FEBRUARY 21, 2021
CHRISTIAN LOVE
INTRODUCTION:
1. This chapter has ever been considered as one of the jewels of Scripture. A. T. Robertson said, “Though Plato and many others have written on love, Paul has here surpassed them all in this marvelous prose-poem.” For moral elevation, for richness and comprehensiveness, for beauty and felicity of expression, it has been the admiration of the church in all ages.
2. As in Chapter 8:1 the Greek agape is translated charity instead of love, but the latter more properly answers to the Greek term.
3. The last chapter concluded with the words, “I show you a more excellent way.” Chapter 13 is this more excellent way, the way of love already laid down in Chapter 8:1, concerning the question of meats offered to idols. The chapter division here is unfortunate, as Verse 31 of Chapter 12 actually belongs with Chapter 13.
I. LOVE IS SUPERIOR TO ALL EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS. (VERSES 1-3)
A. IT IS BETTER THAN THE GIFT OF TONGUES. (VERSE 1)
1. The gift of tongues, on which the Corinthians placed so much importance, is mentioned first, because it was the prominent subject of the whole discussion.
2. Paul is here saying that the gift of tongues in its highest conceivable extent without love is nothing. “Though I speak with the tongues of man and of ANGELS…”
a) He is not suggesting, as some think, that “unknown tongues” were actually angelic languages.
b) He is clearly using hyperbole to make his point.
3. Without love, he says, even if he was to speak with the tongue of an angel, he would become, i.e. be reduced to a sounding brass, i.e. a clanging gong; and a tinkling symbol, the least expressive of all musical instruments.
B. IT IS BETTER THAN THE GIFTS OF PROPHECY AND KNOWLEDGE. (VERSE 2a)
1. The gifts of prophecy and knowledge are separate gifts. But, with the gift of prophecy comes the understanding of mysteries. Therefore the meaning is a follows:
a) Even if he were blessed with the gift of prophecy as to understand all of the secret purposes of God, without love, he would be nothing.
b) Even if he were blessed with the gift of knowledge so as to apprehend and explain all revealed truth, without love he would be nothing.
2. Paul intends to say, again by hyperbole, that though he was the recipient of all of the revelations which God ever designed to make, without love he would be nothing.
C. IT IS BETTER THAN THE GIFT OF MIRACLES. (VERSE 2b)
1. “And all faith,” i.e. all degrees of the faith of miracles, even to be able to remove mountains. (See Matt. 21:21)
2. Neither intellectual gifts of attainments, nor power, without love, are of any real value.
D. WITHOUT IT, ALL OUTWARD WORKS OF CHARITY ARE WORTHLESS. (VERSE 3)
1. No gift, no sacrifice, not even of life itself, avails anything, unless it is motivated by love.
2. Love is ever the one motive which God requires, whatever the gift or method or service, if it is not motivated by love; it is done to no profit.
II. LOVE HAS THIS SUPERIORITY BECAUSE OF ITS INHERENT EXCELLENCE, AND BECAUSE OF ITS PERPETUITY. (VERSES 4-8)
A. AS TO ITS SUPERIOR EXCELLENCE, IT IMPLIES OR SECURES ALL OTHER EXCELLENCE. (VERSES 4-7)
1. It includes all the forms of kindness.
2. This chapter is not merely a methodical dissertation on Christian love. Rather, and as is common with most New Testament instructions, this grace is set forth by way of contrast. In this case, Christian love is contrasted with the extraordinary gifts which the Corinthians inordinately valued. Those traits of love are therefore adduced which stood opposed to the attitude which they exhibited in the use of their gifts.
a) They were impatient, discontented, envious, inflated, selfish, indecorous, unmindful of the feelings of others, suspicious, resentful, and censorious.
b) The Apostle personifies love, and places her before them and enumerates her graces, not in logical order, but as they occurred to him in contrast to the deformities of character which they exhibited.
3. Thus, he says,
a) Love suffereth long. It is slow to be roused to resentment. It patiently bears with provocation, and is not quick to assert its right.
b) It is kind. It is disposed to return good for evil. The root verb means useful. Therefore, the sense is disposed to be useful, or to do good.
c) It envieth not. This is in stark contrast to the spirit of jealousy that was so prevalent among the Corinthians.
d) It vaunteth not itself. It does not seek to gain the admiration and applause of others.
e) It is not puffed up. It is not conceited. Love is modest and humble.
f) It doth not behave itself unseemly. It does nothing of which one ought to be ashamed. Its whole deportment is decorous and becoming.
g) It seeketh not her own. (Phil. 2:3, 4)
h) It is not easily provoked. It is not quick tempered.
i) It thinketh no evil.
