Chapter 13

1 All gifts, 2, 3 how excellent soever, are nothing worth without charity. 4 The praises thereof, and 13 prelation before hope and faith.

1. Though. Paul has enumerated and defined the place of the gifts of the Spirit in the church (ch. 12). Now he proceeds to show that the possession of all these gifts, and other additional qualities, does not make one a Christian if he does not possess the supreme gift of love. This beautiful prose poem has been called the “greatest, strongest, deepest thing Paul ever wrote” (Harnack).

The nature, worth, and eternal duration of love in comparison with the temporary gifts is here set forth. This chapter continues the discussion of the subject introduced in ch. 12, namely, spiritual gifts. Paul has noted the fact that the various spiritual endowments were conferred in such a way as to advance the building up and welfare of the church (see ch. 12:4–28). Now he shows that possession of the gifts mentioned therein, good though it is, can be superseded by an endowment that is more valuable than anything previously described, and that the gift is available to all (cf. Gal. 5:22).

Tongues of men. This may be a reference to the power of utterance that is found in the most highly qualified and gifted orators among men, or to the many different languages used by the nations of this earth. If the speaker lacks love, one of the basic characteristics of God, his superior eloquence or his facility in the use of languages is as valueless for the promotion of the kingdom of God as the meaningless noises of any resonant piece of brass or vainly clanging cymbal (see 1 John 4:8; DA 22; GC 487, 493).

Of angels. By this Paul may have referred either to the gift of tongues so highly prized in Corinth (see on ch. 14) or to the elevated language of angels. However, the highly spectacular manifestation of tongues or even the ability to speak with angelic tongue does not confer any honor on the one who receives it, nor is it of any real value to him if it is not associated with love. The apostle designed to correct the wrong evaluation the Corinthians placed upon the gift of tongues and to stimulate them to seek for love as the most valuable endowment.

Charity. Gr. agapeµ, “love,” the higher type of love, which recognizes something of value in the person or object that is loved; love that is based on principle, not on emotion; love that grows out of respect for the admirable qualities of its object. This love is that which is seen between the Father and Jesus (see John 15:10; 17:26); it is the redeeming love of the Godhead for lost humanity (see John 15:9; 1 John 3:1; 4:9, 16); it is the special quality demonstrated in the dealings of Christians with one another (see John 13:34, 35; 15:12–14); it is used to signify the believer’s relation to God (see 1 John 2:5; 4:12; 5:3). Love for God is shown by conformity with His will; this is proof of love (see John 2:4, 5). See Additional Note on Psalm 36; see on Matt. 5:43, 44.

The word “charity” is not comprehensive enough to indicate the wide sweep of interest in the well-being of others that is contained in the word agapeµ. Indeed “charity” may convey a highly restricted idea of welfare aid. The word “love” is better, but that must be understood in the light of all that is said in this chapter concerning it. This “love” (agapeµ) must not be confused with that which is sometimes called love, a quality composed largely of feeling and emotion that has the center in self and the desires of self. Agapeµ centers the interest and concern in others and leads to appropriate action.

The Corinthian church had been greatly troubled with internal discord resulting in divisions and parties (see ch. 1:11, 12). Some boasted of their superior qualifications and gifts (see chs. 3:3–5, 8, 18, 19, 21; 4:6, 7). This chapter shows that possession of various gifts of the Spirit avails nothing if the individual is devoid of love.

Brass. Gr.chalkos, “brass,” or anything made of brass. Here, modified by “sounding,” it probably refers to a gong or a trumpet. The idea is that of a resounding instrument, one that makes a loud noise and gives an appearance of great importance but is merely a lifeless emitter of sound.

Tinkling. Gr. alalazoµ, an onomatopoeic word, originally formed to express the loud yell uttered by an army when rushing into battle. From this original use it came to mean the making of any loud noise, such as a shriek or a wail of lamentation. Here alalazoµ is used to describe monotonous, clanging sounds of a cymbal.

