Verses 1-3
1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Though,
&c. — The apostle having
observed in the last verse of
the preceding chapter, (with
which this chapter is closely
connected,) that he would show
them a more excellent way, that
is, a way more wise, holy, and
useful, than that of striving to
excel each other in miraculous
gifts, now proceeds to do this,
directing them to pursue the
divine grace of love to God and
man, as of the highest
excellence, and of absolute
necessity. Though I speak with
the tongues of men and angels —
That is, all the languages which
are spoken upon earth, and with
the eloquence of an angel; and
have not charity — αγαπην, love;
namely, the love of God shed
abroad in my heart by the Holy
Ghost given to me, and the love
of all mankind for his sake; I
am become — γεγονα, I am, or
have been, before God; as
sounding brass — No better than
the sounding instruments of
brass used in the worship of
some of the heathen gods; or a
tinkling cymbal — This was made
of two pieces of hollow brass,
which being struck together made
a tinkling, but with very little
variety of sound. Some have
thought that the apostle
mentions the tongues of angels,
because in he patriarchal ages
angels often spake with men. But
as they then spake in the
language of men, their tongues,
thus understood, are the same
with the tongues of men. And
therefore by the tongues of
angels, the apostle doubtless
meant the methods, whatever they
are, by which angels communicate
their thoughts to each other,
and which must be a much more
excellent language than any that
is spoken by men. And though I
have the gift of prophecy — Of
foretelling future events; and
understand all mysteries — Both
of God’s word and providence;
and all knowledge — Of things
human and divine, that ever any
mortal attained to; and have all
faith — The highest degree of
miracle-working faith; so that I
could remove mountains — From
their bases, and transport them
from one part of the earth to
another, and thus change the
whole face of nature with a
word; and have not charity —
αγαπην δε μη εχω, but have not
love, I am nothing — In the
sight of God with respect to
piety: I not only have not true
religion enough, but in reality
I have none at all. And — To go
further; though I bestow — εαν
ψωμιζω, though I distribute
deliberately, piece by piece,
with the greatest prudence and
care; all my goods to feed the
poor: and though I give my body
to be burned — Rather than
renounce my religion, or any
truth or duty of the gospel; and
have not the love, hereafter
described, it profiteth me
nothing — With respect to life
eternal. It neither proves my
title to it, nor prepares me for
the enjoyment of it. Without
love, whatever I speak, whatever
I have, whatever I know,
whatever I do, whatever I
suffer, is nothing.
Verse 4-5
1 Corinthians 13:4-5. Love
suffereth long — Here the
apostle attributes to love the
qualities and actions of a
person, in order to render his
account of that divine grace the
more lively and affecting. The
love of God, and of our
neighbour for God’s sake, is
patient toward all men. It
suffers all the weakness,
ignorance, errors, and
infirmities of the children of
God; and all the malice and
wickedness of the children of
the world; and all this not only
for a time, but to the end; and
in every step toward overcoming
evil with good, it is kind —
Mild, gentle, benign; inspiring
the sufferer at once with the
most amiable sweetness, and the
most fervent and tender
affection. Love envieth not —
The advantages, gifts, or
graces, which others possess,
but rather takes pleasure in
them, and by friendly
participation makes them its
own. Love vaunteth not itself —
Greek, ου περπερευεται, acteth
not rashly, as the expression is
translated by many critics,
following Phavorinus. Indeed, to
render it as our translators do,
is to make it signify the same
thing with the next clause. The
lover of God and mankind does
not hastily condemn any one;
never passes a severe sentence
on a slight or sudden view of
things. Nor does he act or
behave in a violent, headstrong,
or precipitate manner. Is not
puffed up — With pride or
self-conceit on account of any
endowments or qualifications,
mental or corporal, natural or
acquired, civil or religious. On
the contrary, love to God,
whereby we esteem him as the
greatest and best of beings,
desire him as our chief good,
delight in him as our portion
and treasure in time and in
eternity, cannot but humble us
in the dust before him, while we
contrast our various weaknesses,
imperfections, and sins, with
his infinite excellences and
matchless glories, and compare
his superlative goodness with
our great unworthiness. And the
love of our neighbour, naturally
leading us to dwell on his
virtues, and overlook his
defects, must also, though in a
lower degree, produce the same
effect, and cause us to prefer
others to ourselves in a variety
of respects. Doth not behave
itself unseemly — Or indecently,
as ουκ ασχημονει properly
signifies; that is, it is not
rude or willingly offensive to
any one, but renders to all
their dues, suitable to time,
place, person, and all other
circumstances. Seeketh not her
own — Ease, pleasure, honour, or
temporal advantage. Nay,
sometimes the lover of God and
of mankind seeketh not, in some
sense, even his own spiritual
advantage; does not think of
himself, so long as a zeal for
the glory of God and the souls
of men swallows him up. But
though he is all on fire for
these ends, yet he is not
provoked, (the word easily is
not in the original,) to
sharpness or unkindness toward
any one. Outward provocations
indeed will frequently occur,
but he triumphs over them.
