1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

How True Love Is Revealed (13:4-8a). This definition of love covers all angles. Because it portrays the essentials of love looking from our point of view, it gives us a totally rounded view of what true love is. It thus covers what God's love to us is like. It covers in depth precisely what Jesus' love was like. It covers what our response to Him should be like. It covers how we should behave towards those we love, and especially to our fellow believers. And finally it covers what our... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13. All Gifts and Sacrifices are Worthless without Love, which is Supreme and Incomparable.— The chapter falls into three divisions: ( a) superlative gifts and costliest surrenders are valueless in the absence of love ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-Leviticus :); ( b) description of love’ s manifold excellences ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-Judges :); ( c) love is imperishable ( 1 Corinthians 13:8-1 Chronicles :). It is linked to chs. 12 and 14 by the mention in 1 Corinthians 13:1 f., 1... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:4

Lest the Corinthians should say to the apostle: What is this love you discourse of? Or how shall we know if we have it? The apostle here gives thirteen notes of a charitable person. Charity suffereth long: by love or charity he either meaneth a charitable person, a soul possessed of that love, which he had been commending; or if we take the term plainly, to signify the habit itself, the meaning is, it is a habit or power in the soul, enabling and inclining it to do these things: to suffer long,... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:5

Doth not behave itself unseemly; he doth not behave himself towards any in an uncomely or unbeseeming manner, and will do nothing towards his brother, which in the opinion of men shall be a filthy or indecent action. Seeketh not her own; he doth not seek what is his own, that is, what is for his own profit or advantage only; he hath an eye to the good and advantage of his brother, as well as his own profit and advantage. Such a man is not easily provoked; he is not without his passions, but he... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - 1 Corinthians 13:6

He doth not rejoice in the sinful falls of others, but he rejoiceth in all truth, and the success and prospering of truth in the world; or in the manifestation of any person’s truth, or innocency, and righteousness. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

CRITICAL NOTES1. These need be very few; the language of the chapter is of the simplest, the thought inexhaustibly full. 2. Note, Paul, not John, writes this chapter on Love. 3. The “I” is not so much personal, as the ideal of a Christian life personified. 4. Connect closely with, begin reading at, 1 Corinthians 12:31. Also, go on from 1 Corinthians 13:13 to 1 Corinthians 14:1. Thus, then, the whole scheme of thought is: “Desire earnestly the greater gifts. Yet I show you something still... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 I. "Love envieth not." Envy is the shadow of jealousy, apes its form and mimics its movements, but is constructed out of more airy material and clothed in darker garb. The jealous man grudges another advantages which he claims for his own; the envious man, advantages which he never dreams of as his own. Jealousy would do harm for self's sake; envy, for mere harm's sake. So the jealousy is the more selfish and human; envy, the more abandoned and diabolical. Christian love... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love Suffereth Long, and is Kind.". I. We have here brought before us the two sides, the passive and the active sides, of a loving disposition. "Love suffereth long." It is perhaps remarkable that this feature should be presented to us first of all, as if suffering, enduring some trial, were a matter of course. It reads us a lesson as to the kind of world in which we Christians have to live. The true Christian knows, and will know, no limit to his endurance. It is not his ... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:5

1 Corinthians 13:5 Individual Faithfulness. I. No sincere worker for God is long left with nothing to do; for God's ways and works are very manifold. Martha is working one way while she is providing for her Lord, Mary at another while she listens humbly at His feet. Savonarola serves his Lord in one way with his mighty thunderings; Fra Angelico in another with his soft pictures. The man with one talent may more laudably and more faithfully serve God than he with five. II. This faithfulness is... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:5-7

1 Corinthians 13:5-7 I. Love is not easily provoked. This characteristic follows upon "seeketh not her own," and very naturally self-regard is the great secret of easy provocation. It may be hidden self-regard, lurking in the by-ways of the character; the generous and self-denying man is often easily provoked, but it is just because self-love has been driven, it may be, from the citadel, yet is still in possession of the outworks. We are, in this wreck of our nature, such strange inconsistent... read more

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