WilliamBarclay'sDailyStudyBible

1Corinthians13

Verses113
Chapter13
THEHYMNOFLOVE(1Corinthians13:113)
13Imayspeakwiththetonguesofmenandofangels,butifIhave
notlove,Iambecomenobetterthanechoingbrassoraclanging
cymbal.Imayhavethegiftofprophecy,Imayunderstandallsacred
secretsandallknowledge,Imayhavefaithenoughtoremove
mountains,butifIhavenotloveIamnothing.Imaydoleoutallthat
Ihave,ImaysurrendermybodythatImaybeburned,butifIhave
notloveitisnogoodtome.

Loveispatientloveiskindloveknowsnoenvyloveisnobraggart
itisnotinflatedwithitsownimportanceitdoesnotbehave
gracelesslyitdoesnotinsistonitsrightsitneverfliesintoa
temperitdoesnotstoreupthememoryofanywrongithas
receiveditfindsnopleasureinevildoingitrejoiceswiththetruthit
canendureanythingitiscompletelytrustingitneverceasesto
hopeitbearseverythingwithtriumphantfortitude.
Loveneverfails.Whateverpropheciesthereare,theywillvanish
away.Whatevertonguesthereare,theywillcease.Whatever
knowledgewehave,itwillpassaway.Itisonlypartofthetruththat
weknownowandonlypartofthetruththatwecanforthtelltoothers.
Butwhenthatwhichiscompleteshallcome,thatwhichis
incompletewillvanishaway.WhenIwasachildIusedtospeaklike
achildIusedtothinklikeachildIusedtoreasonlikeachild.
WhenIbecameamanIputanendtochildishthings.Nowwesee
onlyreflectionsinamirrorwhichleaveuswithnothingbutriddlesto
solve,butthenweshallseefacetoface.NowIknowinpartbut
thenIwillknowevenasIamknown.Nowfaith,hope,loveremain
thesethreebutthegreatestoftheseislove.
FormanythisisthemostwonderfulchapterinthewholeNewTestament
andwewilldowelltotakemorethanonedaytostudywordswhosefull
meaningnotalifetimeitselfwouldbesufficienttounveil.
Paulbeginsbydeclaringthatamanmaypossessanyspiritualgift,butifit
isunaccompaniedbyloveitisuseless.
(i)Hemayhavethegiftoftongues.Acharacteristicofheathenworship,
especiallytheworshipofDionysusandCybele,wastheclangingof
cymbalsandthebrayingoftrumpets.Eventhecovetedgiftoftongueswas
nobetterthantheuproarofheathenworshipiflovewasabsent.
(ii)Hemayhavethegiftofprophecy.Wehavealreadyseenthatprophecy
correspondsmostcloselytopreaching.Therearetwokindsofpreachers.
Thereisthepreacherwhoseoneaimistosavethesoulsofhispeopleand
whowoosthemwiththeaccentsoflove.Ofnoonewasthatmoretruethan
ofPaulhimself.Myers,inhispoemSt.Paul,drawsthepictureofhim
lookingattheChristlessworld,
"Thenwithathrilltheintolerablecraving

Shiversthroughoutmelikeatrumpetcall
Otosavethesetoperishfortheirsaving
Diefortheirlives,beofferedforthemall."
Ontheotherhandthereisthepreacherwhodangleshishearersovertheflamesofhellandgivesthe
impressionthathewouldrejoiceintheirdamnationasmuchasintheirsalvation.ItistoldthatSirGeorge
AdamSmithonceaskedamemberoftheGreekChurch,whichhassufferedmuchatthehandsofIslam,
whyGodhadcreatedsomanyMohammedans,andreceivedtheanswer,"Tofilluphell."Thepreaching
whichisallthreatandnolovemayterrifybutitwillnotsave.
(iii)Hemayhavethegiftofintellectualknowledge.Thepermanentdangerofintellectualeminenceis
intellectualsnobbery.Themanwhoislearnedrunsthegravedangerofdevelopingthespiritofcontempt.
Onlyaknowledgewhosecolddetachmenthasbeenkindledbythefireoflovecanreallysavemen.
