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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 13:8

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Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.

8. Charity never faileth ] The Vulgate and some MSS. read falleth. Tyndale renders, falleth never awaye. In the Septuagint (as in Job 15:33, and Isa 28:1; Isa 28:4) the word is used of a fading flower. In Rom 9:6, it is applied to the Word of God.

whether there be prophecies, they shall fail ] Another word is here used in the original for the word translated fail. It should rather be rendered be brought to an end, literally be worked out. It is translated brought to nought in ch. 1Co 1:28, while in 1Co 13:10 it is rendered done away, in 1Co 13:11 put away, and in the latter part of this very verse vanish away. The utterances of the inspired man (see ch. 1Co 14:1) are, we are here told, no longer of any value to us when we are face to face with the facts of which he was wont to speak.

tongues ] Either (1) speaking with tongues, which as a sign (see ch. 1Co 14:22) will be unnecessary when we are confronted with the reality and need no more signs and wonders to compel our attention to it Or (2) divers languages, which shall cease when the curse of Babel is removed in the ‘holy city, New Jerusalem’ which shall come down from heaven, and in which all things shall be made new.

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away ]. Rather, be brought to an end. See last note but one. Knowledge (see note on ch. 1Co 12:8) as the result of a process, the outcome of observation, argument, balancing of probabilities for all these form part of our earthly knowledge is but partial and incomplete (see next verse), and vanishes in a moment before the actual presence of what is. Wisdom, says Estius, will not in like manner vanish, because its perfection consists in the vision of God.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Charity never faileth – Paul here proceeds to illustrate the value of love, from its permanency as compared with other valued endowments. It is valuable, and is to be sought because it will always abide; may be always exercised; is adapted to all circumstances, and to all worlds in which we may be placed, or in which we may dwell. The word rendered faileth ( ekpiptei) denotes properly to fall out of, to fall from or off; and may be applied to the stars of heaven falling Mar 13:25, or to flowers that fall or fade Jam 1:11; 1Pe 1:24, or to chains falling from the hands, etc.; Act 12:7. Here it means to fall away, to fail; to be without effect, to cease to be in existence. The expression may mean that it will be adapted to all the situations of life, and is of a nature to be always exercised; or it may mean that it will continue to all eternity, and he exercised in heaven forever. The connection demands that the latter should be regarded as the true interpretation; see 1Co 13:13. The sense is, that while other endowments of the Holy Spirit must soon cease and he valueless, love would abide, and would always exist. The argument is, that we ought to seek that which is of enduring value; and that, therefore, love should be preferred to those endowments of the Spirit on which so high a value had been set by the Corinthians.

But whether there be prophecies – That is, the gift of prophecy, or the power of speaking as a prophet; that is, of delivering the truth of God in an intelligible manner under the influence of inspiration; the gift of being a public speaker, of instructing and edifying the church, and foretelling future events; see the note at 1Co 14:1.

They shall fail – The gift shall cease to be exercised; shall be abolished, come to nothing. There shall be no further use for this gift in the light and glory of the world above, and it shall cease. God shall be the teacher there. And as there will be no need of confirming the truth of religion by the prediction of future events, and no need of warning against impending dangers there, the gift of foretelling future events will be of course unknown. In heaven, also, there will be no need that the faith of Gods people shall be encouraged, or their devotions excited, by such exhortations and instructions as are needful now; and the endowment of prophecy will be, therefore, unknown.

There be tongues – The power of speaking foreign languages.

They shall cease – Macknight supposes this means that they shall cease in the church after the gospel shall have been preached to all nations. But the more natural interpretation is, to refer it to the future life; since the main idea which Paul is urging here is the value of love above all other endowments, from the fact that it would be abiding, or permanent – an idea which is more certainly and fully met by a reference to the future world than by a reference to the state of things in the church on earth. If it refers to heaven, it means that the power of communicating thoughts there will not be by the medium of learned and foreign tongues. What will be the mode is unknown. But as the diversity of tongues is one of the fruits of sin Gen. 11, it is evident that in those who are saved there will be deliverance from all the disadvantages which have resulted from the confusion of tongues. Yet love will not cease to be necessary; and love will live forever.

Whether there be knowledge – See the note at 1Co 14:8. This refers, I think, to knowledge as we now possess it. It cannot mean that there will be no knowledge in heaven; for there must be a vast increase of knowledge in that world among all its inhabitants. The idea in the passage here, I think, is, All the knowledge which we now possess, valuable as it is, will be obscured and lost, and rendered comparatively valueless, in the fuller splendors of the eternal world; as the feeble light of the stars, beautiful and valuable as it is, vanishes, or is lost in the splendors of the rising sun. The knowledge which we now have is valuable, as the gift of prophecy and the power of speaking foreign languages is valuable, but it will be lost in the brighter visions of the world above. That this is the sense is evident from what Paul says in illustration of the sentiment in 1Co 13:9-10. Now we know in part. What we deem ourselves acquainted with, we imperfectly understand. There are many obscurities and many difficulties. But in that future world we shall know distinctly and clearly 1Co 13:12; and then the knowledge which we now possess will appear so dim and obscure, that it will seem to have vanished away and disappeared,

As a dim candle dies at noon.

Macknight and others understand this of the knowledge of the mysteries of the Old Testament, or the inspired knowledge of the ancient revelations, which should be abolished when the church should have attained its mature state; a most meagre, jejune, and frigid interpretation. It is true, also, that not only shall our imperfect knowledge seem to have vanished in the superior light and glory of the eternal world but that much of that which here passes for knowledge shall be then unknown. Much of that which is called science is falsely so called; and much that is connected with literature that has attracted so much attention, will be unknown in the eternal world. It is evident that much that is connected with criticism, and the knowledge of language, with the different systems of mental philosophy which are erroneous; perhaps much that is connected with anatomy, physiology, and geology; and much of the science which now is connected with the arts, and which is of use only as tributary to the arts, will be then unknown. Other subjects may rise into importance which are now unknown; and possibly things connected with science which are now regarded as of the least importance will then become objects of great moment, and ripen and expand into sciences that shall contribute much to the eternal happiness of heaven. The essential idea in this passage is, that all the knowledge which we now possess shall lose its effulgence, be dimmed and lost in the superior light of heaven. But love shall live there; and we should, therefore, seek that which is permanent and eternal.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

1Co 13:8-10

Charity never faileth; prophecies shall fail; tongues shall cease; knowledge shall vanish away.

Charity never faileth

I. As the living principle in the heart of believers. In its essence it is the love of God within a man. It may vary indeed in its apparent intensity. It may seem almost extinguished; but, like the fire on the altar of sacrifice, it still exists, and is soon fanned up again into a flame when Jesus smiles. Of itself, says Poole, it will never desert a man in this life, unless it be first deserted by him through deadly sin.

II. As an active grace of the Christian life on earth.

1. View it in any of its manifestations.

(1) Beneficence and self-denying liberality–the poor ye have always with you; and a claim ever arises from these.

(2) Forgiveness of injuries, while these abound–and so long as human nature is what it is they will abound–every day affords occasions in which it is called for.

(3) Kindness and forbearance to the faults and failings of others: in the present imperfect state such must ever be expected.

2. Nor less than this is it adapted to all circumstances and situations of life: to the poor and the rich, etc. There is no position in which the believer can possibly be found in which charity will not be an ornament and a delight. It will add glory to, and preserve the soul from, the dangers of the day of prosperity; and it will equally cheer it in the day of adversity.

3. It is adapted to every period of time, to the hour of death, to the day of judgment, yea, to heaven itself.

4. And so, in a more extended sense, and as regards the condition of the Church, no less than in individual cases. It is adapted to times of persecution and to times of peace; when the world frowns or when the world smiles. Charity is the best preservative against, as it is the only cure for, those petty jealousies which equally disgrace the Church and dishonour God.

III. In supplying motives to exertion in the Redeemers cause. In its comprehensiveness, it takes in the entire race, and aims at no lower object than to make known His ways upon earth; His saving health among all nations.

IV. As to the durability of its existence. It will last for ever, and live in heaven, as the life of glory there. Death cannot annihilate it. Love is heaven, and heaven is love. To have it, therefore, now is to possess the foretaste of eternal joys. (J. T. Smith, M.A.)

Charity never faileth

Observe–

I. How gifts fail.

1. Prophecy must be accomplished.

2. Tongues superseded.

3. Knowledge vanish before a brighter manifestation.

II. How love never fails.

1. Its work is never done.

2. Its necessity can never be superseded.

3. Its expression may be perfected, but in heaven as on earth its nature is the same.

III. The inference.

1. Love is better than gifts.

2. Should be more earnestly desired. (J. Lyth, D.D.)

Charity never faileth

I. As a gift.

1. The apostle had been speaking of temporary gifts. Supernatural endowments were granted to the Church for a season only. The apostle intimates that there is a gift of richer value, and that the time would come when these would be bestowed no longer, and when that only would remain.

2. What a catastrophe would it be were it to become extinct! But it cannot fail. So wide a channel was made for it by the mission of the Son of God, that to stop its onward flow were as impossible as to prevent the rolling of the oceans waves. Love as it dwells in the believers breast is only a reflection of the love of the Creator. Hence it is a gift which never fails.

3. The gift of charity will never fail on earth, how then is it possible that it should fail in heaven? The period will arrive when not only miracles will cease, but even the ordinary means for the edification of the Church. But love will even then abide. Upon the blessed inhabitant of the upper sanctuary it will stream in richest plenitude, direct from the eternal throne.

II. An active virtue.

1. It is a gift, but it is a gift to be employed, and on its exercise depends its value. Nor does it ever fail in this respect. It is ever seeking to do good, and to pour its gifts and blessings on the hapless sons of man.

(1) Its pity never fails. Wherever it beholds an object of distress, its efforts are put forth to give relief.

(2) Its liberality never fails. It is like an angel of mercy, which is never wearied with conferring favours, and never says you ask too much.

(3) Its ingenuities never fail. It is ever occupied in forming schemes to carry out its generous designs. Spurious or defective charity may fail, but true charity will never fail.

2. Look again into the eternal world. How active is the principle of love among the hosts of heaven! On earth, love is more or less mixed up with other things; in heaven it will be free from all defect. The family will be one. They will have one common interest. Each will contribute to the happiness of all. Jealousies will not be there. No envious feelings can be there indulged.

III. A source of pure and elevated enjoyment. What is so constant as the joy that springs from the activities of benevolence? Mans happiness will ever be increased in proportion to the largeness of his soul. When other springs of pleasure are dried up, this will continue to flow in copious and refreshing streams. In heaven, our Fathers house, love will be more pure, more elevated, and more fervent; and hence it will be there, as it is on earth, but in a far higher measure, the source of never-ending satisfaction and delight. (Thornley Smith.)

Charity never faileth

It is a noble plant, full of vigorous life, that allows insects and reptiles to feed upon its bark and leaves, but grows on in silence and rears its head in beauty and majesty, and throws out its branches on all sides to the wind and the light, bright and fragrant with bloom and bending with abundant fruit. (J. A. James.)

Love never fails

I. As an evidence of pardon (Luk 7:47). The woman who was a sinner loved much because she had much forgiven. To whom little is forgiven the same loveth little.

II. As an element of acceptable obedience (1Co 13:3). The acts of the unconverted are not considered by God. There is but meagre satisfaction in this passage for the moralist. Without love to Jesus our best deeds do not avail before God (Mat 25:40). Doing for the brethren is doing for Jesus. An act of kindness or deed of love done for a child, far away from home and in need of sympathy and care, is regarded by the parent as a favour done to him. The mother is better pleased than if the deed of love had been done unto her.

III. As an element of acceptable service (Rev 2:4-5). The Church at Ephesus had left her first love; therefore the service she rendered was not pleasing to God. She must do her first works, which were seasoned with love, and cease to perform her duties mechanically in order that her efforts might be acceptable to God (1Co 13:1-2). Love is also the power-element of service.

IV. As a sin resisting power (Joh 14:15). Love to Jesus produces righteousness. It enables us to keep the commandments, and is therefore a sin-resisting power (Joh 14:21).

V. As an aggressive power (2Co 5:14). The constraining love of Jesus made Paul the aggressive man he was.

VI. As a sustaining power (Joh 21:17). Peter repented, because he had in him the germ of true love for Jesus, and was sustained. Judas repented from remorse, and ultimately destroyed himself. Love to Jesus sustained Polycarp, Stephen, Latimer, Ridley, the martyrs, and the persecuted in all ages.

VII. In producing confession (Joh 12:42-43). When men love position and power and the praise of men more than Christ they will not confess Him. When men love Jesus supremely they are swift to confess Him as Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:10).

VIII. As a preparation for heaven (1Co 16:22). Without love to Christ no one is meet for heaven, but is devoted to destruction. The wrath of God abideth on him. (Hom. Review.)

The immortality of love

It will never fail as–

I. An element of moral power. It is the strongest–

1. Sustaining power.

2. Resisting power. Love builds around the soul a rampart, invulnerable.

3. Aggressive power. We have not only to bear up under trials, and to resist temptations, but we have battles to fight. There is nothing so aggressive in the moral world as love. Man can stand before anything sooner than love.

II. A principle of social unity. Deep in the heart of man is the desire for union with his fellow, isolation and division are naturally repugnant to his social nature. His ingenuity has been taxed for ages in the invention of schemes for union. As the result we have confederations based on political sympathy, material interests, theological dogmas, mere carnal affinities; but we are only one with those we love. But we can only love the lovable.

III. A source of spiritual happiness. Love is joy.

1. It expels from the mind all the elements unfavourable to happiness.

2. It generates in the mind all the elements of spiritual joy. (D. Thomas, D.D.)

The imperishableness of love

Either of the two explanations of this word faileth, viz., falls down, or is hissed off the stage, conveys the same impression concerning love, namely, that it is permanent, it will never fall down from inanition, nor be hissed off because superseded. All the beauties of love, unlike those of face or landscape, are permanent. The imperishableness of love–

I. Is indicated by its capacity of meeting all demands made upon it.

1. This is the conclusion from the previous assertions of this passage.

2. This is the result of our observation of every-day life. True levels equal to any exigency. It survives all else.

II. Is a striking contrast to almost all else in human experience.

1. This is the declaration of the passage following our text. All else ceases, vanishes, is done away.

2. This is confirmed by human experience. Love is the great protest of our immortality.

III. Is explained by its being divine not only in its origin and sustenance, but in its nature. Love is of God, and Gods love never faileth, His mercy endureth for ever. Ours is not an imitation of His, but an inspiration from it. His love is the life of ours. Hence ours is deathless. (U. R. Thomas.)

