Notes on I Corinthians 13

Bill Woody

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1 Corinthians 13

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Notes on I Corinthians 13

*Summary of Chapter 12-

* In chapter 12 we find the Apostle Paul still dealing with Christians in the church at Corinth that were “puffed up” and full of pride.

* In the previous chapters leading up to chapter 12 Paul dealt with those who were puffed up because of their associations with certain men. This resulted in certain clicks forming in the church. These people were looking down on others and the result was problems and divisions in the church.

* Later, we see Paul dealing with those in the church who were puffed up with knowledge.

* In chapter 13, which we will study today, the Apostle Paul will deal with those in the church who were puffed up because of spiritual gifts.

* In chapter 12, verses 1-14 Paul focuses on the spiritual gifts in the church. Many in the church at Corinth had been become “puffed up” in pride concerning spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit to the church.

* In their pride they had exploited and misused the gifts of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul in chapters 12, 13, and 14 instructs the church in the proper attitude toward the gifts, and the appropriate use of the gifts the Spirit had given the church.

* The false religion situation in Corinth caused some in the church to counterfeit spiritual manifestations, that were not by the Holy Spirit, but by false spirits. This situation is confronted by the apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 12:1–3 (KJV 1900)

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

* The apostle Paul informed the church that the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit are to be regulated by the Word of God and the Spirit.

* Spiritual gifts are divine enablements for ministry that the Holy Spirit gives in some measure to all believers and that are to be completely under His control and used for the building of the church to Christ’s glory. * These special gifts that were given to believers in that day had to be distinguished from the mystical experiences of the false religions that were part of the culture of the city of Corinth. * The practices called “ecstasy” (supernatural, sensuous communion with a spirit) and “enthusiasm” (divination, dreams, revelations, visions) were a common part of the pagan religions of Corinth. Like the practices of women shaving their head in chapter xx, and other practices we saw earlier, these demonic practices had found their way into the church at Corinth and, fueled by “puffed up” pride, were causing problems and divisions in the church.

* Because of this situation we read in chapter 12 verses 1-3:

1 Corinthians 12:1–3 (KJV 1900)

* Not only were the gifts of the Spirit being counterfeited out of pride, but the church had begun elevate certain gifts of the Spirit above other gifts. By making some gifts lesser than others, the church began to look down on those who demonstrated what they deemed lesser gifts, and praise those who demonstrated what they deemed greater gifts. By this harmful divisions were created within the church. * Now all these divisions were the results of people being “puffed up” with pride in the church. Just like what we saw in how they had defiles the practice of the Lord’s supper in chapter 11, and made divisions concerning those who were rich and those who had very little. The Devil’s plan to destroy the Work of God is to conquer the church by dividing it. “Divide and conquer.”

* Jesus recognized this method of Satan when he said “a house divided against its self cannot stand.”

Mark 3:24–25 (KJV 1900)

24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

* Now chapter 12 closed with the Apostle Paul describing the situation the church was in. They were desiring the best gifts of the Spirit, but Paul says as we lead in to chapter 13- Let me show you a better way, a more excellent way!

1 Corinthians 12:29–31 (KJV 1900)

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Introduction: * In the twelfth chapter of this epistle we have a description of the gifts which the risen Christ gave to His Church, and an admonitation to make sure the gifts we use in the church are by the Holy Spirit of God, and not a manifestation of some other demonic spirit.

* In chapter 12 we are instructed by the Apostle Paul in the propter attitude and spirit that the gifts are to exercised with. * Then in chapter fourteen the apostle Paul deals with the proper use and abuse of the gifts of the Spirit. * We are now dealing with the most important part of the apostles teaching about the gifts- the attitude and spirt of how these gifts are to be used.

* The apostle Paul divides chapter 13 into three sections:

1). The unique value of Devine love in exercising the gifts of the Spirit.

(Verses 1-3) 2). The unique character of Devine Love in excersising the gifts of the Spirit. (Verses 4-7) 3). The unique permanence of Devine Love in exercising the Gifts of the Spirit. (Verses 8-13) 1). The unique value of Devine love in exercising the gifts of the Spirit.