2. Prophesy. The apostle moves on to the more important, though possibly less sensational, gift of speaking as God’s inspired messenger, passing along instruction from Heaven to the church. The superiority of this gift over tongues and other spiritual gifts is emphasized in ch. 14:1, 39. The prophet, who stands between God and men and reveals God’s will to men, must be dominated by love, otherwise his messages will have little effect upon the hearers.

Mysteries. Gr. musteµria (see on Matt. 13:11; Rom. 11:25). Because of sin, man’s powers of mind have become weakened; his capability of understanding the wonders of life, both natural and spiritual, is greatly inferior to that which God originally intended him to have (see Isa. 6:9, 10; John 12:37–40; 2 Cor. 4:4; 4T 585; 5T 698, 701). Long and arduous study and research are required to enable men to discover the secrets of nature, but these were readily acquired by Adam before he sinned (see PP 50, 51). The unconverted, sin-dominated mind cannot understand the things of God. This is because sin has wrought a complete change in man’s spiritual nature, so that his ways are diametrically opposed to those of his Creator (see Isa. 55:8, 9). To the prophets God sees fit to reveal the workings of His will on behalf of men. In turn, they are commissioned to instruct men as to their relation to God and their fellow men (see Ps. 25:14; Amos 3:7).

Knowledge. By “knowledge” Paul doubtless refers, not to knowledge in general, but to the gift of knowledge described in ch. 12:8 as “the word of knowledge,” meaning “the utterance of knowledge” (see comment there; cf. on ch. 12:28).

Faith. That is, the gift of faith described in ch. 12:9 (see comment there).

Charity. See on v. 1.

Nothing. Having listed the possible possession of the gifts of prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, and faith, outstanding and greatly desired spiritual endowments, Paul makes the simple statement that all these things, admirable and important though they may be, are ineffective without love.

The same is true also of acquired gifts, such as intellectual attainments. Satan has great intellectual power, and knowledge that exceeds that of men, but he is not elevated thereby (see 2T 171; PP 36; 5T 504). The mind that is not surrendered to Christ and actuated by His Spirit is under the control of Satan, who works in it to accomplish his own pleasure (see 5T 515). Thus it becomes apparent that mere intellectual attainments, separated from the Godlike quality of love, merely serve to aid the enemy in achieving his ends, and do nothing to further the spiritual interests of men (see 1 John 4:8). One who may have had much of this world’s wisdom, together with a theoretical understanding of the relationship that should exist between man and God, and yet had no experimental knowledge of love, would still be lost. His efforts to do good to others would be fruitless, and the great goal that should be his in life, the glorification of God, would remain unreached (see John 4:7, 8; MB 37).

3. Bestow. Gr. psoµmizoµ, “to feed by putting bits of food into the mouth,” “to dole out,” “to feed out in morsels”; used in the NT only here and in Rom. 12:20. Here the word may apply to the distribution of goods to the poor in small portions. It was probably customary in Paul’s day for the wealthy to dole out alms to the poor at the gate of their property (see Luke 16:20, 21). Then, too, they probably distributed alms in small portions to many people so that there would be a larger number benefited and ready to praise the donor. Almsgiving was considered to be a great virtue, and was frequently done ostentatiously. Jesus severely reproved this desire for popular acclaim (see on Matt. 6:1–4). To emphasize the vanity of such false charity, Paul pointed out that if all that a man possessed was thus doled out and yet true love was absent from the life, it would all be empty hypocrisy and of no value spiritually. Though such behavior might result in good to others, it could not meet with God’s approval because the requisite character qualifications were lacking.

To be burned. Important textual evidence may also be cited (cf. p. 10) for the reading, “so that I might boast.” With this reading the meaning of the passage is, “though I dole out all my possessions to feed the poor, and though I give over my body, in order that I might boast, it profiteth me nothing.”

