I CORITHIAS 13 COMMETARY

Written and edited by Glenn Pease

PREFACE

I have collected the thoughts of many authors old and new on this most famouschapter on love. I have collected paraphrases of it, and poems of it that I have put inan appendix series at the end. Sometimes I have just taken a quote, and other timesI have kept an entire article or message. If anyone does not want their wisdomshared in this way they can let me know and I will remove it. My e-mail isglenn_p86@yahoo.com

ITRODUCTIO

1. The good news of this chapter is that it puts all believers on a common level. Theymay have many gifts and a great variety of skills that set them apart, but in the end,all have the one thing that makes them acceptable and approved by God, and that islove. It is not like other gifts that set people apart for being popular, or rich andfamous. Many believers have gifts that lead them to become celebrities both in thechurch and in the world. The great mass of believers do not have any such gift, or atleast not in great enough measure to make them exalted to a high level of fame. otall can hope for or expect such gifts, but all can still achieve what is highest in valueto God, and pleasing God is the highest goal you can achieve in life. It is love thatleads to this level. Love is able to choose all of the ways to fulfill the law of God inloving God and our neighbor as ourselves. All of the virtues in this chapter are hardto achieve in terms of feelings.

I do not always feel like being patient, kind,or non envious. I sometimes feel likeboasting and feel proud. I sometimes am self seeking and easily angered, and dokeep a record of wrongs. My nature is to feel in these negative ways, and so myfeelings are opposed to love. Love, however, is not a matter of feeling. When I amfeeling these negative emotions, that is when I need love to guide my actions andchoices. I can feel impatient, but still choose to be kind and wait my turn ratherthan pridefully force my way to the front. Love is a choice to resist the naturalfeeling to put self first, and to instead put others first. If love was just doing whatyou feel like it would not be a display of the mind and will of Jesus. Love to be

Christlike must be constantly choosing to go against the grain of the emotions, andto choose what is beneficial to others.

2. One of the most important things we need to grasp about love is that it is a choice.Love is not an emotion, but a matter of the will. Love is a choice. Preceptaustinquotes, Agape is a love which impels the one loving to sacrifice himself for thebenefit of the person loved. Gods love must be seen in full bloom in the life of everydisciple of Christ. Agape love is the love of choice, the love of serving with humility,the highest kind of love, the noblest kind of devotion, the love of the will(intentional, a conscious choice) which is not motivated by superficial appearance,emotional attraction, or sentimental relationship. Agape is not based on pleasantemotions or good feelings that might result from a physical attraction or a familialbond. Agape chooses as an act of self-sacrifice to serve the recipient.

"If you will examine I Cor. 13 carefully, you will notice that everything described aslove (which is the meaning of the word charity in some Bible versions) is related notto feelings, but to the other two diminsions of love, namely the behaviors toward thelove object and the giving of respect and acceptance. It is possible, therefore, for thefeeling component to be almost absent and yet for their to be a tremendously deeplove present. It also works the other way around. When a husband says to me, "Idon't feel that I'm in love with my wife anymore," I usually reply, "When last didyou behave toward her as if you loved her?" And then I see something remarkablehappen. As soon as partners start behaving toward each other as if they still were inlove, they begin to report that the feeling of being in love comes back. When theystart being kind, patient, tolerant, unprovoking, and believing in truth, they feel inlove again.

2B. John Wesley, We know, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God," and istherefore true and right concerning all things. But we know, likewise, that there aresome Scriptures which more immediately commend themselves to every man'sconscience. In this rank we may place the passage before us; there are scarce anythat object to it. On the contrary, the generality of men very readily appeal to it.othing is more common than to find even those who deny the authority of the HolyScriptures, yet affirming, "This is my religion; that which is described in thethirteenth chapter of the Corinthians." ay, even a Jew, Dr. unes, a Spanishphysician, then settled at Savannah, in Georgia, used to say with great earnestness,"That Paul of Tarsus was one of the finest writers I have ever read. I wish thethirteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians were wrote in letters of gold.And I wish every Jew were to carry it with him wherever he went." He judged, (andherein he certainly judged right) that this single chapter contained the whole of truereligion. It contains "whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,whatsoever things are lovely: If there be any virtue, if there be any praise," it is allcontained in this.

2C. G. Campbell Morgan, From the standpoint of literature this is one of the mostremarkable passages that ever came from the pen of man.

2D. Alan Redpath said one could get a spiritual suntan from the warmth of thischapter!

3. John MacArthur, Agape love is the greatest virtue of the Christian life. Yet thattype of love was rare in pagan Greek literature. Thats because the traits agapeportraysunselfishness, self-giving, willful devotion, concern for the welfare ofotherswere mostly disdained in ancient Greek culture as signs of weakness.However, the ew Testament declares agape to be the character trait around whichall others revolve. The apostle John writes, God is love, and the one who abides inlove abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:16).

Agape Love is an attitude of selflessness. Biblical agape love is a matter of the willand not a matter of feeling or emotion, though deep feelings and emotions almostalways accompany love. Gods loving the world was not a matter simply of feeling;it resulted in His sending His only Son to redeem the world (Jn 3:16). Love is self-less giving, always self-less and always giving. It is the very nature and substance oflove to deny self and to give to others...We can only have such love when Christ isfree to work His own love through us. We cannot fulfill any of Christs commandswithout Christ Himself, least of all His command to love. We can only love as Christloves when He has free reign in our hearts...When the Spirit empowers our lives andChrist is obeyed as the Lord of our hearts, our sins and weaknesses are dealt withand we find ourselves wanting to serve others, wanting to sacrifice for them andserve thembecause Christs loving nature has truly become our own. Loving is thesupernatural attitude of the Christian, because love is the nature of Christ. When aChristian does not love he has to do so intentionally and with effortjust as he mustdo to hold his breath. To become habitually unloving he must habitually resistChrist as the Lord of his heart. To continue the analogy to breathing, when Christhas his proper place in our hearts, we do not have to be told to lovejust as we donot have to be told to breathe. Eventually it must happen, because loving is asnatural to the spiritual person as breathing is to the natural person. Though it isunnatural for the Christian to be unloving, it is still possible to be disobedient inregard to love. Just as loving is determined by the will and not by circumstances orother people, so is not loving. If a husband fails in his love for his wife, or she forhim, it is never because of the other person, regardless of what the other person mayhave done. You do not fall either into or out of agape love, because it is controlledby the will. Romantic love can be beautiful and meaningful, and we find manyfavorable accounts of it in Scripture. But it is agape love that God commandshusbands and wives to have for each other (Ep 5:25, 28, 33-see notes Ephesians5:25; 28; 33 cf. Titus 2:4-note; etc.)the love that each person controls by his ownact of will. Strained relations between husbands and wives, between fellow workers,between brothers and sisters, or between any others is never a matter ofincompatibility or personality conflict but is always a matter of sin...Loving others isan act of obedience, and not loving them is an act of disobedience.

"The absence of (agape) love is the presence of sin. The absence of love has nothingat all to do with what is happening to us, but everything to do with what ishappening in us. Sin and love are enemies, because sin and God are enemies. Theycannot coexist. Where one is, the other is not. The loveless life is the ungodly life;and the godly life is the serving, caring, tenderhearted, affectionate, selfgiving,selfsacrificing life of Christs love working through the believer

4. F B Meyer wrote the following regarding agape love... Wherever there is truelove, there must be giving, and giving to the point of sacrifice. Love is not satisfiedwith giving trinkets; it must give at the cost of sacrifice: it must give blood, life, all.And it was so with the love of God. "He so loved the world, that He gave his only-begotten Son." "Christ also loved and gave Himself up, an offering and a sacrificeto God." We are to imitate God's love in Christ. The love that gives, that counts nocost too great, and, in sacrificing itself for others, offers all to God, and does all forHis sake. Such was the love of Jesus--sweet to God, as the scent of fields of newmown grass in June; and this must be our model. ot to those who love us, but whohate; not to those who are pleasant and agreeable, but who repel; not because ournatural feelings are excited, but because we will to minister, even to the point of thecross, must our love go out. And every time we thus sacrifice ourselves to anotherfor the sake of the love of God, we enter into some of the meaning of the sacrifice ofCalvary, and there is wafted up to God the odor of a sweet smell.

5. Wuest explains that phileo love is "an unimpassioned love, a friendly love. It is alove that is called out of ones heart as a response to the pleasure one takes in aperson or object. It is based upon an inner community between the person lovingand the person or object loved. That is, both have things in common with oneanother. The one loving finds a reflection of his own nature in the person or thingloved. It is a love of liking, an affection for someone or something that is theoutgoing of ones heart in delight to that which affords pleasure. The Greeks mademuch of friendship, and this word was used by them to designate this form ofmutual attraction."..."We gather, therefore, that agape is a love of devotion (Ednote: and volition), while phile is a love of emotion. There is another distinction wemust be careful to note, and that is that agape is love that has ethical qualities aboutit, obligations, responsibilities, where phile is a non-ethical love, making no ethicaldemands upon the person loving.