(Verses 1-3)

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (KJV 1900)

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.

* Having a Gift by the Holy Spirit without love is a poor thing. A preacher can preach with great clarity and eloquence, but if there is no love in the heart of the preacher for the people he is preaching to, the preacher is just wasting everybody’s time.

* A person may have a talent for music and may be able to sing like the angels of God in heaven, but there is a difference between what we call “gifted” and the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit.

* I have seen in my lifetime people shout and praise during a Gospel music concert, but I knew the people who were singing and knew that they were not even saved. They were just using gospel music to promote their band. This kind of talent may be used in the churches, but it is not the gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit.

* The gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit are under the complete control of the Holy Spirit, and are only to be used to edify the church and glorify God.

* There is a certain attitude and motive that must be present in the heart in order for the Holy Spirit to use the gifts that He has given to the church. An attitude of divine love. Not just any kind of love, but a Holy Spirit given, and a Holy Spirit controlled love from God.

* There are three well-known Greek words for "love": eros, phileo, and agape. * Eros you will recognize at once as the name we are familiar with in Greek mythology, as the god of love, the son of Aphrodite. Eros is the word ordinarily used in classical Greek for love between the sexes, the love of sweethearts, the love of husband for wife and wife for husband. * Phileō is a broader word, generally used for the love of friends. It speaks of a kindly friendly affection, and is also used for the love of parents to children and children to parents, and the love of citizens for the state to which they belong. * Then the other word, agapē, is used for a higher type of love, a love that is all-absorbing, that completely dominates one's whole being. This is the word that we have translated “charity” in I Corinthans 13.

* The word translated in the King James Bible as "charity" is not the thought of the good works, the kindness, that we attach to the word in our present English language.

* The word translated charity is love. Not just any kind of love, but a certain kind of love. Quote from Harry Ironside, former past of Moody church: * The love of this chapter then, this divine love, is not that which is in the heart of the natural man; it is not a love that you can pump up out of your heart if you are not a child of God, because it is not there. * You may have "phileo." Take that poor heathen mother, she loves her child, and she may even love her husband. That unsaved man and woman love their country, they love those that love them in this lower sense, but it is only when one has been born of God that he loves in the high sense represented in this chapter. That is why we read, "Every one that loveth is born of God." If the word phileō had been used there, you might say that every mother who loves her children, every patriot who loves his country is born of God. But that is not true; * this completely unselfish divine love is the portion of only those who are regenerated. This is the word that the Holy Ghost uses when we read, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). It is He, dwelling in the believer, who sheds abroad this love in our hearts. H.A. Ironside Expository Commentary - H. A. Ironside Commentary – 1 Corinthians.

* In verse one Paul says "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Here you see, the warning is against substituting mere talent for love. *A man might preach and be so talented that he could stir his audience to deepest emotion, but there might be nothing there from God, nothing that would reach the needy hearts of men. * To speak with the eloquence of an angel apart from divine love will accomplish nothing.

* In verse two Paul says "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge." You say, "Is it possible to have the gift of prophecy and not have love?" Oh, yes! They said of Saul, and he was not a child of God, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" When associating with prophets, he talked like a prophet; when associating with the world, he talked like a worldling. * In verse three Paul says "Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love I am nothing." * Paul is not speaking of saving faith here, but rather the gift of faith spoken of in chapter twelve. And though it were possible for God to give me faith that would scatter the hills from their places, yet without love I am nothing. How solemn the words of our Lord Jesus, * Jesus said to Nicodemus "Ye must be born again!" It is absolutely impossible for any man to produce this Devine love that is required to use the gifts of the Spirit in himself apart from divine grace. The apostle is not speaking of the mere sentimental love of the human heart.

* We use I Corinthians 13 in wedding ceremonies to illustrate the nature of the love of husband and wife, and I have done this myself in wedding ceremonies, but the most accurate interpretation here is that this is a Devine love that only the Holy Spirit can supply and in this kind of Holy, Devine, love we are to administer the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to the church.

