1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
This chapter is one of the great compositions in the world of literature and a jewel of precious truth for every member in the body of Christ. Love in action is the transcendental topic which far exceeds the glittery gifts and dazzling ministries of the previous chapter. To God, this “ordinary gift” is more important than the “extraordinary gifts.” And wonderfully unlike the “spiritualities” (1Cor 12:1), God has given each and every person this supreme gift of Agape Love. In some of the most poetic pictures of human language, the Apostle solidifies the action of Love as far superior to any other human activity. Tongues, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, self-sacrifice; all these are empty of eternal worth unless they are born and exercised in love. Indeed, as a person focuses on loving others, those talents will find expression on their own. Seeking to live by love is the more excellent way. Every member can do that.
While Love is in one sense a gift (its origin is God), it is also a commandment: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God… and thy neighbour as thyself (Mat 22:37-39). The “Love Chapter” is beneficially studied on its own, but recognize its context – right in the middle of a lengthy dissertation on ministries in the church body – so these verses are particularly important in fulfilling the Second Commandment. Love is the very foundation of Christian service, it must be the reason and goal of living. And no surprise, that is exactly what Christ taught. Love begins in the mind as a rational decision of the will.
The word charity is translated from the Greek word agape throughout this passage. I do not understand the translators’ decision here to abandon the normal word, love in favor of charity. About 100 times in the New Testament, they translated agape as love. Regardless, agape is defined as a sacrificial, reason-based decision to respond in works of goodness and helping others (Luke 6:32-33). Agape acts even if the inner spirit is opposed (Mat 26:41) and even if the object loved doesn’t respond in kind. On the other hand, phileo (brotherly) love is defined as a caring love based on emotions. It is barely motivated by reason, for its feelings of love are natural; it acts easily in kindness because the spirit is unconflicted and because it feels love in return. Agape and its verb form agapao are found in over 200 instances in the New Testament, while phileo in all its forms occurs only about 30 times.
The object of this all-important love is not named in this chapter. It is Love as a way of life; not just an attitude and not just an action, but a conjunction of the two in a single glowing lamp that beautifies the church and songfully calls the seeker of Truth. It may be beneficially compared to the “faith that saves,” for both have an internal, believing aspect accompanied by an external obeying aspect which must unite in one in order to be authentic.
Charismatics use Paul’s reference to speaking with the tongues of angels to bolster their idea that tongues are a “heavenly language.” That is not the point of this verse. The Apostle is giving hypothetical examples of “gifts” that even at their best cannot equal the soaring merits of Agape Love. The list increases to a grand finale: a man so talented in tongues that he can speak the language of the angels, a prophet so gifted that he understands every deep mystery of God, a man so wise he knows all things, a person so flush with faith he is able to remove mountains. Without Love even these abilities have no value in God’s eyes. To the present day, no man has been able to understand all mysteries, nor move mountains with his faith, nor speak the language of angels.
The rich man who gives every one of his possessions to the poor would gain no spiritual profit if he is not acting out of love, nor would the man who gives the ultimate sacrifice, his own life. These are hypothetical situations along with the previous ones, for who would give all his possessions without being moved to do so out of love? Who would give his life for another without being motivated by love? The answers are in Matthew 19:22 and John 15:13. To appreciate the inference, read again the definition of agape love.
Even the greatest talents of Man are like useless noise if they attuned to the will and purpose of God. A sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal might fall kindly upon the ear, but they are entirely useless to the mind. They are like wind chimes repeating the same tones in random order.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Here are the marks of the agape man exercising his most excellent gift in the church. Seeking to develop these qualities are of more eternal value than any talent or supernatural “manifestation” of the Holy Spirit. That is the message of the Apostle in this chapter, for many in Corinth were caught up in carnal pursuits and fake worship. Above all things, the apostle Peter wrote, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins (1Pet 4:8). Can faith save a man who has no works? (James 2:14) No, for faith alone, without works of love, is dead (James 2:17-20). In spite of Calvinistic ideas to the contrary, James and Paul agree that good works will accompany the saints of the Kingdom. In complementary truth, James sees those works as integral with Faith, while Paul sees them built upon the foundation of Love.
The agape Christian is patient, kind, pure in heart, trusting, sober, honest, even-tempered, forgiving, happy, sincere, courageous, etc. The opposite of this man of Love is the man of Self – impatient, cruel, uncaring, critical, cynical, suspicious, hot-tempered, malicious, etc.
Suffereth long. An agape heart is patient and calm in times of drought and storm, waiting always on the Lord for strength and deliverance (Heb 6:15; James 5:7; 2Pet 3:9; Ps 27:14). Perseverance is the final, most difficult pillar of faith (Mat 14:31). The opposite of perseverance is discouragement, doubt and defeat.
And is kind. Kindness is putting others’ needs and desires ahead of one’s own will and wishes (Eph 4:32). The kind person will act in goodness even when others act in malice and slander. The man of Self is mean-hearted and vindictive.