The idea of the KJV reading is that martyrdom that is sought for self-glorification has no merit. In Paul’s day it was not customary to put men to death by burning; stoning, crucifixion, or beheading with the sword were the usual methods of execution. The question arises: Why, then, would Paul refer to martyrdom by burning? The answer is: Perhaps because burning represents one of the most painful forms of death. To give one’s body to be burned would represent an extreme form of self-sacrifice. Some have regarded this passage as prophetic of the fearful torture by fire that befell the church in the time of Nero and later. They thus see in the passage a warning against the delusion that merit might be obtained by needlessly seeking martyrdom by fire.

Profiteth me nothing. If the one who suffers martyrdom by fire does not possess the character qualifications represented by “love” (agapeµ), he has no hope of eternal life, and consequently has lost everything. Love, therefore, is more precious and valuable than the gifts of the Spirit that the Corinthians desired to have (vs. 1, 2), or than singular acts of beneficence or self-sacrifice. Nothing can take the place of love. God accepts only the service of love (see John. 14:15, 21, 23; 15:9, 10, 12, 14; 1 John 4:11, 12, 16–21; 5:1–3).

4. Suffereth long. In vs. 4–7 Paul proceeds to analyze love. He points out seven excellent characteristics of love and eight acts and attitudes that are totally foreign to its nature. In this eulogy he sets forth the superior quality of love in both its positive and its negative aspect. The personification of love in these verses heightens the beauty of the description, for Paul ascribes to love those characteristics that are found in all who truly love. Throughout the paragraph occasional glimpses are seen of the faults in the church at Corinth that were in direct contrast to the excellent qualities of love.

Forbearance, or long-suffering, in a world where impatience and intolerance prevail, is a precious attribute. Love bears long with the faults, failings, and weaknesses of others. It recognizes that all human beings are fallible, and that, therefore, due allowance must be made for manifestations of the outworking of errors that result from man’s inherently sinful nature. Long-suffering is opposed to haste, to passionate expressions and thoughts, and to irritability. This word denotes the state of mind that enables a man to be patiently quiet and to bear long when oppressed, wrongfully accused, and persecuted (see Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12; 2 Tim. 4:2; 2 Peter 3:15; cf. Matt. 26:63; 27:12, 14; see on Matt. 5:10–12). He who is long-suffering possesses one of the fruits of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22).

Is kind. Gr. chreµsteuomai, “to be gentle,” “to exercise kindness,” “to be considerate and mild.” The word portrays the gracious nature of one who is actuated by the Spirit of God, one who is ever seeking to reveal by word and deed an understanding sympathy for, and appreciation of, the struggles and difficulties of others. The idea of the word is that under all circumstances of life, whether harsh and provoking, painful or sorrowful, love is mild and gentle. Love is the reverse of hatred, which manifests itself in severity, anger, harshness, unkindness, and revenge. A man who really loves another is kind to him, anxious to do him good, gentle and courteous, because he does not wish to hurt his feelings, but seeks to promote his happiness (see 1 Peter 3:8).

Envieth. Gr. zeµlooµ, “to be zealous,” either in a good or bad sense; here in a bad sense, “to be envious,” that is, to exhibit wrong or unpleasant feelings toward others on account of advantages possessed by them. Such feelings give rise to strife and division, entirely contrary to the teachings of Jesus, for He exhorted men to love one another and live together in unity (see John 15:12; 17:22; 1 John 3:23). Envy, or jealousy, is one of the most cruel and contemptible of all human failings (see Prov. 27:4; Song of Sol. 8:6). Lucifer, the exalted angel who was privileged to be one of the covering cherubs by the throne of God, was overcome by envy and lost his high position (see Isa. 14:12–15; Eze. 28:14, 15). Since his fall, Satan has sought to implant his own dreadful vice of envy in the heart of every human being, so that all may be ruined, as he was. Only love can drive out jealousy. However, contentedness with what the Lord has permitted us to have does not debar us from desiring earnestly the best gifts and longing ardently for the “more excellent way” of love, which is described in this chapter (see 1 Cor. 12:31).