Charity unfailing and everlasting

Immortality is the crown of virtue. Riches perish, laurels wither, beauty fades, the fires of genius burn out, and the proudest monuments crumble. Even in Christianity there are many things which are only of temporary utility. Already all that splendid array of miraculous powers that distinguished the Apostolic Church is numbered with the things that were. For these were only the instruments and auxiliaries of that Divine system of which charity is the vital principle. These were only the temporary scaffolds of that spiritual temple of which charity is the precious material. We may change many of our opinions and practicers, and yet be Christians. But this great central principle of our religion cannot be sacrificed, without the subversion of Christs throne on earth. It was proverbially the spirit of the first believers, and will be equally the temper of the last. (J. Cross, D.D.)

Charity towards the dead

The Duke of Marlborough and Lord Bolingbroke were in opposite political interests, and on most occasions ranged against each other. Some gentleman, after the death of the great commander, speaking of his character and avarice, appealed to Bolingbroke for confirmation. To his honor, he replied, The Duke of Marlborough was so great a man that I quite forget his failings. (W. Baxendale.)

The Holy Spirit for ever

I. The Spirit of Christ is given to His people everlastingly, to influence and dwell in them (Joh 14:16-17).

II. There are other fruits of the Spirit besides that which summarily consists in love, wherein the Spirit of God is communicated to His Church.

1. Extraordinary gifts, miracles, inspiration, etc.

2. Ordinary gifts. These, in all ages, have more or less been bestowed on many unconverted men, in common convictions of sin, common illuminations, and religious affections.

III. All these other fruits of the Spirit are but for a season, and either have already ceased, or at some time will cease. As to the miraculous gifts, they are but of a temporary use, and cannot be continued in heaven. And as to the common fruits of the Spirit, with respect to the persons that have them, they will cease when they come to die; and with respect to the Church, they wil1 cease after the day of judgment.

IV. Love is that great fruit of the Spirit that never fails. Consider the Church–

1. With respect to its members, as–

(1) It never fails in this world (Rom 8:38-39).

(2) And it ceases not when the saints come to die. When the apostles went to heaven, they left all their miraculous gifts behind. But they carried love with them to heaven, where it was perfected.

2. As a body. Though other fruits of the Spirit fail in it, this shall never fail. Of old, when there were interruptions of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit there never was any interruption of this. And at the end of the world when the Church shall be settled in its eternal state, and all common and miraculous gifts shall be at an end, love shall be brought to its most glorious perfection in every individual member of the ransomed Church above.

V. This reason for the truth of the doctrine which has thus been presented, viz., that love is the great end of all the other fruits and gifts of the Spirit. It is the end to which all the miraculous gifts that ever were in the world, are but the means. They were only means of grace, but love is grace itself; and not only so, but the sum of all grace. Application:

1. There seems to be no reason to think that the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit are to be restored to the Church in the times of her latter-day prosperity and blessedness. Prophecy and miracles argue the imperfection of the state of the Church, rather than its perfection. For they are designed as a support, or as a leading-string, to the Church in its infancy, rather than as means adapted to it in its full growth. And then again that state will not be more glorious than the heavenly state; and yet the apostle teaches, that in the heavenly state all these gifts shall be at an end, and the influence of the Spirit in producing Divine love only shall remain.

2. The subject should make persons exceedingly cautious how they give heed to anything that may look like a new revelation, or that may claim to be any extraordinary gift of the Spirit.

3. The subject teaches how greatly we should value those influences and fruits of the Spirit which are evidences of true grace in the soul, and which are all summarily included in love. (Jon. Edwards.)

Heaven, a world of love

I. The cause and fountain of love in heaven.–The God of love Himself dwells there, and this renders heaven a world of love; for God is the fountain of love, as the sun is the fountain of light.

II. The objects of love that it contains.

1. There are none but lovely objects in heaven (Rev 21:27). All the persons that belong to the blessed society of heaven are lovely. The Father of the family is lovely, and so are all His children. There are no false professors or hypocrites there.

2. They shall be perfectly lovely. There are many things in this world that in the general are lovely, but yet are not perfectly free from that which is the contrary.

3. All those objects that the saints have loved above all things here while in this world shall be in heaven.

III. The subjects of love in heaven. And these are the hearts in which it dwells. In every heart in heaven love dwells and reigns. The heart of God is the original seat or subject of love. The love of God the Father flows out toward Christ the head, and to all the members through Him. And the light of their love is reflected in the first place, and chiefly back to its great source. There is no enemy of God in heaven; but all, as His children, love Him as their Father.

IV. The principle of love in heaven.

1. As to its nature. It is altogether holy and Divine.

2. As to its degree. It is perfect. The love that dwells in the heart of God is absolutely perfect. The love of angels and saints to God and Christ is perfect in its kind, or with such a perfection as is proper to their nature. It is perfect with a sinless perfection, and perfect in that it is commensurate to the capacities of their nature.

V. The excellent circumstances in which love shall be expressed and enjoyed in heaven.

1. It is always mutual. It is always met with answerable returns of love–with returns proportioned to its exercise.

2. Its joy shall never be interrupted or damped by jealousy.

3. There shall be nothing within themselves to clog or hinder it in the saints. In this world they find much to hinder them in this respect.

4. It will be expressed with perfect decency and wisdom.

5. There shall be nothing to keep us at a distance from each other, or to hinder our most perfect enjoyment of each others love.

6. We shall all he united in very near and dear relations.

7. All shall have property and ownership in each other. Love seeks to have the beloved its own; and Divine love rejoices in saying, My beloved is mine, and I am his.

8. We shall enjoy each others love in perfect and uninterrupted prosperity.

9. All things shall conspire to promote our love, and give advantage for mutual enjoyment.

10. We shall know that we shall for ever be continued in the perfect enjoyment of each others love.

VI. The blessed effects and fruits of this love, as exercised and enjoyed in these circumstances.

1. The most excellent and perfect behaviour of all the inhabitants of heaven toward God and each other.

2. Perfect tranquillity and joy.

Conclusion:

1. If heaven be such a world as has been described, then we may see reason why contention and strife tend to darken our evidence of fitness for its possession.

2. How happy those are who are entitled to heaven! But here some may be ready to say, Without doubt; but who are these persons? By what marks may they be distinguished?

(1) They are those that have had the principle or seed of the same love that reigns in heaven implanted in their hearts in regeneration.

(2). They are those who have freely chosen the happiness that flows from the exercise and enjoyment of such love as is in heaven, above all other conceivable happiness.

(3) They are those who, from the love that is in them, are, in heart and life, in principle and practice, struggling after holiness.

3. What has been said on this subject may well awaken and alarm the impenitent.

(1) By putting them in mind of their misery, in that they have no portion or right in this world of love (Rev 22:15).

(2) By showing that they are in danger of hell, which is a world of hatred. (J. Edwards.)

Transitiveness of gifts

All our present knowledge is limited in its range, defective in its evidence, incomplete in its nomenclature, and inadequate in its current media of communication; and these must be exchanged for clearer conceptions, ampler comprehensions, fuller demonstrations, better forms of expression, and easier methods of acquisition; and that which we value ourselves so much for possessing will vanish away in the superior revelations of eternity, as vanish the stars in the light of the rising sun. The practical sciences, the mechanic and aesthetic arts, and the teeming literature of the world–what will be their utility in the glorious life to come? If they were not necessary to man in the innocence of Eden, how can they be necessary to him in his paradise regained? What need of your agricultural, horticultural, and botanical systems, when the earth is restored to its original fertility, adorned with flowers that never fade, and fruits that never fail, among which wander all animals in the perfection of their strength and beauty? What demand for your theories of political economy, and the science of government, when God shall set His own King upon His holy hill of Zion? What call for architectural skill, and the arts of the sculptor and the painter–of the lapidary, the jeweller, and the chemist–amid the perfect forms and faultless hues of the New Jerusalem? How shall your lame and limping poetry and your feeble and faltering music presume to lift a note or strike a string amid the joyous minstrelsy of the redeemed and the unfallen, rolling forth as the sound of many waters and mighty thunderings? And what work shall be found for the legal profession where all: obey the royal law of love? and what service for the medical faculty where the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick? And what use will there be for their geographical and astronomical books–your maps of the earth and charts of the sky–when men shall be as angels, with glorious spiritual bodies, quick as the light and discursive as thought? And how shall the historian and the philologist employ their ample lore, when the confluent streams of history are lost in the ocean of eternity, and all the languages and dialects of the babbling earth have given place to the one tongue of the universal kingdom? And the author and the orator–what will they do when there is no more error to be corrected nor vice to overcome–when truth requires no farther apology and virtue no further vindication? And the statesman and the warrior–where shall their vocation be when all power and authority are given to the glorified Son of man–when nation shall never again lift up sword against nation, but the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever? And the preacher, the theologian, and the critical commentator–what shall become of their functions when the tabernacle of God shall be with men, and He shall dwell among them–when the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the world as the waters cover the sea–when all shall know Him from the least even unto the greatest? And all your schools, colleges, universities, what place will be found for these in the original fatherland and everlasting dwelling of truth? Yea, and the very Bible; what is it but a primer for children, an elementary treatise for those who have just entered their novitiate and begun their studies for eternity, to be laid aside when we graduate into the higher spheres of intellectual and moral perfection? (J. Cross, D.D.)

Charity enduring: gifts transient

Observe–

I. Gifts are temporary.

1. Imperfect in their nature.

2. Adapted to an imperfect state.

3. Must consequently pass away.

II. Love is eternal.

1. In its own nature.

2. Is the end of all gifts.

3. Must endure in a perfect state of being. (J. Lyth, D.D.)

Charity abiding: gifts transient

When Eliot the missionary to the Indians was an old man, his energy never sustained the slightest abatement, but, on the contrary, evinced a steady and vigorous increase. As his bodily strength decayed, the energy of his being seemed to retreat into his soul, and at length all his faculties seemed absorbed in holy love. Being asked shortly before his departure how he did, he replied, I have lost everything; my understanding leaves me, my utterance fails me, my memory fails me; but I thank God my charity holds out still; and I find that it rather grows than fails. (J. H. Hinton.)

Knowledge vanisheth away

In my time in the University of Edinburgh, the greatest figure in the faculty was Sir James Simpson, the discoverer of chloroform. The other day, just before I left Scotland, his successor and nephew, Professor Simpson, was asked by the librarian of the University to go to the library and pick out the books on his subject (midwifery) that were no longer needed. And his reply to the librarian was this: Take every book that is more than ten years old and put it down in the cellar. Knowledge has vanished away. Sir James Simpson was a great authority ten years ago–twelve years ago; men came from all parts of the earth to consult him; and the whole knowledge of that day, within that short period, is now consigned by the science of to-day to the cellar. How true are the words of Paul: We know in part, and we prophesy in part! (Prof. Henry Drummond.)