In contrasting phileo and agape love, we might say that the former is a love ofpleasure, the latter a love of preciousness; the former a love of delight, the latter alove of esteem; the former a love called out of the heart by the apprehension ofpleasurable qualities in the object loved, the latter a love called out of the heart bythe apprehension of valuable qualities in the object loved; the former takespleasure in, the latter ascribes value to; the former is a love of liking, the latter alove of prizing.

6. Donald W. Burdick gives the following excellent summary of agape love: It isspontaneous. There was nothing of value in the persons loved that called forth suchsacrificial love. God of His own free will set His love on us in spite of our enmity andsin. [Agape] is love that is initiated by the lover because he wills to love, not becauseof the value or lovableness of the person loved. [Agape] is self-giving. and is notinterested in what it can gain, but in what it can give. It is not bent on satisfying thelover, but on helping the one loved whatever the cost. [Agape] is active and is notmere sentiment cherished in the heart. or is it mere words however eloquent. Itdoes involve feeling and may express itself in words, but it is primarily an attitudetoward another that moves the will to act in helping to meet the need of the oneloved. (Burdick, D W: The Letters of John the Apostle (Chicago: Moody, 1985, page351)

7. William Barclay William Barclay William Barclay William Barclay notes that agapeagapeagapeagape indicates an... unconquerable benevolence,invincible goodwill...If we regard a person with agape, it means that no matter whatthat person does to us, no matter how he treats us, no matter if he insults us orinjures us or grieves us, we will never allow any bitterness against him to invade ourhearts, but will regard him with that unconquerable benevolence and goodwillwhich will seek nothing but his highest good."...In the case of our nearest and ourdearest we cannot help loving them; we speak of falling in love; it is somethingwhich comes to us quite unsought; it is something which is born of the emotions ofthe heart. But in the case of our enemies, (agape) love is not only something of theheart; it is also something of the will. It is not something which we cannot help; it issomething which we have to will ourselves into doing (Ed note: enabled by the SpiritWhose "fruit" in yielded believers is "agape love"). It is in fact a victory over thatwhich comes instinctively to the natural man. Agape does not mean a feeling of theheart, which we cannot help, and which comes unbidden and unsought; it means adetermination of the mind, whereby we achieve this unconquerable goodwill even tothose who hurt and injure us. Agape, someone has said, is the power to love thosewhom we do not like and who may not like us. In point of fact we can only haveagape when Jesus Christ enables us to conquer our natural tendency to anger and tobitterness, and to achieve this invincible goodwill to all men.

Agape, is that unconquerable benevolence, that undefeatable good-will, which willnever seek anything but the highest good of others, no matter what they do to us,and no matter how they treat us. That love can come to us only when Christ, Who isthat love, comes to dwell within our hearts..." (Agape) ...will never dream ofrevenge, but will meet all injuries and rebuffs with undefeatable good will. Agape isthat quality of mind and heart which compels a Christian never to feel anybitterness, never to feel any desire for revenge, but always to seek the highest goodof every man no matter what he may be. If a man has agape, no matter what otherpeople do to him or say of him, he will seek nothing but their good. He will never bebitter, never resentful, never vengeful; he will never allow himself to hate; he willnever refuse to forgive. Love, agape, is the virtue of the man who, even if he tried,could not forget what God has done for him nor the love of God to men.

Agape is the word for Christian love. Agape is not passion with its ebb and flow, itsflicker and its flame; nor is it an easy-going and indulgent sentimentalism. And it isnot an easy thing to acquire or a light thing to exercise. Agape is undefeatablegoodwill; it is the attitude towards others which, no matter what they do, will neverfeel bitterness and will always seek their highest good. There is a love which seeks topossess; there is a love which softens and enervates; there is a love which withdrawsa man from the battle; there is a love which shuts its eyes to faults and to wayswhich end in ruin. But Christian love will always seek the highest good of others andwill accept all the difficulties, all the problems and all the toil which search involves.(Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The WestminsterPress)

8. The loss of love is the loss of power in all gifts, for the Holy Spirit will notempower any gift that lacks love. We are like Samson leaping to his feet to fight thePhilistines after his hair was cut. He did not realize that he was powerless, for Godremoved his power for his folly of telling his secret. When we lack love we do thesame thing. We cut our source of power, and so all that we do will be fruitlesswithout the power of love. The believer who has few gifts who is loving will be farmore powerful as a servant of Christ than one with many gifts who lack love.

9. "The greatest, strongest, deepest thing Paul ever wrote" (Harnack).

10. This hymn in praise of love is of importance with regard to the question of StPaul s personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is too often forgotten that Saul ofTarsus was a contemporary of our Lord, and the tendency of historical criticism atthe present time is to place the date of Saul s conversion not very long after theAscension. Furrer and Clemen would argue for this. Saul may not have been inJerusalem at the time of the Crucifixion and Resurrection ; but he would haveabundant means of getting evidence at first hand about both, after the Appearanceon the road to Damascus had made it imperative that he should do so ; and somehave seen evidence of exact knowledge of the life and character of Jesus of azarethin this marvelous analysis of the nature and attributes of Love. We have only, it issaid, to substitute Jesus for Love throughout the chapter, and St Paul s panegyric "becomes a simple and perfect description of the historic Jesus" author unknown

11. Don Krow gives us an understanding of the different kinds of love in the Greeklanguage:

In the ew Testament period there were four major Greek words that were used.Eros - A word that was not actually used in the ew Testament but was alluded to.It meant sexual passion; arousal, its gratification and fulfillment. The Greek word isprobably not used in the ew Testament because the origin of the word came fromthe mythical god Eros, the god of love. It is inferred in many scriptures and is theonly kind of love that God restricts to a one-man, one-woman relationship within

the bounds of marriage (Heb. 13:4; Song 1:13; 4:5-6; 7:7-9; 8:10; 1 Cor. 7:25; Eph.5:31).Storge - Storge is the natural bond between mother and infant, father, children, andkin. William Barclay states, "We cannot help loving our kith and kin; blood isthicker than water" (.T. Words, 1974).Phileo - Phileo love is a love of the affections. It is delighting to be in the presence ofanother, a warm feeling that comes and goes with intensity. The Bible encourages itbut it is never a direct command. God never commands phileo since this type of loveis based on the feelings. God Himself did not phileo the world but rather operated inagape love towards us. I cannot have a warm tender feeling toward an enemy but Ican agape love them.Agape - Agape love is God's kind of love. It is seeking the welfare and betterment ofanother regardless of how we feel. Agape does not have the primary meaning offeelings or affection. Jesus displayed it when he went to the cross and died for youand me regardless of how He felt. In the gospels Jesus prayed, "..Father, if it bepossible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Mt.26:39; Mk. 14:36; Lk. 22:41-43; Jn. 18:11). Jesus sought the betterment of you andme, regardless of His feelings. Matthew 7:12 states it this way, "So whatever youwish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets"(RSV).

12. WHAT IS LOVE? It is the foundation for all that is precious. It is the basis formarriage and family. It is the basis for patriotism and love of country. It is the basisfor salvation in that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for oursalvation. Love is the basis for all relationships that we treasure, including ourrelationship to God.

The Greek language has four words for love. Eros which is physical desire topossess someone or something for pleasure. Storge which refers to the quiet kind ofaffection and appreciation that one has for another's spirit or intellect. It isillustrated by one listening to a musician and saying, "Oh! Don't you just lovehim?" Philia which means brotherly love or friendship. Agape which is the highestform of love, which is giving love, and a love that operates without relation to theworthiness of the one loved.

Though only the the last two words are used in the ew Testament, the other twoare present in experience. All four of them are parts of the total experience of lovein the Christian life, and all four are basic to a happy Christian marriage. Thougheros is on the level of the physical, and is the kind of love which, by itself, is lust,and, therefore, the mother of mulitudes of perversion, it is not to be looked upon asan evil. On the contrary, it is a gift of God, and when kept in balance with God'swill is a great blessing. When we ask the question, what is love? We must be awarethat the answer must include all that love is, and it is physical, mental, and spiritual.This greatest of God's gifts touches the whole man, body, soul, and spirit. TheChristian is one that wants his love experienced on all levels to be in conformity tothe will of God.

Every Christian loves on the level of eros, that is with his body. The essentialelement here is to satisfy desire. This involves sex but is not limitied to that plane.One can also hunger and thirst after righteousness. One can have a desire to possessknowledge and abilities, or even things such as books or records in order to satisfy acraving. This is eros love, and all of the appeals of reward are directed to eros love.It is not evil in itself on the physical or super physical plane even though it is thelove most often used to describe the wicked.

Philia is an obvious part of a Christian life. There must be much appreciation andfriendship in lives controled by the love of Christ. The point of all this is that werecognize that the highest form of love, which is agape, does not take the place of theothers and eliminate them, but it rescues them from the bondage of sin and setsthem free to be what God intended them to be. The agape love given to the believerby Christ lifts eros and philia to a level pleasing in the sight of God. Heb. 13:1-4speaks of both brotherly love and sexual love. "Let brotherly love continue. Be notforgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which sufferadversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honorable and all, andthe bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulters God will judge." ote that wheneros love is dwelt with there is warning against its perversion because perversionwas common then, and eros is always the easiest to pervert.