Vaunteth … itself. Gr. perpereuomai, “to be vainglorious,” “to boast oneself.” Love does not sound its own praises; it is humble and does not try to exalt self. One in whose heart true love is found remembers the life and death of Jesus and instantly repels every thought or suggestion that would lead to self-glorification (see EW 112, 113). The love that is a gift of the Spirit looks upon every good thing as coming from God and bestowed by Him, and hence there is no ground for vain boasting because of possessing a certain gift from God.

Is … puffed up. Gr. phusiooµ, “to puff up,” “to blow up,” “to inflate,” metaphorically, “to make proud.” Phusiooµ comes from phusa, “bellows.” Love does not inflate a person with vanity; it does not produce a condition of conceit and self-exaltation. This expression points to the subjective state of pride and self-satisfaction that so often mark those possessed of superior knowledge and abilities (see ch. 8:1). Love does not indulge in mental self-esteem, laying claim to having the best gifts, and in that way ministering to vainglory. Love does not produce ideas of self-importance, nor seek the flattery of others for anything that has been accomplished (see 5T 124).

5. Behave itself unseemly. Gr. ascheµmoneo, “to act unbecomingly,” “to behave dishonorably.” In the LXX the word is used with the meaning, “to be naked” (see Eze. 16:7, 22; etc.). Love is never uncivil, rude, or unmannerly; it never behaves in such a way as to offend the sensibilities of others. Christ, when on earth, was ever mindful of the feelings of men, and He ever acted with courtesy and propriety toward all (see GW 121). Every true follower of the Lord will be courteous at all times, never responding to the promptings of the natural heart to repay rudeness and harshness with discourtesy (see GW 123). Love always searches for that which is right and proper or becoming in all the relations of life, because it seeks to promote the happiness of others, and that of necessity leads to avoidance of everything that would cause offense or interfere with true enjoyment.

There may be an allusion here to the improper conduct of some of the Corinthians in public worship and in relation to heathen feasts (see 1 Cor. 8:10–12; 11:4–6, 20–22). For the Christian, personal opinions, desires, and practices are supplanted by love in the interests of the comfort, convenience, and happiness of others.

The becoming behavior of love precludes all fanaticism and unbalanced positions that lead to unrestrained emotional outbursts and bring the cause of God into disrepute. This statement that love never behaves unseemly proves that it is under the control of reason at all times, and cannot be mere emotion or feeling. That which is simply a response to feeling and emotion, and falsely called love, does not act reasonably, nor does it necessarily consider the feelings and sensibilities of others.

Her own. Literally, “her own [things].” The exact opposite of the nature of real love is a selfish seeking after one’s own advantage, influence or honor as the great objective in life (see ch. 10:24, 33). Of all the characteristics of love, this is the hardest for the unsanctified heart to understand. Man naturally is interested first of all in himself, and frequently that interest overshadows all others; but Christ’s way, the way of love, puts self last and others first (see on Matt. 5:43–46; 7:12). Man’s selfish nature is one more proof that sin has completely reversed the divine order in the experience of humanity, leading men to concentrate their affections and interests on themselves (see Jer. 17:9; Rom. 7:14–18, 20; 8:5–8; James 4:4; see on Matt. 10:39). One possessed of the selfless love of God forgets self and is completely absorbed in doing the will of God. That is why he is willing to give his life in loving ministry for others (see Matt. 22:37–39; Acts 10:38; GW 112; 7T 9, 10).

Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). From this statement it is clear that no one can be a real Christian, a real follower of Christ, who lives for himself alone or who makes it his principal object in life to promote his own interests. A Christian is one who follows Christ. Therefore he is one who denies the clamors of the natural heart for devotion to self, and who is willing to sacrifice his own comfort, time, ease, wealth, and talents to advance the welfare of mankind.