The vanishing gnosis

How can knowledge ever vanish away? As long as there are sentient beings in the universe, so long must there needs remain the objects of the emotional faculty; as long as there are intelligent beings, so long must the objects of the intellectual faculties survive. The imperfect knowledge of yesterday may become less imperfect to-day, and may approximate to fulness of knowledge to-morrow. Unless we can conceive of a life–the higher life–without consciousness and intelligence, we cannot conceive how there should ever come a time, or ever exist conditions, when (for personal beings whose personality is not annihilated) knowledge should ever vanish away. Of all men that ever lived the apostle was the last man who would have put forth so dreary a view of the future state as his words at first sight seem to indicate. To him the blessedness of the life beyond the veil was supremely desirable, because in the spiritual world darkness and error would vanish, not light and knowledge. Who is content with the utmost range of knowledge attainable by creatures such as we? Who would care for a life where the yearning to know would find itself without an object? But how if this word , which our translators have rendered by the word knowledge, connote an idea which its English representative fails to convey? How if the of the apostle has proved untranslateable because we have never seriously studied its history, and so have failed to grasp its meaning? What then? Then may not a more careful scrutiny get rid of the difficulty which the passage as it stands represents? Nay! May not that passage contain the enunciation of a great law which the Church of Christ, by losing sight of, would be sure to suffer serious damage? Now it would be unadvisable to attempt anything like an exhaustive examination of the use of this word by St, Paul, or of the meaning it may be found to bear in the several passages in which it occurs. This much, however, is apparent to any careful reader of the Epistles, that the word was a term which was very familiar to St. Pauls readers, and that it was an ambiguous term of whose ambiguity the apostle on occasion did not disdain to avail himself. He speaks of a which is none other than the beatific vision which the saints of God have dreamt of, and which is the object of their loftiest hopes. But he speaks of a , too, which does not deserve to be called such. He speaks of a which will admit of no addition and no imperfection in its fruition, and of a which is by no means inseparable from the notion of childish dependence, of defective methods in arriving at it, even of a certain measure of empiricism. Nor is this all; it becomes evident on further examination that this ambiguous term was used at times to connote not merely intellectual apprehension, but a formulated summary of conclusions arrived at, the result of speculations which, when thus formulated, the intellectual faculty was required to accept as an authoritative setting forth of truth. In other words, this was a summary of dogmatic teaching which might be imperfect in its statements and yet serve a worthy purpose, though essentially limited in its view, and intended only as a step in the right road; or it might be not only imperfect but dangerous, delusive and mischievous, because it expressed conclusions arrived at from assumptions which were mere dreams, and so would necessarily be a falsely so called. In the one case it might be a Christian , which was good as far as it went. In the other case it was a competitive which its supporters set up as antagonistic to any expression of Christian belief, a summary of theosophic or mystical dogma with no real basis of truth on which to stand. Yet of both one and the other, the first being partial and so inadequate, the second being erroneous and so having no real vitality, the apostle says–As for knowledge it shall vanish away. But is not this the great law abundantly observable in the history of all science in its various branches? Is it not the fact that in the department of pure mathematics the science of algebra slumbered for centuries, and when the awakened intellect of men resumed inquiries which for ages had been laid aside, the new discoveries or the new methods compelled the new thinkers to use new formulae, such new formlae being necessitated by established facts on the one hand and becoming the very conditions of progress in the apprehension of truth on the other? The dogma of yesterday had served its purpose, it expressed elementary truths which the childhood of the human mind had arrived at, but that which seemed final yesterday became antiquated or rudimentary to-day. When men are brought face to face with new truths, or with new aspects of truth, or compelled to investigate truth from a new standpoint, that moment they are compelled to resort to new expressions, to adopt new formulae, that is, to enunciate new dogmas, the old knowledge is in process of vanishing away. But truth is one thing, dogma is another. The formulae may suffer change, but the truth formulated changes not. But here it may be suggested that a distinction must be made between such truths as are formulated in theological dogmas, and those which are arrived at by the methods employed in the exact sciences. In fact so loose is our language and so vague is our vocabulary when we approach the discussion of questions in which our religious convictions and sentiments are supposed to be concerned, that nothing is more common than the assumption expressed or implied that scientific truth and what people call Divine truth are in some mysterious way moving as it were in different orbits, in different planes, and that what holds good of the one does not at all hold good of the other. What! Is not all truth Divine–all or none? Yes, and is not all truth a truth of science–all or none?–truth, that is, which is once formulated with sufficient precision for the logical faculty to exercise itself upon, however much or however little the higher reason may have helped us to embrace it before we had learnt to express it in scientific terms? It is in vain to attempt to evade the question which is being more and more rudely forced upon us. The question, Is there such a science as theology? science based upon axioms which are indisputable, requiring postulates which are reasonable, pursuing its inquiries according to strictly logical methods, engaged upon the investigation of facts and their correlation, weighing the significance of conflicting testimony, and fearlessly hailing the discovery of any new law? Is it a science whereby our race may hope to advance to the apprehension of some eternal truths? a science not one whit the less a science because it has a domain of its own? If not, it is hardly worth our while to trouble ourselves about it. Though even then observe, that the facts of the spiritual life remain. On the other hand, if it be a science, no matter in what stage it may at any moment be said to be, then assuredly it is only what we should expect, that this same story which history has to tell of other sciences should be found to be true of this one also. And that is exactly what we do find. Take whatever science you please, music, medicine, astronomy, and what is more certain than that that science has arrived at a certain point and then has ceased to be studied by competent students, and its further advance been arrested for centuries; the dogmas of such science, formulated a thousand years ago, being accepted as absolutely true, and assumed to have something like finality. For ages astronomers assumed that the sun moved round the earth–that was at any rate a dogma about which there could not conceivably be any dispute–a dogma above all others which could claim for itself catholicity, and stood alone as answering the most rigid conditions of catholicity. For ages the formulated science of architecture helped men to raise up to heaven those stupendous structures which are likely to last as the wonder and envy of mankind as long as the race lasts. And yet into that formulated science the very conception of the properties of the arch never entered. What appear to us the elementary truths of the science had no place in the early dogmas of architecture. In all these instances we are met by the historic fact that every science which deserves to be called such has had, must have, its periods of growth and rapid development, and its periods of torpor and repose. Men have grown weary or despairing of solving certain great problems, and have thrown them aside to deal with others. Then the tide has turned, and they have gone back with fresh enthusiasm and reawakened curiosity to the old difficulties, prepared themselves to attack them, perhaps from new points of view, perhaps according to new methods. And then new discoveries have been made, sometimes the results of patient years of research, sometimes by a flash of what we call genius, and sometimes they had been forced upon those who, by earnest toil and seriousness of aim and greatness of purpose, have put themselves into the attitude or receiving new truths and qualified themselves for expressing those truths in formulae which were necessary expansions of the development from previous dogmas. The time had come for the old to vanish away! And now another question comes to us. Granted that theology too is a science. In what stage may we venture to say that we find it now? The more we reflect upon it the more do we find ourselves compelled to acknowledge that theology, as a science, is, and has been for long, in a condition of torpor; it is, as it were, taking its repose, it has gone to sleep. But if theology as a science may be said to be asleep, even though it be exhibiting no signs or evidence of awakening activity, slumber is not death, it need not even imply exhaustion; it may be only heathful repose before the dawning of a new day. Even though they would persuade you that the old theology has received its quietus and the old dogmas are moribund or dead, be not afraid. It is the great law that every when it has served its purpose must vanish away, but only to be replaced by another which shall be grander and larger and more profound than that which we possess. Be not afraid to say the theology of the fourth century may not have been the theology of the second, nor the theology of the sixteenth century the theology of the twelfth, and peradventure the theology of the twentieth century may be very, very different in its dogmas and its formulae from anything that we can conceive of now. This science, too, may find another Copernicus to whom God may grant strange revelations, revelations, or if you dislike the word, discoveries, such as come to the holy and humble men of heart, guileless and true, such revelations as may perforce necessitate revolutions in our methods of investigation, in the terminology we employ, in the calculus which may be placed at our disposal. At least assure yourselves that imperfect light is better than darkness, and cloudland a better region to live in than chaos. (A. Jessopp, M.A.)

We know in part

The illuminated page of nature, on which God has written so many disclosures of His power and love–how small a portion of its wonders is man yet able to understand! Look at the tree which rises before your window, and shields you from the summer sun. You are familiar with its form, its foliage, and its flowers. But can you tell what is going on within it? Can you explain how it is, that, when the winds of autumn are singing their vesper hymn, the tree listens to their warning–how it forms and folds its leaves and blossoms, to have them ready for another spring? No. In the history of the simplest things in the vegetable and animal world there is much that man does not and cannot understand. Come, then, to our knowledge of human nature itself–how imperfect it is! how many new pages are opened from time to time which fill us with wonder and dismay! Perhaps you are able to tell how men will feel and act under the common circumstances of life; but who can tell the measure of the soul, or how deep and far mans powers and passions, in their wild energy, can go? We can understand benevolence in its common measure, when it gives what it does not want to others; but can we comprehend that love which warms and fills the martyrs heart? Passing finally to the knowledge of the Most High–are not clouds and darkness round about Him as of old? Canst thou by searching find out God? Let those who have tried it reply. A short time before his death, Newton said, I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me. Here, then, we shall be told to reflect on human imperfection and be humble; for we see how little way the sight of man extends, how little man is able to know. But let us read our own nature aright. That we know in part is not humiliating; it is the ground and necessary condition of mans chief prerogative, and of the only perfection of which he is capable. Consider the difference between human and Divine perfection, and this will be plain to every eye. Divine perfection consists in attributes, each and all of them unbounded, except by the impossibility of being greater. Divine power extends to all things that power can do; Divine wisdom embraces everything that exists, or will exist, or ever has existed; Divine holiness is holiness which cannot be enlarged nor exceeded. The perfection of these attributes is, that they can be no greater than they are. To God nothing can be added. But human perfection, by which I mean the greatest height to which humanity can aspire, consists in continual progress–in continually advancing towards perfection. It is plain, then, that to know in part is not humiliating; it is not even an imperfection; it is a happy and honourable condition of our existence, for which we should be grateful to Him who made us. Had we been differently created, it must have been like the animals. What they know, they know in full; to them there is nothing in part. What they know, they know as well in the first years of their existence as the last. And if man had not been created as he is, to know in part, it must have been so with him; he must have had the instinct of an animal, the perfection of animals, for he could not have the perfection of God. Seeing, then, that improvement is the perfection to which human nature must aspire, let us next observe how this limited knowledge tends to induce and encourage it in every field of thought. Look again at the world of nature. Its wonders do not manifest themselves at once; if they did, the mind could not embrace them, or if it could, a heavy satiety, a lethargic self-satisfaction, would take the place of that restless energy which makes man labour and suffer to extend his knowledge. Everything opens gradually, as the sun rises, not full-orbed and fiery red, but gently heralded by the grey light and the kindling clouds. When you first point out to an intelligent child the wonders of nature, he fixes upon you his soft, dark, earnest eyes. The world seems enchanted. He asks where these things were hidden, that he never saw them before. He enjoys a deep delight, he finds a luxury in this gradual illumination of mind, to which he would have been a stranger had not God created him to know but in part. And so in maturer years, if the mind is kept from stagnation, into which it too readily subsides. Let a man give his attention to any department of knowledge, and he soon gives it his heart. He will leave all man loves at home, and encounter all man dreads abroad. The least new discovery fills him with rapturous joy. The glad energy, the intense devotion, with which he engages in the chase of knowledge, gives an idea of the manner in which the souls of the just will study the works and ways of God, and find everything radiant with happiness and eloquent with praise. It is the same with moral truth; by which I mean all truth which relates to God and to the nature and destiny of men. Our knowing but in part inspires that earnest desire to know more, which is compared to hunger and thirst for wisdom–a desire of truth which always burns in the breasts of those who are enlightened by the Word of God. With respect to mankind, also, it is true that partial knowledge inspires a desire to know more. I mean a real knowledge, for I would not give this name to that meaner sagacity which teaches us to distrust mankind. Who are they that complain most of men? They are those who dwell apart, who have none but selfish interests and pleasures, who never lift a hand to do good for others–these are they who talk of the fraud and falsehood of their race, while the lovers of mankind are those who go about doing good. The young always have this desire to know more of others. Alas, that rids generous affection should be driven back to their hearts, disappointed and dismayed, by what they see and hear! They find their parents talking with cold severity of others–of all others–of any others–even their nearest friends; and they listen with wonder and pain. Mankind are thrown apart and kept so; those cords of humanity, which untied would have been strong as the sheet-anchors cable, become singly as weak as the silk-worms thread, and the purpose of Christianity is not answered, which is to reconcile them to each other and make the divided one. So our knowing God but in part inspires an earnest desire to know more. It leads us on in religious improvement, and it makes that improvement a succession of bright revelations, in which man is continually learning what he thirsted to know. There are many things in the dispensations of Heaven which the thoughtful long to know, as the prophets and kings of ages past desired to look into the mysteries of God. What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. This hope of knowing hereafter is an anchor to the soul; it saves it from being wrecked in its own doubts and fears; it keeps it true to itself and its destiny, till it reaches the world where the wonders of Providence are unfolded to its astonished view, and it can read and understand them all. Above all, I would say that we cannot complain of the limitation of our knowledge till we make a better improvement of what we already know. Enough is already known to make us wise unto salvation. It remains that we apply it to our hearts and lives. (W. B. O. Peabody, D.D.)

Now I know in part

The Scriptures abound in reflections upon the weakness and short-sightedness of the human mind. Now, it is observable that the atheist and sceptic have taken up the strain of Scripture, and striven to turn,, its weapons against itself and its friends. How blind and weak, how poor and miserable, they repeat, the creature to whom you yet assign so splendid a destiny! I accept the issue which atheism and infidelity thus present. I will reason for the magnificent prospects of man on the very ground here taken, of his weaknesses and diseases, his griefs and fears. I will show that there is no incongruity in Holy Writ, when in one breath it tells of mans miseries and vanities, and in the next of his unending life and glories. For, I know in part: what does this mean, but that I have an idea of more knowledge than I actually possess, believe myself capable of greater acquisitions, and see the domain of wisdom stretching out beyond my present reach, and inviting my further pursuit? Why be straitened in my limits, but that my true element is the unbounded? Could we glorify mans present spiritual advances, and celebrate the complete beauty of his intellectual furniture, the argument for immortality would not be so strong. We might think the mind had drunk its fill here, and accomplished its destiny. The same argument might be pushed as to all the limitations, sadnesses, and defects of our nature. With what a wreck of plans and hopes, enterprises and calculations, is the shore of eternity strewn! If the souls measure be in this weavers shuttle of time, with no threads woven to reach across the span of earth, death is untimely and the tomb premature. Look out upon all nature, and see the exquisite perfection of every object there. From the blade of grass to the everlasting stars, there is no deviation from the law of order or the line of beauty. Everything seems to accomplish its work, and fulfil its design. There is nothing more to be wished or expected. The astronomer detects no lawless course, no really, however for a time apparently, irregular or straying motion. So perfect is nature, from the fine dust of the balance to the revolutions of the sky. But the human mind rises up the vast, lonely exception to this hair-breadth completeness of the world. Recogniser of the perfection of all things else, itself alone is imperfect. It conceives of a knowledge transcendent. It conceives of a purity shaming its pollution. It conceives of a blessedness to which earths joys are but glimpses of light and breakings in a stormy sky. Now God, the perfect One, deals not in fragments, like some weak human artist who may overlay the walls of his chamber with attempts at an entire beauty. But if this human soul, in the very beginning of its aspirings, is to cease at death, then there is a fragment indeed, one colossal frustration and stupendous anomaly. Man, whom He made the lord of the universe, is the broken column, while everything beside is whole! Were there any sign of the souls filling out its defects and putting away its limitations, the argument would be less strong. But its growth, marked at any point, followed in any direction, requires still a lengthened being. A late traveller observed in the city of Jerusalem the fragment of an arch on the wall of the temple; and, tracing it according to the principles of its construction, concluded it must have been designed to spring as a bridge across the adjoining valley. So, if this little arc of the human mind, which we can here trace, be constructed upon true principles, it must mount over the dark valley of the shadow of death, the stream of time must flow away beneath it while the course of an immortal destination opens before it. Else, denying this, we charge the Supreme Architect with fault. I would, then, found an argument for immortality on the apostles declaration, Now I know in part. Even did I adopt Humes philosophy of universal scepticism, I should still say the intellect is made for truth, and must have time for its inquiry and doubt to end in the satisfactions of knowledge. I know this is the commonly accepted mode of reasoning. I know it is usual to draw religious arguments from mans positive abilities; but I would draw them from his vast defects. It is usual to draw them from his great triumphs; I would draw them from his signal failures. The train of reflections to which our text has led, accords with the old tenor of Scripture. The gospel of Christ speaks no flattering words to our vanity; it paints in no high colours our powers and acquirements. It rather digs beneath the highblown pride, fond fancy, and blind self-complacency of the human soul, to lay the foundation of that structure, which shall reach to heaven, in its feeling of weakness, in its confession of ignorance, in its sense of unworthiness, in its pangs of grief, and prayers for Divine aid. (C. A. Bartol.)

Life: partial and perfect

The Christians experience of Christ is in this life only partial: partial love is followed by partial knowledge.

1. He knows something of the welcome of Jesus.

2. He knows something of communion with Jesus.

3. He knows, too, in part, the spirit of service to Jesus.

4. A Christian knows also, in part, likeness to Christ.

But all these brightest moments, these deepest joys, these noblest moods, are to be eclipsed, forgotten, counted as nothing, when that which is perfect is come. To the Christian this is coming. All else is going. What, then, can compare with the claims and the charms of the spiritual life? Suppose there were on earth a country where, in health, that which is perfect had come; where, in purity of character, that which is perfect had come; where, in all the tender relations of domestic life, that which was perfect had come; where, in society and in government, in cottage and in palace, that which is perfect had come; where, in man, and field, and air and sky, that which was perfect had come;–how ships would groan with human cargoes destined for its shores! In comparison, fields of gold and seas of pearl would cease to draw. Yet the brightest conception of such a state falls immeasurably below what the dying Christian finds in heaven. (Benjamin Waugh.)