Thinketh no evil — The loving
man indeed cannot but see and
hear evil things, and know that
they are so; but he does not
willingly think evil of any,
neither infer evil where none
appears. The love in his heart
prevents his imagining that of
which he has no proof, and casts
out all jealousies, evil
surmises, readiness to believe
evil, and induces him to put the
kindest constructions upon the
actions of others, and on the
principles from whence they
proceed, which the nature of
circumstances will by any means
allow.
Verse 6-7
1 Corinthians 13:6-7. Love
rejoiceth not in iniquity —
Takes no pleasure to see an
adversary fall into an error or
sin, by which his reputation
should be blasted, and his
interest ruined. On the
contrary, the man influenced by
this love, is truly sorry for
either the sin or folly of even
an enemy; takes no pleasure in
hearing or in repeating it, but
desires it may be forgotten for
ever. But rejoiceth in the truth
— Good in general is its glory
and joy, wherever diffused
through the world; while it
brings forth its proper fruit,
holiness of heart and life, with
constancy and perseverance.
Beareth — Or rather covereth all
things, as παντα στεγει ought
undoubtedly to be here rendered:
because the common translation,
beareth all things, is not
different in sense from endureth
all things, in the last clause
of the verse. The lover of
mankind conceals, as far as may
be, the failings and faults of
others; whatever evil he sees,
hears, or knows of any one, he
mentions it to none; it never
goes out of his lips, unless
where absolute duty constrains
to speak. Believeth all things —
Puts the most favourable
construction on every thing, and
is ever ready to believe
whatever may tend to the
advantage of any one’s
character. And when it can no
longer believe well, it hopes
whatever may excuse or extenuate
the fault which cannot be
denied. Where it cannot even
excuse, it hopes God will at
length give repentance unto
life. Meantime it endureth all
things — Whatever the injustice,
malice, or cruelty of men can
inflict. And as it is
long-suffering with regard to
human provocations, so it bears
with patience whatever
afflictions come immediately
from the hand of God,
acquiescing in his will,
trusting in his care, and
rejoicing if its own sufferings
may be a means of consolation
and edification to others. By
this description of love, it
evidently appears to be that
divine grace, which renders men
most like to God, and which is
the best preparation of them for
admission into heaven: the
golden key, (says Milton, in his
Comus,) which opes the palace of
eternity. Nor does it cease to
exist, when it has introduced us
into the eternal kingdom of our
heavenly Father. For,
Verses 8-10
1 Corinthians 13:8-10. Love
never faileth — It accompanies
us to, prepares us for, and
adorns us in eternity; nay, it
is the very felicity of heaven.
