1st
Corinthians Chapter 13
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. "Though I
speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have
become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."
We all have our preferences, and so
does God. If we are truly filled with His Holy Spirit through the
agency of Jesus Christ, we will be filled with love. God’s preference
(indeed His very being) is love. Instead, many of our Churches tend to
be filled with people who profess to trust in God, nod to one another on
Sunday, and then go back to whatever they like to do when they are not
in Church. Love is the measure God applies to our lives (His
preference) and this chapter will test the depth of that love – not love
defined by emotion alone; but love measured by our commitment to one
another; measured by God.
Chuck Swindoll, in his book "Come
Before Winter," relates an excellent anecdote about love in IN-action:
A group of seminary students was given an assignment on Luke 10:30-37,
the account of the "Good Samaritan" (where several people ignored an
injured person, and someone FINALLY stopped and helped the injured
man). The assignment was due the next day. Most of the students walked
along the same sidewalk to the class and, the following morning, had to
pass by a disguised faculty member, lying on the grass next to the
sidewalk. He was unrecognizable in old clothes and had ketchup on his
neck and chest. With their assignments "neatly written, carefully
documented and tucked under their arms, not one…so much as paused to
come to his assistance…" Getting to class with their written words
about love, was more important than truly giving love to someone in
need. Why, we might be LATE for something we need to DO!
It has been so hard to prepare for this
study, because I know so little about love. Do I love my children and
my grandchildren? Yes I do. Do I love other people as well? Yes,
them, too. Do I have eloquent things to say about love. Well, I THINK
so, and hope you will agree. But love is not demonstrated in how
eloquently we speak about the subject. It is seen in when I have other
things to do, and here you are, so to speak, lying next to the sidewalk,
in need of someone to help. The question is (for each of us): Do I
put aside my own needs, willingly and even joyfully, (though they may
seem very important), in favor of yours?
I have met some pretty eloquent
people. Several of them have earned fine college degrees, some are
public speakers; and some have even published books. Paul says our
eloquence is not enough. If we have the "Gift of Tongues" it is not
enough. If we somehow can grasp the speech of angels and express
ourselves with words that would melt the hearts of people everywhere, it
would not be sufficient, unless our words and deeds are done in love.
This kind of love is given by God.
God’s love is expressed in action
toward people everywhere, even though the recipients often ignore the
love and want nothing to do with God. He loves, no matter what the risk
or even though the outcome is doubtful. He just LOVES people like you
and like me.
Verse 2. "And though I
have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries and all
knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."
Matthew Henry said "It is not talking
freely, nor finely, nor learnedly, of the things of God, that will save
ourselves or profit others, if we are destitute of holy love." Yes, we
are saved by God’s grace through faith. It is also good to recall that
if our faith is true, we WILL fall in love – with God, and with our
brother.
The Greeks had a number of words for
"love." The word in English can mean just about anything, but the Greek
words were very specific. The word in this chapter is "agapao" which is
divine love. As J. Vernon McGee put it, "It is more than love in the
emotion; it is love in the WILL. It is love that chooses its object.
It is a definition of God, for God is love."
Jesus Christ expressed this kind of
love for us, when He came and gave Himself, that we might live. As it
says in Philippians the 2nd chapter, He "emptied Himself" of
all that He had, all that He was (in eternity), and came here precisely
to die for you and for me – Our substitute. Some people live a lot
better lives than others. We look at someone and say, "What a SAINT
they are," and someone else we call a "MONSTER." The Bible says we "ALL
have sinned and come short of the glory of God." We are not compared to
other people in God’s Judgment, but by the standard of God Himself.
James observed that if we are guilty of one sin, we are guilty of all.
Jesus died the death we should have died; we who utterly have failed in
holiness before a sinless God and Father of all mankind. This utter
abandonment to an honest and true love, is the kind of love He has for
you and even for me.
The phrase "remover of mountains" was
common among the rabbis of the time and was one of their admiring titles
for a great teacher. To be a "mover of mountains" was to be a "great
one of faith in God." Keep in mind that "saving faith" in Scripture
(the kind that leads to love), always means placing our trust in God.
That is, we give up self-reliance and selfishness and open ourselves to
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. This love is greater than we
are; greater than our ability to contain it – It will spill right
through us, into the lives of other people.
Verse 3. "And though I
bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be
burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."
Matthew Henry pointed out that the
"burned" or "burning" in this verse has, down through the centuries not
only referred to allowing oneself to be burned (out of a pretended
faith), but has also sadly taken other ugly turns. He said "How strange
a way of recommending themselves to God are those who hope to do it by
burning others, by murdering, and massacring and tormenting their
fellows, or by any injurious usage of them." People are apt to harm
others when they are merely "different" than we are. If we harm others
– or ourselves - in pretended faith, it does us no good at all.
