The Priority of God’s Word over Tongues
14: 1-40

The stage has been set. Paul has instructed the Corinthians concerning spiritual gifts (to see link click Cf – The Unity and Diversity of Spiritual Gifts). In addition, he has impressed upon them the value of love and its supreme necessity in the exercise of all spiritual gifts (see Ct – The Priority of Love Over Spiritual Gifts). With this clearly before his readers, Paul now takes up the gift of tongues. The Corinthians overestimated this gift and thus became unbalanced. Paul now proceeds to correct that mistake. He does this by showing, at some length, that prophesying, or speaking forth God’s Word, is the most needed, and most fruitful, gift for the Church. He makes an extended comparison between prophesy and tongues, and thus shows the priority of prophesy over tongues.⁴³⁷

One must not confuse prophesy with prophecy. The word prophesy is a verb and the last syllable is pronounced “sigh.” Prophesying is speaking forth God’s Word (Ezeki’el 37:4-5) and declaring His intention to His people as seen here (see Dl – The Word that Builds Up). But, the word prophecy is a noun and the last syllable is pronounced “sea.” Prophecy was a spiritual gift (see Cp – The Gift of Prophecy) during the apostolic era (see the commentary on Acts Ck – Paul Went on to Jerusalem Despite Warnings). The prophet had knowledge of the near historical future or far eschatological future from God. The prophet spoke for Him and was held accountable for his prophecies (see Deuteronomy Dk – A Prophet Like Moses).

Having recognized that there is a role for both speaking in tongues and speaking forth God’s Word in public worship, Paul senses that he must conclude by giving some principles concerning their regulation (see Dp – Order in Public Worship). Unless things are not done in a proper and orderly way, the Corinthian church will have no influence on the society around them. How sad that would be for Paul the missionary!⁴³⁸

But before bringing this chapter to a conclusion, Paul defends his apostolic authority once again. With a series of rhetorical questions, he asks how it is that the Corinthians consider themselves to be the lone authority on God’s Word. If they didn’t write it, then they should obey it just like all the congregations of God’s people are obligated to do. Then Paul concludes with a direct confrontation with them over his status as an apostle.

The Permanence of Love
13: 8-13

The permanence of love DIG: Why will the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge cease? How does history, theology and the Bible teach us that tongues ceased in the aposotolic age. Why is Yeshua Messiah the Perfect that will come? What will happen with prophecy and knowledge when we see Yeshua face to face? Why is love greater than faith and hope?

REFLECT: How have you experienced the difference between, “I love you if . . .” and “I love you because . . .” and true agape love? What is only partial in your life right now that you look forward to being permanent when Yeshua returns? What do you think it will be like when you see Yeshua face to face? To experience true, unconditional love. What will you say to Him?

When the Lord returns, when the Perfect comes, the spiritual gifts will pass away.

As Paul continues, he has one final verb for love – Love never falls (Greek: pipto, meaning to fall). By using this verb, Paul wants us to be sure of one thing, namely, that there will never be a situation in which love is the wrong way to act by causing us to fall. Sometimes, admittedly, we may need to act with what is called “tough love,” but this, too, is a form of love that seeks to change another person out of deep concern and compassion for that person’s growth and well-being. If we act in love, we will never stumble and fall down (13:8a).

Elizabeth Barret Browning (an English poet of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States during her lifetime, 1806-1861) wrote a poem entitled “I Loved Once,” in which she writes, “Love looks beyond the bounds of time and space, Love takes eternity in its embrace.” Love is deathless. It is never defeated, never disillusioned, never disappointed. Physical love (Greek: eros) that is mere passion burns like a stack of wood, hay or straw (3:12), and is soon consumed. That is the reason there are so many divorces today. It is not the kind of love that holds two hearts together. Love is eternal. It is permanent.

God’s love is that kind of love. How wonderful that is! His love “looks beyond the bounds of time and space and takes eternity in its embrace.” Messiah never stops loving. The only unpardonable sin is the rejection of the Spirit (Luke 12:10). Family members may be unbelievers, but Yeshua still loves them. Maybe someone you know has committed a great sin, but He still loves them. You cannot keep Messiah from loving them or you. You can put up an umbrella to keep yourself dry, but you can’t stop the rain from falling. Neither can you stop God from loving – regardless of the umbrella of sin or unbelief that anyone is under.⁴²⁹

Paul now returns to the gifts of the Spirit. He cites three specific examples – the three that had created the most problems in Corinth: prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. And following a common rabbinic pattern of comparing the two worlds, teaches that love never ends, but prophecies will pass, tongues will cease, current knowledge of the Word will pass (13:8b). Each of these gifts will eventually cease and disappear, but love will continue.

History, theology and the Bible teach us that tongues ceased in the apostolic age. As John MacArthur teaches in his book Charismatic Chaos, the contemporary charismatic movement does not represent a revival of biblical tongues. It is a delusion similar to the practice of counterfeit tongues at Corinth. What evidence is there that tongues have ceased?

First, tongues were a sign gift that ended with the apostles. The last recorded miracles in the B’rit Chadashah occurred in late 59 AD with the healings on the island of Malta (see the commentary on Acts, to see link click Db – The Storm along the Shore of Crete). From then until John finished the book of Revelation, no miracle was recorded. Miracle gifts, like tongues and healing are mentioned only in First Corinthians, an early letter written in 55 AD from Ephesus. The next two letters, Romans (57 AD) and Ephesians (60 AD), both discuss gifts of the Spirit at length, but there is no mention of the miraculous gifts. By that time miracles were already looked upon as something in the past (Hebrews 2:3-4). The apostolic authority and the apostolic message needed no further confirmation. Before the first century ended, all the B’rit Chadashah had been written and was circulating through the churches. The sign gifts had ceased to serve any purpose. And when the apostolic age ended with the death of the apostle John, the signs that identified the apostles had already become moot.

For those who say that all the spiritual gifts of the past are still in effect today, I will call your attention to Exodus (see the commentary on Exodus Ew – The Appointment of Bezalel and Ohaliab) where ADONAI singled out Bezalel and Ohaliab and filled them with the Spirit of God with the spiritual gift of being able to work with gold, silver, bronze, cutting precious stones to be set, woodcarving and every other craft. So, if none of the gifts have ceased, we would find people in every congregation with the spiritual gift of artistry. But we don’t. I have never heard of anyone, ever claiming the spiritual gift of working with gold, silver or bronze. Not only that, this giftedness is nowhere to be found in the lists of spiritual gifts in the B’rit Chadashah. Why? Because it too has ceased.

Secondly, the gift of tongues was intended as a sign to unbelieving Isra’el (see Do – Tongues are a Sign). They signified that God had begun a new work that encompassed the Gentiles. ADONAI would now speak to all nations and languages. The barriers were broken down. And so, the gift of languages symbolized not only the judgment of God on a disobedient northern kingdom of Isra’el, but also a blessing of God on the whole world. Tongues were a sign of transition between the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of the Torah) and the Dispensation of Grace (see the commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace). With the establishment of the Church, a new day had dawned on the people of God. But once the transition was made, the sign was no longer necessary and the gift of tongues ceased to exist.

Thirdly, history records that tongues did cease. Again, it is significant that tongues are mentioned only in the earliest books of the B’rit Chadashah. Paul wrote nine books after First Corinthians and never mentioned tongues again (see the commentary on Galatians Ae – Dates of Books in the B’rit Chadashah). Peter never mentions tongues; James never mentions tongues; John never mentions tongues; and neither did Jude. Tongues appeared only briefly in Acts and First Corinthians as the new message of the gospel was being spread. But once the Church was established, tongues ceased.

Chrysostom (347 to 407 AD) and Augustine (396 to 430 AD) – the greatest theologians of the eastern and western churches considered tongues obsolete in their day. Chrysostom stated categorically that tongues had ceased by his time. Writing in the fourth century, he described tongues as an obscure practice and as a result of “their cessation . . . no longer takes place.” Augustine, in his comments on Acts 2:4, wrote, “In the earliest times the Holy Spirit fell on them that believed and they spoke in tongues. These were signs adapted to that time . . . then it passed away.”

During the first five hundred years of the Church, the only people who claimed to have spoken in tongues were followers of Montanus. He was a second century heretic from Phrygia who believed he was a prophet sent from God to reform Christianity through self-denial, speaking in tongues, and continued prophetic revelation. His teachings were divisive because he and his followers believed themselves to be the only true church. Montanus and his followers claimed to receive revelation from God that added to the Word spoken by Messiah and the apostles. He taught that God’s kingdom would be set up in his own village of Pepuza in his lifetime, and that he would have a prominent role in it. Those and other false prophecies were among the reasons why the rest of the Church considered his movement heretical.

Apparently no other tongues-speaking was practiced in the Church until the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when it appeared in several Roman Catholic groups in Europe. A group of militant Protestants in the Cevennes region of southern France began to prophesy, experience visions and speak in tongues. The group, sometimes called the Cevenol prophets, are remembered for their political and military activities, not their spiritual legacy. Most of their prophecies went unfulfilled. They were rabidly anti-Catholic, and advocated the use of armed force against the Catholic church. Many of them were consequently persecuted and killed by Rome. At the other end of the spectrum, the Jansenists, a group of Roman Catholic loyalists, who opposed the teaching of justification by faith, also claimed to be able to speak in tongues in the 1700’s.

Another group that practiced a form of tongues was the Shakers, an American sect with Quaker roots that flourished in the mid-1700’s. Mother Ann Lee, the founder of the sect, regarded herself as the female equivalent of Yeshua Messiah. She claimed to be able to speak in seventy-two different languages. The Shakers believed sexual intercourse was sinful, even within marriage. They spoke in tongues while dancing and singing in a trancelike state (see Ce – The Pagan Background of Counterfeit Spiritual Gifts).

Then in the early nineteenth century, Scottish Presbyterian pastor Edward Irving and members of his congregation practiced speaking in tongues and prophesying. Irvingite prophets often contradicted each other, their prophecies failed to come to pass, and their meetings were characterized by wild excess, much like the church at Corinth. The movement was further discredited when some of their prophets admitted to falsifying prophecies and others even attributed their “giftedness” to evil spirits. This group eventually became the Catholic Apostolic Church, which taught many false doctrines, embracing several Roman Catholic doctrines and creating twelve apostolic officers.

All of those supposed manifestations of tongues were identified with groups that were either heretical, fanatical, or otherwise unorthodox. For over 1800 years, the gift of tongues, along with other sign gifts, was unknown in the life and doctrine of the Church.

Then, around the turn of the twentieth century, tongues became a major emphasis within the holiness movement, a large section of which developed into modern Pentecostalism. The charismatic movement, which began in 1960, carried the practice of tongues beyond traditional Pentecostalism into many other denominations, churches, and groups, both Catholic and Protestant, filling the void in true spiritual living with false experience.

Many charismatics defended as biblical the modern tongues-speaking as part of the latter-day signs spoken of by Joel (Joel 2:28-32), and quoted by Peter in his speech on Shavu’ot (Acts 2:17-21). But it is clear from a careful examination of those passages that the prophecy does not apply either to Shavu’ot or to modern times. From earlier in Joel 2 we see that the time referred to is the Second Coming of Yeshua, when the Lord will remove the northern army far from Isra’el (Joel 2:20), just before the Messianic Kingdom is established and ADONAI’s chosen people turn to Him (Joel 2:21-27). It is only after this (Joel 2:28) that the miraculous signs in the heavens and on the earth will appear.