When we sing love Love Lifted Me, we can keep in mind that love also lifted love inme that I might love God and man as I ought, and thereby fullfil the whole law. Thelove that did this, and does this, is the love of Christ which is agape, and it is thislove that Paul calls the greatest of God's gifts. The Corinthian church was havingproblems on the level of eros and philia. Inmoral and unkind acts were common.In the immediate context Paul is concerned with their unbrotherly attitudesconcerning gifts. There was contention and division over the value and importanceof the various gifts. Instead of setting up a list of the order of their importance, Paulinserts this great poem of love to make it clear that the greatest gift is love, and allthe others are without value without it, but all can be of value with it. Agape thendetermines all the value in the Christian life. What is love? It is the essence of God.It is the essence of Christianity. Rowland Hill wrote, "Cultivate the spirit of love.Love is the diamond amongst the jewels of the believer's breastplate. The othergraces shine like the precious stones of nature, with their own peculiar luster andvarious hues, but the diamond is white. ow, in white all the colors are united, so inlove is centered every other grace and virtue.

13. In this chapter Paul makes it clear that love is the essence of what God wantsman to become in Christ. It is not just one of the ingredients of perfection, but themost essential ingredient of all, for without it all other ingredients are of no value.Take love out of the mixture and all the highest goals of the Christian life fall flat.Look at the place of love in the ew Testament.

"God is love" (I John 4:8, 16). "Love is from God" (I John 4:7). "His love isperfected in us" (I John 4:12). "Perfect love casts out fear" (I John 4:18). "The onewho abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.....He has given us of HisSpirit" (I John 4:16, 13). "The fruit of the Spirit is love....." (Gal. 5:22). "A newcommandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you,that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples,if you have love for one another!" (John 13:34-35). "And this commandment wehave from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also" (I John4:21). "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love thebrethren. He who does not love abides in death" (I John 3:14).

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, andwith all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is likeit: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments dependthe whole Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 22:37-40). "Owe nothing to anyone exceptto love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this,'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shallnot covet,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying,'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; lovetherefore is the fulfillment of the Law" (Rom. 13:8-10).

14. An author who lists his name as Jim only gives us these statistics on love.

There are two Greek words for love used in the ew Testament. Agape/Agapao and Phileo. Here is a break down on Agape/Agapao: Agape (noun) is used 116 times in the ew Testament. Agapao (verb) is used 146 times in the Combined thats 262 uses of Agape/Agapao in the ew Testament.

15. There are a variety of ways to outline this chapter, and below are a few of them.

John Wesley outlines it-1. The Value of Love.2. The Virtues of Love.3. The Victories of Love.

1. THE DAGER OF ITS ABSECE.2. THE DYAMICS OF ITS PRESECE.3. THE DURABILITY OF ITS ESSECE.

1. THE ECESSITY OF LOVE.2. THE ATURE OF LOVE.3. THE OBILITY OF LOVE- IT IS KIG OF ALL THE VIRTUES.

1. THE POWER OF LOVE.2. THE PORTRAIT OF LOVE OR THE PRACTICE OF LOVE.3. THE PERMAECE OF LOVE.

1. THE EXCLUSIO OF LOVE.2. THE EXCELLECE OF LOVE.3. THE ETERITY OF LOVE.

1. THE ABSECE OF LOVE.2. THE ATTRIBUTES OF LOVE.3. THE ABSOLUTEESS OF LOVE.

1. THE DEIAL OF LOVE.2. THE DESIG OF LOVE.3. THE DURATIO OF LOVE.

Love

1. If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels,but have not love, I am only a resounding gong ora clanging cymbal.

1. Barnes, Though I speak with the tongues of men - Though I should be able tospeak all the languages which are spoken by people. To speak foreign languages wasregarded then, as it is now, as a rare and valuable endowment; compare Virgil,Aeneas vi. 625ff. The word I here is used in a popular sense, and the apostledesigns to illustrate, as he often does, his idea by a reference to himself, which, it isevident, he wishes to be understood as applying to those whom he addressed. It isevident that among the Corinthians the power of speaking a foreign language wasregarded as a signally valuable endowment; and there can be no doubt that some ofthe leaders in that church valued themselves especially on it; see 1 Cor. 14. Tocorrect this, and to show them that all this would be vain without love, and to induce

them, therefore, to seek for love as a more valuable endowment, was the design ofthe apostle in this passage. Of this verse Dr. Bloomfield, than whom, perhaps, thereis no living man better qualified to give such an opinion, remarks, that it would bedifficult to find a finer passage than this in the writings of Demosthenes himself.

And of angels - The language of angels; such as they speak. Were I endowed withthe faculty of eloquence and persuasion which we attribute to them; and the powerof speaking to any of the human family with the power which they have. Thelanguage of angels here seems to be used to denote the highest power of usinglanguage, or of the most elevated faculty of eloquence and speech. It is evidentlyderived from the idea that the angels are superior in all respects to human beings;that they must have endowments in advance of all which man can have. It maypossibly have reference to the idea that they must have some mode ofcommunicating their ideas one to another, and that this dialect or mode must be farsuperior to that which is employed by man. Man is imperfect. All his modes ofcommunication are defective. We attribute to the angels the idea of perfection; andthe idea here is, that even though a man had a far higher faculty of speakinglanguages than would be included in the endowment of speaking all the languages ofhuman beings as people speak them, and even had the higher and more perfectmode of utterance which the angels have, and yet were destitute of love, all would benothing. It is possible that Paul may have some allusion here to what he refers to in2Co_12:4, where he says that when he was caught up into paradise, he heardunspeakable words which it was not possible for a man to utter. To this higher,purer language of heaven he may refer here by the language of the angels. It was notwith him mere conjecture of what that language might be; it was language whichhe had been permitted himself to hear. Of that scene he would refain a most deepand tender recollection; and to that language he now refers, by saying that even thatelevated language would be valueless to a creature if there were not love.

And have not charity - ( agapn de m ech . And have notlove. This is the proper and usual meaning of the Greek word. The English wordcharity is used in a great variety of senses; and some of them cannot be included inthe meaning of the word here. It means:

(1) In a general sense, love, benevolence, good-will;

(2) In theology, it includes supreme love to God and universal good-will tomankind;

(3) In a more particular sense, it denotes the love and kindness which springsfrom the natural relations, as the charities of father, son, brother;

(4) Liberality to the poor, to the needy, and to objects of beneficence, as we speakcommonly of charity, meaning almsgiving, and of charitable societies;

(5) Candor liberality in judging of peoples actions indulgence to their opinions;attributing to them good motives and intentions; a disposition to judge of themfavorably, and to put on their words and actions the best construction. This is a verycommon signification of the word in our language now, and this is one modificationof the word love, as all such charity is supposed to proceed from love to ourneighbor, and a desire that he should have a right to his opinions as well as we to

ours. The Greek word agap means properly love, affection, regard, good-will, benevolence. It is applied:

(a) To love in general;

(b) To the love of God and of Christ;

(c) The love which God or Christ exercises toward Christians, Rom_5:5;Eph_2:4; 2Th_3:5;

(d) The effect, or proof of beneficence, favor conferred: Eph_1:15; 2Th_2:10;1Jo_3:1. Robinson, Lexicon.

In the English word charity, therefore, there are now some ideas which are notfound in the Greek word, and especially the idea of almsgiving, and the commonuse of the word among us in the sense of candor or liberality in judging.either of these ideas, perhaps, are to be found in the use of the word in the chapterbefore us; and the more proper translation would have been, in accordance with theusual mode of translation in the ew Testament, love. Tyndale in his translation,renders it by the word love. The love which is referred to in this chapter, andillustrated, is mainly love to man 1Co_13:4-7; though there is no reason to doubtthat the apostle meant also to include in the general term love to God, or love ingeneral. His illustrations, however, are chiefly drawn from the effects of love towardpeople. It properly means love to the whole church, love to the whole world; love toall creatures which arises from true piety, and which centers ultimately in God -Doddridge. It is this love whose importance Paul, in this beautiful chapter,illustrates as being more valuable than the highest possible endowments without it.It is not necessary to suppose that anyone had these endowments, or had the powerof speaking with the tongues of human beings and angels; or had the gift ofprophecy, or had the highest degree of faith who had no love. The apostle supposes acase; and says that if it were so, if all these were possessed without love, they wouldbe comparatively valueless; or that love was a more valuable endowment than allthe others would be without it.

I am become - I am. I shall be.

As sounding brass - Probably a trumpet. The word properly means brass; thenthat which is made of brass; a trumpet, or wind instrument of any kind made ofbrass or copper. The sense is that of a sounding or resounding instrument, making agreat noise, apparently of great importance, and yet without vitality; a mereinstrument; a base metal that merely makes a sound. Thus, noisy, valueless, empty,and without vitality would be the power of speaking all languages without love.