In these respects it materially
differs from, and has an
apparent advantage over, many of
those gifts which some are so
ready to emulate and pursue, to
the neglect and injury of this
love. For whether there be
prophecies, they shall fail —
When all things foretold are
accomplished, and God is all in
all. Whether there be tongues,
they shall cease — For one
language shall prevail among all
the inhabitants of heaven, and
all the low and imperfect
languages of earth shall be
forgotten. Whether there be
knowledge — Such as we now
pursue with the greatest
eagerness, the knowledge of the
fleeting, transitory things of
earth, and affairs of men,
conducive as it is to our
present usefulness; it shall
vanish away — As starlight is
lost in that of the mid-day sun,
so our present knowledge in the
light of eternity. For we know
in part, we prophesy in part —
The wisest of men have here but
short, narrow, and imperfect
conceptions, even of the things
round about them, and much more
of the deep things of God. And
even the prophecies which men
deliver from God are far from
taking in the whole of future
events, or of that wisdom and
knowledge of God which is
treasured up in the Scripture
revelation. But when that which
is perfect is come — As in the
heavenly state it shall; then
that which is only in part shall
be done away — Both that poor,
low, imperfect, glimmering
light, which is all the
knowledge we now can attain to,
and these slow and
unsatisfactory methods of
attaining it, as well as of
imparting it to others.
Verse 11-12
1 Corinthians 13:11-12. When I
was a child, &c. — The
difference between our present
and future conceptions of
spiritual things may be
illustrated by the knowledge of
a child compared to that of a
man. For in our present state,
we are mere infants in
knowledge, in comparison of what
we shall be hereafter. I spake
as a child — Would naturally do,
words hardly intelligible, and
often unmeaning; I understood —
Or was affected, as εφρονουν may
be rendered; as a child — That
is, thrown into transports of
joy or grief on trifling
occasions, which manly reason
soon taught me to despise. I
thought — ελογιζομην, I
reasoned; as a child — In a
weak, inconclusive, and
sometimes ridiculous manner. But
when I became a man — My
faculties being ripened; I put
away childish things — Of my own
accord, willingly, without
trouble; and entertained
sentiments, and engaged in
pursuits, correspondent to such
advancements of age and reason.
Such shall be the improvements
of the heavenly state, in
comparison with those which the
most eminent Christians can
attain on earth. For now we see
— Even the things that surround
us; through a glass — The
expression, δι’ εσοπτρου, thus
rendered, Dr. Pearce thinks,
“signifies any of those
transparent substances which the
ancients used in their windows,
such as thin plates of horn,
transparent stone, and the like,
through which they saw the
objects without obscurely. But
others are of opinion that the
word denotes a brazen mirror,
like those of which Moses made
the laver, Exodus 38:8; and that
the apostle’s meaning is, that
we see things as it were by
images reflected from a mirror.
But this does not accord with
seeing things obscurely. Darkly
— εν αινιγματι, literally, in an
enigma, or riddle. A riddle
being a discourse in which one
thing is put for another, which
is in some respects like it, we
are said to see things at
present in a riddle, because in
the revelations of God,
invisible things are represented
by visible, and spiritual things
by natural, and eternal things
by such as are temporal.” But
then — We shall see, not a faint
reflection, or an obscure
resemblance, but the objects
themselves, in a clear and
distinct manner; face to face —
As men see each other, when they
behold each the other’s face.
Now I know in part — Even when
God himself reveals things to
me, a great part of them is
still kept under the veil; but
then shall I know even as also I
am known — In a clear, full,
comprehensive manner; in some
measure like God, who penetrates
the centre of every object, and
sees at one glance through my
soul and all things. It is
justly observed by Dr. Macknight
here, “that the darkness in
which things at present are
involved, is in some respects
necessary; for as in childhood
our knowledge and conception of
things are wisely made
imperfect, that we may the more
easily submit to the exercises
and discipline which are proper
to our childish state; so in the
present life, which in relation
to the whole of our existence
may be called childhood, our
knowledge of invisible things is
appointed to be imperfect, that
we may employ ourselves with
pleasure in the occupations of
the present life. But when the
season of childhood is over, and
the grand scenes of the heavenly
world open upon us, we shall no
more see spiritual things darkly
as in a riddle, but we shall see
them clearly, and shall fully
know even as we ourselves are
fully known of superior beings,
or of our most familiar friends.