The limitations of knowledge

The familiar context in which these words occur gives a peculiar colour to them. St. Paul in his estimate of the most conspicuous endowments of a Christian, places knowledge–the progressive knowledge of observation and reflection–in contrast with love. He sets the intellectual over against the moral. He implies that the knowledge of which he speaks belongs to the present in its essence, while love belongs to the present only in its form. But in doing this he does not disparage knowledge; on the contrary he reveals it in its true nobility. Christ declared (Joh 17:17) truth to be the medium of mans consecration. Under the necessary conditions of life knowledge is the minister of love. I wish to consider the limitation of knowledge and not the destination of knowledge. We know in part. The fact itself is one which we shall do well to realise more distinctly than by a general acknowledgment. When this is done I hope that we shall see sufficient reasons for holding that this necessary incompleteness of our knowledge, which is at first sight disappointing, is, when duly weighed, fitted to bring stability to the results of labour, that it satisfies the conditions of progress, that it offers hope in the face of the dark problems of the present age.

1. We know in part. This limitation is imposed upon us triply. Of all that is, of all that even we with our present faculties feel must be, we can know but a small fraction. Our knowledge is limited in range. And, again, our knowledge of that small fraction of being which is in any way accessible to us is bounded and conditioned by our human powers. Our knowledge is limited in form. And, yet once more, of theft which man could know, being what he is, if the personal powers and the personal experience of the race were concentrated in a single representative, what an infinitely small portion is embraced by one mind! Our knowledge is limited by the circumstances of life. So far the fact itself that we know in part is unquestionable and unquestioned. No one who ever presumptuously maintained that man is the measure of all things, ventured also to assert that all things which he measures owe their being to him. No one who has considered the slow development of the powers which man now enjoys in what appears to us to be his maturity would be willing to admit that his faculties exhaust in kind or in degree the possible action of being. Our knowledge, I repeat, is inevitably partial in regard of the object, and of the subject, and of the conditions of its acquisition. In each respect an infinite mystery enwraps a little spot of light. But while upon reflection we admit that our knowledge is thus limited, we do not, I think, commonly take account of the momentous significance of the fact. Many of us who are ceaselessly busy with our daily occupations do not habitually feel it. Many who have distinctly realised it, deliberately put it out of sight. That which we cannot know in the way of earthly knowledge is for us, they say, as if it were not. St. Paul follows a better way. He teaches us to see that these mysteries, and the full sense of limitation which they bring with them, are an important factor in our lives. He rounds life off on this side and that, not with a sleep, but with the glory of the invisible. And is it not true that we are made stronger as well as humbler by lifting up our eyes to the sky which opens with measurable depths above the earth on which we are set to work?

2. We know in part the fullest recognition of this fact is not only helpful but essential for the fulfilment of our several tasks. The practical or deliberate disregard of this relation of all our knowledge to the unknown brings with it urgent dangers. On the one hand we are tempted to make our own knowledge, our own thoughts, our own experience, an absolute standard. On the other hand we are tempted to apply a dominant method to subjects which do not admit it. There is no one, I suppose, who has not been sorely tried by both temptations. It requires a serious effort to enter with a living sympathy into the character of another man, or of another class, or of another nation, or of another course of thought: to feel, not with a sense of gracious superiority but of devout thankfulness, that here and there that is supplied which we could not have provided: to acknowledge how peculiar gifts or a peculiar environment, how long discipline or an intense struggle, have conferred upon others the power of seeing that which we cannot see. But it is to breadth of hope, to self-denial, to patience that we are called, as those who believe and seek to live as believing that we know in part. The immediate circumstances in which we are placed need, as we must feel, the exercise of such graces. There is on all sides an overpowering passion for clearness, for decision, for results which can be measured on demand. Art and history are trammeled by realism. A restless anxiety for fulness and superficial accuracy of detail diverts the forces which should be given to an interpretation of the life. We begin to think that when we can picture to ourselves the outside of things we have mastered them. So it is also in many respects with opinion. We are told that we must make our choice definitely between this extreme and that; that there can be no mean; that a logical necessity demands one precise conclusion or the other. In this way we lose insensibly the present consciousness of the great deeps of life. Portraiture becomes photography, and faith is represented by a phrase. The reflections from the mirror, the shadows on the wall of the cave, are taken for the realities which these fleeting signs should move us to seek. There is no outline in nature, however convenient or even necessary we may find it to draw one. A closer view of this one-sided and dominant realism, which is characteristic of our generation, shows what is at once its final issue and its remedy. For it is not fanciful, I think, to connect it with the great successes of the method of physical inquiry. We try, perhaps even without knowing of what spirit we are, to make the same method supreme over all knowledge. Meanwhile we are neglecting a different lesson which physics have to teach us and which we have not yet learnt. However paradoxical the statement may appear, physical study more than any other brings the invisible vividly before us. The world of the man of science is not the scene of conflict and disorder which we look upon with our untrained eyes, but an order of absolute law which he finds by the interpretation of a larger experience. He pierces beneath the seen to that which it indicates. So far he has read the thought of God. His partial knowledge is a sign for the moralist and for the theologian.

3. We know in part. We have seen that acceptance of this fact enables us to meet and to use the dangers and the lessons of limited views. The same words describe the process by which our efforts are made effective. We advance towards the limits of our attainable knowledge by the help of every fragmentary movement. We look upon the fullest vision of the truth in the combination of parts held separately. This is the Divine law of spiritual progress and of spiritual apprehension. It is not that any one mind or any one race can evolve the last deductions from the primal facts. The manifold endowments of the nations are made contributory in due order to the unfolding of the universal gospel. The history of Judaism and the history of Christianity prove the truth beyond doubt. Spiritual knowledge and with it spiritual life is furthered by the introduction into it of new elements from without. The seed which has the principle of life gathers from all around that by which the life is manifested in the fulness of its beauty. It has often been pointed out how every critical stage in the progress of earlier revelation was marked by the action of new races upon the people of God. Assyria, Persia, Greece, Rome, quickened fresh thoughts in Israel, and brought to light fresh mysteries in the Law. The Son of Man entered on the patrimony of the race made ready for His use. The course of Christianity up to the present time exhibits the accomplishment of the same law on a larger scale and with a more pervading application. Judaism was limited and preparatory. The Divine Presence was symbolised for the fathers by a cloud or by a glory. But Christianity is absolute and final. For us the Divine Presence is the Word made flesh, the man Christ Jesus. It is no longer any part of man, or any part of mankind to which the message of God is addressed or entrusted. The experience of our own lives offers an illustration of this growth through assimilation and loss. The unfolding of our separate powers is able to bring home to us what is fulfilled on a colossal scale in the broad history of human progress. One faculty after another is called into dominant activity, and yields in its turn to some fresh claimant. And here comes the trial of faith. We are tempted, as it may be, to linger with a vain regret round that which is ready to vanish away or to hasten prematurely the advent of that which is not yet mature. But the faith deals with all in a process of life. The conviction that every result, every triumph, every prize is given us to use and not to keep, saves us from the peril of stationariness and from the peril of innovation. He cannot rest who knows that the counsel of God is not yet accomplished.

4. And surely this paradox is the very joy of life. We know all: and we have still much to learn. Our strength is to feel that the end which is given to us is not yet gained. As long as there is movement there is hope. Because the central fact of our faith reaches to the utmost bounds of our being: because to the last our knowledge is limited, we bring together with loving reverence all that has been accumulated in the past, and we stand ready to welcome the new light which shall reveal the old treasures in fresh glory. It is not strange then that there should at all times be difficulties. Difficulties guide men to new regions of work for Christs sake. We can feel, I repeat, in these different directions, in the spheres of personal life, of human fellowship, of cosmical dependence, how our partial knowledge witnesses to the existence of regions of vital energy not essentially unattainable but hitherto necessarily unexplored: we can feel that the darkest riddles of life lose their final gloom when we refuse to acknowledge that their solution must be found in the facts which we have been so far able to grasp: we can feel that the gospel of Christ incarnate and ascended deals with these latest questionings not by accident or by accommodation, but in its inmost nature: we can feel as the problems rise before us that our historic creed contains the answer to them, though it has not yet been drawn out, that our needs have not been left uncared for by eternal love, that it is through the sternest searchings of heart that the growing fulness of the truth is realised. The sorest trial of very many now is the sad suspicion that Christianity does not cover all which we know to be. Perhaps we have given colour to the fear by our own narrowness of sympathy. But from the first it was not so. And it is true still, true always, that our faith conquers not by the suppression or by the dissimulation of difficulties, but by interpreting them or by placing them in their right relation to what we see of the whole constitution and circumstances of the world. We do not then appeal to ignorance, but to the conditions of a partial knowledge: we do not transfer our hope to an imaginary scene, but find the pledge of its fulfilment in a completer revelation of this in which we toil and suffer: we do not offer any intellectual formulas as exhaustive and absolute, but we claim that now and at all times the faith should be regarded in connection with every human interest; we do not affirm the limitation of knowledge as a bar to inquiry, but as a bar to finality.

We know in part.

1. The words are a consolation. No one has ever set before himself a high ideal of work for the truths sake without sadly noting at the close of his labour the scantiness of his achievements. His difficulties, perhaps, have grown clearer, but they have not grown less. At last he finds himself left face to face with mysteries, which appear in the form of irreconcilable opposites. The fundamental mystery of his finite being responsible to the Infinite repeats itself in many forms. There is no escape from conditions of thought which he feels to be inapplicable to spiritual existences. Happy is he only when he knows that what he sees, what he can see, is but a fragment of that glory which all the powers of all the ages will not exhaust in its fulness. We inherit and we transmit our inheritance to others, with the slender accessions we have made. So it is that we are bound one to another, and while we contend to the uttermost for the truth which is given to us, we find a place opened for other labourers.

2. They are a promise. The knowledge is partial, but the object is not illusory. We may not he able to see much, but the appearances which we observe answer to something which is eternal. This conviction is sufficient to inspire us with hope. We are so constituted that we cannot but group together the scattered facts which come before us, and interpret them in some fashion. Looking to them we can cherish the signs of a wider order in the moral world which has not yet been realised.

3. They are a prophecy. Now we see in a mirror darkly, but then face to face. The mode of knowledge will be changed, but He who is revealed in many parts and in many ways is Himself unchangeable. Perfect knowledge now would be the sentence of spiritual death: the whole can increase no more, is dwarfed and dies. But, let us thank God, we know in part; and we know Him that is true. We do not rest in what we are, or in what we can attain to, but in what God is, in whose imago we are made. (Bp. Westcott.)

Knowledge in part

In guarding our talk thus, we are helped by the analogies of those who know less than we do, and who cannot know as much as we do. A blind man, for instance, does not know as much about colour as people who see. Nor does a man who is colour-blind. They may imagine what colour is, and they can talk about their imaginations. But they must not prophesy. That is, they must not proclaim the truth about colour. They do not know what the truth is, and they do not even know the meaning of the words they use. The analogy with our ignorance is precise. For such people sometimes think they know. In the same direction is the advance which mankind has made since those prehistoric days of the cave-dweller. If to the poor savage of the limited experience of that early time I said, Your God can give at the same instant His present command to you who are here and to other men on the other side of the world, he would hardly understand my language; and, so far as he did understand it, he would tell me I lied. In the first place, he would not know what I meant by the other side of the world. In the second place, he would say that one God could not be in two places. But, with the steady progress of the world, all this changes. Any telegraph boy sees one will acting in a dozen places, and his imagination and conception carry him into a much wider range than that which he sees. On a thousand lines the world understands that it has advanced from that feeble knowledge of that savage life. Just so far as it understands this, does the same world make out that it knows only in part now, and looks forward, with a confidence akin to certainty, to a coming time and a larger life, in which it shall know more. All such instances from history help us in our lives of to-day, and in looking forward for to-morrow. History, indeed, is always useless, unless we extort from it such lessons. If the cave-dweller or the Eskimo of to-day knew only in part what seems wholly necessary to your life and mine, in just the same fashion is it probable–it is well-nigh certain–that where I know only in part there is more knowledge which my successors will have–nay, which I myself may have, in a life not cumbered by this body. (E. E. Hale, D.D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 8. (16.) Charity never faileth] This love never falleth off, because it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things; and while it does so it cannot fail; it is the means of preserving all other graces; indeed, properly speaking, it includes them all; and all receive their perfection from it. Love to God and man can never be dispensed with. It is essential to social and religious life; without it no communion can be kept up with God; nor can any man have a preparation for eternal glory whose heart and soul are not deeply imbued with it. Without it there never was true religion, nor ever can be; and it not only is necessary through life, but will exist throughout eternity. What were a state of blessedness if it did not comprehend love to God and human spirits in the most exquisite, refined, and perfect degrees?

Prophecies – shall fail] Whether the word imply predicting future events, or teaching the truths of religion to men, all such shall soon be rendered useless. Though the accurate prophet and the eloquent, persuasive preacher be useful in their day, they shall not be always so; nor shall their gifts fit them for glory; nothing short of the love above described can fit a soul for the kingdom of God.

Tongues – shall cease] The miraculous gift of different languages, that soon shall cease, as being unnecessary.

Knowledge – shall vanish away.] All human arts and sciences, as being utterly useless in the eternal world, though so highly extolled and useful here.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The apostle, from another argument, commendeth the grace of love, viz. its never failing; it shall go with us into another world, and have its use and exercise there, where there will be no prophesying, no speaking with divers tongues, but there the saints shall love God. And this maketh it evident, that by charity, or love, (before mentioned), the apostle doth not singly mean bounty or beneficence to those that stand in need of those good things of this life, in which we can help them.

Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away: by knowledge, here, some understand the communicating of knowledge to the church by preaching: others, the means we now have by meditating in and study of the Scriptures: others, better, of the imperfect degrees of our knowledge, or the way of our procuring it: the following verses would incline us to interpret it of the former, though it be true also of the latter.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

8. never failethnever is tobe out of use; it always holds its place.

shall fail . . . vanishawayThe same Greek verb is used for both; and thatdifferent from the Greek verb for “faileth.”Translate, “Shall be done away with,” that is, shall bedispensed with at the Lord’s coming, being superseded by their moreperfect heavenly analogues; for instance, knowledge byintuition. Of “tongues,” which are still moretemporary, the verb is “shall cease.” A primaryfulfilment of Paul’s statement took place when the Church attainedits maturity; then “tongues” entirely “ceased,”and “prophesyings” and “knowledge,” so far asthey were supernatural gifts of the Spirit, were superseded as nolonger required when the ordinary preaching of the word, and theScriptures of the New Testament collected together, had becomeestablished institutions.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Charity never faileth,…. It may fail as to the exercise of it, as other graces do; it may be left, but not lost; the fervour of it may be remitted and abated; it may wax cold through the prevalence of sin; it may be greatly damped by the growth of error and heresy, which eat as do a canker; and may be much obstructed by an anxious and immoderate care and concern for worldly things; which are very pernicious to all the branches of vital religion and powerful godliness, and particularly love to God, Christ, and the brethren: but this grace never fails as to its principle; it is an immortal and an incorruptible seed; it lives throughout the most violent temptations, as in Peter; and under the greatest desertions and sorest afflictions, still there is an affection for God; Christ is he whom such a soul loves; and the saints are the excellent in the earth, in whom is all his delight: and it also continues as to its use, and will do so, when faith and hope will loose theirs, even in the other world; for faith will be changed into vision, and hope into enjoyment; but love will be the same, only act in a higher sphere, and to a greater degree, and in a perfect manner:

but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; by which are meant, either the predictions of future events, not that they shall fail in their accomplishment, but they shall be no more, because they will all be accomplished; or else the gifts of explaining the prophecies of the Old Testament, and of preaching the doctrines of the Gospel, will be no more, because there will be no need of them in a state of perfection:

whether there be tongues they shall cease; not but that, in the resurrection, that member of the body, the tongue, will be restored as the rest, and be everlastingly employed in celebrating the perfections of God, in singing the hallelujahs of the Lamb, and in joining with angels and other saints in songs of praise to the eternal Three; but the gift of speaking with divers tongues will cease, indeed it has already; nor will there be any use for such an extraordinary gift in the other world; when probably, and as it is thought by some, there will be but one language, and that the Hebrew language; as the whole earth was of one language and speech before the confusion at Babel:

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away; that is, the word of knowledge, peculiarly given by the spirit to some persons only; or that peculiar gift of knowledge of divine things, by which some are qualified to be instructors of others; the present means both of communicating, and of obtaining and increasing knowledge by the preaching and hearing of the word, will be no more used: and besides, imperfect knowledge of every sort will disappear, it will become perfect; that knowledge which is in part will be done away, when perfect knowledge takes place; for so we are taught to explain it by the following words.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Charity Commended.

A. D. 57.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Here the apostle goes on to commend charity, and show how much it is preferable to the gifts on which the Corinthians were so apt to pride themselves, to the utter neglect, and almost extinction, of charity. This he makes out,

I. From its longer continuance and duration: Charity never faileth. It is a permanent and perpetual grace, lasting as eternity; whereas the extraordinary gifts on which the Corinthians valued themselves were of short continuance. They were only to edify the church on earth, and that but for a time, not during its whole continuance in this world; but in heaven would be all superseded, which yet is the very seat and element of love. Prophecy must fail, that is, either the prediction of things to come (which is its most common sense) or the interpretation of scripture by immediate inspiration. Tongues will cease, that is, the miraculous power of speaking languages without learning them. There will be but one language in heaven. There is no confusion of tongues in the region of perfect tranquility. And knowledge will vanish away. Not that, in the perfect state above, holy and happy souls shall be unknowing, ignorant: it is a very poor happiness that can consist with utter ignorance. The apostle is plainly speaking of miraculous gifts, and therefore of knowledge to be had out of the common way (see ch. xiv. 6), a knowledge of mysteries supernaturally communicated. Such knowledge was to vanish away. Some indeed understand it of common knowledge acquired by instruction, taught and learnt. This way of knowing is to vanish away, though the knowledge itself, once acquired, will not be lost. But it is plain that the apostle is here setting the grace of charity in opposition to supernatural gifts. And it is more valuable, because more durable; it shall last, when they shall be no more; it shall enter into heaven, where they will have no place, because they will be of no use, though, in a sense, even our common knowledge may be said to cease in heaven, by reason of the improvement that will then be made in it. The light of a candle is perfectly obscured by the sun shining in its strength.

II. He hints that these gifts are adapted only to a state of imperfection: We know in part, and we prophesy in part, v. 9. Our best knowledge and our greatest abilities are at present like our condition, narrow and temporary. Even the knowledge they had by inspiration was but in part. How little a portion of God, and the unseen world, was heard even by apostles and inspired men! How much short do others come of them! But these gifts were fitted to the present imperfect state of the church, valuable in themselves, but not to be compared with charity, because they were to vanish with the imperfections of the church, nay, and long before, whereas charity was to last for ever.

III. He takes occasion hence to show how much better it will be with the church hereafter than it can be here. A state of perfection is in view (v. 10): When that which is perfect shall come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When the end is once attained, the means will of course be abolished. There will be no need of tongues, and prophecy, and inspired knowledge, in a future life, because then the church will be in a state of perfection, complete both in knowledge and holiness. God will be known then clearly, and in a manner by intuition, and as perfectly as the capacity of glorified minds will allow; not by such transient glimpses, and little portions, as here. The difference between these two states is here pointed at in two particulars: 1. The present state is a state of childhood, the future that of manhood: When I was a child, I spoke as a child (that is, as some think, spoke with tongues), I understood as a child; ephronoun—sapiebam (that is, “I prophesied, I was taught the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, in such an extraordinary way as manifested I was not out of my childish state”), I thought, or reasoned, elogizomen, as a child; but, when I became a man, I put away childish things. Such is the difference between earth and heaven. What narrow views, what confused and indistinct notions of things, have children, in comparison of grown men! And how naturally do men, when reason is ripened and matured, despise and relinquish their infant thoughts, put them away, reject them, esteem as nothing! Thus shall we think of our most valued gifts and acquisitions in this world, when we come to heaven. We shall despise our childish folly, in priding ourselves in such things when we are grown up to men in Christ. 2. Things are all dark and confused now, in comparison of what they will be hereafter: Now we see through a glass darkly (en ainigmati, in a riddle), then face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall know as we are known. Now we can only discern things at a great distance, as through a telescope, and that involved in clouds and obscurity; but hereafter the things to be known will be near and obvious, open to our eyes; and our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and error. God is to be seen face to face; and we are to know him as we are known by him; not indeed as perfectly, but in some sense in the same manner. We are known to him by mere inspection; he turns his eye towards us, and sees and searches us throughout. We shall then fix our eye on him, and see him as he is, 1 John iii. 2. We shall know how we are known, enter into all the mysteries of divine love and grace. O glorious change! To pass from darkness to light, from clouds to the clear sunshine of our Saviour’s face, and in God’s own light to see light! Ps. xxxvi. 9. Note, It is the light of heaven only that will remove all clouds and darkness from the face of God. It is at best but twilight while we are in this world; there it will be perfect and eternal day.

IV. To sum up the excellences of charity, he prefers it not only to gifts, but to other graces, to faith and hope (v. 13): And now abide faith, hope, and charity; but the greatest of these is charity. True grace is much more excellent than any spiritual gifts whatever. And faith, hope, and love, are the three principal graces, of which charity is the chief, being the end to which the other two are but means. This is the divine nature, the soul’s felicity, or its complacential rest in God, and holy delight in all his saints. And it is everlasting work, when faith and hope shall be no more. Faith fixes on the divine revelation, and assents to that: hope fastens on future felicity, and waits for that: and in heaven faith well be swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But love fastens on the divine perfections themselves, and the divine image on the creatures, and our mutual relation both to God and them. These will all shine forth in the most glorious splendours in another world, and there will love be made perfect; there we shall perfectly love God, because he will appear amiable for ever, and our hearts will kindle at the sight, and glow with perpetual devotion. And there shall we perfectly love one another, when all the saints meet there, when none but saints are there, and saints made perfect. O blessed state! How much surpassing the best below! O amiable and excellent grace of charity! How much does it exceed the most valuable gift, when it outshines every grace, and is the everlasting consummation of them! When faith and hope are at an end, true charity will burn for ever with the brightest flame. Note, Those border most upon the heavenly state and perfection whose hearts are fullest of this divine principle, and burn with the most fervent charity. It is the surest offspring of God, and bears his fairest impression. For God is love, 1Jn 4:8; 1Jn 4:16. And where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height–there, and there only, will it be perfected.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Love never faileth (H ). New turn for the perpetuity of love. correct text, not , as in Lu 16:17. Love survives everything.

They shall be done away (). First future passive of . Rare in old Greek, to make idle (), inoperative. All these special spiritual gifts will pass. It is amazing how little of human work lasts.

They shall cease (). Future middle indicative of , to make cease. They shall make themselves cease or automatically cease of themselves.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Faileth [] . Falls off [] like a leaf or flower, as Jas 1:11; 1Pe 1:24. In classical Greek it was used of an actor who was hissed off the stage. But the correct reading is piptei falls, in a little more general sense, as Luk 16:17. Love holds its place.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

FADING AND ENDURING GIFTS

1) “Charity never faileth:” (he agape oudepote piptei) “The love, (of the more excellent way) never falls out, or fails” – as a spiritual gift. The gift of charity or love, theme of this chapter, is the greatest of all spiritual gifts for it alone, of them is, in essence of being, the very nature of the eternal God.

2) “But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;” (eite de propheteiai, katargethesontai) “But wherever there exist prophecies (the gift of prophecies) they will be abolished;” To give way for the “more excellent way,” 1Co 12:31, which alone shall never fail. This alludes to the passing of the gift of prophecy, imparted before the Bible was finished, for which no need would remain after it was finished, Eph 4:11-16.

3) “Whether there be tongues they shall cease;” (eite glossai pausontai) “Or wherever there exist (the gift of) tongues or languages, they will ‘ cease.” As they came by special gift, for a special purpose, to a special people, even so this gift was to last of short duration, as certain others – only until the Bible was completed; Act 2:1-4; Deu 28:49; 1Co 14:21-22.

4) “Whether there be knowledge; it shall vanish away .” (eite gnosis katargethesetai) “Or wherever there be or exist knowledge (the gift of knowledge) it will be abolished.” Prophecies were not to fail to come true; people were not to become dumb, no longer able to talk; nor were people to become ignoramuses in the future of Paul’s declarations. This simply asserts that the charismatic gifts, doled out by the Holy Spirit to various members of the church, would cease to be given when the Bible, the perfect Law of liberty, was completed; Jas 1:25; 2Ti 3:16-17.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

8. Love never faileth Here we have another excellence of love — that it endures for ever. There is good reason why we should eagerly desire an excellence that will never come to an end. Hence love must be preferred before temporary and perishable gifts. Prophesyings have an end, tongues fail, knowledge ceases Hence love is more excellent than they on this ground — that, while they fail, it survives.

Papists pervert this passage, for the purpose of establishing the doctrine which they have contrived, without any authority from Scripture — that the souls of the deceased pray to God on our behalf. For they reason in this manner: “Prayer is a perpetual office of love — love endures in the souls of departed saints — therefore they pray for us.” For my part, although I should not wish to contend too keenly on this point, yet, in order that they may not think that they have gained much by having this conceded to them, I reply to their objection in a few words.

In the first place, though love endures for ever, it does not necessarily follow that it is (as the expression is) in constant exercise. For what is there to hinder our maintaining that the saints, being now in the enjoyment of calm repose, do not exercise love in present offices? (793) What absurdity, I pray you, would there be in this? In the second place, were I to maintain, that it is not a perpetual office of love to intercede for the brethren, how would they prove the contrary? That a person may intercede for another, it is necessary that he be acquainted with his necessity. If we may conjecture as to the state of the dead, it is a more probable supposition, that departed saints are ignorant of what is doing here, than that they are aware of our necessities. Papists, it is true, imagine, that they see the whole world in the reflection of light which they enjoy in the vision of God; but it is a profane and altogether heathenish contrivance, which has more of the savor of Egyptian theology, (794) than it has of accordance with Christian philosophy. What, then, if I should maintain that the saints, being ignorant of our condition, are not concerned in reference to us? With what argument will Papists press me, so as to constrain me to hold their opinion? What if I should affirm, that they are so occupied and swallowed up, as it were, in the vision of God, that they think of nothing besides? How will they prove that this is not agreeable to reason? What if I should reply, that the perpetuity of love, here mentioned by the Apostle, will be after the last day, and has nothing to do with the time that is intermediate? What if I should say that the office of mutual intercession has been enjoined only upon the living, and those that are sojourning in this world, and consequently does not at all extend to the departed?

But I have already said more than enough; for the very point for which they contend I leave undetermined, that I may not raise any contention upon a matter that does not call for it. It was, however, of importance to notice, in passing, how little support is given them from this passage, in which they think they have so strong a bulwark. Let us reckon it enough, that it has no support from any declaration of scripture, and that, consequently, it is maintained by them rashly and inconsiderately. (795)

Whether knowledge, it will be destroyed. We have already seen the meaning of these words; but from this arises a question of no small importances whether those who in this world excel either in learning, or in other gifts, will be on a level with idiots in the kingdom of God? In the first place, I should wish to admonish (796) pious readers, not to harass themselves more than is meet in the investigation of these things. Let them rather seek the way by which the kingdom of God is arrived at, than curiously inquire, what is to be our condition there; for the Lord himself has, by his silence, called us back from such curiosity. I now return to the question. So far as I can conjecture, and am able even to gather in part from this passage — inasmuch as learning, knowledge of languages, and similar gifts are subservient to the necessity of this life, I do not think that there will be any of them then remaining. The learned, however, will sustain no loss from the want of them, inasmuch as they will receive the fruit of them, which is greatly to be preferred. (797)

(793) “ En secourant et aidant presentement a ceux qui sont en ce monde;” — “In presently succouring and aiding those that are in this world.”

(794) “See Institutes, volume 1. — Ed.

(795) “ C’est folie et presomption grande a eux de l’affermer;” — “It is great folly and presumption in them to affirm it.”

(796) “ En premier lieu, i’admoneste et prie;” — “In the first place, I admonish and beseech.”

(797) “ Qui est plus excellent sans comparaison;” — “Which is, beyond comparison, more excellent.”

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

Appleburys Comments

Text

1Co. 13:8-12. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.

Commentary
The Transitory Nature of Spiritual Gifts (812)

Love never fails.When taken with the statement, love endures all things, we see why Paul says that love never fails. To endure is to withstand all the attacks of the enemy. Love that does that never fails. It stands up after the battle rolls on. It is like the walls of the city that never fall before the enemy assault. This fittingly introduces, by way of contrast, the transitory nature of the spiritual gifts: prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. It was not necessary for Paul to repeat the whole list for one to understand that all of the spiritual gifts were to be wiped out when the completed revelation should come.

in part . . . that which is perfect.While spiritual gifts served a worthwhile purpose, they were, at best, only in part; they were not the complete thing. That is why they were of necessity transitory; they were to give way to that which is perfect. But what is the perfect thing? Commentators suggest that it is Christ or the perfection that will be known when He comes. But there is no reference to the coming of Christ in this context. The word translated perfect means mature when it refers to persons as in 1Co. 2:6. Paul says, We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown. When it refers to things, as in this case, it means the end or purpose achieved by the thing, complete. That which was in part must balance with that which is complete. The things that were in part, the spiritual gifts, were used of the Lord to bring the revelation of His will to man. Without the work of the inspired apostles we never would have known the wisdom of God. The spiritual gifts given by the Spirit through the laying on of apostolic hands made it possible for others to reveal the same wisdom of God. But when this revelation was committed to writing as it was in the first century, there remained no further purpose to be fulfilled by these gifts. Therefore, when the completed revelationthe Biblecame, the things that were in part were abolished.