Or a tinkling cymbal - A cymbal giving a clanging, clattering sound. The wordrendered tinkling ( alalazon, from alal or alala, a war-cry) properly denotes a loud cry, or shout, such as is used in battle; and then also aloud cry or mourning, cries of lamentation or grief; the loud shrick of sorrow,Mar_5:38, Them that wept and wailed greatly. It then means a clanging orclattering sound, such as was made on a cymbal. The cymbal is a well-knowninstrument, made of two pieces of brass or other metal, which, being strucktogether, gives a tinkling or clattering sound. Cymbals arc commonly used inconnection with other music. They make a tinkling, or clanging, with very littlevariety of sound. The music is little adapted to produce emotion, or to excite feeling.

There is no melody and no harmony. They were, therefore, well adapted to expressthe idea which the apostle wished to convey. The sense is, If I could speak alllanguages, yet if I had not love, the faculty would be like the clattering. clangingsound of the cymbal, that contributes nothing to the welfare of others. It would allbe hollow, vain, useless. It could neither save me nor others, any more than the notesof the trumpet, or the jingling of the cymbal, would promote salvation. Love is thevital principle; it is that without which all ether endowments are useless and vain.

1B. Biblical Illustrator, This chapter is a noble hymn ; scarce anywhere else does Paul seem so wholly possessed with his subject. The very words themselves have something about them of the grace which they describe. They sound like angelic harmonies. I. See how the apostle tears up by the roots many a sign OF acceptance on which men are accustomed to rely. 1. What a noble thing it is to have the power of speech to move men's souls ! o wonder that men put such a price upon eloquence. However, so long as it is employed in mere worldly interests, whose soul is the better for it? If charity breathe into it and give it life, it is well. But if you substitute fine talking, dressed out with the names of God and Christ, it is not a blessing to you, but a curse. Learn to love, and away with the ready tongue and fluent profession. 2. Even in worldly matters, and, specially, in God's works, knowledge is a great and noble thing, and much more so when conversant with things Divine. But men are led to fancy that this is religion itself. But though your minds were so enlarged that they could contain all mysteries andall knowledge, yet if charity be not there, not only is all this knowledge cold anddead, majestic like some great building, but with no soul in it ; but it profits nothing,it will not bring you on one step to heaven !

It is the aim of religion to lift men out of their natural unregenerate selves, and, sofar as their human nature is capable of such exaltation, to make them more like God: to produce and increase in them some feeble counterpart of that moral goodnesswhich we worship in the perfection of the Divine Being. ow charity is the roadwhich alone brings us on this heavenly journey, and each one of the severalexhibitions of the same blessed spirit, which are detailed for us by St. Paul in thechapter now before us, is one more added to the golden steps that carry theChristian higher and higher towards the throne of God. I said that by the practiceof charity men are made more like God, for, if we take those parts of the descriptionof it which are applicable to the case, we shall find that they are a description not only of what man ought to aspire to be, but of what God Himself is, so far as He reveals Himself in His dealings with men.

1C. Coffman, Tongues of men and of angels ...o affirmation is made here regarding the language of angels. Hodge paraphrasedthis as "all languages, human or divine." That the speech of angels should have beenbrought in here could have derived from Paul's own experience in which he wascaught up into heaven and heard words "unspeakable, unlawful to utter"(2 Corinthians 12:4 ). There is also an assumption here that "angels are superior in

all respects to men." Thus, Paul made his argument more overwhelming with thecontrast between the tongues of angels and the distressing tongues of Corinth.

1D. Language without love makes you a loser.

2. Clarke, Though I speak, etc. - At the conclusion of the preceding chapter theapostle promised to show the Corinthians a more excellent way than that in whichthey were now proceeding. They were so distracted with contentions, divided byparties, and envious of each others gifts, that unity was nearly destroyed. This wasa full proof that love to God and man was wanting; and that without this, theirnumerous gifts and other graces were nothing in the eyes of God; for it was evidentthat they did not love one another, which is a proof that they did not love God; andconsequently, that they had not true religion. Having, by his advices and directions,corrected many abuses, and having shown them how in outward things they shouldwalk so as to please God, he now shows them the spirit, temper, and disposition inwhich this should be done, and without which all the rest must be ineffectual.

Before I proceed to the consideration of the different parts of this chapter, it maybe necessary to examine whether the word be best translated by charity orlove. Wiclif, translating from the Vulgate, has the word charity; and him ourauthorized version follows. But Coverdale, Matthews, Cranmer, and the GenevaBible, have love; which is adopted by recent translators and commentators ingeneral; among whom the chief are Dodd, Pearce, Purver, Wakefield, and Wesley;all these strenuously contend that the word charity, which is now confined toalmsgiving, is utterly improper; and that the word love, alone expresses the apostlessense. As the word charity seems now to express little else than almsgiving, which,performed even to the uttermost of a mans power, is nothing if he lack what theapostle terms , and which we here translate charity; it is best to omit the useof a word in this place which, taken in its ordinary signification, makes the apostlecontradict himself; see 1Co_13:3 : Though I give all my goods to feed the poor, andhave not charity, it profiteth me nothing. That is: Though I have the utmostcharity, and act in every respect according to its dictates, yet, if I have not charity,my utmost charity is unprofitable. Therefore, to shun this contradiction, and theprobable misapplication of the term, Love had better be substituted for Charity!

The word , love, I have already considered at large in the note onMat_22:37; and to that place I beg leave to refer the reader for its derivation andimport. Our English word love we have from the Teutonic leben to live, because loveis the means, dispenser, and preserver of life; and without it life would have nothingdesirable, nor indeed any thing even supportable: or it may be taken immediatelyfrom the Anglo-Saxon lofa and lufa love, from lufan and lufian, to desire, to love, tofavor. It would be ridiculous to look to the Greek verb for its derivation.

Having said so much about the word love, we should say something of the wordcharity, which is supposed to be improper in this place. Charity comes to usimmediately from the French charite, who borrowed it from the Latin charitas,which is probably borrowed from the Greek , signifying grace or favor, or, joy, as a benefit bestowed is a favor that inspires him who receives it with joy;and so far contributes to his happiness. The proper meaning of the word Charus, is

dear, costly; and Charitas, is dearth, scarcity, a high price, or dearness. Hence, as intimes of dearth or scarcity, many, especially the poor, must be in want, and thebenevolent will be excited to relieve them; the term which expressed the cause of thiswant was applied to the disposition which was excited in behalf of the sufferer. ow,as he who relieves a person in distress, and preserves his life by communicating aportion of his property to him, will feel a sort of interest in the person thuspreserved; Hence he is said to be dear to him: i.e. he has cost him something; and hevalues him in proportion to the trouble or expense he has cost him. Thus charityproperly expresses that affectionate attachment we may feel to a person whosewants we have been enabled to relieve; but originally it signified that want of thenecessaries of life which produced dearth or dearness of those necessaries; andbrought the poor man into that state in which he stood so much in need of the activebenevolence of his richer neighbor. If the word be applied to Gods benevolencetowards man, it comes in with all propriety and force: we are dear to God, for wehave not been purchased with silver or gold, but with the precious ( ,costly) blood of Christ, who so loved us as to give his life a ransom for ours.

The tongues of men - All human languages, with all the eloquence of the mostaccomplished orator.

And of angels - i.e. Though a man knew the language of the eternal world so wellthat he could hold conversation with its inhabitants, and find out the secrets of theirkingdom. Or, probably, the apostle refers to a notion that was common among theJews, that there was a language by which angels might be invoked, adjured,collected, and dispersed; and by the means of which many secrets might be foundout, and curious arts and sciences known.

There is much of this kind to be found in their cabalistical books, and in the booksof many called Christians. Cornelius Agrippas occult philosophy abounds in this;and it was the main object of Dr. Dees actions with spirits to get a completevocabulary of this language. See what has been published of his work by Dr.Casaubon; and the remaining manuscript parts in the Sloane library, in the Britishmuseum.

In Bava Bathra, fol. 134, mention is made of a famous rabbin, Jochanan benZaccai, who understood the language of devils, trees, and angels.

Some think that the apostle means only the most splendid eloquence; as wesometimes apply the word angelic to signify any thing sublime, grand, beautiful,etc.; but it is more likely that he speaks here after the manner of his countrymen,who imagined that there was an angelic language which was the key to manymysteries; a language which might be acquired, and which, they say, had beenlearned by several.

Sounding brass - That is, like a trumpet made of brass; foralthough; signifies brass, and aes signifies the same, yet we know the latter isoften employed to signify the trumpet, because generally made of this metal. ThusVirgil, when he represents Misenus endeavoring to fright away the harpies with thesound of his trumpet: -

Ergo, ubi delapsae sonitum per curva dedereLittora, dat signum specula Misenus ab altaAere cavo: invadunt socii, et nova praelia tentant,Obscoenas pelagi ferro faedare volucres.

Aeneid, lib. iii. ver. 238.