There was no blood, columns of smoke, darkening of the sun, or changing of the moon to blood associated with Shavu’ot (see the commentary on Acts An – Peter Speaks to the Shavu’ot Crowd). Nor have any such things happened in modern times. Peter was not saying that Shavu’ot completely fulfilled Joel’s prophecy, because obviously it did not. He was saying that the limited miraculous signs that had occurred shortly before he began his speech (see the commentary on Acts Al – The Ruach Ha’Kodesh Comes at Shavu’ot) were a glimpse of much greater and far-reaching signs and wonders that would come in the last days (Acts 2:17). There is simply no biblical explanation here for the modern reappearance of tongues (languages) or any of the other miraculous sign gifts.⁴³⁰

For our current knowledge is partial, and our prophecy is partial. That the present function of the spiritual gifts is incomplete, and that something more significant will come, is seen in Paul’s words but when the Perfect (Greek: teleion) comes. Here the incomplete state in which we now live forms the contrast. At that time in the future, there will be no need for such gifts because they are for this world only, the partial will pass away (Geek: katargethesontai, meaning to be abolished or to be rendered inoperative). In contrast to love, the spiritual gifts have a built-in obsolescence. They are not permanent and do not get perfected. Prophecy and our current partial knowledge of the Word will be brought to an end and be replaced with a perfect, or complete knowledge of the living Word, Yeshua Messiah. Katargethesontai makes it clear that these gifts do not flow into something new, like an onramp connecting to a freeway. They reach a dead end. So, when the Lord returns, when the Perfect comes, their function will end (13:9-10).⁴³¹ To cite the marvelous imagery of Karl Barth (1886-1968), “Because the sun rises, all lights are extinguished.”⁴³²

Take knowledge for example. We are now able to know only in a partial and incomplete way; now we have only partial knowledge of God’s will and God’s Word. No one on earth can understand His Word perfectly. But when we are fully in His presence, seeing Him face to face (3:12), this current or partial knowledge will be replaced by perfect or complete during the Messianic Kingdom (see the commentary on Revelation Fh – The Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom).⁴³³

Paul elsewhere described the purpose of gifts by an illustration employing the imagery of growth and maturity. According to Ephesians 4:11-16, the gifts were to be used to bring the Church from a state of infancy to adulthood. The word translated mature in Ephesians 4:13 is the same word translated perfection (Greek: teleion) in 13:10. Such a state will obviously not exist until Messiah’s Second Coming.⁴³³ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, argued like a child; now that I have become a man, I have finished with childish ways. Paul is here illustrating what will happen when the Perfect comes. In our earthly lives, all believers are like children compared to what we will be when we see Yeshua. A city like Corinth, famous for its bronze mirrors, would have particularly appreciated Paul’s final illustration. For now, we see in a mirror dimly. In our present state we are not capable of seeing more. But when we enter into our Lord’s presence, then we will see Him face to face. Now I know partly; then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me (13:11-12).

But for now, three things last – trust, hope, love (13:13a). The formula of “three great things” is common in Jewish literature. The same three appear in Colossians 1:4-5. Compare Micah 6:8, and this example from the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law): Rabbi Shim’on ben-Gamli’el said, “The world is sustained by three things: judgment, truth, and peace, as it is said in the TaNaKh: Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates (Zechariah 8:16)” (Avot 1:18).⁴³⁵

And the greatest of these is love, not only because it is eternal, but because even now in this life, love is supreme (13:13b). Love is already the greatest, not only because it will outlast trust and hope, beautiful and necessary as they are, but because love is inherently greater by being most God-like. For God is love (First John 4:8).⁴³⁶

Love Endures All Things
13: 7e

Finally, love endures all things, at all costs. Love holds fast to those it loves. It stands against overwhelming opposition and refuses to stop covering (to see link click Df – Love Covers All Things), stop believing (see Dg – Love Believes All Things), or stop hoping (see Dh – Love Hopes All Things). Love will not stop loving. In these four statements the inner power of love is revealed: her head held high, her eyes are bright and shining, her hand is steady and true, her heart is strong with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh within. This love has been rightly called “the greatest thing in the world.” Paul does not describe love in its greatest works, sacrifices, martyrdoms, or triumphs; he goes to the ordinary circumstances of life as we meet them day-by-day. There are many excuses on why we cannot love. But, Paul will not hear of it. Any of it. He encourages us to be true followers of Messiah and exercise love. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much (Luke 16:10a).425

Loving someone is easy when the other person does not challenge our affections by failing or offending. Love’s quality becomes really evident when it must endure trials. The B’rit Chadashah encourages us to endure in our walk with the Lord. Here is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God, we also do what He commands. For loving God means obeying his commands. Moreover, his commands are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust. Who overcomes the world if not the person who believes that Yeshua is the Son of God (First John 5:2-5)? Here, Paul specifically had in mind the need to persevere in love for others. Messiah’s endurance of love on our behalf is our example.⁴²⁶

In saying love believes all things and love hopes all things, Paul does not mean that love always believes the best about everything and everyone, but that love never ceases to trust God, and thus, leaves justice in His hands. It is in this sense that it never loses hope – that God’s justice in the context of God’s goodness will yet prevail where there is human fallenness, even wickedness. This is why love can endure. The life that is so touched by the never-ceasing love of God in Messiah (Romans 8:39) is in turn enabled by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to love others in the same way. It trusts God on behalf of the one loved, hopes to the end that God will show mercy in that person’s behalf.⁴²⁷

Love covers what otherwise is unbearable; love believes what is otherwise unbelievable; love hopes in what otherwise is hopeless; and it endures when anything less than love would give up. After love covers, it believes. After it believes, it hopes. After it hopes, it endures.⁴²⁸ Love is enduring, and what it produces will endure.

Dear Heavenly Father, meditating on Your wonderful love brings such peace. Things in this world may seem to swirl out of control but You are sovereign and Almighty. It is such a joy that You walk with me – ahead of me, behind me and alongside me. Whenever I sit down or stand up, You know it. You discern my thinking from afar. You observe my journeying and my resting and You are familiar with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, ADONAI, You know all about it (Psalms 139:2-4). It is a comfort to know that everywhere I go – You, with Your great love, are already there to protect and to guide me. I want to live my life so all that I do pleases You. Sometimes life is hard but it will be over soon and then an eternity of living in your wonderful love in heaven. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). I live with my eyes focused on Your love and on soon being in heaven. Thank you for being such a wonderful and loving Father! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Love Hopes All Things
13: 7c

Even when belief in a loved one’s goodness or repentance is shattered, love still hopes in all things. This is not the hope that is directed to God in expectation of good gifts from Him, but the hope that is directed toward others which expects what is best from, and for, them. When all seems lost, we hold on to hope.⁴²² Hope is the attitude that good will eventually come to those who may now be failing. Failure invades every believer’s life, and it often causes others to give up on the one who fails. Yet, believers who love, continue to hope for the best. This optimism, however, can also become foolishness and wishful thinking. For example, Paul did not believe that the incestuous man in Corinth would repent without undergoing church discipline (to see link click Ba – Failure to Discipline an Immoral Brother).⁴²³

Therefore, this hope is not based on us, but on Messiah. As long as God’s grace is available, human failure is never final. ADONAI would not take Isra’el’s failure as final. Yeshua would not take Peter’s failure as final (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Mn – Jesus Reinstates Peter), and Paul would not take the Corinthians’ failure as final. As the relationship with the Corinthian church became more and more strained, Paul kept firing off letters to them because he didn’t believe that they were a hopeless case. There are more than enough promises in the Bible to make love hopeful.

Dear Merciful Heavenly Father, You are so wonderful! Praise You that as long as God’s grace is available, human failure is never final. You always so graciously woo people to Yourself by Your fantastic love. The family member or friend that seems impossible for us to reach, is reachable by You. For You know the heart and You know just what is needed to cause them to change their minds so that they choose to love and to follow You. For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37). Praise You that You are ever seeking after lost ones and that Your ways to do things are so much higher and better than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).

We rejoice in laying our loved ones in Your hands for You to work in their hearts and we praise Your wisdom and mighty power. I am thinking of my family members and specific friends who need to seek after and to follow You. Please open the eyes of their hearts to see that You are the Best and the True source of joy. May they realize, “Things no eye has seen and no ear has heard, that have not entered the heart of mankind – these things God has prepared for those who love Him” (First Cor 2:9). We love You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The parents of a backslidden child, the spouse of an unbelieving marriage partner, the congregation that has disciplined members who do not repent – all hope in love that the child, the spouse, or the erring brother or sister will be saved or restored. Love refuses to take failure as final. The rope of love’s hope has no end. As long as there is life, love does not lose hope. When our hope is weak, we know our love has become weak.⁴²⁴

Love Believes All Things
13: 7b

In addition to covering all things, love also believes all things. Of the four qualities listed earlier (to see link click Df – Love Covers All Things), the two verbs in the center, covers and believes are joined with love in 13:13 to form an unshakable triad. When love throws its mantle over a wrong it also believes in the best outcome for the one who has done the wrong – that the wrong will be confessed and forgiven and the loved one restored to righteousness. Love also believes all things in another way. The flesh is ready to believe all the negative things about a brother or a sister, but love does just the opposite. If there is doubt about a person’s guilt or motivation, love will always opt for the most favorable possibility. If a loved one is accused of something wrong, love will consider him innocent until proven guilty. If he turns out to be guilty, love will give credit for the best motive. Love errs on the favorable side. It is confident and believes to the last.

Job’s friends show few signs of love. They were ready to believe the worst about him, being thoroughly convinced that his problems could only have been caused by his sins. Job did not himself understand why he was suffering so terribly, but he knew it was not because of his sins. Look, I know what you are thinking, he responded, and your plans to do me wrong (Job 21:27). They gave Job no benefit of the doubt because they had no true love for him. Knowing the uprightness of Job’s life, loving friends would have realized that his sufferings were out of proportion to whatever shortcomings he had.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being willing to not just talk of love, but to show Your great love, though it cost You so much pain and shame. Focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). To love someone who is wonderful is easy, but You loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). How wonderful that Yeshua is now in heaven lovingly preparing our eternal home (John 14:1-3). What great love and mercy You have! For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him (Psalms 103:11). It is a great joy and privilege to think of loving and praising You in heaven for all eternity. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The loveless attitude of the scribes and Pharisees is seen in their predisposition to see the worst in others, including Yeshua. When Yeshua forgave the paralytic for his sins, the Pharisees immediately concluded He was blaspheming (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Co – Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man). To prove that He was truly the Messiah (see the commentary on Isaiah Gl – The Three Messianic Miracles), Yeshua healed a blind man who was also mute (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ek – It is only by Beelzebub, the Prince of Demons, That This Fellow Drives Out Demons). Most of the crowd that had gathered were in total awe of the miracle and glorified God. But we know from their later words and actions that the scribes and Pharisees remained convinced that Yeshua was evil.

Hatred believes the worst; love believes the best.

Love is a harbor of trust. When that trust is broken, love’s first reaction is to heal and restore. Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too (Galatians 6:1).