(iv)Hemayhaveapassionatefaith.Therearetimeswhenfaithcanbecruel.Therewasamanwho
visitedhisdoctorandwasinformedthathisheartwastiredandhemustrest.Hetelephonedhis
employer,anotableChristianfigure,withthenews,onlytoreceivetheanswer,"Ihaveaninwardstrength
whichenablesmetocarryon."Thesewerethewordsoffaithbutafaithwhichknewnoloveandwas
thereforeahurtingthing.
(v)Hemaypractisewhatmencallcharityhemaydoleouthisgoodstothepoor.Thereisnothingmore
humiliatingthanthissocalledcharitywithoutlove.Togiveasagrimduty,togivewithacertain
contempt,tostandonone'sownlittleeminenceandthrowscrapsofcharityastoadog,togiveandto
accompanythegivingwithasmugmorallectureoracrushingrebuke,isnotcharityatallitispride,and
prideisalwayscruelforitknowsnolove.
(vi)Hemaygivehisbodytobeburned.PossiblyPaul'sthoughtsaregoingbacktoShadrach,Meshach
andAbednegoandtheburningfieryfurnace(Daniel3:130).Perhapsmorelikely,heisthinkingofa
famousmonumentinAthenscalled"TheIndian'sTomb."ThereanIndianhadburnedhimselfinpublicon
afuneralpyreandhadcausedtobeengravedonthemonumenttheboastfulinscription:"Zarmano
chegas,anIndianfromBargosa,accordingtothetraditionalcustomsoftheIndians,madehimself
immortalandlieshere."Justpossibly,hemayhavebeenthinkingofthekindofChristianwhoactually
courtedpersecution.IfthemotivewhichmakesamangivehislifeforChristisprideandselfdisplay,
thenevenmartyrdombecomesvalueless.Itisnotcynicaltorememberthatmanyadeedwhichlooks
sacrificialhasbeentheproductofprideandnotofdevotion.
Hardlyanypassageinscripturedemandssuchselfexaminationfromthegoodmanasthis.
TheNatureOfChristianLove(1Corinthians13:47)
In1Corinthians13:47PaullistsfifteencharacteristicsofChristianlove.
Loveispatient.TheGreekword(makrothumein,Greek#3114)usedintheNewTestamentalways
describespatiencewithpeopleandnotpatiencewithcircumstances.Chrysostomsaidthatitistheword
usedofthemanwhoiswrongedandwhohasiteasilyinhispowertoavengehimselfandwhoyetwillnot
doit.ItdescribesthemanwhoisslowtoangeranditisusedofGodhimselfinhisrelationshipwithmen.
Inourdealingswithmen,howeverrefractoryandhoweverunkindandhurtingtheyare,wemustexercise
thesamepatienceasGodexerciseswithus.Suchpatienceisnotthesignofweaknessbutthesignof
strengthitisnotdefeatismbutrathertheonlywaytovictory.Fosdickpointsoutthatnoonetreated
LincolnwithmorecontemptthandidStanton.Hecalledhim"alowcunningclown",henicknamedhim
"theoriginalgorilla"andsaidthatDuChailluwasafooltowanderaboutAfricatryingtocaptureagorilla
whenhecouldhavefoundonesoeasilyatSpringfield,Illinois.Lincolnsaidnothing.HemadeStantonhis
warministerbecausehewasthebestmanforthejobandhetreatedhimwitheverycourtesy.Theyears
woreon.Thenightcamewhentheassassin'sbulletmurderedLincolninthetheatre.Inthelittleroomto
whichthePresident'sbodywastakenstoodthatsameStanton,and,lookingdownonLincoln'ssilent
face,hesaidthroughhistears,"Thereliesthegreatestrulerofmentheworldhaseverseen."The
patienceoflovehadconqueredintheend.
Loveiskind.Origenhaditthatthismeansthatloveis"sweettoall."Jeromespokeofwhathecalled"the
benignity"oflove.SomuchChristianityisgoodbutunkind.Therewasnomorereligiousamanthan
PhiliptheSecondofSpain,andyethefoundedtheSpanishInquisitionandthoughthewasservingGod
bymassacringthosewhothoughtdifferentlyfromhim.ThefamousCardinalPoledeclaredthatmurder
andadulterycouldnotcompareinheinousnesswithheresy.Apartaltogetherfromthatpersecutingspirit,
thereisinsomanygoodpeopleanattitudeofcriticism.SomanygoodChurchpeoplewouldhavesided
withtherulersandnotwithJesusiftheyhadhadtodealwiththewomantakeninadultery.