Charity envieth not. An agape Christian is content and satisfied with his role in life. In all joy and humility, he accepts where God has placed him in the body (1Cor 12:18). He genuinely rejoices with those members that have greater roles and talents; he supports them and affirms them (Rom 12:10). The man of Self is envious of others, jealous of their talents and possessions, malicious in flattery and slander.
Charity vaunteth not itself. The agape man is meek, self-reserved and unpretentious. He is happy to allow others to receive any praise or honor for achievements that his efforts helped to achieve. The selfish man, meanwhile, is a bragging person who draws attention to his own wisdom and actions.
Is not puffed up. He is humble and poor in spirit (Mat 5:3), unaffected by both praise and flattery because he is ever aware of his human frailty. The man of Self is proud and over-confident in his own abilities.
Doth not behave itself unseemly. The agape man is sober in mind and body, he is able to bridle his tongue and to keep selfish desires under control (1Cor 9:27). The man of Self is an unstable, rude, double-minded man (James 1:8) who falls frequently into temptation’s snare.
Seeketh not her own. While all of these qualities are difficult to develop in spirit and soul, this one is particularly contrary to human nature. Yet, denying Self for the sake of Christ and others is critical to following Christ (Mat 16:24). The man of Self is just that, a selfish individual.
Is not easily provoked. The agape man is even-tempered. He is able to take criticisms both true and slanderous without making quick, vicious retorts. The man of Self lives on a “short fuse.” He has a “hair-trigger” temper.
Thinketh no evil. The agape man exercises the judgments of his mind honestly, truthfully and righteously (John 7:24). He does not imagine bad motives behind the good deeds of others. Meanwhile, the man of Self will allow himself to be influenced by his own prejudices and/or the evil motives of others.
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in the truth. The agape man is joyful, happy and contented in doing righteous acts. He is saddened and indignant at hearing of unjust, evil actions. He does not let the truth be compromised by falsity (Eph 4:14).
Beareth all things. The agape man will not take an offense to heart and begin to harbor bitterness. He endures insults and malicious acts without retaliation and thoughts of revenge. The man of Self will try to avenge each wrong.
Believeth all things. The agape man believes without wavering in “whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report” (Php 4:8). He does not believe lies (2Thes 2:11), but tries the spirits to see whether they are of God (1John 4:1).
Hopeth all things. I think the best word for the Apostle’s intention here is “trust.” After hearing, analyzing and accepting the Truth, the man of Love must patiently trust therein to receive the fruit of eternal life. The man of Self is distracted by short-term eases and pleasures (Mark 4:19).
Endureth all things. The agape Christian is a man of Courage. He endureth temptation and hardness as a good soldier of Christ (James 1:12; 2Tim 2:3). The man of Self is quickly overcome by tribulations and persecutions (Mat 13:21).
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
There is no power in the world so strong as Love. Solomon wrote, Many waters cannot quench love, it is stronger even than death (Song 8:6-7). Heaven and earth are destined to pass away along with everything in them (Mat 24:35; 2Pet 3:10), but love abides forever. The Greek words of comparison vary a little: “Charity will never at any time fail and become of none effect (ekpipto), but prophecies shall be abolished and come to nought (katargeo), tongues shall fall silent and cease to be (pauo), even knowledge shall be rendered idle and void (katargeo).”
How can this be? Is the Apostle saying that prophecy and knowledge will be completely destroyed at the end of the Age? Verses 9-10 seem to explain that these sin-affected attributes of Creation will be purged by the fires of destruction and remade in perfection (Rom 8:18-23; 2Pet 3:10-13). For in spite of what the intellectuals try to say, we know in part. God has placed limits on Man’s capabilities, which means that in life, knowledge will sometimes fall short and the power of prophecies will sometimes fail – we simply won’t be able to understand. But at the end of the Age, those limits to human knowledge and prophecy will be changed, for when that which is perfect is come, [the imperfect] shall be done away (v10).
If it be true that we can comprehend God only in part, then it is certain that we can only understand His creation in part also. We do not even understand our own bodies very well, much less the vagaries of life, consciousness, soul and spirit. The imperfect and the incomplete will become perfect and complete at the restitution of all things (Acts 3:21), when also this earthly body will be transformed into a perfect, eternal and celestial body (ch 15).
Another way to view these verses is under the figure of comparatives. In value, Love so exceeds prophecy, tongues and knowledge that it is as if they do not exist. Jesus employed this same figure of speech when He said, If any man come to Me, and hate not his father and mother…he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26). Our degree of love for Christ must so exceed our love for family members, that it is as if we hated them.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Presently, we can visualize only the outline of that spiritual reality which we will experience in eternity in fullness. Today we walk by faith, not by sight; that is because God has designed this earthly experience as a test to determine which of His creation is really interested in knowing Him and being partakers of the divine nature (2Pet 1:4). In life, we are as children – knowing only in part, understanding only in part. Someday we will know in full (1John 3:2).