Love Covers All Things
13: 7a

This final staccato of verbs brings the present description to a summary and conclusion. In each case the verb is accompanied by the object all things. The key Greek word here is panta, which may be translated as all or always. Basically, it means that love has no limits. Stating the opposite best captures the idea: love never tires of support, never loses faith, never exhausts hope, never gives up. But these four qualities are hyperbole, exaggerations to make a point. Paul has made it clear that love rejects jealousy, bragging, arrogance, rudeness, selfishness, anger, keeping a record of wrongs, and unrighteousness. It does not bear, believe, hope or endure lies, false teaching or anything else that is not of God. By “all things,” Paul is speaking of all things acceptable to God’s righteousness and will, of everything within the Lord’s divine tolerance.⁴¹⁹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your love is like the most beautiful diamond, cut with many flawless and sparkling faces. Each aspect of Your love sparkles and glistens like a face of an exquisite diamond. There is nothing that could make the diamond of Your love more beautiful, for You are holy and totally perfect in all You have ever done or thought. Meditating on Your love is like constantly resting on an air mattress in a big pool on a sunny day. The sun shines bright and hot but the water splashes and refreshes us. There are sounds and noises all around but as we gaze into the blue sky we hear only the whisper of Your love. We see the fluffy white clouds and remember how You ascended into heaven. After saying all this – while they were watching – He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. What a comfort to know that You are in heaven preparing a home for us (John 14:1-3) and will someday soon return to take us home to heaven to be with You there for all eternity! Thank You that Your love covers all things. You are so loved! In Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The four qualities listed in 13:7 are closely related and are given in ascending order to form a chiasm, the first (love covers all things) and the fourth (love endures all things) dealing with present circumstances, the second (love believes all things) and the third (love hopes all things) looking into the future. Thus, there is nothing love cannot face. So, too, the final verb, love never ends. Love has a tenacity in the present, buoyed by its absolute confidence in the future, that enables one to live in every kind of circumstance and continually to pour oneself out on behalf of others. Paul’s own ministry was a perfect example of such love.⁴²⁰

Paul continues to complete the golden chain of love; each jewel matches the next until the characterization is complete. Now he proceeds to teach us that love covers (Greek: stego, meaning to support, and therefore to protect) all things. Love covers all things by protecting others from exposure, ridicule or harm. Genuine love does not gossip or listen to gossip. Even when a sin is certain, love tries to correct it with the least possible hurt and harm to the guilty person.

Fallen human nature has the opposite inclination. There is wicked pleasure in exposing someone’s faults or failures. As already mentioned, that is what makes gossip appealing. The Corinthians cared little for the feelings or welfare of fellow believers. It was every person for themselves. Like the Pharisees, they paid little attention to others, except when those others were failing or sinning. Mankind’s depravity causes people to rejoice in the depravity of others. It is that depraved pleasure that sells magazines and newspapers that cater to exposes, “true confessions,” and the like. It is the same sort of pleasure that makes children tattle on their brothers and sisters. Whether to feel self-righteous by exposing another’s sin or to enjoy the sin vicariously, we all are tempted to take a certain kind of pleasure in the sins of others. Love had no part in that. It does not expose or exploit, gloat or condemn.

Hate stirs up disputes, but love covers all kinds of transgressions (Proverbs 10:12). On the one hand, we can measure our love for a person by how quick we are to cover their faults. On the other hand, love does not justify sin or compromise with falsehood. Love warns, corrects, exhorts, rebukes, and disciplines. But love does not expose or broadcast failures and wrongs. It covers and protects. Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer and speaker, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, emphasized God’s love when he is quoted as saying, “God pardons like a mother who kisses the offense into everlasting forgetfulness.”

The mercy seat, where the blood of atonement was sprinkled (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace), was a place of covering. That covering prefigured the perfect and final covering of sin accomplished by Yeshua on the cross in His great atonement (see the commentary on Romans Ba – The Picture of Justification). In the cross, ADONAI threw the great mantle of His love over sin, forever covering it for those who trust in His Son. By nature, love redeems. It wants to buy back, to save, not to judge.

Love feels the pain of those and helps carry the burden of the hurt. True love is even willing to take the consequences of the sin of those it loves. Isaiah wrote of Yeshua Messiah, “It was our diseases He bore, our pains from which He suffered. Yet, we considered Him punished, stricken and afflicted by God. He, and no other, was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our sins. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him (Isaiah 53:4-5 CJB). As Peter knew firsthand from Yeshua’s great patience and kindness: love covers a multitude of sins (First Peter 4:8).⁴²¹

Love Rejoices in the Truth
13: 6

After the series of verbs describing how love responds to evildoing, Paul now concludes with a set of verbal opposites. For this last link of the eight negative statements: Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, Paul supplies the first of five positive statements: but rejoices in the truth. The first positive contrasting the last negative.⁴¹⁶ At first glance, it may seem strange to contrast not rejoicing in unrighteousness (Greek: adikia, meaning wickedness or doing evil) with rejoicing in the truth. But we must understand that anything that is unrighteous in the sight of ADONAI grieves the heart that is full of love, not merely because the evil hurts the one to whom it is done, but especially because God hates evil and must punish the wrongdoer. Those who are self-seeking, who disobey the truth and obey evil, Ha’Shem will pay back with wrath and anger (Romans 2:8). Where unrighteousness triumphs, truth is absent. Evil prevails where the heart has pleasure in it, loves it, and thus rejoices in it. The love that Paul describes is absent in that case. But where the heart rejoices in the truth, embraces it gladly, and finds pleasure in possessing it, there, unrighteousness is driven out.⁴¹⁷

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices (Greek: suhchairei, meaning sharing God’s grace with another person, so that both rejoice together ) in the truth. Thus, the truth Paul is speaking of here is not simply factual truth. He is speaking of ADONAI’S truth, God’s revealed Word . . . Yeshua Messiah, who said: I AM the way and the Truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). Righteousness is predicated on God’s truth and cannot exist apart from it or Him. Love always rejoices in God’s truth and never in falsehood or false teaching, which is evil. Love cannot tolerate wrong doctrine. It cannot suppress the truth (Romans 1:18) or exchange it for a lie (Romans 1:25). It makes no sense to say, “It doesn’t make any difference if people don’t agree with our doctrine. What matters is that we love them.” That is the basic view of what is commonly called the ecumenical movement today. However, if we truly love others it should matter a great deal to us whether or not they believe what is right and wrong, what is truth and what is unrighteousness. Because what they believe affects their souls, their eternal destinies, and their representation of God’s will, and therefore, should be of the highest concern for us. You don’t get to heaven by what you do, you get to heaven by what you believe!

Dear Heavenly Father, You are the perfect example of Truth. Praise You that in all You do, say and think, You are truth. In this world so many people speak what they call “white” lies but you call all untruths to be lies. It does not matter if it is just a shade off the truth- it is a lie. That gives us such great confidence in all you say in Your Word to be 100% Truth! Every promise that You make is totally reliable. We can always trust You completely. What a fantastic promise Yeshua made. Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, so that where I am you may also be (John 14:1-3). Even when things look dark to us, it is not dark to you. Even darkness is not dark for You, and night is as bright as day (Psalms 139:12). Even the future is not dark to You for You know the future in detail (Daniel 2:24-30). You are so powerful and we can trust that no kingdom will ever be greater than You. ADONAI has set up His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all (Psalms 103:19). We rejoice in the truth of Your great love! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Love is consistent with kindness (to see link click Cw – Love is Kind) but it is not consistent with compromising the truth. That is not kind to those whom we mislead by our failure to stand firmly in the truth. This is love, John tells us: that we should live according to His commands. To compromise, for example, with those who cast doubt on the incarnation is not loving. It risks eternal reward. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not acknowledge Yeshua Messiah’s coming as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and an anti-Messiah. Watch yourselves, so that you don’t lose what we have accomplished, but will receive your full reward (Second John 6-8). Love, truth, and righteousness are inseparable. When one is weakened the other two are also weakened. Paul teaches us that if someone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, don’t welcome him into your home. Don’t even say, “Shalom!” to him; for the person who says, “Shalom!” to him shares in his evil deeds (Second John 10-11). We are not to rejoice in evil teaching or evil living. Love rejoices in the truth and never in falsehood or unrighteousness.

On the other hand, love does not focus on the wrongs of others. Love does not parade their faults for all the world to see. Love does not disregard falsehood and unrighteousness, but as much as possible it focuses on the true and the right. It looks for the good, hopes for the good, and emphasizes the good. Love rejoices in those who repent and turn from unrighteousness, and it rejoices in those who teach and live the truth.⁴¹⁸

Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs
13: 5d

Closely connected with not being easily angered (to see link click Dc – Love is Not Easily Angered) is that love keeps no record of the wrongs carried out against us. Keeps no records (Greek: logizomai) is a bookkeeping term that means to calculate, as when figuring an entry into a ledger. The purpose of the entry is to make a permanent record that can be consulted whenever needed. In business that practice is necessary, but in personal matters it is not only unnecessary but harmful. Keeping track of things done against us is a sure path to unhappiness – our own and that of those on whom the wrongs (Greek: kakon, meaning evil, inner malice or bad things) are kept.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise Your great love! You have every right to punish us for our sins, but instead, You graciously and with great mercy give Yeshua’s righteousness to all who love You. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). What a supremely gracious God You are to forgive so deeply that you completely remove the sins of those who love You. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:12).

Thank You that You save those who confess You as their Lord and Savior, even if they are the only one of a few of our relatives or friends to love You.  But still, you have a few people in Sardis who have not stained their clothes. They will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy. The one who overcomes thus will be dressed in white clothes; I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, and will confess his name before My Father and His angels (Revelation 3:4-5). It is worth being the only one to follow You, for we will have an eternity of joy to love You with our new heavenly family. We love you deeply! In Yeshua’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen 

Loving people do not keep bringing up past failures in an attempt to gain control over others. Love is painfully aware of the evil done against it, but tries to overcome it with good and does not keep a record to “get even,” or to return evil for evil. Paul himself embodied this attitude in Second Corinthians 2:5-11 when he forgave the one who offended him. Love is neither enraged at the moment, nor does it hold a grudge, or act vindictively afterward. As John Chrysostom (347 to 407 AD), the early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople has well said, “As a spark falls into the sea and does not harm the sea, so harm may be done to a loving soul and is soon quenched without disturbing the soul.” Thus, love does not keep meticulous records of offenses, but offers forgiveness time and again.

When Peter came to Jesus and asked: Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times (Matthew 18:21)? Messiah replied: Not seven times, but seventy times seven times (Mattityahu 18:22). This limitless number shows that God’s forgiveness is boundless. The number seven is often used as a biblical metaphor as the number of completeness. Perhaps Yeshua had in mind the Torah passage that speaks of Lamech’s unlimited vengeance (Genesis 4:24), in contrast to the unlimited forgiveness. True forgiveness does not keep a record of wrongs. Love forgives.

The same Greek verb (logizomai) is often used in the B’rit Chadashah to represent the pardoning act of God for those who trust in Yeshua Messiah as their Lord and Savior. Blessed is the one whose sin ADONAI will not take into account (Romans 4:8). God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to Himself, not counting their sins against them (Second Corinthians 5:19). If God so completely and permanently erases the record of our many sins against Him, how much more should we forgive the much lesser wrongs done against us? In God’s heavenly record the only entry after our names is righteous, because we are counted righteous in Yeshua. Therefore, Messiah’s righteousness is transferred (imputed) to our spiritual bank account at the moment of faith (Romans 4:6-11 and 22-25; James 2:23). What is true of Messiah is true of you, minus His deity. No other record exists.

Friendships, personal relationships, family relationships, and marriages can be, and often are, ruined by keeping record of wrongs. We make mistakes: professionally, personally and financially. We are human. And it is necessary to seek forgiveness for those we have wronged or hurt. To make restitution when possible; financially if necessary. But once you have asked for forgiveness and done everything you can humanly do to change and make things right, or once you have “forgiven” someone, nobody wants to live with past mistakes being thrown in their face daily. Do not let the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:26).