Easily provoked. The word “easily” is supplied, and apparently without warrant. It actually gives a wrong shade of meaning to the statement. Love is not provoked, whether easily or otherwise; nothing can disturb the equanimity of perfect love and cause a display of annoyance, impatience, or anger. To insert the word “easily” would be to suggest that there are times when a certain amount of anger, irritability, or resentment are permissible, but such is not the case with real love (see Ps. 119:165; Heb. 12:3; 1 Peter 2:23). The Christian who knows that self, the natural heart, is opposed to the will of God, and that having committed himself to the Lord, he is dead to sin, has no cause for irritation or annoyance. He simply turns everything over to God, knowing that whatever happens, he is under the watchful, loving eye of One who is controlling all things for his good (see Rom. 6:11; 8:28; 1 Peter 5:6, 7). One of the most striking effects of conversion is the remarkable change that is seen naturally the character of a person who was naturally irritable in disposition, resentful, and readily roused to anger. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit such a one becomes mild, gentle, and calm. All efforts of Satan to annoy him and make him give way to the old quick-tempered spirit are unavailing.

Thinketh no evil. Literally, “does not reckon the evil.” The Greek here conveys the idea of not taking into account the wrong that has been done; not reckoning, imputing, or charging the wrong to any man’s account. This is another beautiful, Christlike attribute of love. It shows that love puts the best possible construction on the behavior of others. One under the control of love is not censorious, disposed to find fault, or to impute wrong motives to others.

6. Iniquity. Gr. adikia, “unrighteousness.” Love finds no pleasure in any kind of unrighteousness, whether on the part of friend or foe. Unrighteousness, which is sin (see 1 John 5:17), is altogether foreign to the divine nature of love; therefore one who loves cannot be pleased with anything that is not in harmony with the will of God. Love does not rejoice over the vices of others or find happiness because others are found guilty of wrongdoing. It does not take malicious delight in hearing a report that someone has erred (see Prov. 10:12; 11:13; 17:9; 1 Peter 4:8). The unsanctified heart is glad when an enemy falls into sin, or when an opponent makes a mistake that involves him in disgrace, but not so with love. It takes the opposite course, and seeks to help even an enemy when he is in trouble (see Prov. 24:17; 25:21; Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:20). Only those not sanctified by the truth find pleasure in the wrongdoing of others (see Rom. 1:32; 12:9).

Truth. Here “truth” stands in contrast with “iniquity” and means virtue, righteousness, goodness. Love finds pleasure, not in the vices, but in the virtues, of others. Love is interested in the advancement of truth and the happiness of man; therefore it is thankful whenever the cause of truth is sustained (see Mark 9:35–40; Phil. 1:14–18).

Love cannot find happiness in sin of any kind or in the punishment meted out to the sinner; rather, it finds pleasure in the liberation of man from the shackles of sin, because such liberation brings him into harmony with truth and makes him a candidate for the happiness of heaven, for which he was created (see Eze. 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 8:32; 17:17; 1 John 4:8; COL 290).

7. Beareth. Gr. stegoµ, “to cover closely,” “to protect by covering”; “to sustain,” “to support.” Love conceals and is silent about such things as the faults of others, which the selfishness of the natural heart would gladly expose. Love is not desirous of inspecting the weaknesses of others or of allowing them to be inspected by anyone else.

Believeth all things. This phrase does not mean that one who loves his fellow men is credulous to the point of absurdity, making no distinction between the things to be believed, and thus as likely to believe a falsehood as the truth. But love is disposed to put the best possible construction on the conduct of others, imputing good motives to them. This is the attitude of love, because love seeks to make others happy and will not believe anything to their detriment except on irrefutable evidence. In relation to God, love believes without question everything that is revealed of the will of God for man. There is no doubt concerning God’s Word and His instructions; all is gratefully accepted and obeyed.