Loveknowsnoenvy.Ithasbeensaidthattherearereallyonlytwoclassesofpeopleinthisworld"those
whoaremillionairesandthosewhowouldliketobe."Therearetwokindsofenvy.Theonecovetsthe
possessionsofotherpeopleandsuchenvyisverydifficulttoavoidbecauseitisaveryhumanthing.
Theotherisworseitgrudgestheveryfactthatothersshouldhavewhatithasnotitdoesnotsomuch
wantthingsforitselfaswishthatothershadnotgotthem.Meannessofsoulcansinknofurtherthan
that.
Loveisnobraggart.Thereisaselfeffacingqualityinlove.Truelovewillalwaysbefarmoreimpressed
withitsownunworthinessthanitsownmerit.InBarrie'sstorySentimentalTommyusedtocomehometo
hismotheraftersomesuccessatschoolandsay,"Mother,amIno'awonder?"Somepeopleconfertheir
lovewiththeideathattheyareconferringafavour.Butthereallovercannotevergetoverthewonderthat
heisloved.Loveiskepthumblebytheconsciousnessthatitcanneverofferitslovedoneagiftwhichis
goodenough.
Loveisnotinflatedwithitsownimportance.Napoleonalwaysadvocatedthesanctityofthehomeandthe
obligationofpublicworshipforothers.Ofhimselfhesaid,"Iamnotamanlikeothermen.Thelawsof
moralitydonotapplytome."Thereallygreatmanneverthinksofhisownimportance.Carey,whobegan
lifeasacobbler,wasoneofthegreatestmissionariesandcertainlyoneofthegreatestlinguiststheworld
haseverseen.HetranslatedatleastpartsoftheBibleintonofewerthanthirtyfourIndianlanguages.
WhenhecametoIndia,hewasregardedwithdislikeandcontempt.Atadinnerpartyasnob,withthe
ideaofhumiliatinghim,saidinatonethateveryonecouldhear,"Isuppose,Mr.Carey,youonceworked

asashoemaker.""No,yourlordship,"answeredCarey,"notashoemaker,onlyacobbler."Hedidnot
evenclaimtomakeshoesonlytomendthem.Noonelikesthe"important"person.Man"dressedina
littlebriefauthority"canbeasorrysight.
Lovedoesnotbehavegracelessly.ItisasignificantfactthatinGreekthewordsforgraceandforcharm
arethesame.ThereisakindofChristianitywhichtakesadelightinbeingbluntandalmostbrutal.There
isstrengthinitbutthereisnowinsomeness.LightfootofDurhamsaidofArthurF.Sim,oneofhis
students,"Lethimgowherehewill,hisfacewillbeasermoninitself."Thereisagraciousnessin
Christianlovewhichneverforgetsthatcourtesyandtactandpolitenessarelovelythings.
Lovedoesnotinsistuponitsrights.Inthelastanalysis,thereareinthisworldonlytwokindsofpeople
thosewhoalwaysinsistupontheirprivilegesandthosewhoalwaysremembertheirresponsibilitiesthose
whoarealwaysthinkingofwhatlifeowesthemandthosewhoneverforgetwhattheyowetolife.Itwould
bethekeytoalmostalltheproblemswhichsurroundustodayifmenwouldthinklessoftheirrightsand
moreoftheirduties.Wheneverwestartthinkingabout"ourplace",wearedriftingawayfromChristian
love.
Loveneverfliesintoatemper.TherealmeaningofthisisthatChristianloveneverbecomesexasperated
withpeople.Exasperationisalwaysasignofdefeat.Whenweloseourtempers,weloseeverything.
Kiplingsaidthatitwasthetestofamanifhecouldkeephisheadwheneveryoneelsewaslosinghisand
blamingitonhim,andifwhenhewashatedhedidnotgivewaytohating.Themanwhoismasterofhis
tempercanbemasterofanything.