Love is Not Easily Angered
13: 5c

If we bear in mind the trait of unselfishness (to see link click Db – Love is Not Selfish), it is easier to understand that love is not easily angered (Greek: from the root paroxuno), provoked, irritated, embittered or enraged, rather, they are patient (see Cv – Love is Patient). While love treats others with kindness (see Cw – Love is Kind), in turn, many times it receives just the opposite. Paul’s life was full of such experience, especially from his fellow Jews who ought to have especially loved him. He did not accuse them (Acts 28:19), he did the opposite, when he said: Bless those who persecute you (Romans 12:14).⁴¹⁴

But the apostle does not rule out righteous indignation. Like his Lord, Paul was only angered by the things that anger God. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness (13:6a). To be angered by the distortion or contradiction of God’s Word is righteous indignation. But when it is truly righteous, indignation will never be provoked by something done against us personally. Paul responded strongly against such things as heresy, immorality, and misuse of spiritual gifts. He became angry (Greek: from the root paroxuno) when he saw that Athens was full of idols (Acts 17:16). When Yeshua cleared the Temple, He was angered at the violation of His Father’s house of prayer (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Iv – Jesus Entered the Temple Area and Drove Out All Who Were Buying and Selling). But on many occasions when He was personally abused, He did not become angry or defensive (John 18:19-24).

The becoming easily angered that Paul wrote to the Corinthians about has to do with things done against us or that are personally offensive. Love does not get angry with others when they say or do something that displeases us or when they prevent us from having our own way (First Peter 2:21-24). Love never reacts in self-defense or retaliation. Being easily angered is the other side of seeking one’s own way. The person who is intent on having his own way is easily angered or easily provoked.

Surely one influencing factor for mental and physical illness in our society today is the overwhelming preoccupation with our rights and the resulting anger. When everyone is fighting for his or her own rights, no one can really succeed or be content. Everyone grabs, no one gives, and everyone loses – even when one gets what he or she wants. Anger can never win in any meaningful or lasting way. It always costs more than it gains.

We sometimes get angry when another person gains a privilege or recognition we want for ourselves, because it is our “right.” But to put our rights before our duty and before the loving concern for others comes from self-centeredness and lovelessness. The loving person is more concerned about doing what he should and helping where he can than in having what he thinks are his rights and his due. Love considers nothing is a “right” and everything is an obligation.

The ultimate test for being easily angered is in the home, behind closed doors. Telling our family that we love them is merely empty words if we continually get upset and angry at what they say and do. Telling our wives or husbands that we love them is not convincing if we are snapping at them all the time. Telling our children that we love them is merely words if we often yell at them for doing things that irritate us and interfere with our plans. It does no good to protest, “I lose my temper a lot, but it’s all over in a few minutes.” So is a nuclear bomb. A great deal of damage can be done in a very short time. Temper is always destructive, and even small temper “bombs” can leave much hurt and damage, especially when they explode on a regular basis. Lovelessness is the cause of temper, and love is the only cure. Love that takes a person outside of himself and centers his attention on the well-being of others is the only cure for self-centeredness.⁴¹⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your wisdom that wisely gets angry at evil, but is patient with Your children. When we sin, You could reject us or hurt us; but instead, You gently draw us back to You so we can repent with genuine sorrow for our wrong, and then You graciously forgive us.  For the grief that God wills brings a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret. But the world’s grief brings death.  For see what this very thing – this grieving that God wills – has brought you! What diligence, what defense, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what rendering of justice! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter (Second Corinthians 7:10-11). Thank You for sending the Ruach Ha’Kodesh to convict the world of sin (First John 16:8) so that we turn from sin to follow You as our Lord and Savior, embracing Your gracious offer of forgiveness. You are so loved! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Love is Not Selfish
13: 5b

The proper bearing of love (to see link click Df – Love Covers All Things) is due to its genuine unselfishness, for love is not selfish. True love is always unselfish. How easily said, how hard to attain! Selfishness lies at the root of a thousand evils and sins in the world and in the Church; between rich and poor, capital and labor, nation and nation, man and man, woman and woman, believers and believers. Cure selfishness, and you create the Garden of Eden. As when one draws a beautiful face and makes one feature after another stand out until the eyes at last light up the whole and give it complete expression, so in this portrait of love, the inspired artist paints the eyes full of unselfishness, seeking in every glance not their own but that which is another’s. Yes, this is love: no envy, no boasting, no pride, no rudeness because it is altogether unselfish.⁴¹¹

Loving people do not attempt to advance their own interests, especially at the expense of other people. This love (Greek: agage) differs from eros, which always seeks its own interests, and from philia, which points to devotion to one’s own, whether self, family, or friend. Again, the Corinthian believers were models of what loving believers should not be. Paul’s urging in 10:24, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others,” indicated that self-seeking was another major problem within the church at Corinth.

They were selfish to the extreme. They didn’t share their food at the love feasts (see Bz – The Problem: The Abuse of the Poor), they protected their rights to the point of suing fellow believers in pagan courts of law (see Bb – Failure to Resolve Personal Disputes), and they wanted what they thought were the “best” spiritual gifts for themselves. Instead of using spiritual gifts for the benefit of others, they tried to use them to their own advantage. Therefore, Paul told them, “Since you eagerly seek the things of the Spirit, seek especially what will help in edifying the congregation” (14:12). They did not use their gifts to build up the church, but to try to build up themselves. At the end of his discourse on freedom in Messiah (see Bj – Concerning Our Freedom in Messiah), Paul invites the Corinthians to imitate him as he does Messiah, “Just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not looking out for my own interests but for those of the many, so that they may be saved” (10:33).⁴¹²

The story is told of a chauffeur who drove up to a cemetery and asked the minister who served as caretaker to come to the car, because his employer was too ill to walk. Waiting in the car was a frail old lady with sunken eyes that showed years of hurt and anguish. She introduced herself and said she had been sending five dollars to the cemetery for the past several years to be used for flowers for her husband’s grave. “I have come in person today,” she said, “because the doctors have given me only a few weeks to live and I wanted to see the grave for one last time.” The minister replied, “You know, I am sorry you have been sending money for those flowers.” Taken aback, she said, “What do you mean?” “Well, I happen to be a part of a visiting society that visits patients in hospitals and mental institutions. They really love the flowers. They can see them and smell them. Flowers are therapy for them, because they are living people.” Saying nothing, she motioned for the chauffeur to leave. Some months later the minister was surprised to see the same car drive up, but with the woman herself at the wheel. She said, “At first I resented what you said to me that day when I came here for a last visit. But as I thought about it, I decided you were right. Now I personally take flowers to the hospitals. It does make the patients happy . . . and it makes me happy, too. The doctors can’t figure out what made me well, but I know I now have someone else to live for.”

As always, Yeshua is our perfect model. He For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve – and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). The Son of God lived His life for others. God incarnate was agape love incarnate. He was the perfect incarnation of self-giving love. He never sought His own welfare, but always the welfare of others.⁴¹³

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a joy to live for! You are always both totally holy and completely loving. You never make a mistake or forget anything. As your child, I can totally trust You to guide every detail of my life and I choose to make choices that honor You. Never will You give Your child second best. Though a path may seem so hard, the trials will be over soon. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).

Heaven will be a time of great joy for all eternity. The trials are not mistakes in Your plan, but you use even the trials in my life to bring You glory for all eternity now. for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,  so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Yeshua Messiah (1 Peter 1:6c-7). Thank You for being so totally unselfish. You are greatly loved! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Love is Not Rude
13: 5a

The next link in the chain is that love is not rude. The principle here has to do with poor manners. It is not as serious a fault as bragging (to see link click Cy – Love Does Not Brag) or arrogance (see Cz – Love is Not Proud), but it stems from the same lovelessness. It does not care enough for those it is around to act politely. It cares nothing for their feelings or sensitivities. The loveless person is careless, overbearing and often crude.

The Corinthians were models of rude behavior. Acting overbearing was almost their trademark. Nearly everything they did was rude and unloving. Even when they came together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper they were selfish and offensive: Each one goes ahead on his own; so that one goes away hungry while another is already drunk (11:21). During public worship services each one tried to outdo the others in speaking in tongues. Everyone talked at once and tried to be the most dramatic and prominent. The church did everything improperly and in disorder, the opposite of what Paul had taught them and now advised them against: Let all things be done in a proper way (14:40).

On one occasion Messiah was dining in the home of a Pharisee named Simon. During the meal a prostitute came and washed Yeshua’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and then anointed them with expensive perfume. Simon, embarrassed and offended, thought to himself: If this man were a prophet He would know who and what kind of a person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner. Yeshua then told the parable of the moneylender who forgave two debtors, one for 500 denarii and the other for 50. Our Lord asked Simon which debtor would be more grateful, to which the Pharisee replied: I suppose the one whom he forgave more. Then the Lord turned toward the woman and said to Simon: Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give Me any water for my feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give Me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing My feet. You did not put oil on My head, but she has poured perfume on My feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – as her great love has shown. But, whoever has been forgiven little loves little (Luke 7:44-47).

The primary example of love in that account is not the woman’s, sincere and beautiful as it was. It is Yeshua’s love that is the most remarkable, and this is in such contrast to Simon’s lovelessness. By Messiah’s loving acceptance of the woman’s loving act, as well as by the parable, Yeshua showed Simon that it was not her actions or His response that was improper, but Simon’s attitude. What the woman did and what Yeshua did had everything to do with love. On the contrary, what Simon did, had nothing to do with love.

Dear Heavenly Father, Your love is so deep and wonderful. Not only are You not rude, You are full of mercy. He has not treated us according to our sins, or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him (Psalms 103:10-11). Your forgiveness is so total for those who love You. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:12). It is easy to love You. You call us to be loving, not rude. And this commandment we have from Him: that the one who loves God should also love his brother. Please help us to be like You, loving and kind to all. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

William Barclay (1907-1978), the famous Scottish scholar, translates First Corinthians 13:5a as: Love does not behave gracelessly. Love is gracious. Graciousness should begin with fellow believers, but it should not end there. Many believers have forfeited the opportunity for witnessing by rudeness to an unbeliever who offends them be a habit the unbeliever considers improper. As with Simon, sometimes our attitude and behavior in the name of righteousness are more improper, and less righteous, than some of the things criticized.

Love is much more than being gracious and considerate, but it is never less. To the extent that our living is ungracious and inconsiderate it is also rude and unloving. Self-righteous rudeness by believers can turn people away from Messiah before they have a chance to hear the gospel. The messenger can become a barrier to the message. If people do not see the humility and gentleness of Messiah (Second Corinthians 10:1) clearly in us, they are less likely to see Him clearly in the gospel we preach.⁴¹⁰

Love is Not Proud
13: 4e

The next link in the chain is that love is not proud (Greek: physioutai). When pride puffs up the heart, arrogance naturally follows. Pride forgets its own place and fails to respect others; love forgets its own place, but is thoughtful of others. Paul, himself, is a good example. No matter where he was, among friends or foes, before common people or before kings, he always knew how to conduct himself, so even kings were compelled to respect him.⁴⁰⁸

The Corinthian believers thought they had arrived at perfection (see Perfectionism by B. B. Warfield). Paul had already warned them not to go beyond what the TaNaKh says, proudly taking the side of one leader against another. After all, what makes you so special? What do you have that you didn’t receive as a gift? And if in fact it was a gift, why do you boast as if it weren’t? You are filled already? You are rich already? You have become kings, even though we are not? Well, I wish you really were kings, so that we might share the kingship with you (4:6-8)! Becoming even more sarcastic, he declared: For the Messiah’s sake we [apostles] are fools, but united with the Messiah you are wise! We are weak, but you are strong; you are honored, but we are dishonored (4:10)? Obviously not! A few verses later, the apostle is even more direct: When I didn’t come to visit you, some of you became arrogant (4:18). In fact, six of the seven occurances of the verb to be proud in the B’rit Chadashsh appear in this letter.

