Patience and kindness like love are aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The first characteristic is love’s passive response and the second its active initiative. Patience and kindness mark God, Christ, and truly Christian behavior. read more
Paul followed the two positive expressions of love with seven verbs that indicate how it does not behave. The first five of these marked the Corinthians, as we have seen. They were envious (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Corinthians 4:18), boastful (ostentatious; 1 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 8:2; 1 Corinthians 14:37), proud (1 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 4:18-19; 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 8:1), rude (1 Corinthians 7:36; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16) and self-seeking (1 Corinthians 10:24; 1... read more
The character of love 13:4-7The apostle next pointed out the qualities of love that make it so important. He described these in relationship to a person’s character that love rules. We see them most clearly in God and in Christ but also in the life of anyone in whose heart God’s love reigns."The observance of the truths of this chapter . . . would have solved their [the Corinthians’] problems." [Note: S. L. Johnson Jr., p. 1251.] "Paul’s central section [1 Corinthians 13:4-7] uses anaphora... read more
13:4 rash, (c-18) Or 'vain-glorious.' read more
(e) Spiritual Gifts(ii) The most excellent Gift of CharityIn this chapter we enter into the purest atmosphere and breathe the most fragrant odours. Passing from the previous chapters with their tale of faction and scandal and shame to this passage with its description of Christian love is like passing from the enchanted ground of the ’Pilgrim’s Progress’ to the land of Beulah within sight of the Celestial Gate.The Revised Version reads ’love’ for charity throughout the chapter The Gk. word is... read more
(4) Charity suffereth long.—Better, Love is long-suffering. Here follows a description of love. Descriptions of positive characteristics and negations of evil qualities are now employed by the Apostle in what he would have us believe to be his impossible task of adequately describing true love. read more
1 Corinthians 13:0 The paean of love chanted at Ephesus under Nero for the poor saints of Corinth, has not perished with Corinth. Annihilated for ever, the magnificence of Nero's Corinth lies buried today beneath silent rubbish-mounds and green vineyards on the terraces between the mass of the Acrocorinthus and the shore of the gulf; nothing but ruins, ghastly remnants, destruction. The words of the paean, however, have outlasted the marble and the bronzes of the Empire, because they had an... read more
Chapter 19NO GIFT LIKE LOVETHIS is one of the passages of Scripture which an expositor scruples to touch. Some of the bloom and delicacy of surface passes from the flower in the very handling which is meant to exhibit its fineness of texture. But although this eulogium of love is its own best interpreter, there are points in it which require both explanation and enforcement.In the preceding chapter (12) Paul has striven to suppress the envy, vanity, and discord which had resulted from the abuse... read more
3. The Need and Superiority of Love. CHAPTER 13 1. The Preeminence of Love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 .) 2. Love described in its characteristics. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 .) 3. Love never faileth; its Permanence. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 .) This chapter is a most blessed exaltation of love. The word “charity” is an unfortunate mistranslation. The Greek word for love used in the New Testament was never used by the Greek heathen classical writers. In its meaning it was unknown among the Gentiles.... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4
4. suffereth long—under provocations of evil from others. The negative side of love. is kind—the positive side. Extending good to others. Compare with love's features here those of the "wisdom from above" ( :-). envieth—The Greek includes also jealousy. vaunteth not—in words, even of gifts which it really possesses; an indirect rebuke of those at Corinth who used the gift of tongues for mere display. not puffed up—with party zeal, as some at Corinth were ( :-). read more