How strange that we GIVE for wrong
motives; that we endure outward suffering for the wrong reasons, not
doing it out of love at all. Rev. Hurndall, an English theologian of a
century ago, said "Men who give without love, do not give; they INVEST.
It is not a spiritual act; it is a commercial speculation. They invest
and expect a large return. A return of distinction or applause from
others."
I remember Church History classes in
college, where it was pointed out in textbooks that there are statues
all over Italy of men who were terrible in their personal lives –
men with no recognizable love at all, and yet they also became
philanthropists who apparently gave simply so statues would be built in
their honor. The King James version used the word "charity" in place
of "love" here. Charity is good and it CAN represent a high form of
giving – As we noted previously, doing so with no expectation of
anything in return. But without the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus, it too is emptiness. As Solomon put it, it is like "grasping for
the wind."
James points out correctly that true
religion "before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and
widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world"
(James 1:27). Two great world needs are wonderfully stated in James:
1) Helping others in their
need, and 2) achieving
personal holiness. Yet, Paul’s qualification of that position is also
valid – If personal sacrifice and helping others is not done in love, it
is worthless; to God, and to humanity as well. We need changed lives in
this world, where selfless acts from a heart of love are the way of
life, and not an occasional phenomenon.
I’m sorry, Miss Manners (wherever you
are), but we need LOVE in this world, not just some kind of outward
"correctness of behavior."
Verse 4. "Love suffers
long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is
not puffed up;"
J. Vernon McGee quoted Elizabeth
Barrett Browning’s poem "I Loved Once", in which she writes, "They never
loved who dreamed that they loved once," and "Love looks beyond the
bounds of time and space, Love takes eternity in its embrace." Dr.
McGee commented that "Love is deathless. It is never defeated, never
disillusioned, never disappointed. Love that is a PASSION, however,
burns like a straw stack and is soon consumed." He went on "That is the
reason there are so many divorces today; it was not the kind of love
that holds two hearts together. Real Love is eternal. Real Love is
permanent." And it is from God.
A problem with people is that we don’t
like to suffer anything. "Suffering" is generally associated with
losing something: A limb, a job, money, a loved one. Our happiness is
lessened because we placed a portion of our security in something and/or
someone that is now gone. Jesus warned us repeatedly to EXPECT
suffering in this world. The losses mentioned will go on and on for us,
until we are taken to be with Him. Luke quoted our Lord that we are to
"take up our crosses daily, deny ourselves and follow Him." The word
"happiness" from a Scriptural perspective, seems to be a glad feeling
based on successful experiences. Sometimes we have these glad feelings;
sometimes not. True JOY, on the other hand, just goes on and on,
INDEPENDENT of our circumstances, because JOY is a "fruit" of the Spirit
of God (permanently) in us (Galatians 5:22 & context) and never ends for
those who trust in Him.
There should be an increasing,
abounding KINDNESS in the true child of God. We have been kindly
treated by God in Christ. If we are truly part of the Body of Christ
(as stated in the previous chapter of 1st Corinthians) and
actually are made part of His true temple (chapter 6), and given the
mind of Christ (chapter 2), then we are CHANGED at the level of the
heart. Our response to others will be more-and-more like His, in the
love of the brethren, in the love of all people. Things like "envy"
and "boastfulness" will increasingly leave us, as we come closer to Him.
Verse 9. "For we know
in part and we prophesy in part."
To have the gift of "Word of Knowledge"
in our midst is wonderful. God has come into the lives of certain
blessed human beings and imparted (from time-to-time) special
information through them. Some will share a prophesy, when God desires
to COMFORT one in need, and it may be YOU He chooses to provide the
comforting word to them. It’s both an honor and a joy to be used of
God in the lives of other people. Yet, the information, the comfort
given is only partial at this time. It may solve our immediate problem
but if you think about it, leave unanswered, for now, other concerns.
When we are with the Lord, there will be no more questions, no more
unanswered needs; only LOVE will fill us then, all in all.
Maybe the reason we feel that much is
"unanswered" in our lives is the problem of abandonment. We all have
felt abandoned in one way or another and those hurts are lasting. If
you think about it, when we feel that way, all the focus is on us, and
we have less capacity to love someone outside of ourselves. Another
more satisfying form of abandonment, is to abandon ourselves utterly to
the God in Christ who made us. That is the completeness we have been
seeking, in trust, in Him. Then we can learn to love.
Verse 10. "But when
that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done
away."