They greatly overvalued the opinion they had of themselves. Instead of seeing themselves as lowly pawns, they viewed themselves as mighty kings. Everything good that the Corinthians had, came from the King; therefore, they had no reason to be proud or arrogant about anything. Yet, they were puffed up and conceited about their knowledge of doctrine, their spiritual gifts, and the famous teachers they had had. They were so overestimated about their pride that they even boasted about their carnality, worldliness, idolatry, and immorality, including incest, which was even practiced by pagans. They were arrogant rather than repentant; they bragged more than they mourned (to see link click Ba – Failure to Discipline an Immoral Brother). But in contrast to all of their pride, love is not arrogant.

William Carey, often referred to as the father of modern missions, was a brilliant linguist, responsible for translating parts of the Bible into no fewer than 34 different languages and dialects. He had been raised in a simple home in England and as a young man worked as a cobbler. In India he was often ridiculed for his “low” birth and former occupation. At a dinner party one evening a snob said to him sarcastically, “I understand, Mister Carey, that you once worked as a shoemaker.” But Carey replied, “Oh no, your lordship, I was not a shoemaker . . . only a shoe repairman.”

Dear Heavenly Father, How wonderful all you did for those who love You so they could live eternally with You having Yeshua’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21)! There is no room for anyone to have pride in salvation, for it is all by Your grace thru faith, and even this is not our accomplishment, but God’s gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). You so humbly came down as a man (Philippians 2:5-11) and bore our sin and shame. As we focus our joy on thanking and pleasing You, rewards from this world mean nothing. Life on earth will be over in a blink so how important it is to use the short time we have to prepare our gift of love for You.

What a wonderful thought that what we do on earth, with a godly heart attitude, has eternal rewards (First Corinthians 3:12-14). Any reward or crown that we may receive, we choose to give to You. Like the twenty-four elders we will fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And they throw their crowns down before the throne, chanting, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power” (Revelation 4:10-11a). You are a joy to worship! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

When Yeshua began to preach, He soon overshadowed the ministry of John the Immerser. Yet John spoke of Him as the One who comes after me, whose sandal I am not worthy to untie (John 1:27 NASB). When John’s disciples later became jealous of Yeshua’s popularity, John rebuked them, saying: He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).

Like wisdom, love says: I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and deceitful speech (Proverbs 13:8). Other proverbs remind us that first comes pride, then disgrace (Proverbs 11:2a), that disrespect only produces strife (Proverbs 13:10), and that pride goes before destruction, and arrogance before failure (Proverbs 18:18). Pride and arrogance breed contention, which the Corinthian church was filled with. Love is constructive. It builds up the building (8:1); pride blows up the building. Arrogance is big-headed, whereas love is big-hearted.⁴⁰⁹

Love Does Not Brag
13: 4d

A natural companion to the lack of envy (to see link click Cx – Love Does Not Envy), is the lack of boasting. Love does not brag (Greek: perpereuetai, meaning to brag and is used nowhere else in the B’rit Chadshah). Behind boastful bragging there lies conceit, an overestimation of one’s own importance, abilities or achievements. It is used to describe a pompous windbag and may allude to the rhetorically sophisticated speech (1:17 and 2:1) that so characterized the bragging of the Corinthians.⁴⁰⁶

When the loving person feels good about himself, he has no need to brag about anything in his life. Love does not parade its accomplishments. Bragging is the other side of jealousy. Jealousy is wanting what someone else has; bragging is trying to make others jealous of what we have. Jealousy puts others down; bragging builds us up. It is ironic that, as much as most of us dislike bragging in others, we are so inclined to brag ourselves.

The Corinthian believers were spiritual show-offs, constantly vying for public attention. They clamored for the most prestigious offices and the most glamorous gifts. They all wanted to talk at once, especially in ecstatic speech (see Ce – The Pagan Background of Counterfeit Spiritual Gifts). Most of their speaking in tongues was counterfeit, but their bragging about it was genuine. They cared nothing for harmony, order, fellowship, edification, or anything worthwhile. They cared only for flaunting themselves. What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation (14:26). Each did their own thing as prominently as possible, in total disregard for what the others in public worship were doing.

Charles Trumbull, the editor of The Sunday School Times, a respected Christian journal with a weekly circulation of more than 100,000 worldwide in the early 1900s, once vowed, “God, if You will give me the strength, every time I have the opportunity to introduce the topic of conversation it will always be Jesus Christ.” He had only one subject that was truly worth talking about. If Christ is first in our thoughts, we cannot possibly brag.

C. S. Lewis, author of The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicles of Narnia, called bragging “the utmost evil.” It is the epitome of pride, which is the root sin of all sins. Bragging puts ourselves first. Everyone else, including God, must therefore be of less importance. It is impossible to build ourselves up without putting others down.

Yeshua was, and is, God incarnate. Yet He never exalted Himself in any way. Though He was in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God something to be possessed by force. On the contrary, He emptied himself, in that He took the form of a slave by becoming like human beings are. And when He appeared as a human being, He humbled himself still more by becoming obedient even to death – death on a stake as a criminal (Philippians 2:6-8)! Yeshua, who had everything to boast of, never boasted. In total contrast, we, who have nothing to boast about, are prone to boast. Only the love that comes from Yeshua Messiah can save us from flaunting our knowledge, our degrees, our status, our gifts, our wealth, our bodies, our good looks, or our accomplishments, real or imagined.⁴⁰⁷

Love Does Not Envy
13: 4c

Here is the first of eight negative descriptions of love. Love does not envy (Greek: zeloi, meaning to be jealous). Love and envy are mutually exclusive. Shakespeare called jealousy “the green sickness” and Yeshua referred to it as an evil eye (Matthew 20:15 NKJV). Jealousy, or envy, has two forms. One form says, “I want what someone else has.” If they have a better car than we do, we want it. If they are praised for something they do, we want some or more for ourselves. That sort of jealousy is bad enough. However, a worse kind says, “I wish they didn’t have what they have” (Matthew 20:1-16). The second kind of jealousy is more than selfish; it is desiring evil for someone else. It is jealousy on the deepest, most corrupt, and destructive level. This is the jealousy Solomon uncovered in the woman who pretended to be a child’s mother. When her own infant died, she secretly exchanged him for the baby of a friend who was staying with her. The true mother discovered what had happened and, when their dispute was taken before the king, he ordered the baby cut in half, a half to be given to each woman. The true mother pleaded for the baby to be spared, even if it meant losing possession of him. The false mother, however, would rather have had the baby killed than for the true mother to have him (see the commentary on The Life of Solomon, to see link click Aq – Solomon Gives a Wise Ruling).

Fury is cruel and anger overwhelming, but who can stand up to jealousy (Proverbs 27:4)? In its extreme, jealousy has a viciousness shared with no other sin. If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, says James, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing (James 3:14-16). Selfish ambition, which is fueled by jealousy, is often “successful.” But its wisdom is demonic and its worldly “success” is ultimately destructive.

Jealousy is not a moderate or harmless sin. It was Eve’s jealousy of God, sparked by her pride, to which Satan successfully appealed. She wanted to be like God, to have what He has and to know what He knows. Jealousy was an integral part of that first great sin, from which all other sin has descended. The next sin mentioned in Genesis is murder, caused by Cain’s sin of jealousy of his brother Abel (see the commentary on Genesis Bj – Your Brother’s Blood Cries Out to Me from the Ground). Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery because of jealousy (see the commentary on Genesis Jb – Joseph’s Brothers Sold Him for Twenty Shekels of Silver). Dani’el was thrown into the lion’s den because of the jealousy of his fellow officials in Babylon. Jealousy causes the elder brother to resent the father’s attention to the prodigal son (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Hu – The Parable of the Lost Son and His Jealous Brother). And there are many other similar biblical illustrations.

One of the hardest battles a believer must fight is against jealousy. There is always someone who is a little better. But, love never detracts from the praise that is due to another, nor tries to make him seem less and self seem more by comparison. The practice of the world is quite the opposite. The negatives used in Paul’s description suggest corresponding positives. Instead of being envious, love is satisfied with its own portion and glad for others’ success.⁴⁰⁴ Envy was behind much of the party strife in the Corinthian church, Paul says as much (see Ar – The Immaturity of the Worldly Believer).

In sharp contrast to the many accounts of jealousy in the Corinthian church is the account of Jonathan’s agape love for David, who was not only greater and more popular than Jonathan, but was a threat to the throne that Jonathan normally would have inherited. Yet we are told of nothing by Jonathan’s great respect and love for his friend David, for whom he would willingly have sacrificed not only the throne but himself, he loved David as he loved his own life (First Samuel 20:17). Jonathan’s father, King Sha’ul, lost his throne and his blessing because of his jealousy, primarily of David (see the commentary on the Life of David Ao – Sha’ul’s Jealousy of David). Jonathan willingly gave up the throne and received a greater blessing because he would have nothing to do with jealousy.

Dear Heavenly Father, What a wonderful Father You are! Thank You for all the godly accounts of people in Your Word, people like Jonathan, who showed true love to his friend. Jonathan’s willingness to give up his hereditary right to being Israel’s king, so his friend could be king, shows a deep love that is so much more than mere words but is from the heart. That unselfish attitude helps us to understand how to live in a way that pleases You, even in hard and unfair situations. Having Your love and presence is such a great peace and comfort. What joy knowing that not only did You love us in the past and sent Your Son as our Redeemer (Second Corinthians 5:21), You love us now and will love us thru all eternity! When we live with the goal to please You in all we do and say, we do not need to get upset when discouragement comes our way. Living for Your approval is what counts for all eternity. We have an audience of One! It is refreshing to be able to put any bitter, unfair situation in Your hands, to turn from envy to Your loving arms. It is a joy to live following Your example of love. In Your Holy Son’s name and power of His resurrection. Amen

When love sees someone who is popular, successful, beautiful, or talented, it is glad for them and never jealous or envious. Eliezer of Damascus was the heir to Abram’s estate because he had no son (Genesis 15:2). When Isaac was born, however, and Eliezer lost the privileged inheritance, his love for Abram and Isaac never wavered (see the commentary on Genesis Fx – Go to My Country and My Own Relatives and Get a Wife for My Son Isaac). A loving person is never jealous, but is always glad for the success of others.⁴⁰⁵

Love is Kind
13: 4b

Paired with the more passive side of love (love is patient), is a corresponding active side: love is kind. Paul does not describe love to us in the role of performing great, wonderful, and astounding deeds; he prefers to show us how the inner heart of love looks when it is placed among worldly people and weak believers. He does not picture love in ideal surroundings of friendship and affection where each individual embraces and kisses the other, but in the rough and tuff surroundings of a sinful world and faulty believers, where the stresses of life bring out the positive power and value of love.⁴⁰¹

Just as patience (to see link click Cv – Love is Patient) will take anything from others, kindness will give anything to others. Being kind is the counterpart of being patient. To be kind (Greek: chresteuomai) means to be useful, serving, and gracious (see above). Kindness recognizes those who carry a heavy load in life. It is active goodwill. It not only feels generous, it is generous. It not only desires the welfare of others, but works for it. When Yeshua commanded His disciples (including us) to love their enemies He did not simply mean to feel kindly about them, but to be kind to them: If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two (Matthew 5:40-41)! The hard environment of a sinful, fallen world gives love almost unlimited opportunity to exercise that sort of kindness. The kindness of believers in the second century so surprised the pagans that, according to the early Church father Tertullian, they called Christians chrestiani (made up of kindness) rather than christiani (Apol. 3.39).⁴⁰²

Again, God is the supreme model. Or perhaps you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience; because you don’t realize that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to turn from your sins (Romans 2:4). Paul reminds us: But when the kindness and love for mankind of God our Deliverer was revealed, He delivered us. It was not on the ground of any righteous deeds we had done, but on the ground of His own mercy. He did it by means of the mikveh of rebirth and the renewal brought about by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, whom he poured out on us generously through Yeshua the Messiah, our Deliverer (Titus 3:4-6). Peter tells us that we should long for the pure milk of the Word and thereby grow in respect to salvation because we have tasted the kindness of the Lord (First Peter 2:2-3 NASB). To His disciples Yeshua said: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:30). The word He used for easy (Greek: chresteuomai) is the same one Paul uses for kind here in 13:4b. In His love for those who belong to Him, Messiah makes His yoke kind. He makes sure that what His people are called to bear for Him is bearable. No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and God can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure (First Corinthians 10:13).