Hopeth. However dark appearances may be, and whatever grounds there may be for questioning the sincerity of others, love still hopes that everything will be well in the end, and will maintain this position until all possibility of its being confirmed has disappeared. This faith in one’s neighbor, which love inspires, leads to the championing of his cause in the face of opposition. Love is based upon trust, and this trust rests ultimately in God; therefore love is willing to face ridicule, strife, and contempt in defense of others, hoping that in due time truth will be vindicated.

Endureth. Love suffers quietly all the difficulties, trials, persecutions, and injuries inflicted by man, and all the attacks that God may see fit to allow the adversary to make (see Job 13:15). This statement about love shows the infinite patience that is possessed by him who is always is always under the control of love. The strange behavior of others, perhaps calculated to hurt or annoy him, he patiently bears, for he sees in his fellow men souls for whom Christ died, souls that are misled by Satan, and therefore to be pitied and helped rather than condemned or treated harshly. Being the perfect exposition of the law of God, love consistently works for the best interests of others, and consequently is prepared to look upon the unfavorable conduct of others with an understanding patience and sympathy inspired by God (see Matt. 22:37–40; Rom. 13:10; 1 John 4:7, 12, 16, 18, 20, 21).

8. Faileth. Gr. ekpiptoµ, “to fall off [or “from”],” “to fall from its place,” “to fail,” “to perish.” Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the reading piptoµ, the simple form of the verb. Genuine love does not fall off like a leaf or a flower (see James 1:11; 1 Peter 1:24). When a flower has given its fragrance and beauty during the hours of sunshine, it has served its purpose, and the cold winds and frosts cause it to wither and fall off the plant. Not so with love. In days of stress and strain, as well as when all is bright and fair, love ever remains the same, shedding its fragrance of trust and hope and faith all around. This must be so, for love is the very foundation of law, and the law of God is eternal (see Ps. 119:160; Matt. 5:17, 18; Luke 16:17). Every believer is enjoined to cultivate this fruit of the Spirit, and every believer may be assured that there can be no experience of life for which love does not make provision; love can be relied on at all times to solve all problems.

Prophecies. The gift of prophecy was provided by God for the guidance of the church through the ages (see Ps. 77:20; Hosea 12:13; Rev. 12:17; 19:10). When the need for such guidance no longer exists—that is, when the people of God reach their heavenly home—prophecies will cease.

Fail. Gr. katargeoµ, “to render null,” “to bring to an end,” here used in the passive form, “to be brought to an end.”

Tongues. Like prophecy, this gift, which served a useful function in the early church (see Additional Note on Chapter 14), would no longer be required.

Cease. Gr.pauoµ, “to pause,” “to leave off.”

Knowledge. Not knowledge in general, but the gift of knowledge, which enabled men to explain the truth clearly and logically to others (see on ch. 12:8). Paul is setting forth the superiority of love over various spiritual gifts that were useful in building up the church, but which, with the church triumphant in the kingdom of glory, will no longer be needed.

Shall vanish away. Gr. katargeoµ (see above under “fail”).

9. In part. The gifts of knowledge and prophecy provide only partial glimpses of the inexhaustible treasures of divine knowledge. This limited knowledge will appear to be all but canceled in the superior brightness of the eternal world, as the light of a candle loses its importance when placed in the bright light of the sun.

10. Perfect. Gr. teleios, “complete,” “entire,” “fully mature.” Even the knowledge acquired by the most brilliant of men is insignificant when compared with the vast ocean of knowledge in the universe. Thus the boasting of the Corinthians was completely out of place (see ch. 8:1, 2). When Jesus Christ comes again to redeem His own, then the partial illumination of the human mind by all the knowledge possessed by man will be lost to view in the superior brightness of the divine revelation of truth, even as the light from the stars disappears when the morning sun appears.