By walking in the most excellent way, the Corinthian church should have been able to use the gifts for the benefit of the whole church while awaiting the day when the completed revelation would be available for all to use.

When I was a child.The apostle clearly indicates that the spiritual gifts belonged to the childhood period of the church; their possession and use were not the mark of spiritual maturity.

now that I am become a man.As the mature man puts away childish things, the church could look to the time when it was to have the completed revelation of the Word and put away the transitory spiritual gifts.

For now we see in a mirror darkly.The subject is still spiritual gifts. It is not a reference to time as opposed to eternity. By now Paul points to the situation which existed at Corinth. They had the gift of tongues, but it was like seeing an imperfect reflection in a mirror in contrast to the perfect view possible through completed revelation in the Bible.

but then face to face.This is not a reference to the coming of Christ when we shall see Him as He is. By then Paul is indicating the time when the completed revelation would be available for all.

now I know in part.This was true of the time when the gifts were being used as opposed to the full knowledge that would be possible through the complete revelation in the Bible. It is not a reference to the partial knowledge of this life as opposed to knowledge in heaven. Context does not permit the application to heaven.

as I was fully known.Just as God knew the needs of all men so He has given complete instruction in His Word for life and godliness (2Pe. 1:2-4).

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

Butlers Comments

SECTION 3

Giftedness is Temporary, Love is Eternal (1Co. 13:8-13)

8 Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; 10but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. 13So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1Co. 13:8-9 The Passing: The text clearly states that these miraculous gifts would stop. They would fulfill their purpose and cease to exist. The question is; when were these gifts to stop? Again, this text clearly says the gifts were imperfect (Gr. merous, in part). 1Co. 13:11 of this chapter states the gifts were for an infant church (Gr. nepios, lit. without the power of speechsee Mat. 21:16; Mat. 11:25; Rom. 2:20; 1Co. 3:1; Heb. 5:13). If we are to believe the Bible, miraculous gifts were never intended to be universal or perpetuated beyond the lifetime of the apostles. Miraculous gifts were never given to all believers. They were never to heal all believers, edify or deliver all believers. There are clear indications that Christians could be endowed with miraculous gifts only through the laying on of the hands of the apostles (see Act. 8:14-24).

The infant church had difficulty in two areas: (1) in believing that Jews and Gentiles were acceptable to God on the same terms (faith, repentance and immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins), without the Law of Moses. Judaizers constantly harassed the church insisting their message of circumcision and the Law was the true way to salvation. So the message of the gospel had to be confirmed by miracles before the church could ever be fully weaned from the infantilism of the Law to the manhood of the gospel (see Gal. 3:23-29; Gal. 4:1-7; Eph. 4:11-16; Heb. 5:11-14; Heb. 6:1-12). When the church finally shed its immaturity (and when God destroyed the threat of Judaism by destroying Jerusalem and the Jewish nation at the hands of the Romans in 70 A.D.) miracles were no longer needed; (2) distinguishing between true apostolic doctrine and false doctrine. Once the apostolic teaching was put on record (written in our New Testament books) and verified by miraculous manifestations, there was no longer any need for these miracles. Miracles evidently passed away as the generation of believers upon whom the apostles had laid their hands passed away, for there is no divine sanction for perpetuating miracles beyond the hands of the apostles.

Paul uses the Greek word katargethesontai to declare the gifts of prophecy and knowledge will be abolished. The Greek word literally means, reduced to inactivity. When he says tongues will cease he uses the Greek word pausontai, meaning to stop, to make an end. They are strong, unequivocal words, predicting the cessation of miraculous gifts.

1Co. 13:10-12 The Perfect: The miraculous gifts were partial (imperfect) and temporary (will pass away). When the perfect thing (Gr. teleion) came, the partial thing (Gr. to ek merous) was abolished (Gr. katargethesetai). The Greek word teleion is a noun in the neuter gender. It should not, therefore, be translated to mean, when Christ comes again. The word teleion is not referring, either grammatically or contextually, to a person, but to some thing. The word teleion means, that which has reached its goal; that which has matured or come to its fulfillment. It does not mean that which is sinless.

The perfect thing in this context is referring to the mature church; the church which no longer needs miraculous confirmation of the apostolic message. The perfected, matured church will have had enough miraculous confirmations and guidance to acknowledge that the Judaizers, Gnostics, Nicolaitans, and other abberant religious teachings are false. The perfected, matured church will know that Gentiles or Jews do not need to keep the Law of Moses to be members of Christs body. The church in its manhood will be able to eat and digest the strong meat of the final, complete, New Testament scriptures. The mature church will realize that agape-love is the surpassing way to sanctification and evangelismand that possession of miraculous gifts is not the way.

When spiritual maturity came, from the completed, integrated church, from the completed apostolic revelation, from perfected, Christ-like love, the church reasoned or reckoned (Gr. elogizomen), or thought, like a man (Gr. gegona aner), abolishing the things of the infant (Gr. katergeka ta tou nepiou). As long as the church was spiritually immature, it spoke like an infant (Gr. elaloun hos nepios), it thought like an infant (Gr. ephronoun hos nepios), and it reasoned like an infant (Gr. elogizomen hos nepios). As long as the church was infantile, unable to distinguish between true and false without miraculous guidance, it was not seeing the whole picture of redemption and sanctification. Paul says in 1Co. 13:12, the infant church was then seeing only a reflection (Gr. esoptrou, in a mirror) and that, dimly. The Greek word ainigmati is translated darkly in the KJV and dimly in the RSV, but it is the word from which the English word enigma comes. Enigma means, puzzling, perplexing, questionably, or obscurely. As long as the infant church was eager for miraculous manifestations of the Spirit in preference to agape-love, the aim of the completed New Testament scriptures, they could never see themselves or circumstances as they really were.

Paul is saying that as soon as the completed apostolic revelation had been written down, the church would see the whole scheme of redemption and sanctificationit would no longer be enigmaticand the church would grow and mature through agape-love, and the temporary, partial manifestations of the Spirit would cease to exist for the church. When the faith was once for all delivered to the saints (Jud. 1:3) the church could distinguish true from false, good from evil, by the completed apostolic word (1Jn. 4:1-6). God granted to the church in his word all things that pertain to life and godliness (2Pe. 1:2-4). God has given in the completed scriptures everything the church needs to make the man of God complete, thoroughly furnished (equipped) for every good work (2Ti. 3:16-17). The church in its mature manhood, without miraculous gifts of its infancy, may now look in the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere (Jas. 1:22-25). The church may now see the whole picture of redemption and sanctificationin the New Testament scriptures it lacks nothing that pertains to life and godliness. The aim of the apostolic message and ministry is not miraculous manifestations of the Spirit, but love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith (1Ti. 1:5).

1Co. 13:13 The Perpetual: Love will never fall (Gr. piptei), it will endure forever. Love never falls to the groundthere is nothing temporary about love. Love never loses its strengthit is inexhaustible. Love never leaves its placeit is unassuming and immovable.

Faith possesses the past by giving us a conviction of things not seen. Hope claims the future, and looks beyond to the glory not yet realized. But love is the goal God has for us. And faith and hope are the means to that end. Paul does not mean that love will outlast faith and hope. He does not mean that faith and hope will someday cease. Faith and hope and love will all go on as long as our relationship to Christ lastsfor eternity. We will trust, put our hope in, and love God in heaven, forever. But love is the greatest. Faith and hope serve to develop godliness, but love is godliness, for, God is love (1Jn. 4:16).

Our possessions and gifts we leave behind us. Only godliness abides. At the gates of death we will lay down forever the various weapons and tools which God, in his marvelous grace, has put into our hands for this earthly pilgrimage. All our gifts and every other capacity designed for this temporary earthly existence we shall resign. But we will carry through the pearly gates the moral and spiritual character which the Holy Spirit, through the conflicts and testings of life, has developed within us through the word. Faith, hope and love abidebut the greatest is love. Make love your aim (1Co. 14:1).

APPLICATIONS:

If God said he would grant you one wish, either the supernatural power to predict the future, or the trials and tribulations that would help you love your enemies like David or Jesuswhich would you wish?

What do you think this chapter has to say to those today who insist the church, and Christians, need to have miraculous gifts of tongues, healing, prophecy, etc.?

Do you really believe that just plain, old, Christian love is the most important thing for Christs church today, or ever?

Do you think the church has it?

How do you think the church, or Christians, may get it?

Do you know people who believe that Christian love accepts all thingstrue and false, right and wrong?

Where do you think you might improve your agape-love-life?

Do you think the church today is more mature (less childlike) than the church of the first century? How?

Is love the most important virtue you wish to cultivate in your Christian experience?

10.

May agape-love be cultivated? In what way?

APPREHENSIONS:

What is agape-love? How is it different from other aspects of love?

Why are all Christian gifts and Christian actions hollow without love?

May a Christian do an act of love without feeling like it?

What is kindness?

What does courtesy have to do with Christian love?

Why were miraculous gifts destined to pass away?

When did miraculous gifts pass away?

What is the perfect that was to come?

When did the church see in a mirror, dimly?

10.

When did the church see face to face?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(8) Charity never faileth.From the positive and negative qualities of love described and enumerated in the preceding passage, the Apostle now turns to contrast the imperishable character of love and other graces with the ephemeral nature of gifts. The Corinthians held an exaggerated estimate of the value of gifts such as tongues and prophecy, and under-valued the graces of faith and love. Now the Apostle shows that they were thereby preferring the things which are for a time to the graces which are for ever. One faction, indeed, exalted to the highest place a giftthat of tongueswhich was the most ephemeral of all Christian gifts. On the tongues, see Note on 1Co. 14:2. Prophecies, in the plural, intimates the varied gradations of power possessed by the preachers, in some cases including that deep spiritual insight into the realities of the present which enabled the preacher to foretell distant events.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

c. The transiency of all charisms contrasted with the permanency and supremacy of Love, 1Co 13:8-13 .

8. Never faileth From divine love in its daily life, Paul now springs at once into its transcendent and eternal nature.

The charisms prophecies, tongues, knowledge are all provisional and partial; soon to be merged in the perfect and the universal.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘Love never fails. But whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.’

First we learn of the transitoriness of spiritual gifts, even true spiritual gifts, in contrast with the unfailing nature of love. How sad then if our spirituality is dependent on these gifts! For all prophecy, whether true or false, will one day be done away. All tongues, whether true or false, will one day cease (they are not the language of Heaven after all). All earthly and spiritual knowledge of whatever kind will be done away. For in the general resurrection and future transformation all will be changed (1Co 15:35-58).

For both our prophecy (whether foretelling or forthtelling) and our knowledge is partial and passing. It can only deal with what is to come prior to the resurrection and can only make us aware of the outskirts of God’s being. For once we know in reality the fullness of His presence in Jesus Christ, then all our earlier glimpses and efforts to understand will vanish, to be replaced by a full knowledge of Him. Prophecy and the word of knowledge will no longer be required. When what is perfect comes, what in our folly we thought of as our grasp of the truth will be seen for what it is, as we recognise how very little we had known and appreciated. The folly of any boasting will be revealed. Thus must we remember the inadequacy, in comparison with love, of all prophecy and all knowledge. They are only minimal in what they can do in revealing God to us. But in love we come close to the heart of God even now, and love will go on for ever, beyond the resurrection and into eternity. Therein lies true spirituality.

‘When that which is perfect is come.’ Some have sought to relate ‘perfect’ to spiritual maturity, (one of its regular meanings), as though once we are spiritually mature we no longer require the gifts. There is a certain level of truth in that but it is certainly not Paul’s meaning here. He himself delights to use the gifts (1Co 14:18), and who was more spiritually mature than him? To him the gifts properly used were of great benefit to all. There is no suggestion that he wanted them to pass away. He wanted them to be used so that all might benefit. Besides 1Co 13:12 relates the meaning to seeing God face to face (compare 1Jn 3:2), and that suggests seeing Him in eternity.

Others have pointed to the completion of the New Testament as being the time when that which is perfect has come. But that is to idealise a situation which was not as black and white as suggested. And while that certainly did make the gifts not quite so necessary, the church did still need people gifted by the Spirit, for the word had to be interpreted, was not easily available, and not all had trained preachers. Not all ‘declaring forth’ was to cease with the completion of the Scriptures. It was rather that the declaring forth could be made with more certainty. But others still had to judge, and that was anyway not the main purpose of the gift of prophecy which was for exhortation. The fact is that if prophecy had not been inhibited by the growing church, it may well have been the better for it. It is true that part of the problem lay in the rise of influential false prophets, prophecy became looked at suspiciously, but formalism would turn out to be the greater danger. And again 1Co 13:12 does not obviously refer to anything other than seeing God in eternity.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Love Will Indeed Outlive All Spiritual Gifts, and Is Even Greater Than Faith and Hope (13:8b-13).

For then we are brought back to how such love compares with the subject in hand. Prophecies, tongues and ‘spiritual knowledge’ are all temporary, for they will fade away when the reality comes. Christian love on the other hand is permanent. It will continually abide and is the greatest bestowal known to man.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Love’s Eternal Pre-eminence In 1Co 13:8-13 Paul explains how the love walk has been always been preeminent in the life of a righteous person. Love was what undergirded the lifestyle of a man who walked righteous before God long before and long after the gifts of the Spirit will be in operation in our lives.

1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1Co 13:8 “Charity never faileth” Comments – We can interpret the phrase “Charity never fails” a number of ways.

1. Charity will never fail to work in power. It will always produce results in our lives when we walk in love.

2. Charity will never fail to exist; or, “Charity never ceases to operate.” Love will be working in our hearts and lives in heaven, even when the charismatic gifts of the Spirit as we know them today have ceased. Love has been active in the lives of all those who have feared God in all dispensations, since before creation, for God is love (1Jn 4:8; 1Jn 4:16) and He has been throughout eternity. But the operation of the charismatic gifts of the Spirit, prophecy, tongues, and knowledge, have been for certain dispensations in God’s plan of redemption. They will not operate in part as they do today in eternity.

1Jn 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love .”

1Jn 4:16, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

1Co 13:9 Word Study on “in part” – Thayer says the Greek phrase means, “imperfectly.”