* As we will see in the next chapter, the church at Corinth was guilty of greatly abusing the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in a spirit of “puffed up” spiritual pride and selfishness.

* Paul says in verse three "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing." * " You may say, "But I can't give my goods to feed the poor apart from love; can I?" Oh, yes; I may do all that from a desire to be seen of men. The Pharisees of old did their charily that way, and they sounded trumpets before them so people could see them. "Verily, they have their reward." * There was no love there. It was merely hypocrisy. And then we read, * "Though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing." You may be a religious zealot, you many have a noble cause that you are willing to die for, and yet there may be no real love behind it all. * It took the love of Christ in the soul to enable the Christian martyrs to go to the stake singing for Jesus' sake, it took the love of Christ to cause those devoted believers to go forth to the lions, ready to die with a song of love in their hearts. But it is quite possible to die for an idea, to yield your body to the stake because of some great principle, and yet have no real love in the heart. So we see the uniqueness of love; it stands alone, and is distinct from mere "charity," as we call it.

* The apostle Paul now turns and looks at the nature or character of this Devine love that the gifts of the Sprit are to be administered with.

2). The unique character of Devine Love in exercising the gifts of the Spirit. (Verses 4-7) 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (KJV 1900)

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.

* What is this love of which the apostle Paul is speaking? How can we know it? How can we recognize it when we see it? * The apostle Paul is speaking of the manifestation of Devine love in the soul, a love that is absolutely unselfish.

* The spirit and attitude of love that in which we are to use the gifts of the spirit, is the very same Devine Love that Jesus illustrated when he walked this earth.

* As we examine these verses phrase by phrase, I wish you would think of one blessed Person. If the apostle Paul had tried to give us a pen portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ, he could not have done better than to use the words that we have here. * As you read these verses you can see Jesus moving about in this world on His mission of love. * You could substitute the word "Jesus" for the word "love," or "charity" here. * Let me show you. "Jesus suffereth long, and is kind; Jesus envieth not; Jesus vaunteth not Himself, is not puffed up, doth not behave Himself unseemly, seeketh not His own, is not easily provoked."

* "Jesus thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, "Jesus thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." * This is indeed a character sketch of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only as Christ dwells in me that I be able to administer the gifts of the Holy Spirit. * This picture of unselfish love that Paul has drawn with the pen is a picture of what every Christian should be. Until this description is true of a Christian, he not ready, or fit, to administer the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit.

* Being puffed up with pride, the Corinthian believers were not ready or fit to use the gifts of the Spirit properly, and so Paul is setting them straight on the proper use of the gifts.

* Paul goes on to say "Love suffereth long." It does not become impatient when tried, when wronged, and when it has to face misunderstanding, and when people disapprove. Love moves on just as sweetly and graciously as when people do approve, and "Love suffereth long, and is kind."

* This is the spirit and attitude with which we are to use the gifts that the Spirit has given the churches.

* As we will see in chapter 14, the people of the church of Corinth were being unkind, selfish, and boastful in the way in which they were supposedly administering the gifs of the Spirit.

* Quote from Harry Ironside on kindness:

I remember hearing of an old Scotch preacher in whose congregation were a number of folks who fancied they had attained a spiritual experience far beyond the majority of the members, a state of perfect holiness wherein all inbred sin had been removed from their very being, and because they were so holy they were extremely critical of other people and harsh in their judgments. The old minister was not much of a theologian, and was not able to meet their arguments in regard to the doctrine, but when he heard them censoring others, he would lean over the pulpit and say, "Remember, if you are not very kind, you are not very holy, because holiness and kindness cannot be separated." "Love is kind." Oh, the kindness of God as seen in the Lord Jesus Christ!

* As we will see in chapter 14, the people of the church of Corinth were being unkind, selfish, and boastful in the way in which they were supposedly administering the gifs of the Spirit.

* Paul goes on to say "Love envieth not," or really, "Love is never jealous." Did it ever occur to you that jealousy implies selfishness? * Love delights to see another honored and esteemed. * Of course there is a holy jealousy that the Bible speaks of. The Bible says that the Lord is a jealous God. He us altogether for Himself. But this is a very different thing to a carnal jealousy which makes us unhappy when others are preferred before us. Jesus ever took the lowest place and was content to be despised and rejected.