For the Corinthians, kindness meant giving up their selfish, jealous, spiteful, and proud attitudes and adopting the spirit of loving-kindness (see the commentary on Ruth Af – The Concept of Chesed). Among other things, it would allow their spiritual gifts to be truly and effectively ministered in the Spirit, rather than superficially and unproductively counterfeited in the flesh.

The first test of our kindness, and the test of every aspect of love, is in the home! The believing husband who acts like a believer is kind to his wife and children. The believing wife who acts like a believer is kind to her husband and children. Brothers and sisters who are believers are kind to each other and their parents. They have more than kind feelings toward each other; they do kind, helpful things for each other – to the point of loving self-sacrifice, when necessary.⁴⁰³

Dear Kind Heavenly Father, We bow in worship and praise of You our father who is overwhelmingly merciful, kind and loving. ADONAI is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and plentiful in mercy. . . For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him (Psalms 103:8, 12). Not only do You not punish those who repent and turn to You in love, but amazingly You put their sins at an incredible far distance away. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:12).

You are also holy and just. It is through Your kindness that You give your righteousness by Yeshua’s painful and shameful death to those who love You so we can live with You in Your holy heaven. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21). May You help me to live in kindness towards others. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Love is Patient
13: 4a

Love is patient. This first stroke of the brush shows us that we are to be given a portrait of godly love as it finds itself amid the sins, evils, and trials of this fallen world. Love practices being patient (Greek: makrothumeo, meaning longsuffering, refusing to retaliate in anger). This word is common in the B’rit Chadashah and is used almost exclusively for being patient with people, rather than circumstances or events. Love’s patience is the ability to be inconvenienced or taken advantage of by a person over and over again and yet not be upset or angry. Chrysostom, the early Church father, said, “It is a word which is used of the man who is wronged, and who has it easily in his power to avenge himself but will never do it.” Patience never retaliates.

Like agape love itself, the patience spoken of in the B’rit Chadashah was a virtue only among believers. In the Greek world, self-sacrificing love and non-avenging patience were considered weaknesses. Aristotle, for example, taught that the great Greek virtue was refusal to tolerate insult or injury and to strike back in retaliation for the slightest offense. Vengeance was a virtue. The world has always tended to make heroes of those who fight back, who stand up for their welfare and rights above all else. But love, God’s love, is the very opposite. Its primary concern is for the welfare of others, not itself, and it is more willing to be taken advantage of than to take advantage. Love does not retaliate. The believer who acts like Messiah never takes revenge for being hurt or injured or abused. He refuses to pay back evil for evil (Romans 12:17), but if slapped on the right cheek, will let him hit the left cheek also (Matthew 5:39).

The supreme example of patience, is, of course, God Himself. It is ADONAI’s patient love that prevents the world from being destroyed. It is His patience and longsuffering that allows time for people to be saved: The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, He is patient with you; for it is not His purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from their sins (Second Peter 3:9). As He was dying on the cross, rejected by those He had come to save, Yeshua prayed: Father, forgive them; they don’t understand what they are doing (Luke 23:34).

Robert Ingersoll, the well-known atheist of the last century (1833-1899), often would stop in the middle of his lectures against God and say, “I’ll give God five minuets to strike me dead for the things I’ve said.” He then used the fact that he was not struck dead as proof that God did not exist. Theodore Parker, reformer and abolitionist (1810-1860), said of Ingersoll’s claim, “And did the gentleman think he could exhaust the patience of the eternal God in five minuets?” I wonder how Ingersall is doing now?

Since Adam and Eve first disobeyed Him in the Garden, ADONAI has been continually wronged and rejected by those He made in His own image. He was rejected and scorned by His chosen people, through whom He gave the Torah and the revelation of His Word, the very words of God (Romans 3:2). Yet, through thousands and thousands of years, the eternal God has been eternally patient. If the holy Creator is so infinitely patient with His rebellious creatures, how much more should His unholy creatures be patient with each other?

One of Abraham Lincoln’s earliest political enemies was Edwin M. Stanton. He called Lincoln a “low cunning clown,” and “the original gorilla.” “It was ridiculous for people to go to Africa to see a gorilla,” he would say, “when they could see one easily in Springfield, Illinois (where Lincoln lived at that time),” Lincoln never responded to the slander, but when, as president, he needed a secretary of war, he chose Stanton. When his incredulous friends asked why, Lincoln replied, “Because he is the best man for the job.” Years later, as the slain president’s body lay in state, Stanton looked into the coffin and said through his tears, “There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen.” His animosity was finally broken by Lincoln’s long-suffering, non retaliatory spirit. Patient love had won.⁴⁰⁰

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for how patient You are! Often when we are wronged, we call out for justice and justice right away. Yet in Your patience when You are wronged by sinners, You continue to patiently call them to repentance. He is being patient toward you -not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9c). Rather than being hostile and quick to avenge, You wait till the right time to punish. Your patience of waiting 400 years till the Amorites sin was full is amazing. Then in the fourth generation they [your seed] will return here – for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (Genesis 15:16). May You help us, Your children, to follow Your example of patience. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Necessity of Love
12:31b to 13:3

The necessity of love DIG: Based on Paul’s opening words in this passage, why is love so important? Why are even the best gifts worthless if they aren’t given in love? The love that Paul describes in this passage is selfless and always faithful. Why is it so difficult to demonstrate that kind of love? What does Paul say about the need for spiritual maturity?

REFLECT: What does exhibiting true love require on your part? What are some things that keep believers from showing their love for others? What can you learn from Messiah’s example about loving without limits? How would you describe unconditional love? When have you seen that in your life? In what ways can the love of ADONAI free you to love others?

The loveless person produces nothing, is nothing, and gains nothing.

Gregory Nazianzen, one of the three celebrated Capadocians of the fourth century, a defender of the Nicean faith, and one of the most celebrated orators of the early Church, writes in regard to this chapter on love that here we may read what Paul said about Paul. It is true: only a man in whose heart the Spirit of God has kindled a faith like Paul’s could evidence a love like Paul’s and on the basis of his own experience of that love, record its glories in what may be called the Psalm of Love. Paul’s heart lies open in this chapter. Here is the power, faith working through love, that sent him over land and sea to preach to others the unsearchable riches of Yeshua Messiah. Here is the inner strength that sustained him amid all his labors, burdens, trials, sufferings, and persecutions. Here is what enabled him to overcome hunger and hardship, false friends and bitter foes, bodily injury and dangers of death. We cannot understand this man unless we understand his faith and its fruit of love. All of his great joys and abilities, his high and holy apostleship in the Church, his amazing task and his astounding success – all of it came to be as a result of his love. This we must realize when he tells the Corinthians that besides the instruction of the spiritual gifts themselves, he now shows them the inner, spiritual power that must energize all of these gifts if they are to be of any real benefit to the Church.³⁹³

But now I will show you the best way of all (12:31b). Chapter 13 is the great “love chapter,” just as Hebrews 11 is the great “faith chapter.” Paul’s shift to the first person, I, is significant. It keeps his words from the appearance that he is scolding the Corinthians for their deplorable failure to love one another (although that was certainly true enough). He will show (Greek: deiknumi) them the best way of all, he intends to illustrate love from his own apostolic life rather than offer snappy little sound bites about it. Each verse here begins with a conditional clause (Greek: ean, a conditional particle meaning if) stressing the use of hyperbole. Each verse concludes with a negative consequence. The last two use the word nothing, I am nothing, and I gain nothing. This does more than invalidate the gift; it touches a person’s very being.³⁹⁴

1. Tongues without love are nothing. As stated above, Paul used hyperbole to emphasize his point. He made several extreme statements to underscore the absolute priority of loving others. If (ean) I speak in the tongues of men, even angels (13:1a). Paul is saying, “If I could do this.” He wasn’t saying that he did, he was merely using exaggerated language to make a point. However, many believe otherwise, suggesting the gift of tongues involves some angelic or heavenly language. Indeed, most charismatics believe that the gift of tongues is a private prayer language, a heavenly language, known only to God. But there is no basis in the text for such a view. Paul was making a hypothetical case, just as in the subsequent verses, where he speaks about knowing all mysteries and knowledge (even Paul could not make that claim), giving all his possessions to the poor, and giving his body to be burned. Paul was speaking theoretically, suggesting that even if those things were true (which they were not), without love they would be meaningless. To make his point about the necessity of love, Paul was trying to stretch his examples to the extreme. Besides, there is no evidence in Scripture that angels use a heavenly language. When angels appear in the Bible, they communicate in normal language (Luke 1:11-20, 26-27 and 2:8-14).

Nowhere does the Bible teach that the gift of tongues is anything other than human languages. Nor is there any suggestion that the true gift of tongues described in Corinth (to see link click Do – Tongues are a Sign) was any different from the miraculous signs described in the book of Acts (see the commentary on Acts Al – The Ruach Ha’Kodesh Comes at Shavu’ot). The Greek word in both places is glossa. At Shavu’ot it is clear that the disciples were speaking in known languages. Unbelieving Jews who were in Jerusalem for Shavu’ot were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in their own language (Acts 2:6). Luke went on to name some fifteen different countries and areas whose language was being spoken. In order to be a meaningful sign, these must have been Gentile foreign languages, not some kind of heavenly language.³⁹⁵

Paul’s strategy was to place in center stage the gift that the Corinthians prized the most and that was causing the greatest disruption in their public worship, and bring it down several notches by showing its emptiness without love. But if I lack love, I have become merely a blaring brass or a cymbal clanging (13:1b). It becomes a hollow performance that falls flat. Those who speak in tongues without love become something other than what they intended.³⁹⁶ In other words, tongues apart from love are just a bunch of noise.

2. Prophecy, knowledge, and faith without love are nothing. Continuing his hyperbole, Paul tells us that even the great gift of prophecy must be ministered to in love. If (ean) I have the gift of prophecy. The most gifted believer is not exempt from the mitzvah of love. If anything, he is even more obligated to do so. From someone to whom people entrust much, they still ask more (Luke 12:48). Of all people, the prophet should speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

Balaam was a prophet of God. He knew the true God and he knew God’s truth, but he had no love for God’s people. With little hesitation he agreed to curse the Israelites in return for a generous payment by Balak, king of Mo’ab. Because God could not convince His prophet not to do such a terrible thing, He sent an angel to stop the prophet’s donkey (Numbers 22:16-34). Several other times Balaam would have cursed Isra’el had he not been prevented from doing so by God. But what the prophet failed to do through cursing Isra’el he accomplished by misleading them. Because he led Isra’el into idolatry and immorality, Balaam was put to death (Numbers 31:8 and 16). Balaam knew God’s Word, spoke God’s Word, and feared God in a self-protecting way, but he had no love for God and no love for His people.