Then as the harpies from the hills once morePoured shrieking down, and crowded round the shore,On his high stand Misenus sounds from farThe brazen trump, the signal of the war.With unaccustomed fight, we flew to slayThe forms obscene, dread monsters of the sea.

Pitt.

The metal of which the instrument was made is used again for the instrumentitself, in that fine passage of the same poet, Aeneid, lib. ix. ver. 603, where herepresents the Trojans rushing to battle against the Volsciane: -

At tuba terribilem sonitum procul aere canoroIncrepuit: sequitur clamor, caelumque remugit.

And now the trumpets, terrible from far,With rattling clangour rouse the sleepy war.The soldiers shouts succeed the brazen soundsAnd heaven from pole to pole their noise rebounds.

Dryden.

And again, in his Battle of the Bees, Geor., lib. iv. ver. 70: -

- namque morantesMartius ille aeris rauci canor increpat, et voxAuditur fractos sonitus imitata tubarum.

With shouts the cowards courage they excite,And martial clangours call them out to fight;With hoarse alarms the hollow camp rebounds,That imitate the trumpets angry sounds.

Dryden.

Examples of the same figure might be multiplied; but these are sufficient.

Tinkling cymbal - The cymbal was a concavo-convex plate of brass, the concaveside of which being struck against another plate of the same kind produced atinkling, inharmonious sound. We may understand the apostle thus: Though Ipossessed the knowledge of all languages, and could deliver even the truth of God inthem in the most eloquent manner, and had not a heart full of love to God and man,producing piety and obedience to the One, and benevolence and beneficence to theother, doing unto all as I would wish them to do to me were our situations reversed,my religion is no more to my salvation than the sounds emitted by the brazen

trumpet, or the jingling of the cymbals could contribute intellectual pleasure to theinstruments which produce them; and, in the sight of God, I am of no more moralworth than those sounds are. I have, it is true, a profession; but, destitute of a heartfilled with love to God and man, producing meekness, gentleness, long-suffering,etc., I am without the soul and essence of religion.

I have quoted several passages from heathens of the most cultivated minds inGreece and Rome to illustrate passages of the sacred writers. I shall now quote onefrom an illiterate collier of Paulton, in Somerset; and, as I have named Homer,Horace, Virgil, and others, I will quote Josiah Gregory, whose mind might becompared to a diamond of the first water, whose native splendor broke in variousplaces through its incrustations, but whose brilliancy was not brought out for wantof the hand of the lapidary. Among various energetic sayings of this great,unlettered man, I remember to have heard the following: People of little religionare always noisy; he who has not the love of God and man filling his heart is like anempty wagon coming violently down a hill: it makes a great noise, because there isnothing in it.

2B. Alan Carr, You may be a great speaker, but that is no substitute for love. omatter how great your oratory, how beautiful your speech, how brilliant yourrhetoric, without love you are simply a clanging cymbal. Have you ever been to acymbal solo? I can assure you it is not very exciting. o matter what you say, norhow you say it, nor how accurate it may be, without love it is just noise. Withoutlove, talk truly is cheap. You see, great oratory can move a person's emotions. Greatrhetoric can move a person's mind. A great speech can move a person's will, butonly great love can move a person's heart. Oratory can move one to tears, but onlylove can move one to Jesus.

3. Gill, Though I speak with the tongues of men,.... That is, of all men, all languagesthat men anywhere speak, or have been spoken by them. The number of these is bysome said (i) to be "seventy five"; but the general opinion of the Jews is, that at theconfusion of languages at Babel, they were seventy; for they say (k), that then

"the holy blessed God descended, and "seventy angels" surrounding the throne ofhis glory, and confounded the languages of seventy people, and every nation of theseventy had their own language and writing, and an angel set over each nation;''

whether this may be the reason, why the tongues of angels are mentioned here withthose of men, let it be considered. Mordecai, they say (l), was skilled in all theseseventy languages, so that when he heard Bigthan and Teresh, who were Tarsians,talking together in the Tarsian language, he understood them. The same is said (m)of R. Akiba, R. Joshua, and R. Eliezer; yet, they say (n), that this was one of thequalifications of the sanhedrim, or of such that sat in that great council, that theyshould understand these seventy languages, because they were not to hear causesfrom the mouth of an interpreter. It is affirmed (o) of Mithridates, king of Pontusand Bithynia, that he had "twenty five" nations under his government, and that he

so well understood, and could speak the language of each nation, as to converse withmen of any of them, without an interpreter. Apollonius Tyaneus (p) pretended tounderstand, and speak with the tongues of all men; such a case the apostle supposeshere, whether attained to by learning, industry, and close application, or by anextraordinary gift of the Spirit, which latter seems to be what he intends; and therather he mentions this, and begins with it, because many of the Corinthians weregreatly desirous of it; some that had it not, were dejected on that account; whereforeto comfort them, the apostle suggests, that the grace of love which they werepossessed of, was abundantly preferable to it; and others that had it were lifted upwith it, and used it either for ostentation or gain, or to make parties, and not to theedification of their brethren; which showed want of love, and so were no better thanwhat the apostle hereafter asserts: what he says here and in the following verses, isin an hypothetical way, supposing such a case, and in his own person, that it mightbe the better taken, and envy and ill will be removed: he adds,

and of angels; not that angels have tongues in a proper sense, or speak any vocallanguage, in an audible voice, with articulate sounds; for they are spirits immaterialand incorporeal; though they have an intellectual speech, by which they celebratethe perfections and praises of God, and can discourse with one another, andcommunicate their minds to each other; see Isa_6:3 and which is what the Jews (q)call,

" ", "the speech of the heart"; and is the speech (they say) ,"which the angels speak" in their heart; and is the "pure language", and moreexcellent than other tongues; is pleasant discourse, the secret of the holy seraphim--and is , "the talk of angels"; who do the will of their Creator in theirhearts, and in their thoughts:''

this is not what the apostle refers to; but rather the speech of angels, when they haveassumed human bodies, and have in them spoke with an audible voice, in articulatesounds; of which we have many instances, both in the Old Testament and the ew,wherein they have conversed with divers persons, as Hagar, Abraham, Jacob,Moses, Manoah and his wife, the Virgin Mary, Zechariah, and others; unless by thetongues of angels should be meant the most eloquent speech, and most excellent oflanguages; or if there can be thought to be any tongue that exceeds that of men,which, if angels spoke, they would make use of. Just as the face of angels is used, toexpress the greatest glory and beauty of the face, or countenance, Act_6:15 andangels' bread is used for the most excellent food, Psa_78:25. Dr. Lightfoot thinks,and that not without reason, that the apostle speaks according to the sense andconceptions of the Jews, who attribute speech and language to angels. They tell us(r) that R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, who was contemporary with the apostle, and livedto the destruction of Jerusalem, among other things, he was well versed in,understood , "the speech of demons", and "the speech ofthe ministering angels": and which they take to be the holy tongue, or the Hebrewlanguage; they observe (s), that

"the children of men (by whom I suppose they mean the Israelites) are in threethings like to the ministering angels; they have knowledge as the ministering angels,and they walk in an erect stature as the ministering angels, , "and they speak in the holy tongue, as the ministering angels".''

They pretend that the angels do not understand the Syriac language; hence they (t)advise a man,

"never to ask for what he wants in the Syriac language; for (says R. Jochanan)whoever asks for what he wants in the Syriac language, the ministering angels donot join with him, for they do not know the Syriac language;''

and yet, in the same page, they say that Gabriel came and taught one the seventylanguages: but let the tongues of angels be what they will, and a man be able tospeak with them ever so well,

and have not charity; by which is meant not giving of alms to the poor, for in1Co_13:3 this is supposed in the highest degree it can be performed, and yet a manbe destitute of charity; nor a charitable opinion of men as good men, let theirprinciples and practices be what they will; for this is not true charity, but ratheruncharitableness, and acting the most unkind part to their souls, to consider andcaress them as such, when destruction and ruin are in all their ways; but the graceof love is here meant, even love to God, and love to Christ, and love to the saints,which is a grace implanted in regeneration by the Spirit of God; and which, if aperson is destitute of, as he may, who has never so great a share of learning, orknowledge of the languages, or even the extraordinary gift of speaking with diverstongues; all his learning is but an empty sound, his eloquence, his diversity ofspeech, is but like the man's nightingale, "vox & praeterea nihil", a voice andnothing else; or as the apostle here says, supposing it was his own case,