(1) It does not plan or devise evil;
(2) nor, does it impute evil, i.e. attribute evil motives to others; is not suspicious;
(3) nor, does it plot revenge. (I Thess. 5:15)
j) It rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. Truth is often used antithetically to unrighteousness, as it is here. The word rendered iniquity is usually translated unrighteousness. This is not to limit it to injustice, for here it includes all forms of moral evil. (See John 3:21; I John 1:6)
k) It beareth all things. This may mean bears in silence all annoyances; or it may mean covers up all things. (Prov. 10:12) The Greek word may mean either.
l) It believeth all things. It is not suspicious, but readily credits what men say in their own defense.
m) It hopeth all things. It hopes for the best regarding all men.
n) It endureth all things. This word means to sustain the assault of an enemy. It here has the idea of sustaining the assault of suffering persecution, or bearing up under them; enduring the patiently.
B. AS TO ITS PERPETUITY, IT WAS UNLIKE THE EXTRAORDINARY GIFTS WHICH WERE TEMPORARY IN NATURE. (VERSE 8)
1. “Charity (love) never fails.” It endures forever and ever. It is not designed and adapted merely to the present state of existence.
2. This was not true with respect to prophecies. They shall fail, because the gift will cease to be necessary.
3. This was not true regarding tongues. The gift of tongues shall cease, i.e. they shall simply cease of their own from lack of need.
4. This was not true regarding the gift of knowledge. It is not knowledge in the comprehensive sense of the term that is to cease, but knowledge as a gift; as one of the extraordinary endowments mentioned in Chapter 12.
a) Knowledge in the first sense shall hereafter be rendered perfect.
b) But “the word of knowledge” (Ch. 12:8) shall be done away.
III. THE TEMPORAL GIFTS, WHICH COMMUNICATE ONLY IN PART, SHALL CEASE WHEN THAT WHICH IS PERFECT SHALL COME. (VERSES 9-12)
A. THE COMING OF THAT WHICH IS PERFECT MAY REFER TO OUR FUTURE STATE OF PERFECTION IN HEAVEN. (VERSES 9, 10)
1. Knowledge and prophecy, etc., are partial and imperfect, and therefore suited only to the imperfect state of existence.
2. The revelations imparted by the prophets imparted mere glimpses of the glorious mysteries of God. But in heaven those mysteries shall be disclosed in full light.
B. THE COMING OF THAT WHICH IS PERFECT (COMPLETE), IT WOULD SEEM, MAY ALSO REFER TO THE COMPLETION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
1. There is no need for the church to receive revelation in part, in bits and pieces through extraordinary means, now that we have the Bible to which nothing is to be added, or taken away.
2. Not all of the gifts of the Spirit listed in Chapter 12 have been done away. However, those which pertained to special revelations have all ceased, and that, prior to the time of the church’s perfection, as is quite obvious.
C. HE COMPARES THE TRANSITION FROM THE TEMPORAL TO THE PERMANENT TO THAT OF A CHILD BECOMING A MAN. (VERSE 11)
1. He is not speaking of the temporal spiritual gifts as being childish, but simply a mode of speaking characteristic of children.
2. He was not saying that their present understanding was false. They had truth revealed in part. A child knows what he knows, but he does not know as he shall know.
D. THE FACT OF THEIR INCOMPLETE KNOWLEDGE WHICH CAME THROUGH TEMPORAL MEANS, HE ILLUSTRATES BY THE ANALOGY OF LOOKING THROUGH A DARKENED GLASS. (VERSE 12)
1. We do not see as clearly as we shall. It is as if we are looking through a clouded glass.
2. Paul said, “Now I know in part.” Not even he could claim full knowledge.
3. One day we shall have perfect knowledge, and we shall know even as we are known.
4. We now see the glory of Christ mirrored in the Word, but what is that compared to seeing Him face to face?
IV. THE PERMANENT GRACES ARE FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE, OF WHICH LOVE IS THE GREATEST. (VERSE 13)
A. THESE THREE GIFTS ARE NOT TEMPORARY, BUT RATHER, ABIDE.
B. THE GREATEST OF THESE THREE GIFTS IS LOVE.
1. Since faith is the root of love, how is this so?
2. In considering the various gifts, the ground of preferences has been usefulness.
3. Judged by this rule, greater is love than faith and hope. It is that grace that most benefits others.
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