Shall be done away. Gr. katargeoµ (see on v. 8). There can be no suggestion here that knowledge of truth will ever cease or pass away; truth is eternal, and the knowledge that man has of eternal truth will always remain. It is the partial nature of that knowledge that will cease when man is changed form mortal to immortal (see v. 12; cf. ch. 8:2). Likewise, when this world comes to an end, and men hold open, face-to-face communion with God, prophecy will have served its purpose and will no longer be needed.

11. Child. Gr. neµpios, literally, a “non-speaker,” an “infant.” Here the apostle uses the illustration of the differences between the experiences of childhood and those of manhood to emphasize the great difference that exists between the dim understanding of things possessed by men now, and the bright light of knowledge that will be theirs in heaven.

Spake. Or, “used to speak,” that is, it was my habit to speak. The meaningless sounds made by a child who is learning to talk are here compared with the wisdom that will replace earthly knowledge in the future, immortal state. When one reaches manhood he lays aside as of no value the ideas and feelings of childhood, which formerly seemed of such great importance. In a similar way, when heaven is reached, men will lay aside the ideas, views, and feelings that are cherished in this life and are considered so valuable and important.

Understood. Or, “used to think,” that is, it was my habit to think. This refers to the early, undeveloped exercise of the childish mind, a mode of thought that cannot be regarded as connected reasoning. The understanding was narrow and imperfect, and knowledge was meager. Things that occupied the attention then, lost their value as adulthood was reached.

Thought. Or, “used to reason,” that is, it was my habit to reason. The thinking and reasoning of childhood appear puerile, shortsighted, inconclusive, and erroneous to an adult. So it will be when God’s people are in the kingdom of glory; there will be as much difference between earthly plans, opinions, understanding, and reasoning powers and those of heaven as there is between those of childhood and those of manhood.

Put away. Gr. katargeoµ (see on v. 8).

12. Through. Rather, “by means of.”

Glass. Gr.esoptron, “a mirror.” Another illustration is presented to show the imperfection of the best knowledge that can be obtained on earth. Ancient mirrors consisted of pieces of polished metal (see on Ex. 38:8). The image seen in such mirrors was frequently blurred and dim. Our knowledge of eternal truth is now obscure and dim in comparison with what it will be in heaven. Now our vision is clouded by the infirmities of the physical being, which have their origin in sin; even mental perception is impaired by wrong habits of living, so that spiritual things are only dimly perceived (see 7T 199, 257, 258; 2T 399, 400).

Darkly. Gr. en ainigmati, “in a riddle,” “in an enigma,” as in a puzzle where some of the pieces are missing, so that it cannot be properly put together. Such is our present vision of spiritual truth. It is partial, obscure, dim; yet that which can be understood is sufficient to bring joy to the faithful believer as he is enabled to see something of the beauty of the plan that God has made for the redemption and glorification of man. In heaven that which has obscured will be removed and the things that have puzzled men will be made plain; knowledge will increase, and with the increase of knowledge will come ever-increasing joy (see 8T 328).

Shall I know. That is, know fully, recognize, acknowledge, understand. The idea of “know fully” is not in the word translated “know,” earlier in the verse.

Even as. That is, in the very same manner; not necessarily to the same extent. When the imperfections of this life are all past and that remarkable change has been effected whereby the “corruptible” puts on “incorruption” and “this mortal” puts on “immortality” (ch. 15:52–54), dimness of vision will be replaced by clear sight, with all intervening obstructions removed. There will be face-to-face communion, so that the redeemed believer will, according to his ever-increasing ability, know and understand things fully.

I am known. Rather, “I was fully known,” or “I have been fully known,” that is, by God. Although in this life man’s knowledge of God is partial, God’s knowledge of man is complete. The more complete knowledge that man will possess in the world to come is compared with God’s knowledge of man in this present life. However, man’s knowledge will never equal God’s, or even approach it. For this reason the phrase “even as” must not be interpreted as meaning “equal in extent” (see above under “even as”). The words of this verse have sometimes been used to state the truth that in the kingdom of glory God’s people will recognize one another (see DA 804). It should be remembered that this is not Paul’s meaning in this present passage. There will indeed be such a recognition, but the apostle is here speaking of our present perplexities that in the world to come will be explained, and of our imperfect knowledge that will there be made complete (see 5T 706).