Jeremiah’s ministry was in stark contrast to Balaam’s. He was the weeping prophet, not because of his own problems, which were great, but because of the wickedness of his people, because of their refusal to turn to ADONAI, and because of the punishment he had to prophesy against them. He wept over them much as Yeshua would later weep over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). Early in his ministry Jeremiah was so moved by the spiritual plight of his people that he cried out: My grief has no cure, I am sick at heart . . . the daughter of my people (Jerusalem) is broken, and it’s tearing me to pieces; everything looks dark to me, horror seizes me . . . I wish my head were made of water and my eyes were a fountain of tears, so that I could cry day and night over the slain of the daughter of my people (Jeremiah 8:18 and 21, 9:1). Jeremiah was a prophet with a broken heart, a spiritual heart, a loving heart.³⁹⁷

Paul employs hyperbole in referring to knowing all mysteries. He understands some mysteries (Romans 11:25; First Corinthians 15:51), particularly the mystery of God revealed in the cross (2:1 and 7, 4:1), but he does not know all things (Romans 11:33-35), or have all knowledge, since he concedes that we know only in part and prophesy only in part (13:9). But even if Paul were to have this prized knowledge revealed to him by ADONAI, it becomes meaningless information without love. Only love can understand the wisdom of the cross. I may know all mysteries, know all things, have all faith – enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing (13:2).³⁹⁸ That sums it up very well.

3. Benevolence and martyrdom without love are nothing. Agape love is always self-sacrificing, but self-sacrifice does not necessarily come from love. Throughout the history of the Church certain groups and movements have believed that self-denial, self-humiliation, and even self-affliction, in themselves, bring spiritual merit. Many cults and pagan religions place great emphasis on the giving up of possessions, on sacrifice of various sorts, and on religious acts of supposed humility, self-deprivation, suffering, or isolation. Even for believers, however, such things are more than worthless without love. In fact, without love they are anything but selfless. The real focus of such practices is not God, nor others, but self – either in the form of legalistic fear of not doing those things or for the praise and imagined blessing for doing them. The motive is self, and is neither spiritual nor loving.

If (ean) I give away everything that I own to feed the poor would not be a spiritual deed if not done out of genuine love, no matter how great the sacrifice or how many people were fed. In the Torah there are three main tithes which equaled about twenty-five percent (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Cx – Do Not Neglect the Levite), so Paul’s illustration suggested unheard of generosity. Even so, the people who received such generosity would have full stomachs, but the giver would gain nothing if not done in love. Both his bank account and his spiritual account would be empty. Yeshua’s command to give secretly (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Do – When You Give to the Needy, Do Not Do It to be Honored by Others) helps to protect us from being tempted by some of those false, unscriptural and unloving motives. Benevolence with love is of great worth; benevolence without love is nothing.³⁹⁹ The supposed self-sacrifice of giving away all of one’s possessions is intensified by the extreme illustration of giving away one’s own body. Finally, Paul says: If I even hand over my body to be burned; but if I lack love, I gain nothing (13:3).

When reading 13:4-7, replace the word “love” with your name. What actions do you need to take to make what you just read to be true?

The Priority of Love Over Spiritual Gifts
12:31b to 13:13

It was Jonathan Swift, the satirical author of Gulliver’s Travels, who said, “We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.” Spiritual gifts, no matter how exciting and wonderful, are useless and even destructive if they are not ministered in love.³⁹¹ The Corinthian believers were not displaying love toward one another. Quite the contrary. They were busily trying to outdo each other by elevating some spiritual gifts above others, and some positions of power above others, by seeking places on the platform to the exclusion of others. No wonder Paul chided them a bit when he suggested that when an unbeliever visited their church won’t he say you’re crazy (14:23)? Therefore, Paul pointed a finger in their faces and essentially told them that without love it didn’t matter what spiritual gifts the Ruach Ha’Kodesh distributed in their church. They meant nothing without love.³⁹²

Interdependence, Not Independence
12: 20-31a

Interdependence, not independence DIG: How does the human body demonstrate diversity? How does Paul counter the tendency toward spiritual pride? How does the variety of gifts in a Messianic congregation or church give greater value to the giftedness of the individual? Why are apostles, prophets, and teachers ranked and the others not? From his rhetorical questions in verses 29-30, what do you see as another problem in this church?

REFLECT: How can you keep diversity from becoming disunity? Of the spiritual gifts listed here, do any have your name on it? How so? How can you support others’ spiritual gifts where you worship? How does your place of worship view the working of spiritual gifts? Take time to reflect on how God has used you to make a difference in His Church. Thank Him for the opportunities and ask Him to help you be more sensitive to being used by Him in the future.

We need others in our lives.

In this chapter Paul deals with two primary reasons some believers never become involved in ministry. Some feel they have no gifts or abilities that are worthwhile, and so they sit back and let others do the work (12:15-17). Now Paul looks at the other side of the coin. He turns from the humbler members, to those who possessed great gifts, who evidently thought they could manage well enough without the “unimportant” contributions of lowly people.³⁸⁴ Paul’s delightful and playful use of the body metaphor continues with more personification to state, one more time, that each part of the body is needed, though this time the stress is a little different. Before he emphasized that no body part should become so depressed as to feel it is unneeded by the rest of the body. But here, he emphasizes that no body part should become so proud and arrogant as to say, “I don’t need you,” to the other body parts. But as it is, there are indeed many parts, yet just one body. So, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you”; or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you” (12:20-21).³⁸⁵

With this statement, Paul seems to be getting closer to the difficult issue being faced in Corinth. As we have seen on several occasions in this letter, pride was indeed a problem among them (1:29, 3:3-4, 4:18-19, 5:1 and 6, 11:18-22). The eye and the head are transparent metaphors for those in leadership roles, who are likely to be more affluent and better educated. The hands and the feet represent the laboring class or slaves. The eyes and the heads in Corinth were getting special treatment and then began to think that they were special. This bred a sense of pride and self-sufficiency, since those who think they are all-important can imagine that the “minor players” are superfluous and dispensable.³⁸⁶ However, they overestimated their own importance and underestimated that of the other believers. Disobeying the principles of Matthew 18:10 and Romans 14:1 to 15:7, they disdain those they saw as weak and less significant (to see link click Bm – The Weaker Brother or Sister).

On the contrary, Paul continues, the parts of the body that seem to be less important turn out to be all the more necessary (12:22). As important as some of the prominent parts of the human body are, it is possible to live without them. They are important, but not absolutely necessary. You can lose an eye or an ear, a hand or a leg, and still live. Our internal organs are hidden, but more vital. You might notice the breathing of your lungs or the pulse of your heartbeat, but their work is not nearly as obvious as what we do with our hands or feet. Those less noticed parts (internal organs) seem to be less important than the rest of the body (external limbs), but they are actually more necessary. As a result, they are protected by our skeleton and the rest of the body. They are indispensable. The body cannot live without them. You can live without legs, but not without lungs.

The most vital ministries always include some with gifts that are not obvious. The faithful prayers and services of a few dedicated believers who hold no office frequently are the most reliable and productive channels of spiritual power in a congregation. The Corinthian church had failed to be considerate and appreciative of those who did not have the “out front” gifts, such as prophecy, healings, or languages. Those with less noticeable ministries are sometimes vulnerable to misunderstanding, and often to neglect and lack of appreciation. They should be protected by fellow believers, just as the body protects its vital organs.

Continuing the analogy, Paul reminds us that upon body parts which we consider less dignified (Greek: aschemona) we bestow greater dignity. And the parts that are less presentable are the ones we make as attractive as we can (12:23). Unseemly probably refers to the parts of our body that are not especially attractive. It seems to be referring to the torso in general. It might be flabby thighs or a paunch, but is usually covered and considered less attractive. The use of the word bestow (Greek: peritithemi, meaning to put around) suggests the idea of clothing around a body in general. We spend more time and money clothing those parts of our body than the ones that are more obvious (such as the face and hands), and by doing so, we bestow greater dignity . The less presentable parts (Greek: aschemona, meaning shameful, unseemly, or unpresentable) refer to those private parts of the body that are needed for reproduction, but need to be treated with modesty. The face, in the meantime, we leave uncovered. The idea is, that, in like manner, we should not despise or disregard those members of the church who are “seemingly” of lower rank who are “covered up,” or not noticed. It is not those body parts themselves, but the display of them, that is unseemly or shameful. They are not, like the hands, face, and head, exposed to public view.

It is from a warped sense of values that a believer, well known because of a prominent gift, looks down on other believers who possess no obvious gift, and seeks great honor on his or her own. That attitude is a direct contradiction of the principle of concern that characterizes a body. It is far more consistent with self-preservation that the parts of a body that have great outward beauty and more abilities, devote themselves to the well-being of those parts that are not so well equipped, but are essential to life. Sensible people are more concerned about their heart than their hair. Those in leadership positions and prominence not only should not look down on those whose gifts are less noticeable, but should take special care to show them appreciation and to protect them when necessary. More gifted believers are especially obligated to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone (First Thessalonians 5:14).³⁸⁷

While those who have the more noticeable and attractive gifts have no need for such encouragement and protection. Greater dignity and honor comes to them almost as a matter of course, and that honor they should share with members whose gifts are less attractive and more likely to be ignored. Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it. It is clear from what Paul says here that heavenly reward will be based not only on what we do with our own gifts and ministries, but on our attitudes toward and support of the gifts and ministries of others. Mutual support is necessary to avoid both overconfidence and lack of confidence. It is also necessary so that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others (12:24-25).

Drawing his conclusion, Paul states that mutuality is at the heart of fellowship: building reciprocal relationships, sharing responsibilities and helping each other out. Thus, if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness (12:26). All have experienced, at one time or another, how the whole physical body suffers when one part hurts. What is natural in the human body should also be apparent in the body of Messiah. Suffering and rejoicing together (13:5-6) are a sign of unity in which each one truly seeks the advantage of the other.³⁸⁸

After drawing the conclusion, Paul makes the application. This is how Paul began the discussion about the body: For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body, and so it is with the Messiah (12:12). and now he ends in a similar manner: Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it (12:27). These two verses frame the entire discussion of the Church as the Body of Messiah. You are in the emphatic position, put first for emphasis. In case the Corinthians have missed the point, Paul clarifies that he is talking about them!

Paul now reverts back to the subject of spiritual gifts in the Church and gives a different list of those whom God has appointed: And God has placed in the Church first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers. In this listing the apostle does some ranking, the same as he does in Ephesians 4:11. Most important for the Church are the apostles, there are only twelve (Mt 19:28; Rev 21:14), and they have served the unique function of establishing the foundation of the Church by telling the truth about Yeshua and preserving the writings we now have in the B’rit Chadashah. Next comes the prophets, who will receive more attention in Chapter 14 (see Dk – The Priority of Prophecy over Tongues), Third, comes teachers, who take the message of the apostles and teach it to believers in the local congregation and so build them up in the faith. After these first three there is no longer any ranking, merely a listing. Paul includes some of the gifts he listed earlier in 12:8-10, and added a few others. Then those who work miracles; then those with gifts of healing; those with ability to help; those skilled in administration; and those who speak in various tongues (12:28).