Lovedoesnotstoreupthememoryofanywrongithasreceived.Thewordtranslatedstoreup
(logizesthai,Greek#3049)isanaccountant'sword.Itisthewordusedforenteringupaniteminaledger
sothatitwillnotbeforgotten.Thatispreciselywhatsomanypeopledo.Oneofthegreatartsinlifeisto
learnwhattoforget.Awritertellshow"inPolynesia,wherethenativesspendmuchoftheirtimein
fightingandfeasting,itiscustomaryforeachmantokeepsomeremindersofhishatred.Articlesare
suspendedfromtheroofsoftheirhutstokeepalivethememoryoftheirwrongsrealorimaginary."Inthe
samewaymanypeoplenursetheirwrathtokeepitwarmtheybroodovertheirwrongsuntilitis
impossibletoforgetthem.Christianlovehaslearnedthegreatlessonofforgetting.
Lovefindsnopleasureinevildoing.Itmightbebettertotranslatethisthatlovefindsnopleasurein
anythingthatiswrong.Itisnotsomuchdelightindoingthewrongthingthatismeant,asthemalicious
pleasurewhichcomestomostofuswhenwehearsomethingderogatoryaboutsomeoneelse.Itisoneof
thequeertraitsofhumannaturethatveryoftenweprefertohearofthemisfortuneofothersratherthanof
theirgoodfortune.Itismucheasiertoweepwiththemthatweepthantorejoicewiththosewhorejoice.
Christianlovehasnoneofthathumanmalicewhichfindspleasureinillreports.
Loverejoiceswiththetruth.Thatisnotsoeasyasitsounds.Therearetimeswhenwedefinitelydonot
wantthetruthtoprevailandstillmoretimeswhenitisthelastthingwewishtohear.Christianlovehas
nowishtoveilthetruthithasnothingtoconcealandsoisgladwhenthetruthprevails.
Lovecanendureanything.Itisjustpossiblethatthismaymean"lovecancoveranything,"inthesense
thatitwillneverdragintothelightofdaythefaultsandmistakesofothers.Itwouldfarrathersetabout
quietlymendingthingsthanpubliclydisplayingandrebukingthem.Morelikelyitmeansthatlovecanbear
anyinsult,anyinjury,anydisappointment.ItdescribesthekindoflovethatwasintheheartofJesus
himself,
"Thyfoesmighthate,despise,revile,
Thyfriendsunfaithfulprove
Unweariedinforgivenessstill,
Thyheartcouldonlylove."
Loveiscompletelytrusting.Thischaracteristichasatwofoldaspect.(i)InrelationtoGoditmeansthat
lovetakesGodathisword,andcantakeeverypromisewhichbegins"Whosoever"andsay,"That
meansme."(ii)Inrelationtoourfellowmenitmeansthatlovealwaysbelievesthebestaboutother
people.Itisoftentruethatwemakepeoplewhatwebelievethemtobe.Ifweshowthatwedonottrust
people,wemaymakethemuntrustworthy.Ifweshowpeoplethatwetrustthemabsolutely,wemay
makethemtrustworthy.WhenArnoldbecameheadmasterofRugbyheinstitutedacompletelynewway
ofdoingthings.Beforehim,schoolhadbeenaterrorandatyranny.Arnoldcalledtheboystogetherand
toldthemthattherewasgoingtobemuchmorelibertyandmuchlessflogging."Youarefree,"hesaid,
"butyouareresponsibleyouaregentlemen.Iintendtoleaveyoumuchtoyourselves,andputyouupon
yourhonour,becauseIbelievethatifyouareguardedandwatchedandspiedupon,youwillgrowup
knowingonlythefruitsofservilefearandwhenyourlibertyisfinallygivenyou,asitmustbesomeday,
youwillnotknowhowtouseit."Theboysfounditdifficulttobelieve.Whentheywerebroughtbeforehim
theycontinuedtomaketheoldexcusesandtotelltheoldlies."Boys,"hesaid,"ifyousayso,itmustbe
trueIbelieveyourword."TheresultwasthattherecameatimeinRugbywhenboyssaid,"Itisashame
totellArnoldaliehealwaysbelievesyou."Hebelievedinthemandhemadethemwhathebelieved
themtobe.Lovecanennobleeventheignoblebybelievingthebest.