1Co 13:9 Comments – 1Co 13:9 tells us that when we receive the gift of the word of knowledge, or the gift of prophecy (and other charismatic gifts), we only receive a partial revelation. Another way to say this is that we do not receive the full revelation in a matter. One of the reasons for this is because we are still living in our unregenerated, corrupt bodies. As a result, if we received full revelations of things around us, we would become puffed up in pride. The Lord may give part of a revelation to one believer, and part to another, but He knows that an abundance of revelations is difficult for us to walk in without stumbling. We may refer to Paul’s comments in 2Co 12:1-10 where he explains that he did receive many revelations, but was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him dependent upon God’s daily grace to sustain him. The context of 2 Corinthians reveals this thorn to be the abundance of afflictions, persecutions and hardships that he had to endure in the office of an apostle.

1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

1Co 13:10 Comments – 1Co 13:10 tells us when that which is perfect shall come, then that which is in part shall be done away. In other words, our perfection will take place when we receive a redeemed, glorified body. At that time, we will no long operate in the charismatic gifts on partial basis, but will receive full revelations of things. This is because we will be able to handle such revelations in our new, sin-free bodies. This fuller revelation will be stated in 1Co 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

1Co 13:9-10 Comments The Gifts are Partial Revelations – 1Co 13:9-10 serves to further explain verse 8. Our words of knowledge and our prophecies are from partial revelations of the full scope of eternal events. When the completion or fulfillment of these revelations has arrived, then the partial workings of the gifts will be abolished, with no need for them anymore.

1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1Co 13:11 Comments 1Co 13:9-10 served to explain how love is an enduring virtue (1Co 13:8) that will have priority in our lives even when the gifts of the Spirit come to an end. Paul says that the gifts give us divine revelations in part, but when we enter eternity there will be a fullness of revelation that we will live in. The gifts of the Spirit listed in Rom 12:8-10 will no longer be useful when Jesus Christ returns and restores all creation to perfection. Paul then gives an illustration of this spiritual truth in 1Co 13:11 by giving us a natural example of a child growing into an adult; for when he is grown he no longer needs or clings to childhood concepts or ways of doing things.

We could paraphrase 1Co 13:11 by saying, “When I was a child I spoke as a child (and I spoke as a child because) I thought as a child, (and I thought and reasoned as a child because) I saw things from a child’s limited and narrow perspective; that is, I saw things in part. But when I grew up, I saw things more fully. Therefore, I understood fully, and was able to lay aside my narrow, childish way of thinking.” Thus, Paul is using a natural event in our lives to explain a spiritual experience that we should I partake of in our spiritual grown to maturity.

Creflo Dollar says that he asked the Lord when did Paul grow up and become a man. He said that the Lord revealed to him that Paul became a man, or a mature Christian, when he began to walk in love, when he put aside childish, immature or fleshly manners. [163]

[163] Creflo Dollar, Changing Your World (College Park, Georgia: Creflo Dollar Ministries), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.

Illustration – I remember coming home from college and feeling that I was a different person, more exposed to the world and not as childish. I found my old box of collectibles and toys that I had gathered from childhood and threw some of it away and gave away the rest. This stuff no longer meant anything to me because I no longer had the mind of a child; so, there came a time when I put them away.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1Co 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly” – Comments Rick Joyner applies 1Co 13:12 to the gift of prophecy. He explains that God has given mankind the gift of prophecy throughout history in a way that we do not get a clear, detailed picture of future events. God could have told us of the future events in much detail, complete with people’s names, dates and places. Instead, He gives us prophecy in part, darkly, so that we will have to always look to Him for direction. Rick Joyner says, “The Lord intends for prophecy to be this way so that all His people will have to know His voice and seek Him for personal direction.” [164]

[164] Rick Joyner, The Harvest (Charlotte, North Carolina: Morning Star Publications, 1993), 15-6.

1Co 13:12 Comments 1Co 13:12 applies to the previous verses as it explains how:

1. We now see partially, and not fully, like a reflection or shadow of something. We are only seeing a shadow of things that we will one day see face to face, beholding them with our own eyes.

2. Our knowledge is now partial, but then, as we behold these things, we will have the full understanding. Illustration: The prophecies of Jesus’ second coming, heaven and hell all help us to see more clearly, though not fully.

In our individual lives, we do not always at first see the purpose of God’s direction. But as we walk by faith, we begin to understand why God leads us down a particular path. As we grow up into Christian maturity, we look back as incidences that seemed foolish, and did things that we would certainly never do today. For example, as a young believer, I was working out of town and staying in a hotel. The night clerk asked me to go buy a bottle of whiskey at a nearby liquour store. I wanted to be helpful and went and purchased the bottle. But when I later asked my brother if this was the right thing to do, he shook his head no. There were many times as a young believer that I stumbled and fell in sin, committing things that I certainly would not commit today. Note these words from Frances J. Roberts:

“For thou knowest not what I do now, but thou shalt know hereafter. (Now we see in a glass darkly, but then, face to face. Now our grasp of the ways of God is incomplete, but as we move on, we come to understand what He has been endeavoring to do in our lives.)” [165]

[165] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 121.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1Co 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three” Comments – These three virtues were evident in the church at Colossi, as Paul testifies in Col 1:4-5.

Col 1:4-5, “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”

They are found in the church at Thessalonica.

1Th 1:3, “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith , and labour of love , and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”

In these three words are found the work and offices of the Trinity in relation to the Church (see 1Pe 1:2).

1Pe 1:2, “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

We place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by our obedience to Him. As a result, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and the love of God is poured forth within us (Rom 5:5) in order to bring about our sanctification. We are then able direct our hope on the divine plan that the Heavenly Father has prepared for each of us through His foreknowledge, no longer setting our affections on the things of this world, but towards heaven.

Rom 5:5, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

When studying the use of these three words in 1 Thessalonians, we make an interesting discovery. Faith establishes our heart and undergirds our actions so that they are motivated by love. This refers to the condition of our heart in serving the Lord. Hope causes us to endure, being the anchor of the soul (Heb 6:19). This refers to our soulish realm, wherein dwells our will, our emotions, our mind and thoughts, thus, our ability to make a decision that is within the will of God. Labour of love refers to the physical realm of man, how he brings his body into submission to the will of God out of love to toil and serve in the kingdom of God.

Heb 6:19, “ Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul , both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”

Thus, the first epistle of Thessalonians discusses the three-fold make-up of man; the spirit, the body and the soul. To confirm such a structure, we can find a summary of this same emphasis in one of the closing verses.

1Th 5:23, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Thus, Paul emphasizes the sanctification of the believer, in spirit, soul and body, in his first letter to the Thessalonians.

1Co 13:13 “but the greatest of these is charity” – Comments – When we get to heaven, the Lord will reward us for our good works. But His standard to measure our good works will be the standard of “love.” If we have accomplished great feats, but not walked in an attitude of love with others in doing those feats, our works will have been in vain. This is what this chapter on love is telling us.

We see examples in these last days of God judging the church by looking at the lives of several great ministers. In the 1980’s, several ministers with very large ministries fell into sexual sins. As large as these ministries had grown, the Lord was much more concerned about the heart of these ministers. The Lord allowed these sins to be exposed, bringing the large ministries down to smaller ministries. God was more concerned with the heart of the minister than He was with the size of his ministry. These two ministers repented, and were able to continue on in the ministry with a pure, broken heart that pleased the Lord.

When one of these ministers first, he sent out a cassette tape to his partners with this testimony. When the sexual sin was exposed to the public, he prayed to the Lord and said that he had failed in his great task. The Lord spoke to him and said, “No, you have not failed, I have just had to get the sin out of your life.”

On the other hand, we see men like Oral Roberts, Rex Humbard, and Billy Graham, who have walked in much love throughout their lives. As aged men, they were able to continue in their ministries because they put love as the priority of their ministries.

1Co 13:13 Comments – Although the gifts will come to an end, faith, hope, and love have operated in mankind since Adam and Eve and will continue to operate throughout all dispensations and into eternity.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The eternal duration of love:

v. 8. Charity never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

v. 9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

v. 10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away

v. 11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

v. 12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.

v. 13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

The first sentence is the topic of the last section of this chapter: Love never fails, it outwears all gifts, it never drops out of existence; like the eternal God, to whom it owes its being, it lasts forever. The gift of prophesying, of inspiration from the Lord, of foretelling future events and explaining the Word of God in connection therewith, will come to naught, be made useless and void, be abolished. As the content of all prophecy will be revealed in fulfillment, as all that was hidden will be clearly revealed, there will then no longer be need of prophecy. The gift of tongues, of ecstatic utterances in strange and unknown tongues, will cease, will stop, since they had only a temporary significance; they lapsed and terminated when their object was attained. The gift of knowledge, of comprehension of the things revealed, shall be done away with. A time will come when this, like the rest, will have served its purpose and therefore will be abolished for good and all.

Since the assertion that the gifts of knowledge and prophecy will cease might seem strange, Paul explains his statement: For in part we know, and in part we prophesy; but when there comes the perfect, the imperfect will be abolished. Our knowing in this world is imperfect, inadequate for a complete understanding of God, of His essence, of His will. There are only small parts of the eternal, heavenly truth which we understand, even with our enlightened Christian reason. We have no comprehensive view of the total, of the connection of the divine thoughts and counsels; the fullness of God’s greatness and majesty is still hidden from us. We know only so much of God’s essence and will as is necessary for our salvation. And the most enlightened and inspired commentators of the Bible are able to get only glimpses of the mysteries of the spiritual world, of the heavenly glories, through the revelation given to us in the Gospel. But this imperfect condition will cease, the knowing and prophesying in part will come to an end, as soon as the perfect appears, just as the blush of dawn disappears when the sun rises above the horizon in full splendor. When Christ will return in glory, when we shall be glorified with Him in heaven, then all the imperfections of this present knowledge will be left behind.

The great difference between the present and the future state is illustrated in the text by the difference between the child’s estate and the man’s estate: When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; my speech, my aims, and my mental activity were those of a young child, immature, imperfect. At the present time our ideas of heavenly, divine things do not measure up to the glory and dignity of the subject. Now that I have become a man, I have abolished the things of the child; the adult no longer holds the imperfect, immature opinions and ideas of the child. Even so the full, mature, complete knowledge of God is reserved for yonder world. But mark that we shall have the very same divine, beautiful, spiritual matters to delight us in heaven which we now have in the world: that which we now understand and know only in part will then be revealed to us in its entirety, in the full glory of its substance. As the blossom loses its petals, but retains its center, which will eventually ripen into the perfect fruit, so we shall strip off the imperfect opinions of our understanding, while we retain the core in its fully developed state and see its fruition in heaven.

The contrast between the present imperfect and the future perfect knowledge is illustrated by another picture: For now we behold through a mirror, in an enigma; then, however, face to face. The ancient mirrors were made of polished metal, which reflected an image but faintly, without sharp and distinct outlines; thus is our beholding of the glories of God, as offered to us in His Word, not because the Word is dark, but because our understanding is not sufficient to grasp the wonders of His substance and qualities. And we behold in an enigma, what we often consider a riddle; on account of our darkened understanding, even in our regenerated state, the phraseology of the Lord in His Word often presents difficulties, we are often able to get but an obscure and uncertain idea of His meaning. That is what St. Paul frankly states, making his own person an example of the Christians in general: Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I, too, am known. Because the Lord had to fit the heavenly mysteries to the imperfect speech of human beings, because He had to clothe His eternal, divine thoughts in words, expressions, pictures, parables taken from this perishing world, therefore the perfection of the divine glory must needs be hidden from our eyes. But in heaven every believer will see, know, understand the fullness of the divine essence, attributes, plans, counsels in a perfect and blessed understanding, so thoroughly as he himself was known of God when the Lord changed his heart in conversion. It is a perfect and blessed knowledge of God. No longer will God then see anything strange, foreign, hostile between Him and us. All our sins will be removed fully from His sight. As Luther writes: “I shall know Him then in the clearest possible manner, without covering; for the covering was not taken from Him, but from me, for He has none before Him. ” In heaven we shall at last in love know God by direct contact, and all the mediated, imperfect knowing that is possible to us now will be left far behind and forgotten altogether in the bliss of the perfect salvation. See Psa 17:15.

The prospect of this wonderful blessedness causes the apostle to close his psalm of love in a wonderful outburst of triumphant joy: But as it is, there remain faith, hope, love, these three. All other gifts, all other virtues pass away, these three remain permanently. Faith, hope, love remain in eternity, because that which a Christian believes, hopes, loves remains forever, since God is eternal, with whom we are united in faith, hope, and love. This conclusion is practically demanded by the statement that all imperfect things will be abolished. For of these three the apostle does not say that they are imperfect, that we believe in part, that we hope in part, that we love in part. Faith, even the weak faith, although it knows God only in part, yet, as saving faith, accepts the whole God, the whole Christ, the entire redemption in Christ, the full forgiveness of sins. Hope also, seeing and knowing only a few rays of the glory to come, yet has the entire future world as its object. And love concentrates upon the entire Triune God of our salvation, not upon some pitiful remnant. But love is not more lasting, but greater among these, the greatest of the three. Faith and hope also remain forever, since that in which we believe, that for which we hope, lasts forever. But the nature of faith and hope will cease; for what we have here believed and hoped for we shall there possess and enjoy. Our faith will reach the perfection of its state in beholding; our hope will be perfected in enjoyment. But our love of God and Christ, and therefore also of all our brethren, will be absolutely unchanged, only purified, since all the obstacles which here hinder the activity of love will there be removed. In heaven love will be altogether free and untrammeled in its ability to prove itself, and everywhere it will find love in return and thus be blessed in the fellowship of God, of the holy angels, and of all the saints.

Note: The fact that love is here called the greatest virtue does not in any way disagree with the fact that faith is the only means of obtaining salvation. “But they [our opponents] object that love is preferred to faith and hope. For Paul says, 1Co 13:13: ‘The greatest of these is charity. ‘ Now, it is reasonable that the greatest and chief virtue should justify. Nevertheless, let us, indeed, grant to the adversaries that love towards God and our neighbor is the greatest virtue, because the chief commandment is this: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God,’ Mat 22:37. But how will they infer thence that love justifies? The greatest virtue, they say, justifies. By no means. [It would be true if we had a gracious God because of our virtue. Now it was proven above that we are accepted and justified for Christ’s sake, not because of our virtue; for our virtue is impure. ] For just as even the greatest or first Law does not justify, so also the greatest virtue of the Law does not justify. [For, as the Law and virtue is higher, and our ability to do the same proportionately lower, we are not righteous because of love. ] But that virtue justifies which apprehends Christ, which communicates to us Christ’s merits, by which we receive grace and peace from God. But this virtue is faith. For as it has been often said, faith is not only knowledge, but much rather willing to receive or apprehend those things which are offered in the promise concerning Christ.