As Paul concludes this section, he resorts, as he so often has done, to another series of rhetorical questions, all of which expect a negative answer. By using these questions, the apostle is expressing in a different form what he has already taught earlier (see Cj – The Varieties of Spiritual Gifts), namely, that there is a variety of gifts, and that each believer has received at least one, and that no person has all the gifts. But there is one added implication here: there is no single gift that everyone has received. Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? or teachers? or miracle-workers? Not all have gifts of healing, not all speak in tongues, not all interpret, do they (12:29-30)? The fact that the Ruach inspired Paul to declare: Not all speak in tongues suggests that this is not the second work of grace needed for salvation. It is only one gift among many – and in the context of the church at Corinth, it was a gift fraught with problems from the onset.³⁸⁹

Eagerly seek the better gifts (12:31a). The way this verse is usually translated presents some serious interpretive problems. Since Paul stresses the Spirit’s sovereignty in distributing the gifts, and he writes to rebuke the Corinthians for favoring the showy gifts, why would he command them to eagerly seek the better gifts? Wouldn’t that just encourage them to continue competing for status? But in fact, the verse is not actually commanding that at all. The English translation is misleading as to Paul’s meaning. The verb form used here can be either indicative (a statement of fact) or imperative (a command). A better translation using the indicative form would be: However, you are eagerly seeking the better gifts. In other words, Paul was actually saying, “However, you are jealously coveting the showy gifts.” That is a rebuke, which makes better sense of Paul’s next words: But now I will show you the best way of all (12:31b). He is not commanding them to seek certain gifts, but condemning them for seeking the showy ones. They coveted the admiration of others. They craved the applause of men. They wanted to seem “spiritual.”³⁹⁰

Unified and Diversified
12: 12-19

Unified and diversified DIG: In what ways are the various members of the Church dependent on one another? In what ways have you and your local congregation functioned like a human body – with each part depending on each other? How did that serve to bring unity? Paul warns against any part of the body considering itself less important or more important than the others. What kind of parallel behavior in the Church does this warn you about? Believers are to honor one another as parts of the same Body. In light of this, how does ADONAI want you to treat other members of your local congregation?

REFLECT: Why should we resist the temptation to compete with, or compare ourselves with other believers (Second Corinthians 10:12)? In what ways do petty arguments and divisions in the Church tarnish the message of the Good News? How can believers in Messiah learn to appreciate the differences of others in the Church instead of allowing them to divide the congregation? What threatens the unity where you worship? What steps can you take to promote peace and harmony there? In what ways can you honor someone in your congregation this week who may feel unappreciated or insignificant?

All believers are baptized by one Spirit, into one Body, one time, at the moment of salvation.
There is simply no such thing today as a believer who has not been baptized by the Spirit.

The Corinthians’ misuse of spiritual gifts was one of many reflections of their carnal worldliness, and was closely related to their divisiveness, which Paul now continues to rebuke. While illustrating the diversity of spiritual gifts (to see link click Cj – The Varieties of Spiritual Gifts), Paul repeatedly stresses their One source and purpose in ADONAI, revealing the Ruach Ha’Kodesh’s work and power for the common good of the Church (see Ci – The Source and Purpose of Spiritual Gifts). These unifying realities lead the apostle’s thought to a general discussion of the oneness of the Body of believers.

In these verses Paul explains and illustrates the nature and importance of the unity of the Church itself, and then again the importance of diversity as the key factor in that unity. The diversity of the invisible, universal Church made up of believers all over the world, is the God-ordained means of bringing the fellowship to oneness. But unless each diverse member recognizes and accepts his or her part in the whole Body, diversity will divide rather than unite, destroy rather than build up, and bring discord rather than harmony. In verse 12 Paul gives an illustration of unity, and in verse 13 he explains its origin.³⁷⁶

Unified in one Body: For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body, and so it is with the Messiah (12:12). Once again (10:17) Paul uses the human body to picture the unity and interdependence of the members of the Body of Messiah, the Church. The human body has many parts, even though there is only one body. Each part has a different function, but they all work together to make the body function as a unit. This is the key way the Church ought to function.

Baptized by One Spirit: For it was by one Spirit that we were all baptized (Greek: baptidzo, meaning to dip or immerse, often used of a piece of cloth being immersed into dye) into one Body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free; and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (12:13). In order to stress how wide a diversity is actually incorporated into that one Body, Paul picks out two of the most obvious social distinction in ancient society: Jews and Gentiles, and slave and free people. If these sorts of people can come together into one Body, then anything that divides us as human beings – such as social status, economic level, ethnic distinction – should play no role in dividing the Church.³⁷⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for the many blessings that You bestow on those who love and follow You as their Lord and Savior. You not only rescue us from sin’s awful punishment of death (Romans 6:23), but by so graciously indwelling each believer and giving them Messiah’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21), thereby opening heaven’s door for all who love You. And He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Messiah Yeshua (Ephesians 2:6). How fantastic that You not only forgive our sins (First John 1:9), but you raised the bar of love even higher by both the Ruach Ha’Kodesh living in us and by Yeshua preparing an eternal home for us in heaven. Thank You for being such a gracious and loving Heavenly Father. I can’t wait for the joy of praising You for all eternity! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Your baptism is a physical picture of a spiritual truth. It represents what happened the moment God brought you into His family. Baptism doesn’t make you a member of God’s family; only faith in Yeshua Messiah does that. Baptism shows you are a part of God’s family. Like a wedding ring, it is a visible reminder of an inward commitment made in your heart. It is an act of initiation, not something you put off until you are spiritually mature. The only biblical condition is that you believe.³⁷⁸

Despite their old sin nature (see the commentary on Romans Bm – The Consequences of Adam) all of the Corinthian believers had been baptized into one Body. There is simply no such thing today as a believer who has not been baptized by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. As Paul told the believers in Rome: Anyone who doesn’t have the Spirit of Messiah doesn’t belong to Him (Romans 8:9). However, the modern charismatic movement says that is not enough. Their belief that Spirit “baptism” as “evidenced” by the speaking in tongues (see Dm – Tongues are a Sign), is a second work of grace, the next crucial step after salvation. Unfortunately, this has become the cardinal doctrine of the charismatic movement. However, the Bible teaches that there is no special blessing of the Spirit that only some believers receive; there is no imagined spiritual elite who have what the rest of us do not.

The real “evidence” of the Spirit’s baptism at conversion is the witness of the Spirit from within (see the commentary on Romans Ci – The Leading of the Ruach). It is not speaking in tongues. All of the believers in the Corinthian congregation had been baptized by the Spirit, but not all of them spoke in tongues (12:30). The “evidence” of the Spirit’s filling are power of witnessing (Acts 1:8), joyfulness and submission (Eph 5:19-20), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-26) and a growing understanding of the Word (Jn 16:12-15).³⁷⁹

All believers receive the Spirit and His blessings. The number of times Paul stresses the universal gift of the Spirit to all believers hints that some in Corinth may have claimed a “greater measure of the Spirit” than others. To summarize, we either have the Spirit or we do not, and if we have received Messiah as our Lord and Savior, then we have been baptized into the Body of Messiah, or as Paul puts it here, we were all given the one Spirit to drink.³⁸⁰

After salvation, there are two distinct ministries of the Ruach:

First, YHVH seals us with His Ruach (Ephesians 1:13-14; Second Corinthians 1:21-22), and baptized (in the Greek aorist tense, pointing to a past completed action) in, by, and with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5, 11:16), into the Body of Messiah (Galatians 3:27; First Corinthians 12:13) at the moment of salvation. Nowhere does the Scripture command us to seek this baptism, since we have already experienced it, and it need not be repeated. Hence, there is only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5). It is something that we don’t cooperate in with God, it is His sovereign act.

Secondly, there is the filling of the Ruach. You are sanctified, this is something that you cooperate with God and is ongoing. This speaks of your daily walk with the Lord. Through filling, God pours out His love through your life to others and sets you apart for His holy use. In the Scriptures to be filled is used to mean to be controlled by, or be under the influence of something or someone else. To be filled with the Spirit, therefore, is to be controlled or strongly influenced by the Spirit. Don’t get drunk with wine, because it makes you lose control. Instead, keep on being filled (in the Greek imperfect tense, pointing to continuous action) with the Ruach (Ephesians 5:18). As drunkenness affects behavior for evil, being filled with the Ruach affects a person for good. As a drunken person is under the control of wine, so a Ruach filled person is under the control of the Ruach. This does not make you a robot, without your own will. Rather, you freely comply with the Ruach and His purposes and His Word. That is what it means to be “spiritual.”

The filling of the Ruach is commanded by God: keep on being filled with the Ruach, literally, stay filled (Ephesians 5:18). As imperfect humans, we are leaky vessels of clay, and we need to be constantly refilled. This was true even for the apostles (Acts 2:4, 4:8 and 31, 9:17, 13:9). This continuous condition of being filled with the Ruach is dependent on our submission to the Spirit. You may wonder, can a believer resist the Ruach and still be a believer? Yes, people can resist the filling of the Ruach. Therefore, the challenge we have as believers is to be controlled by the Ruach and not our flesh. This is why we have believers at so many different levels of relationship with Yeshua. Some have a closer walk with the Ruach than others. Some believers have love, joy, and peace while others are depressed and anxious.³⁸¹

Diversified in one Body: The most important characteristic of the Body is unity; but diversity is essential for that unity. The Church is one Body, indeed the body is not one part but many. Unfortunately, many of the Corinthian believers were unhappy with their gifts. They wanted the showy ones, like speaking in tongues, instead of being glad for, and faithfully using, the many diverse gifts that the Ruach had given them. Envy is a sure sign of worldliness, and it seems that everyone wanted a gift that someone else had. Paul’s somewhat humorous analogy extends the illustration of the human body. If the foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. And if the ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. Continuing with his analogy, Paul reminds us that a body could not possibly function if it were all the same part. If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If it were all hearing, how could it smell (12:14-17)? No matter how important any one part may be, there can be no body formed from it alone. That would be a monster, not a body.

Gifted by one Lord: Discontentment with their spiritual gifts, however, was much worse than the lack of common sense. By wanting gifts they did not have, the Corinthian believers questioned God’s wisdom and goodness by implying He had made a mistake. They also opened themselves up to fleshly and pagan counterfeits (see Ce – The Pagan Background of Counterfeit Spiritual Gifts). Their primary problem was not intellectual, but spiritual. As Creator and Lord, God arranged each of the parts in the body exactly as he wanted them (12:18). ADONAI has created us, re-created us, and placed each of us in His Body exactly where He wants us to be, and equipped us to do exactly what He wants us to do. However, because of the discontentment and disobedience of the Corinthian believers, they were also unproductive. They did not use the gifts they had, and, in light of Paul’s repeated emphasis in 12:4-11 that every believer is gifted, apparently some thought they didn’t have a gift at all. In any case, their gifts were not being used or were being misused.

Now if they were all just one part, where would the body be (12:19)? Paul expands on his point in verse 17. A body that had only one part would not be a body. A Messianic congregation or church whose members all had the same gift and same ministry would not really work. It is foolish and immature not to be content with or use what the Lord has given us. Diversity does not suggest inferiority. We are not perfect, but His gifts to us are perfect and the ministry in which He has called us to use them is perfect. His design for the Church is perfect and His gifting of the Church is equally perfect.³⁸²

As believers, we share one Lord, one Body, one Father, one Spirit, one purpose, one hope, one faith, one baptism, and one love. We share the same salvation, the same life, and the same future – factors far more important than any differences we could count. For unity’s sake we must never let differences divide us.³⁸³