Loveneverceasestohope.Jesusbelievedthatnomanishopeless.AdamClarkwasoneofthegreat
theologiansbutatschoolhewasveryslowtolearn.Onedayadistinguishedvisitorpaidavisittothe
school,andtheteachersingledoutAdamClarkandsaid,"Thatisthestupidestboyintheschool."
Beforehelefttheschool,thevisitorcametotheboyandsaidkindly,"Nevermind,myboy,youmaybea
greatscholarsomeday.Don'tbediscouragedbuttryhard,andkeepontrying."Theteacherwas
hopeless,thevisitorwashopeful,andwhoknows?itmaywellhavebeenthatwordofhopewhichmade
AdamClarkwhatheonedaybecame.
Lovebearseverythingwithtriumphantfortitude.Theverbusedhere(hupomenein,Greek#5278)isoneof
thegreatGreekwords.Itisgenerallytranslatedtobearortoendurebutwhatitreallydescribesisnotthe
spiritwhichcanpassivelybearthings,butthespiritwhich,inbearingthem,canconquerandtransmute
them.Ithasbeendefinedas"amasculineconstancyundertrial."GeorgeMatheson,wholosthissight
andwhowasdisappointedinlove,wroteinoneofhisprayersthathemightacceptGod'swill,"Notwith
dumbresignationbutwithholyjoynotonlywiththeabsenceofmurmurbutwithasongofpraise."Love
canbearthings,notmerelywithpassiveresignation,butwithtriumphantfortitude,becauseitknowsthat

"afather'shandwillnevercausehischildaneedlesstear."
OnethingremainstobesaidwhenwethinkofthequalitiesofthisloveasPaulportraysthemwecan
seethemrealizedinthelifeofJesushimself.
TheSupremacyOfLove(1Corinthians13:813)
In1Corinthians13:813PaulhasthreefinalthingstosayofthisChristianlove.
(i)Hestressesitsabsolutepermanency.Whenallthethingsinwhichmengloryhavepassedawaylove
willstillstand.InoneofthemostwonderfullylyricalversesofscriptureTheSongofSolomon(SS8:7)
sings,"Manywaterscannotquenchlove,neithercanfloodsdrownit."Theoneunconquerablethingis
love.Thatisoneofthegreatreasonsforbelievinginimmortality.Whenloveisenteredinto,therecomes
intolifearelationshipagainstwhichtheassaultsoftimearehelplessandwhichtranscendsdeath.
(ii)Hestressesitsabsolutecompleteness.Asthingsare,whatweseearereflectionsinamirror.That
wouldbeevenmoresuggestivetotheCorinthiansthanitistous.Corinthwasfamousforitsmanufacture
ofmirrors.Butthemodernmirrorasweknowit,withitsperfectreflection,didnotemergeuntilthe
thirteenthcentury.TheCorinthianmirrorwasmadeofhighlypolishedmetaland,evenatitsbest,gave
butanimperfectreflection.Ithasbeensuggestedthatwhatthisphrasemeansisthatweseeasthrough
awindowmadewithhorn.Inthosedayswindowsweresomadeandallthatcouldbeseenthroughthem
wasadimandshadowyoutline.InfacttheRabbishadasayingthatitwasthroughsuchawindowthat
MosessawGod.
InthislifePaulfeelsweseeonlythereflectionsofGodandareleftwithmuchthatismysteryandriddle.
WeseethatreflectioninGod'sworld,fortheworkofanyone'shandstellsussomethingaboutthe
workman,weseeitintheGospelandweseeitinJesusChrist.EvenifinChristwehavetheperfect
revelation,ourseekingmindscangraspitonlyinpart,forthefinitecannevergrasptheinfinite.Our
knowledgeisstillliketheknowledgeofachild.Butthewayoflovewillleadusintheendtoadaywhen
theveilisdrawnasideandweseefacetofaceandknowevenasweareknown.Wecannoteverreach
thatdaywithoutlove,becauseGodisloveandonlyhewholovescanseehim.
(iii)Hestressesitsabsolutesupremacy.Greatasfaithandhopeare,loveisstillgreater.Faithwithoutloveiscold,andhopewithoutloveisgrim.Loveisthefirewhichkindle
sfaithanditisthelightwhich turnshopeintocertainty.
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