* Paul says"Love vaunteth not itself." In plain English, love never brags. Love never exalts itself or its ability; it never tries to draw attention to itself. And love "is not puffed up." * There is a scripture that says, "Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth," or buildeth up (1 Cor. 8:1). Some of the people of the church at Corinth thought they knew a great deal more than other people about spiritual things, and so they became conceited and puffed up over it.

* Paul wrote the Corinthian believers to correct behavior and explain to them that Devine love does not puff up, it builds up.

"Doth not behave itself unseemly," or literally, "is never boorish."

-crude insensitive- some synonyms are: clownish, churlish, classless, cloddish, loutish, uncouth

* mean uncouth in manners or appearance. boorish

- Devine Love does not act rude.

- Devine love is gracious. - Devine love is not insensitive to others. - Devine love is mannerly in its behavior. - Devine Love is not stubborn, unwilling to be agreeable - Devine love is not unresponsive to the needs of others.

- Devine love is not churlish or “mean spirited.”

- Devine love is not uncivil.

- Devine love is not lordly, or controlling

- Devine love is not irritated, or bad tempered, or unfriendly.

- Devine love is not surly, threatening, menacing, or gloomy

- Devine love is not condescending

- Devine love is not ungracious.

- Devine love doesn’t act adolescent stupid or ignorant, or clownish.

- Devine love is not Arrogant, complacent, disdainful, egotistic, patronizing, snobbish, snooty, snotty, superior, uppity, curt, disdainful, haughty, high and mighty, insolent, overbearing, proud, scornful, audacious, cold-shoulder, derisive, divisive, disdainful, disrespectful, hard-nosed, high and mighty, insulting, sneering, snippy, or temperamental.

-Devine love is approachable, friendly, humble, polite, respectful, kind, longsuffering.

* Paul says "Love seeketh not her own." * The apostle's word to those quarreling women in Philippi was, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:4). * When divine love controls the heart, it will be others first instead of self first.

"Paul writes “Love is not easily provoked." We read, "Be ye angry and sin not." * A Puritan once said, "I am determined so to be angry as not to sin; therefore to be angry with nothing but sin." Sin may well stir my indignation but, "Love is not easily provoked." * Paul said "Love thinketh no evil." How apt we are to make snap judgments of people. * One says of another, "I think everything she does is done just to draw attention to herself." What business have you to be thinking those things? Love credits people with the best possible motives, and therefore because of that, "Love hopeth all things." Love may see something that on the surface looks questionable, but it waits a moment and says, "Could I put a better construction upon that? How can I give this person the benefit of the doubt?

* we must never be guilty of marring a brother's or a sister's reputation because of something said or done that looks unwise to you and I but if the truth be known, their motives might be innocent." * That is Devine love. And and because of this, this Devine love "Love endureth all things"—it is willing to suffer, that is just the character of love. That is what this Devine love that Paul is talking about here looks like to others.

3). The unique permanence of Devine Love in exercising the Gifts of the Spirit. (Verses 8-13) 1 Corinthians 13:8–13 (KJV 1900)

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. 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. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

* Paul in verses 8-13 tells the Corinthians that everything else may eventually disappear but love abides forever. When we administer the gifts of the Holy Spirit in Devine love, it will last forever."Love never faileth." * We read of prophecy, "Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail." Prophecy will be fulfilled eventually, but love will continue forever. * Paul says that "Whether there be tongues, they shall cease." We do not know exactly when they passed away from the Church, but we have no evidence that there are men today who have the ability to preach in languages never learned, and the apostle uses a very strong word here, "Whether there be tongues, they shall cease." It is an altogether different word from the word translated "fail". He knew that the day would come when the gift of tongues would no longer be seen, but love would remain.

