New Testament Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 13 Paul extols the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.	Paul now proceeds to give the 'More Excellent Way' he had just promised—He extols the higher status and process of exercising charity—Charity is the Pure Love of Christ or the Pure Love of God—In the process of internalization and becoming even as God is, the Love of God, Charity, excels and exceeds almost all else—It is the 'More Excellent Way' to God.
"Yet Shew I Unto You a More Excellent Way" Charity, living not only by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost by according to, having internalized that Love of God, the walk and way of the Pure Love of Christ which is Charity. It is the Love of God and the Love of all mankind necessary to engage in the work of God, bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.
1 THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not ^acharity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of ^aprophecy, and understand all ^bmysteries, 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 ^apoor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
4 ^aCharity ^bsuffereth long, and is ^ckind; charity ^denvieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself ^aunseemly, seeketh not her ^bown, is not easily ^cprovoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in ^ainiquity, but rejoiceth in the ^btruth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
8 Charity never ^afaileth: 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.		1^a TG Missionary Work ^b TG Gospel 2^a Romans 1:16 ^b GR hold fast to, retain
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^a. 12 For now we see through a ^aglass, ^bdarkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.	11^a when I became a man, I put away childish things This had a number of different meanings and levels of understanding to various people based upon their own experience and background. I would like to present but one concept for consideration here. Children and men are motivated for different reasons. As a child punishment and the fear of it was a great motivational factor to bring about compliance to rules and regulations. On a higher level yet there was the motive of reward, doing to obtain something desirable. The horse and the carrot, so to speak. But the highest and greatest motivation to performance of all is that of 'love'. When one come to love what they are doing and are about, then they need no punishment, no reward. They will perform solely out of the motivation of 'Love'. 'If ye love me, keep my commandments. It is that simple. It also take a higher devotion to that which is of the spiritual nature to overcome and control the wants and desires of the natural man and walk after the Love of God. So in this respect, it is to us to put away the 'childish' motivations of rewards and punishments and to perform out of the Pure Love of God, which is Charity. This is the More Excellent Way, the Way of God; doing and working out of Love, by the motivation of Charity.
13 And now abideth ^afaith, ^bhope, ^ccharity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.