A secondary, temporal application of these verses can be drawn with the members of the church at Corinth. They were old enough to be mature, adult Christians, but they still had not put away their childish things. The Apostle was forced to speak unto them as infants who could not yet eat food (1Cor 3:1-3). They were still playing with self-serving, attention-grabbing displays (1Cor 14:26) instead of maturing into Agape men and women.
Here the benefits of the New Covenant are compared to the blessings of the World to come, but in another epistle, Paul uses the same figure of a mirror to compare the glories of the Old Covenant with those of the New Covenant. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory (2Cor 3:18). The Old Testament only obscurely related those deep things of God which now have been made known to the believer by the Spirit (1Cor 2:10). Yet even in the New Covenant full knowledge is not attainable.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Faith and Love are crucial qualities in every Christian, but where does Hope fit in? The Greek word (elpis) appears just once in this book (1Cor 9:10), although Paul does make frequent use of it elsewhere. Hope, in its Biblical sense, is a strong word which carries the additional ideas of confidence (Heb 3:6; 1Pet 1:3; 1John 3:3), assurance (Php 1:20; Col 1:5; Heb 6:11), faith (Heb 10:23; Rom 8:24; Acts 24:15; Col 1:23; Rom 15:13) and perseverance (Heb 3:6; 6:11; Tit 2:13; 1Thes 1:3). Hope concerns things that have not yet taken place, such as the hope of glory (Col 1:27; Rom 5:2; 1Pet 1:21). It is waiting on God, fully trusting that He will fulfill His promises. Hope is the fortitude to persevere even when all other metrics clamor to just give up. Job’s famous affirmation was uttered in this brand of hope (Job 19:25-27). Hope, then, is actually a facet of evangelical Faith (see note for Mat 14:31).
Love is greater than Faith because it existed before Faith. We might say that Love gave birth to Faith. God, in love, created Man and designed him to be a capable participant in a faith-love relationship. We love Him because He first loved us (1John 4:19). Faith and Love are inseparably inter-laced, and equally essential to winning the crown of eternal life. Although they have different aspects, Faith and Love share this same structure – both begin with an internal conscious decision to love or believe, followed by an external action of loving or doing. Neither Love nor Faith is complete and valid until both steps are made. Confessions of love without works is dead, just as confessions of faith without obedience is void (James 2:19; 1Cor 13:2).
The Agape man is opposed by the Old man. “Put off the Old man with his deeds and put on the Agape man by the renewing of the mind” (Eph 4:22-24). It is a command, an action that we must perform and that will consume our entire life. Sanctification is a process, not an event. It all begins with being born again, and then the mind can be transformed to choose to do the will of God and to sincerely act in Love instead of hypocritically (Rom 12:1-2).
Is there value in doing something good when it is not accompanied with feelings of love for the other person? One might conclude, based on this chapter’s championing of acts of heart-felt goodness, that no, acts of kindness are worthless without feelings of love. Yet that inference is incorrect, for agape love is not based upon feelings but upon Truth. It acts even when it doesn’t want to, when it doesn’t feel like it, when it is extremely difficult. Jesus did not want to die on the cross, but He chose to do so because He loved us. He was motivated by Love based on the Truth. It was not a superfluous feeling of emotion, but a deep knowledge that this action was good and right. Human feelings should never be taken as the only indication of Love. Agape is Truth-based and unconditional; it acts regardless of whether the object loved reacts in love or not. It is so strong that it will persevere regardless of the circumstances and difficulties.
Some say that agape love is “disinterested love,” by which they mean that it is not motivated by any thoughts of personal gain. I’m not sure that is biblically correct. Jesus endured the cross because of what He would gain (Heb 12:2). The apostle Paul served God with his whole being in hope of receiving an eternal reward (2Tim 4:8; 1Cor 15:19).
Faith, hope, love; these three. Authentic, saving faith has five necessary components: hearing, believing, accepting, doing and persevering. In truth, Hope and Love authenticate a person’s Faith. Hope is nothing less than the persevering aspect of Faith, for it waits continually upon the promises of the Lord until the end (Mat 10:22). Agape, meanwhile, is the doing component of Faith, those actions that result from believing and accepting.
The intricacies of faith, hope, love, believing, choosing, and good works are tightly interwoven. We can separate them into components, but upon deeper exploration we suddenly find ourselves in difficult mysteries. They are inter-connected. The field of genetics offers an illustration in the physical realm. When scientists discovered DNA they marvelled at its great complexity, but even greater intricacies appeared as they continued to study. The strands are not only connected like a twisting ladder, but each double helix is cross-linked with other strands. Some have likened it to a 4D reality. We might visualize Faith and Love as those two strands in the double helix, with Hope as the connecting ladder rungs between them. Taking the figure further, we see church members as individual strands of DNA, but intricately and beautifully inter-woven together into the living spiritual body of Christ.