* The apostles and those of the apostle’s day did not choose who they would heal, and they did not decide when they would perform a miracle. The Holy Spirit would take control of the apostle and through them perform a work sign from God. * Miracles, healing, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues were temporary sign gifts limited to the apostolic age and have, therefore, ceased. Their purpose was to authenticate the apostles and their message as the true Word of God, until God’s written Word was completed and became self-authenticating. See notes on vv. 9, 10.

* There was never a time before the coming of Christ when healings were common. Only in His lifetime and that of His apostles was there a veritable explosion of healing. This was due to the unique need to accredit the Messiah and to authenticate the first miracles of the gospel. * Jesus and His apostles temporarily banished disease from Palestine, but that was the most monumental era of redemptive history and called for such authentication. To normalize healing would be to normalize the arrival of the Savior. This gift belonged to the sign gifts for that era only. The gifts of healings were never used solely for bringing people physical health.

* Paul was sick but never healed himself or asked another human to heal him. His friend Epaphroditus was near death (Php 2:27), and Paul did not heal him. God intervened. When Timothy was sick, Paul did not heal him, but told him to take some wine (1Ti 5:23). Paul left Trophimus “sick at Miletus” (2Ti 4:20).

* Healings were not the everyday norm in Paul’s ministry, but did occur when he entered a new region, e.g., Malta, where the gospel and its preacher needed authentication (see Ac 28:8, 9). That healing was the first mention of healing since the lame man was healed in Lystra (Ac 14:9) in connection with the arrival of Paul and the gospel there. Prior to that, the nearest healing was by Peter in Ac 9:34, and the resurrection of Tabitha in 9:41, so that people would believe the gospel Peter preached (9:42).

*(See notes on 1Th 5:20–22. tongues …) interpretation. These temporary sign gifts, using the normal words for speaking a foreign language and translating it, like the others (miracles, healings) were for the authentication of the truth and those who preached it. * This true gift was clearly identified in Ac 2:5–12 as languages, which validated the gospel as divine. They were, however, because of their counterfeit in the culture, disproportionately exalted and seriously abused in Corinth. Here, Paul identified them, but throughout chap. 14 he discussed them in detail.

* Paul says "Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." Knowledge, in the sense that we have it now, only a partial thing, will vanish away in the light of the coming of our Lord Jesus and our gathering together unto Him..

* Paul goes on to say "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." And now he uses a little illustration comparing the present with the days of our childhood, our glorious future with the years of maturity. * "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." * I wonder whether that is actually true of every one of us. I am afraid some of us are quite childish still. I know full-grown men and women who profess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, but still have a great many characteristics of children. * Let them have their own way and they are perfectly delightful to get along with, but cross them and they pout like little children. The apostle says, "When I became a man, I put away childish things." In other words, I was through with childish ways.

* Paul goes on to say "For now we see through a glass, darkly." There were no glass windows in those days. They had a crude kind of glass, but it could not be used for windows. Sometimes they used a very thin horn which had been pressed out, and sometimes almost a transparent crystal was used. That may be what was referred to, but in all likelihood it is the brass mirror. * You can see enough in a brass mirror to know whether your hat is on straight, but you cannot see what your complexion is like, and so the apostle says that we are just like folk looking at themselves in a brass mirror. We see nothing as we shall see it by-and-by.

* How many questions there are that even the Bible does not answer. "But then shall I know even as also I am known." The exact tense, I believe, would be, "Even as also I have been known." I will know others and will know all mysteries in that coming day, even as God knows me now and has known me all down through the years.

* "Now abideth faith"—because "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1). "Hope"—because I am living in hope of the coming of the Lord Jesus and our gathering together unto Him. * "Love"— this love that Paul has set forth in I Corinthians chapter 13 is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Devine love. If we are to use the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to the church, they must be used in this manner.

* The church at Corinth was trying to claim the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the attitude in which they used these “so called” gifts of the Sprit revealed that many were exercising gifts that originated by another spirit-

1 Timothy 4:1–2 (KJV 1900)

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

1 John 4:1 (KJV 1900)

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God

2 Corinthians 11:12–15 (KJV 1900)

12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

1 Corinthians 12:7–11 (KJV 1900)

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

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