I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal; or rather, "the loud", or"high sounding cymbal", as in Psa_150:5 which the Septuagint there render by , a phrase of the same signification with this: for not that littletinkling instrument used by the Heathens is here meant; though what is here said ofthe cymbal agrees with that; which made a tinkling noise when shaken, or struckwith anything, or with one against another; and was an hollow vessel of brass, inform of the herb called "navel wort" (u); but rather that musical instrument whichbore this name, used in the Jewish worship under the Old Testament; and which,the Jews (w) say, was an instrument that gave a very great sound; and that thesound of it was heard as far as Jericho (x), which was some miles from Jerusalem;they say (y), that the cymbals were two brazen instruments or pieces of brass, whichthey struck one against another, and so made a sound. The cymbal was also used inthe worship of Heathen deities, and the allusion here in both the things mentioned,is either to the tinkling of brass, and the sounding of cymbals in the worship of idols(z); which were mere empty sounds, and of no avail, as is a man's speaking withdivers tongues, destitute of the grace of love; or to the confused clamours and noises

made upon going to battle, just upon the onset, by drums and cymbals, and , hollow sounding pieces of brass; as appears from Polytenus, Plutarch,Appianus and others (a); to which confused noises the apostle compares the mosteloquent speech without love. The Greeks had a play they used at feasts, I will notsay the allusion is to it here, but leave it to be though of, which they call"Cottabisis"; when, the liquor that was left, they cast into cups of brass, and suchwhose liquor made the greatest sound in the cup, fancied himself to be loved again,by the person he loved (b): sounding brass and tinkling cymbals are inanimatethings, things without life, as all such persons are destitute of spiritual life, who aredevoid of the grace of love; and though they, by an extraordinary gift, and under adivine impulse, speak with divers tongues, they are but like hollow vessels of brass,and sounding cymbals, which only make a noise when they are stricken, and whatthey give is a mere empty sound, which is of no profit to themselves; they cannothear, nor be delighted with it, but are rather hurt, being worn out thereby; nor ofno great advantage to others, unless they give a musical sound, and that onlydelights the ear, but neither feeds nor clothes the body; of such little use and profitare men, speaking with tongues destitute of the grace of love, either to themselves orothers.

4. Henry, Here the apostle shows what more excellent way he meant, or had inview, in the close of the former chapter, namely, charity, or, as it is commonlyelsewhere rendered, love - agap: not what is meant by charity in our common use ofthe word, which most men understand of alms - giving, but love in its fullest andmost extensive meaning, true love to God and man, a benevolent disposition of mindtowards our fellow-christians, growing out of sincere and fervent devotion to God.This living principle of all duty and obedience is the more excellent way of which theapostle speaks, preferable to all gifts. ay, without this the most glorious gifts arenothing, of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. He specifies, 1. Thegift of tongues: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have notcharity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal, 1Co_13:1. Could a manspeak all the languages on earth, and that with the greatest propriety, elegance, andfluency, could he talk like an angel, and yet be without charity, it would be all emptynoise, mere unharmonious and useless sound, that would neither profit nor delight.It is not talking freely, nor finely, nor learnedly, of the things of God, that will saveourselves, or profit others, if we are destitute of holy love. It is the charitable heart,not the voluble tongue, that is acceptable with God. The apostle specifies first thisgift because hereupon the Corinthians seemed chiefly to value themselves anddespise their brethren.

5. Jamison, 1Co_13:1-13. Charity or love superior to all gifts.The ew Testament psalm of love, as the forty-fifth Psalm (see Psa_45:1, title) and

the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament.

tongues from these he ascends to prophecy (1Co_13:2); then, to faith; thento benevolent and self-sacrificing deeds: a climax. He does not except even himself,

and so passes from addressing them (unto you, 1Co_12:31) to putting the case inhis own person, Though I, etc.

speak with the tongues with the eloquence which was so much admired atCorinth (for example, Apollos, Act_18:24; compare 1Co_1:12; 1Co_3:21, 1Co_3:22),and with the command of various languages, which some at Corinth abused topurposes of mere ostentation (1Co_14:2, etc.).

of angels higher than men, and therefore, it is to be supposed, speaking a moreexalted language.

charity the principle of the ordinary and more important gifts of the Spirit, ascontrasted with the extraordinary gifts (1Co_12:1-31).

sounding ... tinkling sound without soul or feeling: such are tongues withoutcharity.

cymbal Two kinds are noticed (Psa_150:5), the loud or clear, and the high-sounding one: hand cymbals and finger cymbals, or castanets. The sound is sharpand piercing.

6. Barclay, Paul begins by declaring that a man may possess any spiritual gift, butif it is unaccompanied by love it is useless.

(i) He may have the gift of tongues. A characteristic of heathen worship, especiallythe worship of Dionysus and Cybele, was the clanging of cymbals and the braying oftrumpets. Even the coveted gift of tongues was no better than the uproar of heathenworship if love was absent.

(ii) He may have the gift of prophecy. We have already seen that prophecycorresponds most closely to preaching. There are two kinds of preachers. There isthe preacher whose one aim is to save the souls of his people and who woos themwith the accents of love. Of no one was that more true than of Paul himself. Myers,in his poem St. Paul, draws the picture of him looking at the Christless world,

"Then with a thrill the intolerable craving Shivers throughout me like a trumpetcall-- O to save these--to perish for their saving-- Die for their lives, be offered forthem all."

On the other hand there is the preacher who dangles his hearers over the flames ofhell and gives the impression that he would rejoice in their damnation as much as intheir salvation. It is told that Sir George Adam Smith once asked a member of theGreek Church, which has suffered much at the hands of Islam, why God hadcreated so many Mohammedans, and received the answer, "To fill up hell." Thepreaching which is all threat and no love may terrify but it will not save.

2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom allmysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faiththat can move mountains, but have not love, I amnothing.

1. o one was more qualified to speak than Paul, for he had many of the gifts, andyet he claims he would be nothing with all his gifts without the love that makes themtools of Gods grace in the world. When love is present people can overlook theabsence of gifts, but when love is absent the other gifts are not enough to satisfy.The rich young ruler had so much going for him, but Jesus said that he lacked onething, and that one thing was love enough to sacrifice his materialistic life style forthe good of others. One thing lacking is enough to spoil the value of dozens of goodqualities. One thing is enough to change all, or to defeat all. Love is only one thing,but it is the one thing that gives value to all other things. One is enough if you haveit, but it is also the fact that many things are not enough without this one thing. RoyLaurin wrote, Skill in knowing what is going to happen in the future is not asdesirable as love in the moments of the present. He says that not to love is not tolive, for it makes all other gifts a sham and pretense.

1B. Barnes, And though I have the gift of prophecy - See the note at 1Co_12:10;note at 1Co_14:1.

And understand all mysteries - On the meaning of the word mystery see note,1Co_2:7. This passage proves that it was one part of the prophetic office, as referredto here, to be able to understand and explain the mysteries of religion; that is, thethings that were before unknown, or unrevealed. It does not refer to the predictionof future events, but to the great and deep truths connected with religion; the thingsthat were unexplained in the old economy, the meaning of types and emblems; andthe obscure portions of the plan of redemption. All these might be plain enough ifthey were revealed; but there were many things connected with religion which Godhad not chosen to reveal to people.

And all knowledge - See the note at 1Co_12:8. Though I knew every thing.Though I were acquainted fully with all the doctrines of religion; and were with allsciences and arts.

And though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains - Thould I shouldhave the highest kind of faith. This is referred to by the Saviour Mat_17:20, as thehighest kind of faith; and Paul here had this fact doubtless in his eye.

I am nothing - All would be of no value. it would not save me. I should still be anunredeemed, unpardoned sinner. I should do good to no one; I should answer noneof the great purposes which God has designed; I should not by all this secure my

salvation. All would be in vain in regard to the great purpose of my existence. oneof these things could be placed before God as a ground of acceptance in the Day ofJudgment. Unless I should have love, I should still be lost. A somewhat similar ideais expressed by the Saviour, in regard to the Day of Judgment, in Mat_7:22-23,Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thyname? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderfulworks? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you depart from me, ye thatwork iniquity.

1C. Biblical Illustrator, All gifts are of little worth if not directed and controlled by love (vers. 1-3) Paul takes the gifis upon which the Corinthians prided themselves, and affirms that all these are useless if love does not regulate their operations. 1. One man noted for his eloquence. But suppose he uses his gift for his own advantage, or to stir up the passions of his audience! 2. Another has vast knowledge, but what is the use of it if he has not love to communicate it, and that in the best way ? It is one of the most dangerous gifts a man can possess.

1D. Tozer wrote, "The tragedy of unlovely orthodoxy, of unbeautiful Christians, iswithout doubt one of the major tragedies of the day." "It is my conviction thatunlovely Christians have done more to turn people away from Christ than all theliberalism in the world."

1E. David Guzik A man with faith can move great mountains; but he will set themdown right in the path of somebody else or right on somebody else - if he doesnthave love!

2. Clarke, And though I have the gift of prophecy - Though I should have receivedfrom God the knowledge of future events, so that I could correctly foretell what iscoming to pass in the world and in the Church: - And understand all mysteries -The meaning of all the types and figures in the Old Testament, and all theunexplored secrets of nature; and all knowledge - every human art and science; andthough I have all faith - such miraculous faith as would enable me even to removemountains; or had such powerful discernment in sacred things that I could solve thegreatest difficulties, see the note on Mat_21:21, and have not charity - this love toGod and man, as the principle and motive of all my conduct, the characteristics ofwhich are given in the following verses; I am nothing - nothing in myself, nothing inthe sight of God, nothing in the Church, and good for nothing to mankind. Balaam,and several others not under the influence of this love of God, prophesied; and wedaily see many men, who are profound scholars, and well skilled in arts andsciences, and yet not only careless about religion but downright infidels! It does notrequire the tongue of the inspired to say that these men, in the sight of God, arenothing; nor can their literary or scientific acquisitions give them a passport toglory.