The "Perfect" is Christ. Every gift we
have ever received is imperfect in one way or another. It may do
everything we ever wanted in a gift, but then it wears out! The Bible
is perfect, because it perfectly expresses the Will of the Holy Spirit
for this world. However, it is difficult to perfectly UNDERSTAND the
Bible, for we "see in a mirror dimly" (have imperfect understanding).
Christ is not only perfect but also perfectly ATTAINABLE for humans, no
matter how simple we may be. We only have to abandon ourselves to Him
and we then perfectly belong to God. Oh yes, we continue to have
troubles and doubts and uncertainties in life (lessening as time in Him
goes on), but those are MENTAL only in nature. Our "heart" (the center
of our being) belongs utterly to God, the moment we turn to His Son.
Our Lord will return for us. To those
of us who know Him; the evidence is here now, in His Word, in our
hearts, that He is with us. Yet He will return, and these circumstances
that seem like they will never end, will be done away.
Verse 11. "When I was
a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a
child; but when I become a man, I put away childish things."
We are always His little children.
Maturity is not defined as cleverness in speech, or success in
dominating others, or ANY of the typical definitions of maturity we have
ever heard. Maturity is abandonment to Him. When we give ourselves to
God in Christ, we begin, like "Christian" in "Pilgrim’s Progress" a
journey that leads us into His Presence, where we find the joy
everlasting we are beginning to experience in Him right now. Like
"Pilgrim" who kept getting off the path, our job is to stay on the
simple road that leads to Christ. It is the more COMPLEX moves we make
that are often praised as "maturity" by the world, and it is those that
get us into trouble. To simply follow Him is the act of a child, which
Jesus assures us that we must be (Matthew 18). Our whole life here on
earth is (at its best), as children who delight in the parent who loves
them.
But Paul here is talking of the aspect
of CHILDISHNESS. To be a child in the right sense is to have the
capacity to trust, whereas to be childish is to be immature,
incomplete. To cling to our own need, when our brother is in need, is
childish. To cling to the outmoded ideas and customs of this world,
when our Lord is come, is childish. It is time to put away childish
things and become mature by trusting in God.
Verse 12. "For now we
see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but
then I shall know just as I also am known."
Not only have we not seen God, but we
have not seen each other clearly, or even ourselves. All our
perceptions are distorted while we are here. "See in a mirror dimly"
takes on new meaning when we understand that the mirrors of Paul’s day
were just polished metal, not the high quality mirrors of our time. We
see distinct images but they only knew a dim blurriness. It was that
kind of image Paul spoke about. We think we see a lot, but we only
understand a little. There will come a time when that which is obscure
will be very clear – When we see Him face-to-face.
Someone asked G. Campbell Morgan about
these verses, "Do you expect we will know our loved ones in heaven?"
Dr. Morgan answered in his truly British manner, "I do not expect to be
a bigger fool in heaven than I am here, and I know my loved ones here."
We will KNOW when we are with Him, even
as we are known.
Verse 13. "And now
abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is
love."
I have remained quite fascinated by the
Church at Ephesus, as revealed to us by God Himself, and shown from His
perspective. (Revelation 2:1-7). I am sure that other Churches had the
greatest respect for those at Ephesus. They were doctrinally pure.
They took on false cults and defeated them. And yet, in spite of their
theological correctness; more than the vigor they exhibited in the face
of false teachers, was the problem of love. They had faith in the words
they had heard and believed in the reality of them. They had placed
their hope in the Words of the apostles, just as we do. If there was a
Sunday School class to be taught, they TAUGHT it! I am sure they tithed
unceasingly of all that they had. Yet the Lord whispered to them (as He
might, even now, be whispering to us), that they had lost their first
love. They were no longer as little children, delighting in the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus. Remember this, when you think you are
more doctrinally correct than someone else – It is better to love your
brother than to defeat him. The greatest of these, the greatest in our
entire lives, is love.
Hannah Whitall Smith, in "The
Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life," said "The reserve and distance
suitable to mere friendship become fatal in love. Love gives all and
must have all in return. The wishes of the one become binding
obligations to the other, and the deepest desire of each heart is that
it may know every secret wish or longing of the other, in order that it
may fly on the wings of the wind to gratify it." Such is the love of
God, for you and for me. Better than any gift we might think we have,
infinitely better than riches, better even than faith and hope is the
love of God which is in Christ Jesus. And it is that love He is right
now offering to you and to me. Just breathe "yes" to Him who longs to
be your comforter, your true confidant, and your joy. "Yes, dear
Savior, we come to You. As little children, we are Yours. And we do
love you. In Jesus Name. Amen."
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