13. Abideth. This word conveys the idea of permanence. Exclusive of love, all the things that have been dealt with in this chapter, including prophecy, tongues, and other gifts of the Spirit, will cease to be of value or will be canceled, but the three basic elements of Christian experience will not pass away; they are permanent. Therefore the Christian is exhorted to concentrate his attention on these.

Faith, here not the spiritual gift known as faith (see on ch. 12:9) but the experience described in Heb. 11 (cf. on Rom. 4:3), must be of eternal value, for it will ever be an essential of harmonious life in the new earth. Hope, being a desire for an object and an expectation of obtaining it, will by its very nature be a part of the experience in heaven, where there will ever be fresh fields for the people of God to explore and new delights for them to enjoy (see 1 Cor. 2:9; Ed 306, 307). All the treasures of heaven cannot be enjoyed at once by the redeemed, and as long as there is anything that is to be desired and expected for the future, hope will exist.

Greatest. When it is realized that of all qualities of character, love is the one that inspiration uses to describe the very nature of God, it is easy to see why the apostle should say that above all gifts of the Spirit, this is the greatest (see 1 John 4:7, 8, 16). As a manner of life, love is more effective, more victorious, more satisfying, than the possession and exercise of the various gifts of the Spirit enumerated in ch. 12 (see 1 Cor. 12:31). Love for God and our fellow men is the highest expression of harmony with God (see Matt. 22:37–40; 8T 139). Love lived out in the life of the believer is the great test of the sincerity of one’s Christianity (see Isa. 58:6–8; Matt. 25:34–40; 6T 273–280).

To be a Christian is to be like Christ, who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Christians, then, are those who, in the spirit of Jesus, go about doing good to all who need their help. They do it with no self-interest, but because the love of God in their hearts makes it impossible for them to do anything else (see 6T 268; 3T 524). Love is the superexcellent way, because its practical expression is the test that is to decide the eternal destiny of all men. Those whose religion is one of mere outward compliance with forms and observances will discover that such is not acceptable to God (see 5T 612). Self-denying love, producing unity among the believers, will convince the world that God did send His Son into the world to save mankind. This is God’s chosen method for His people to bear testimony to the truth of the gospel (see John 17:21, 23). Such love, which shows no desire to exalt, justify, or gratify self, but is dedicated to selfless ministry to the needy, is an argument that unconverted men cannot gainsay. They see in it something incomprehensible to their philosophy of life. Their hearts are touched, and their intelligence responds to the evidence of the power of godliness in the lives of converted men. Thus love is demonstrated to be the greatest way of preaching the gospel and advancing the kingdom of God.

Ellen G. White comments

1    CH 560; CS 29; Ev 507; 2T 116, 581; 4T 133; 5T 98

1–3AA 318; MB 38

1–55T 168

3     2T 116; 4T 133

3–72T 169

4     Ed 114; FE 279; ML 179, 334; 4T 65; 5T 123

4, 5 AA 543; DA 549; FE 283

4–74T 257; 5T 290

4–8AA 319; Ed 242; MB 16

5     CW 67; DA 20, 439; EW 112; ML 84; 2T 276, 313; 3T 397; 5T 124; 7T 243

5–7GW 448

6     FE 279

6–85T 169

7     MH 498; 2T 135; 4T 27; 5T 404

11   AH 119, 213; 3T 194

12   AH 544; DA 804; Ed 303, 306; GC 676, 677; MB 27; MH 466; ML 12, 353, 366; SC 113; SR 432; 1T 30; 3T 540; 5T 706; 6T 309; 8T 328

13   AA 319; MM 251; 3T 187; WM 328