In short, we shall leave off all
those imperfect methods of
acquiring knowledge which we
made use of on earth.”
Verse 13
1 Corinthians 13:13. And now —
In the present world; abideth —
In the hearts of holy persons,
and influencing their lives,
even all their tempers, words,
and works; faith, hope, love,
these three — The principal and
radical saving graces, of most
frequent use in the Christian
life, and productive of all the
others. 1st, Faith, whereby we
receive as infallibly true, and
infinitely important, the
testimony of God, contained in
his word concerning things past,
present, and to come; especially
all the truths of his holy
gospel; whereby being penitent,
and believing on Jesus with our
heart unto righteousness, we are
persuaded of God’s love to us in
Christ, rely on his promises,
and stand in awe of his
threatenings; faith, ελεγχος ου
βλεπομενων, the evidence,
conviction, or persuasion of
things not seen; ελπιζομενων
υποστασις, the confidence,
namely, of receiving, (so the
latter word is rendered Hebrews
3:14,) or the anticipation, of
things hoped for; giving them a
present subsistence, as the word
also signifies, in the heart.
2d, Hope, namely, of eternal
life, Titus 1:2; of an
incorruptible inheritance, 1
Peter 1:3; an exceeding great
and eternal weight of glory, 2
Corinthians 4:17; hope, founded
on our being heirs of these
blessings, in consequence of our
being children of God by
adoption and regeneration, John
1:12-13; Romans 8:17 : hope,
productive of gratitude, joy,
patience, purity, and all good
works: see 1 Peter 1:3; Romans
5:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 John
3:3; 1 Corinthians 15:58. 3d,
Love, namely, to God and man,
described in this chapter. It is
justly observed by Dr. Macknight
here, that “the clause, now
abideth, &c., implies, that the
graces spoken of are not always
to abide; at least the graces of
faith and hope.” For faith, by
which we walk, that is, are
directed and governed, while we
are at home in the body and
absent from the Lord, is (2
Corinthians 5:7) opposed to
sight, by which we shall walk,
when, being present with him, we
shall see him as he is; (Matthew
5:8; 1 John 3:2;) and as it is a
confidence, or persuasion, of
receiving things hoped for, when
those things are actually seen
and received, it must cease of
course. Hope, likewise, that is
seen, as the apostle observes,
or the hope of blessings already
possessed, is not hope:
therefore, when the eternal
life, the heavenly inheritance,
&c., which were the objects of
our hope, (the true and only
Christian hope,) are enjoyed by
us, the hope we entertained of
them can have place in us no
more, its object being attained.
It is, however, far otherwise
with love. The objects of this
grace exist in the greatest
perfection in heaven, and will
exist there to all eternity, in
a degree of fervour and purity
of which we can now form no
adequate idea.
“Thus constant faith and holy
hope shall die, One lost in
certainty, and one in joy:
While thou, more happy power,
fair charity,
Triumphant sister, greatest of
the three,
Thy office and thy nature still
the same,
Lasting thy lamp, and unconsumed
thy flame,
Shalt still survive;
Shalt stand before the host of
heaven confess’d,
For ever blessing, and for ever
blest.” — PRIOR.
The greatest of these,
therefore, is love — The
greatest, because the most
durable, and also for divers
other reasons: as, 1st, Faith
and hope are graces chiefly
suited to our fallen state, and
intended to raise us from our
fall: love was in man in his
state of innocence and
perfection, and was then his
chief excellence, as it now is,
and ever has been, the chief
excellence of angels. 2d, Faith
and hope are only means of
salvation: love is the end to
which these means are intended
to bring us. 3d, Faith and hope
may be termed selfish graces;
particularly the latter is such,
having our own interest in view:
love is generous, disinterested,
noble, and carries us out beyond
ourselves. 4th, Faith and hope
are human: love is divine; it
exists, always has existed, and
ever will exist, in God himself,
in whom the former graces can
have no place, and is in him his
highest glory. |