3. Gill, And though I have the gift of prophecy,.... Either of foretelling futureevents, as Balaam, who foretold many things concerning the Messiah and the people

of Israel, and yet had no true love for either; and Caiaphas, who was high priest theyear Christ suffered, and prophesied of his death, and was himself concerned in it,being a bitter enemy to him; or of explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament,by virtue of an extraordinary gift which some persons had; or of the ordinarypreaching of the word, which is sometimes expressed by prophesying, which giftsome have had, and yet not the grace of God; see Phi_1:15

and understand all mysteries; either the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, themysterious doctrines of the Gospel; such as the trinity of persons in the Godhead,the incarnation of Christ, the unity of the two natures, human and divine, in him,eternal predestination, the doctrines of regeneration, justification, satisfaction, andthe resurrection of the dead; all which a man may have a speculative understandingof, and be without love to God or Christ, or to his people: or else the mystical senseof the types, figures, and shadows of the old law; as the meaning of the passover,brazen serpent, and the rock in the wilderness, the tabernacle, temple, sacrifices,and all things appertaining thereunto. The Jews give us an instance (c) of one whowas no lover of Christ, and lived in the times of the apostle; R. Jochanan ben Zaccai,of whom they boast, and who they say was the least of the disciples of Hillell, and yet

"perfectly understood the Scripture, the Misna, the Gemara, the traditions, theallegorical interpretations, the niceties of the law, and the subtleties of the Scribes,the lighter and weightier matters of the law (or the arguments from the greater tothe lesser, and "vice versa"), the arguments taken from a parity of reason, therevolution of the sun and moon, rules of interpretation by gematry, parables, &c.''

The apostle proceeds,

and all knowledge; of things natural, as Solomon had; of the heavens, and the starsthereof, of the earth and sea, and all things therein, and appertaining thereunto; ofall languages, arts, and sciences; of things divine, as a speculative knowledge of God,and the perfections of his nature, of Christ, his person and offices, of the Gospel,and the doctrines of it:

and though I have all faith; not true, special, saving faith, or that faith in Christ,which has salvation connected with it; for a man cannot have that, and be nothing;such an one shall be certainly saved; and besides, this cannot be without love, andtherefore not to be supposed: but all historical faith, an assent to everything that istrue, to all that is contained in the Scriptures, whether natural, civil, moral, orevangelical; to all that is contained in the law, or in the Gospel; that faith whichbelieves everything: so the Jews (d) say, what is faith? that in which is found , "all faith"; or rather the faith of miracles is meant, both of believing anddoing all sorts of miracles, one of which is mentioned;

so that I could remove mountains; meaning either literally, a power of removingmountains from one place to another, referring to Mat_17:20 so Gregory ofeocaesarea, called "Thaumaturgus", the wonder worker, from the miracles done

by him, is said (e) to remove a mountain, to make more room for building a church;but whether fact, is a question; or this may be understood figuratively, see Rev_8:8for doing things very difficult and wonderful, and almost incredible. The Jews usedto call their learned and profound doctors, such as could solve difficulties, and dowondrous things, by the name of mountains, or removers of mountains; thus (f).

"they called Rab Joseph, "Sinai", because he was very expert in the Talmudicdoctrines, and Rabbah bar achmani, , "a rooter up of mountains";because he was exceeding acute in subtle disputations.''

Says Rabba (g) to his disciples,

"lo, I am ready to return an answer smartly to everyone that shall ask me, as BenAzzai, who expounded in the streets of Tiberias; and there was not in his days sucha , "rooter up of mountains", as he.''

Again (h),

"Ula saw Resh Lekish in the school, as if , "he was rooting up themountains", and grinding them together; says Rabenu, does not everybody see R.Meir in the school, as if he was "rooting up the mountains of mountains", andgrinding them together?''

They (i) elsewhere dispute which is the most honourable to be called, "Sinai" or aremover of mountains;

"one says "Sinai" is the more excellent name; another says "the rooter up ofmountains" is the more excellent; Rab Joseph is Sinai, and Rabbah the remover ofmountains;''

the gloss says the former is so called,

"because the Misnic laws and their explications were ordered by him, as if they hadbeen given on Mount Sinai,''

though he was not so acute as Rabbah; and the latter was called the rooter up ofmountains, because

"he was sharp and subtle in the law;''

once more on those words relating to Issachar, Gen_49:15 "and bowed his shoulderto bear", it is observed (k); that

"this intimates that he was wise in wisdom, , "a breaker of the mountains",a shatterer in pieces of the rocks of dissensions and division various ways; as it issaid, Jer_23:29 "is not my word like as a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer

that breaketh the rock in pieces?" So a wise man, by the sharpness of his wit, breaksthe mountains of difficulties, and divides them by the words of his mouth: hencethey used to call the wise men by the names of Sinai, and a rooter of mountains;because they beat and brake the rocks in pieces, the traditions that are difficult anddeep.''

The phrase is also used of removing difficulties in a civil and political sense, as wellas in a theological one (l): but let a man be able to do ever such great things, yet if hehas not "charity", love to God, to Christ and to his people, he is nothing at all; asthe apostle says of himself, supposing it was his own case,

I am nothing; not nothing as a man, nor nothing as a gifted man, still he would be aman, and a man of gifts; nor does the apostle say, that his gifts were nothing, thatthe gift of prophecy was nothing, or the gift of understanding mysteries nothing, orthe gift of knowledge nothing, or the gift of doing miracles nothing, for these are allsomething, and very great things too, and yet a man in whom the grace of love iswanting, is nothing himself with all these; he is nothing in the account of God, of noesteem with him; he is nothing as a believer in Christ, nor nothing as a Christian.This is also a Jewish way of speaking; for they say (m),

"as a bride that is to be adorned with four and twenty ornaments, if she wantsanyone of them, , "she is nothing"; so a disciple of a wise man ought to beused to the twenty four books (of the Scripture), and if he is wanting in one of them, , "he is nothing".''

4. Jamison, mysteries (Rom_11:25; Rom_16:25). Mysteries refer to the deepcounsels of God hitherto secret, but now revealed to His saints. Knowledge, to truthslong known.

faith ... remove mountains (Mat_17:20; Mat_21:21). The practical power of thewill elevated by faith [eander]; confidence in God that the miraculous result willsurely follow the exercise of the will at the secret impulse of His Spirit. Withoutlove prophecy, knowledge, and faith, are not what they seem (compare 1Co_8:1,1Co_8:2; Mat_7:22; Jam_2:14; compare 1Co_13:8), and so fail of the heavenlyreward (Mat_6:2). Thus Paul, who teaches justification by faith only (Rom_3:4,Rom_3:5; Gal_2:16; Gal_3:7-14), is shown to agree with James, who teaches(Jam_2:24) by works (that is, by LOVE, which is the spirit of faith, Jam_2:26)a man is justified, and not by faith only.

5. Henry, Prophecy, and the understanding of mysteries, and all knowledge. Thiswithout charity is as nothing, 1Co_13:2. Had a man ever so clear an understandingof the prophecies and types under the old dispensation, ever so accurate aknowledge of the doctrines of Christianity, nay, and this by inspiration, from theinfallible dictates and illumination of the Spirit of God, without charity he would benothing; all this would stand him in no stead. ote, A clear and deep head is of nosignification, without a benevolent and charitable heart. It is not great knowledgethat God sets a value upon, but true and hearty devotion and love. 3. Miraculous

faith, the faith of miracles, or the faith by which persons were enabled to workmiracles: Had I all faith (the utmost degree of this kind of faith), that I could removemountains (or say to them, Go hence into the midst of the sea, and have mycommand obeyed, Mar_11:23), and had no charity, I am nothing. The most wonder-working faith, to which nothing is in a manner impossible, is itself nothing withoutcharity. Moving mountains is a great achievement in the account of men; but onedram of charity is, in God's account, of much greater worth than all the faith of thissort in the world. Those may do many wondrous works in Christ's name whom yethe will disown, and bid depart from him, as workers of iniquity, Mat_7:22,Mat_7:23. Saving faith is ever in conjunction with charity, but the faith of miraclesmay be without it.

5B. Coffman, Although this refers to a miraculous gift, faith is never to be viewedas appearing in various varieties, being of one kind only. In all the word of God,there is no mention of several kinds, or even two kinds of faith. It is always theAMOUT OF FAITH which is determinative. True to that fact, Paul is not herespeaking of some special kind of faith, but of "all faith," meaning the superlativeAMOUT, not some special "kind." o greater misunderstanding exists amongreligious people today than the notion that there is any such thing as "saving faith,"understanding it as a special quality or variety of faith that inevitably procuressalvation.

