.  See Ch. 9:15-23.
irritable – paraksun_, our English word paroxysm comes from this term.  See Acts 15:39; 17:16; Heb. 10:24.  It has the idea of easily brought to anger or disgust with another, or causing another to become so.  It has its good side as Heb. 10:24 shows, but love must rule if this be accomplished.
resentful – logidzomai, which means to keep record of, count up, or reckon, figure.  Check Lk. 22:37; Jn. 11:50; Acts 19:27; rom. 2:3; 3:28; 4:8; 14:14; I Cor. 4:1; II Cor. 5:19; 11:5; 12:6; Phil. 3:13; II Tim. 4:16; Heb. 11:19; I Pet. 5:12.  The point is that love doesn’t “tally up” the wrongs done for the sake of getting even or taking revenge.  No resentment is allowed to take root and grow, no malice condoned.  It is rather “Father, forgive them” or “lay not his sin to their charge” that characterizes love.  See Prov. 24:29.
V. 6 – rejoice at wrong – Note Rom. 1:32.  No servant of God is glad when evil is present or happens in the life of another.  Solomon had some advice along this line, 24:17.  Instead, one’s heart’s desire for those whose lives are not what they ought to be will be like Paul’s in Rom. 9:1ff.  If one is godly in mind, then the “right” is what brings pleasure.  Good is to be sought, not evil, Rom. 12:9.
wrong . . . right – The Greek terms are respectively adikia and al_theia.  The first is a common term for unrighteousness or wickedness, as in Mt. 20:13; Lk. 16:8, 9; 18:6; Acts 7:26; 25:11; Rom. 6:13; 9:14; I Cor. 6:1; Gal. 4:12; Col. 3:25; Phile. v. 18; I Jn. 5:17.  The second term is normally translated as truth or reality.  Notice it in Mt. 22:16; Lk. 22:59; Jn. 1:17; 4:23; 17:3; 19:35; Acts 12:9; rom. 2:2; 15:8; II Cor. 7:14; Gal. 4:16; Eph. 4:24, 25; Phil. 1:18; 4:8 Tit. 1:13; I Thess. 1:9; Heb. 8:2; I Pet. 5:12.  Love is good in action, truth the good in thought that gives direction to love.
V. 7 – bears – steg_, to stand up or endure.  See on 9:12, then I Thess. 3:1, 5.  The idea is sometimes that of simply ignoring injustice or evil being suffered, somewhat akin to the concepts in Mt. 5:38-42.
believes – pisteuo, the common word of faith or belief.  Love is not gullible but rather is willing to think the best until proven wrong.  The action is not judged until all can be known.  Love is not habitually “suspicious of others” but wants to let each remain “innocent until proven guilty” if at all possible.
hopes – elpidz_, as in Lk. 6:34; 23:8; Jn. 5:45; Acts 16:19; 23:8; 26:6, 7; Rom. 4:18; 8:24; II Cor. 1:7; Eph. 2:12; I Tim. 1:1; Tit. 2:13; Heb. 6:18; I Pet. 1:3.  Even if often disappointed, hope dwells eternal in the Christian because God is faithful who promised, Heb. 6:9-20.  The silver lining is the object of attention rather than the dark cloud.
endures – hupomen_.  Someone has remarked that this term is the “queen of all the graces” because of its admirable quality.  It is the “face to the wind” and “hand to the plow” sort of thing.  It is always commendable in the life of the Christian, as Mk. 13:13; Rom. 5:3; 12:12; II Thess. 1:4; Heb. 12:2, 7; Jam. 1:3; 5:11; I Pet. 1:20 and II Pet. 1:6 point out.
This section added to 13:1-3 helps all to see why love should be pursued.  There is every reason to give all diligence in being God in respect to love.  Now Paul turns to the immortal nature of love.  As long as God exists, so will love.  Temporal things, such as the spiritual gifts the Corinthians sought, will from eternity’s vantage point, seem like so much “tinsel and glitter” compared to love.
V. 8 – prophecy . . . tongues . . . knowledge – As v. 9 states, these all were imperfect and thus less desirable than love.  They were, even as faith and hope, doomed to pass away.  Love, contrastively, always is.  There will be no “changing of the seasons” where love is concerned.
V. 11 – From the child to the man: so is the advantage of love’s thinking over “gift thinking.”  While many even today are desirous of finding “their” gift, the ability to love surpasses all such and might well provide the person with all that is needed to be the Christian servant God desires.
childish ways – The “me” syndrome that most children have pretty early in life.  The Corinthians had their mind set on the wrong goals when all was summed up.  Instead of thinking maturely (“I would rather speak five words . . ., 14:19) they had their attention upon themselves, childish in thought.
V. 12 – Paul’s epistle to them was intended to bring this result: maturity, adulthood.  They were carnal, 3:3-4 and thought too highly of themselves, 4:7-8; and so on.  He brings up the point again in 14:20.  They needed to grow up.  An adult clearly perceives what a child dimly understands, for the reason that the child’s viewpoint is limited.  Paul had tried to lead them into “full” understanding of the best things in the Christian life, especially about “spiritual gifts” versus love, and the relationship of each person and/or gift to God and the church as a body.
V. 13 – faith, hope, love – The childish viewpoint behind, Paul now presents the things of real value.  All the gifts from God in Ch. 12 were good in their place and for their time.  God bestowed them in His own divine wisdom.  None were to be disparaged for having them, seeking them or using them.  However, the gifts were of such nature that other things outranked them.  Our verse lists things that were more to be desired than any special gift from God.  Faith is an imperative for salvation, as the Bible plainly indicates many times.  Hope is a state of mind that comes from sufficient reason, and characterizes every saint of God.  As Paul said in Rom. 8:24-25, Christians are saved by their hope, a hope based upon what God has done in Christ, Rom. 5:1-11; 8:1, 29-39; etc.  Love is the greatest of the three, not because the Christian can do without the other two, but because of the nature of God and Christianity.  Faith and hope both will cease when faith becomes sight and hope is fulfilled in God’s eternal res.  Love for God will continue.  Therefore, while God’s people in Corinth came behind in no gift, 1:7, they were stragglers in respect to the greatest thing of all: love.  They needed to get moving in the right direction–Paul had shown them the “more excellent” way of 12:31.

	LESSON 20 QUESTIONS

1. 	Briefly outline the chapter.

2. 	Did you read Ch. 13 in the total context of Chapters 12-14?

3. 	Can a person do good things for others and not be profited himself?

4. 	Do you believe Paul in what he says in 13:1-3 about being a “spiritual zero” without love?

5. 	Of the fourteen aspects of love in vv. 4-7, which could be added to your life?

6. 	Would you like to read a text that shows love in action?  See Rom. 12:9-21.

7. 	How difficult is it to “grow up” in our Christian thinking?  (Aren’t we all a bit like Peter Pan at times?)

8. 	Why is love said to be the greatest?