Paul's words here are a sufficient refutation of the popular heresy regarding "faithalone" or "saving faith." "All faith" cannot mean anything less than faith in itssuperlative degree (degrees of faith being often mentioned ... "little faith ... greatfaith ... etc."); and if certain "kinds of faith" contrary to all Scripture, should besupposed as existing, there would be no way to exclude them from being included inPaul's sweeping words "all faith." Significantly, not even "all faith" can avail anyman of salvation unless his heart is filled with love of man and of God. This obvioustruth has resulted in some of the exegetes placing a false construction upon "love"as Paul used it here, making it to mean "God's love of men," not their love of God.Throughout this chapter it will be observed that it is love of humanity as a reflectionof the love which Christians have for God which is being discussed.

All faith so as to remove mountains...While true enough that removing mountainswas a well-known Jewish metaphor for solving difficult problems (see Matthew17:20; Luke 17:6,; 17:6, especially the comment in my Commentary on Luke, pp ), itis clearly the miraculous manifestation of faith that is meant here. As Wesley said,"This means the highest degree of miracle-working faith."

Judas Iscariot was cited by David Lipscomb as being an example of faith to performmiracles, but with no love of Christ. "Judas had faith to work miracles (Matthew10:1); but he did not possess love, betrayed the Lord, and went to his own place."

The miraculous gift of prophecy belonged to Balaam, but his having love neither ofGod or Israel caused his ruin. Caiaphas as God's high priest uttered prophecy; buthis loveless heart made him an enemy of God.

6. Barclay, (iii) He may have the gift of intellectual knowledge. The permanentdanger of intellectual eminence is intellectual snobbery. The man who is learnedruns the grave danger of developing the spirit of contempt. Only a knowledge whosecold detachment has been kindled by the fire of love can really save men.

(iv) He may have a passionate faith. There are times when faith can be cruel. Therewas a man who visited his doctor and was informed that his heart was tired and hemust rest. He telephoned his employer, a notable Christian figure, with the news,only to receive the answer, "I have an inward strength which enables me to carryon." These were the words of faith but a faith which knew no love and was thereforea hurting thing.

7. We say you are what you eat, or you are what you read, or you are what youthink, but the highest level of this idea is you are what you love.

7B. Quayle, "Life's garden was given to grow love's holy flower." Love is the soil inwhich life is rooted. Out of love comes the flower and fruit of life. Pull love out andthe plant of life will wither and die. Love and life go together and if you lose love youlose life.

7C. The night has a thousand eyes, and the day but one,But the light of the whole world dies with the setting sun!The mind has a thousand eyes and the heart but one, but the light of the whole life dies when love is done.

7D. Jonathan Edwards said, "Love is the life and soul of all religion, without whichall things that wear the name of virtue are empty and vain." He points out also thatthe spirit of love for God and man is one spirit. You do not get love for God andthen another love for man. It is one love. If you truly love God you will love man.

8. John MacArthur What does it mean to "understand all mysteries"? Well, firstlet's define the term "mysteries." This term, which is used over thirty times inScripture, is always used in a technical way to refer to a divine truth revealed in theew Testament. In other words, a mystery in the Bible is "something hidden in thepast which is now revealed." Some of these ew Testament mysteries, for example,are:1) The Mystery of God in Human Flesh (Col. 2:2-3,9; 1 Tim. 3:16)2) The Mystery of Christ in Us (Col. 1:26-27)3) The Mystery of the Church as a Body (Eph. 3:3-6,9)4) The Mystery of Iniquity (2 Thess. 2:7)

There are many things in the ew Testament that are referred to as mysteries--something that was hidden and now is revealed. And we are the ones who knowthese sacred secrets of God. In Matthew 13:11, Jesus called these secrets "mysteries

of the kingdom of heaven." And according to Matthew 11:25, He said that thesethings were "hidden...from the wise and prudent, and...revealed...unto babes."Furthermore, a mystery is a sacred secret that is related to God's redemptive planand His ultimate plan for history.

So, God has certain redemptive truths which He has revealed to us. But there areothers that He hasn't revealed. Let's assume, though, that you knew everyredemptive fact and could perfectly correlate every redemptive truth. Let's alsoassume that you knew every single fact about God's ultimate purpose for time andeternity, and could correlate all of those facts. If you knew all of that and didn'thave love, you would still be nothing.

So, let's say that you knew every secret relative to redemption and God's plan forthe ages, and every single fact in existence in the universe. If you knew all of thatand didn't have love, how would you rate on a scale of one to five? "Well," you say,"I'd be at least a two or a three." o, you'd be zero. You wouldn't even be a one.Why? Because love is important. Of course, you can't know all of those things.That's why Paul uses the Greek word ean with the subjunctive case. It's allhypothetical. But even if you could understand all mysteries and have allknowledge, without love you'd be a zero.

3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrendermy body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gainnothing.

1. Barnes, And though I bestow - The Greek word used here psmis,from psa, to break off) meant properly to break off, and distribute in smallportions; to feed by morsels; and may be applicable here to distributing onesproperty in small portions. Charity or alms to the poor, was usually distributed atones gate Luk_16:20, or in some public place. Of course, if property wasdistributed in this manner, many more would be benefitted than if all were given toone person. There would be many more to be thankful, and to celebrate onespraises. This was regarded as a great virtue; and was often performed in a mostostentatious manner. It was a gratification to wealthy men who desired the praise ofbeing benevolent, that many of the poor flocked daily to their houses to be fed; andagainst this desire of distinction, the Saviour directed some of his severest reproofs;see Mat_6:1-4. To make the case as strong as possible, Paul says that if all that aman had were dealt out in this way, in small portions, so as to benefit as many aspossible, and yet were not attended with true love toward God and toward man, itwould be all false, hollow, hypocritical, and really of no value in regard to his own

salvation. It would profit nothing. It would not be such an act as God wouldapprove; it would be no evidence that the soul would be saved. Though good mightbe done to others, yet where the motive was wrong, it could not meet with thedivine approbation, or be connected with his favor.

And though I give my body to be burned - Evidently as a martyr, or a witness tothe truth of religion. Though I should be willing to lay down my life in the mostpainful manner, and have not charity, it would profit me nothing. Many of theancient prophets were called to suffer martyrdom, though there is no evidence thatany of them were burned to death as martyrs. Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednegowere indeed thrown into a fiery furnace, because they were worshippers of the trueGod; but they were not consumed in the flame, Dan_3:19-26; compare Heb_11:34.Though Christians were early persecuted, yet there is no evidence that they wereburned as martyrs as early as this Epistle was written. ero is the first who isbelieved to have committed this horrible act; and under his reign, and during thepersecution which he excited, Christians were covered with pitch, and set on fire toilluminate his gardens. It is possible that some Christians had been put to death inthis manner when Paul wrote this Epistle; but it is more probable that he refers tothis as the most awful kind of death, rather than as anything which had reallyhappened. Subsequently, however, as all know, this was often done, and thousands,and perhaps tens of thousands, of Christians have been called to evince theirattachment to religion in the flames.

And have not charity - Have no love to God, or to people; have no true piety. If Ido it from any selfish or sinister motive; if I do it from fanaticism, obstinacy, orvain-glory; if I am deceived in regard to my character, and have never been bornagain. It is not necessary to an explanation of this passage to suppose that this everhad been done, for the apostle only puts a supposable case. There is reason,however, to think that it has been done frequently; and that when the desire ofmartyrdom became the popular passion, and was believed to be connected infalliblywith heaven, not a few have been willing to give themselves to the flames who neverknew anything of love to God or true piety. Grotius mentions the instance ofCalanus, and of Peregrinus the philosopher, who did it. Although this was not thecommon mode of martyrdom in the time of Paul, and although it was then perhapsunknown, it is remarkable that he should have referred to that which in subsequenttimes became the common mode of death on account of religion. In his time, andbefore, the common mode was by stoning, by the sword, or by crucifixion.Subsequently, however, all these were laid aside, and burning became the commonway in which martyrs suffered. So it was, extensively, under ero: and so it was,exclusively, under the Inquisition; and so it was in the persecutions in England inthe time of Mary. Paul seems to have been directed to specify this rather thanstoning, the sword, or crucifixion, in order that, in subsequent times, martyrs mightbe led to examine themselves, and to see whether they were actuated by true love toGod in being willing to be consumed in the flames.

It profiteth me nothing - If there is no true piety, there can be no benefit in this tomy soul. It will not save me. If I have no true love to God, I must perish, after all.Love, therefore, is more valuable and precious than all these endowments.othing can supply its place; nothing can be connected with salvation without it.

2. Clarke, And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor - This is a proof thatcharity, in our sense of the word, is not what the apostle means; for surelyalmsgiving can go no farther than to give up all that a man possesses in order torelieve the wants of others. The word , which we translate to feed the poor,signifies to divide into morsels, and put into the mouth; which implies carefulnessand tenderness in applying the bounty thus freely given.

And though I give my body to be burned - Mr. Wakefieldrenders this clause thus:

1. And though I give up my body so as to have cause of boasting: in vindicationof which he, first, refe