Summary. The apostle praises the high worth of love, gives a description of its essential features, and describes its eternal duration.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

1Co 13:8. Charity never faileth This is the sixteenth and last character of love: It never faileth. It accompanies and adorns the faithful to all eternity, and makes a very essential part of their preparation for the heavenly world: in which it has an apparent advantage over many of those gifts which some are so ready to emulate and pursue, to the neglect and injury of this all-important love. But whether men admire prophesies, it is fit they should know, that these shall be abolished, when the faith of God’s people shall, no longer need to be encouraged, nor their devotion to be assisted by such exhortations and instructions as are necessary now: or, whether they boast themselves of the variety of tongues, they shall cease in those celestial regions. One speech and one language shall prevail among all the blessed inhabitants, and the languages of earth be forgotten, as too low and imperfect: yea, a great deal of that knowledge which we now pursue with the utmost eagerness, and which is very conducive to our present usefulness among mankind, shall then be abolished and superseded, as referring to things altogether antiquated and passed away; or swallowed up in discoveries so much clearer, stronger, and more important, that it shall appear, in comparison of them, as nothing. As star-light is lost in that of the mid-day sun, so shall our present knowledge be lost in the glorious light of eternity. Instead of they shall fail, some read, shall be out of use, or done away.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

1Co 13:8 . Up to this point the characteristics of love have been given; now on to 1Co 13:13 her imperishableness is described, in contrast to the purely temporary destination of the gifts of the Spirit.

] (see the critical remarks) never does she fall , i.e. she never falls into decay , remains always stedfast ( , 1Co 13:13 ). The opposite is: , . Comp Luk 16:17 ; Plato, Phil. p. 22 E; Soph. Ant. 474; Polyb. x. 33. 4, i. 35. 5; Dem. 210. 15. The Recept [2081] (Rom 9:6 ) is to be taken in precisely the same way. Theodoret puts it well: , . , .

In what follows opens out in detail the general conception of . Be it again (different kinds of) prophesyings, they shall be done away; be it (speaking) tongues, they shall cease , etc. This mode of division and interpunctuation is demanded by (against Luther and others, including Heydenreich). Prophecy, speaking with tongues, and deep knowledge, are only appointed for the good of the church for the time until the Parousia; afterwards these temporary phenomena fall away. Even the gnosis will do so; for then comes in the perfect knowledge (1Co 13:12 ), and that as the common heritage of all, whereby the deep knowledge of gifted individuals, which is still but imperfect, as it occurs before the Parousia, will necessarily cease to subsist.

[2081] ecepta Textus receptus, or lectio recepta (Elzevir).

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I beg the Reader to pause over the opening of this paragraph, and to ponder well what is said, of the never-failing quality of Christ, in proof of what I remarked, at the entrance on this Chapter. Nothing can be more decisive in point, that the Apostle under the Holy Ghost, is all along speaking of this charity, this love, not as simply the effect of grace in the soul, but a branch of that grace itself; that grace-union with Christ, which being from Christ, and in Christ, yea, maintained, and kept alive by communications which Christ imparts to his members, is in Christ as the cause . And hence the Apostle saith, it never faileth. Now this can be said of no other Christian grace, in the sense in which love is here spoken of. Hope will be done away, when the thing hoped for is enjoyed. Faith will be lost in sight, when the object, not seen, but believed in, is revealed in open vision. Prophecies shall fail, when all the grand events predicted are fulfilled; and there is nothing relating to the kingdom, to need their further ministry. Tongues will also cease, when language, now necessary to communicate thoughts, will be no longer wanted. And all the knowledge of the earth, suited to the childhood of our present existence, will be superseded, in the ripeness of perfection, in Heaven. But, amidst all these failures, this charity, this love, being from Christ and in Christ, and as such, being immortal, incorruptible, and everlasting, cannot fail, but abideth forever. Reader! Think how truly blessed the principle itself must be, and what a palpable testimony it brings with it to the child of God in the possession of it, of the everlasting love of God, in and through the Person, work, and glory, of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the effectual grace of God the Holy Ghost

I beg the Reader not to overlook the very beautiful figure, which the Apostle hath been pleased to adopt, by way of illustration, of the present twilight of our existence, compared to what it will be, when the full display of knowledge shall be no longer seen through a medium. Children at the best; but in education, the objects are all too bright to be let in upon our tender organs of vision, in their own full lustre. The eye of the new born soul doth discern somewhat of the King in his beauty. In the Lord Jesus we behold beams of divine glory, sufficient to raise our most earnest desires, for a greater knowledge of Him, greater delight in Him, and greater longings for a conformity to Him. But all, and everything, connected with the Person, fulness, grace, and glory of Christ, open to objects so bright and dazzling, that our highest attainments, are no more than as those, who see through a glass darkly. God’s Christ and God’s chosen the infinite greatness and wonders of Christ’s Person, God and Man in One, and the infinite dignity, efficacy, and fulness, of his blood and righteousness, his, love for us, and his grace manifested to us, what he is in himself, and what he is to his body the Church; these glorious and momentous objects, are too overwhelming to the mind, to be looked at in full prospect of vision; that it is best suited to our present state of minority, we see but in part, until that which is perfect is come, when all our imperfect views will be done away. But it ought to affect our minds, with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, that, though now we behold Christ through mediums only, yet ere long, we shall see him face to face; and know, even as we are known. Very blessedly the Prophet speaks to this point, when comforting the Church : In that day, the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his Ancients, gloriously. Isa 24:23 . So infinitely surpassing all splendor, will be Christ’s glory, and the reflection of it upon his people, that the glory of the sun in its meridian lustre, shall be but as the blushing of the morning; and the moon’s light shall be but as paleness: Christ shining upon his Church, making small, and diminishing, all kneeled brightness.

I admire the blessed conclusion, with which the Apostle ends the Chapter, in drawing the different qualities of faith, hope, and charity, by the way of the more exalting the latter. Faith abideth with the believer, being a grace of the Spirit in the believer, and from his operation in the soul; it therefore abideth to the very last. Yea, regenerated souls, not only live believing, but die believing. The Covenant-love of God in Christ, with regenerated souls, are the same in life and death. These all (saith the Holy Ghost by his servant the Apostle) died in faith, Heb 11:13 . So hope, in like manner, rests in the full assurance, of all the unseen things engaged for, in the covenant. Hope realizeth them, substantiateth them, and considers them sure. Hence it is called, a blessed hope, Tit 2:13 , But, both faith and hope cease; When the soul enters Heaven; for their offices are forever done away. For what a man seeth, he can no longer hope for, Rom 8:4 . But charity, the love which is a branch of the love of God in Christ, flowing from his heart into ours, remains forever; and therefore, in this sense, is greater than both. Precious Jesus! oh! for a portion of that love, that charity, which is the Lord’s gift, and not man’s creating; and which, as it comes from God, so doth it lead to God, and will find room for exercise, forever.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Ver. 8. Prophecies, they shall fail ] The archprophet shall teach us immediately, as he had done Moses and Elias, who appearing to Christ in the transfiguration, knew and could say far more to our Saviour for his comfort and confirmation against the bitterness of his death than ever they could while here living upon earth, Luk 9:31 .

Whether there be knowledge ] Gotten by study, and communicated to others. For Lilmod lelamreed, say the rabbins, we therefore learn that we may teach.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

8 12. ] The eternal abiding of Love, when other graces have passed away .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

8. ] The exact word is that of the E. V., faileth: so Theod.: , . . , . . Of the two readings, we may illustrate by Plato, Phileb., p. 22 E, , , : and Polyb. x. 33. 4, , “in case the whole plan should fail:” id. i. 35. 5: and by Plato, Gorg. p. 517, , ( ) : where Heindorf, ‘proprie usurpatur de actoribus, cithardis, aliisque, qui a spectatoribus exploduntur et exsibilantur:’ and by the celebrated passage in Demosthenes . p. 315, , . , : where also, by the way, is a various reading.

By , , the general idea, , is split into its species be there prophesyings, be there (speakings in) tongues, be there knowledge .

Chrys., al., understand the two first futures, ., . , of the time when, the faith being every where dispersed, these gifts should be no longer needed . But unquestionably the time alluded to is that of the coming of the Lord ; see 1Co 13:12 , and this applies to all these , not to the last ( ) only. The two first, . and ., shall be absolutely superseded: , relatively : the imperfect, by the perfect.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

1Co 13:8 . Love, that bears, also out-wears everything : “Love never faileth”. That denotes “falling” in the sense of cessation, dropping out of existence ( cf. 1Co 10:8 , Luk 16:17 ), not moral failure (as in 1Co 10:12 , etc.), is manifest from the parl, clauses and from 1Co 13:13 . The charisms of chh. 12. and 14. are bestowed on the way and serve the way-faring Church, they cease each of them at a determined point; but the Way of Love leads indefinitely beyond them; , (Thd [1992] ). “Prophesyings, tongues, and knowledge” faculties inspired, ecstatic, intellectual are the three typical forms of Christian expression. The abolition of Prophecies and Knowledge is explained in 1Co 13:9 ff. as the superseding of the partial by the perfect; they “will be done away” by a completer realisation of the objects they seek, viz., by intuition into the now hidden things of God and of man (1Co 14:24 f.), and by adequate comprehension of the things revealed (see note on 1Co 13:12 ). Of the Tongues it is simply said that “they will stop ” ( ), having like other miracles a temporary significance ( cf. 1Co 14:22 ); not giving place to any higher development of the like kind, they lapse and terminate ( desinent , Bg [1993] ).

[1992] Theodoret, Greek Commentator.

[1993] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

1 Corinthians
WHAT LASTS
1Co 13:8 , 1Co 13:13 .
We discern the run of the Apostle’s thought best by thus omitting the intervening verses and connecting these two. The part omitted is but a buttress of what has been stated in the former of our two verses; and when we thus unite them there is disclosed plainly the Apostle’s intention of contrasting two sets of things, three in each set. The one set is ‘prophecies, tongues, knowledge’; the other, ‘faith, hope, charity.’ There also comes out distinctly that the point mainly intended by the contrast is the transiency of the one and the permanence of the other. Now, that contrast has been obscured and weakened by two mistakes, about which I must say a word.
With regard to the former statement, ‘Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease,’ that has been misunderstood as if it amounted to a declaration that the miraculous gifts in the early Church were intended to be of brief duration. However true that may be, it is not what Paul means here. The cessation to which he refers is their cessation in the light of the perfect Future. With regard to the other statement, the abiding of faith, hope, charity, that, too, has been misapprehended as if it indicated that faith and hope belonged to this state of things only, and that love was the greatest of the three, because it was permanent. The reason for that misconception has mainly lain in the misunderstanding of the force of ‘ Now ,’ which has been taken to mean ‘for the present,’ as an implied contrast to an unspoken ‘then’; just as in the previous verse we have, ‘ Now we see through a glass, then face to face.’ But the ‘now’ in this text is not, as the grammarians say, temporal, but logical. That is, it does not refer to time, but to the sequence of the Apostle’s thought, and is equivalent to ‘so then.’ ‘So then abideth faith, hope, charity.’
The scope of the whole, then, is to contrast the transient with the permanent, in Christian experience. If we firmly grasped the truth involved, our estimates would be rectified and our practice revolutionised.
I. I ask this question-What will drop away?
Paul answers, ‘prophecies, tongues, knowledge.’ Now these three were all extraordinary gifts belonging to the present phase of the Christian life. But inasmuch as these gifts were the heightening of natural capacities and faculties, it is perfectly legitimate to enlarge the declaration and to use these three words in their widest signification. So understood, they come to this, that all our present modes of apprehension and of utterance are transient, and will be left behind.
‘Knowledge, it shall cease,’ and as the Apostle goes on to explain, in the verses which I have passed over for my present purpose, it shall cease because the perfect will absorb into itself the imperfect, as the inrushing tide will obliterate the little pools in the rocks on the seashore. For another reason, the knowledge, the mode of apprehension belonging to the present, will pass-because here it is indirect, and there it will be immediate. ‘We shall know face to face,’ which is what philosophers mean by intuition. Here our knowledge ‘creeps from point to point,’ painfully amassing facts, and thence, with many hesitations and errors, groping its way towards principles and laws. Here it is imperfect, with many a gap in the circumference; or like the thin red line on a map which shows the traveller’s route across a prairie, or like the spider’s thread in the telescope, stretched athwart the blazing disc of the sun-’but then face to face.’ Incomplete knowledge shall be done away; and many of its objects will drop, and much of what makes the science of earth will be antiquated and effete. What would the hand-loom weaver’s knowledge of how to throw his shuttle be worth in a weaving-shed with a thousand looms? Just so much will the knowledges of earth be when we get yonder.
Modes of utterance will cease. With new experiences will come new methods of communication. As a man can speak, and a beast can only growl or bark, so a man in heaven, with new experiences, will have new methods of communication. The comparison between that mode of utterance which we now have, and that which we shall then possess, will be like the difference between the old-fashioned semaphore, that used to wave about clumsy wooden arms in order to convey intelligence, and the telegraph.
Think, then, of a man going into that future life, and saying ‘I knew more about Sanscrit than anybody that ever lived in Europe’; ‘I sang sweet songs’; ‘I was a past master in philology, grammars, and lexicons’; ‘I was a great orator.’ ‘Tongues shall cease’; and the modes of utterance that belonged to earth, and all that holds of them, will drop away, and be of no more use.
If these things are true, brethren, with regard even to the highest form of these high and noble things, how much more and more solemnly true are they with regard to the aims and objects which most of us have in view? They will all drop away, and we shall be left, stripped of what, for most of us, has made the whole interest and activity of our lives.
II. What will last?
‘So then, abideth these three, faith, hope, love.’ When Paul takes three nouns and couples them with a verb in the singular, he is not making a slip of the pen, or committing a grammatical blunder which a child could correct. But there is a great truth in that piece of apparent grammatical irregularity; for the faith, the hope, and the love, for which he can only afford a singular verb, are thereby declared to be in their depth and essence one thing, and it, the triple star, abides, and continues to shine. The three primitive colours are unified in the white beam of light. Do not correct the grammar, and spoil the sense, but discern what he means when he says, ‘Now, abid eth faith, hope, love.’ For this is what he means, that the two latter come out of the former, and that without it they are nought, and that it without them is dead.
Faith breeds Hope. There is the difference between earthly hopes and Christian people’s hopes. Our hopes, apart from the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, are but the balancing of probabilities, and the scale is often dragged down by the clutch of eager desires. But all is baseless and uncertain, unless our hopes are the outcome of our faith. Which, being translated into other words, is just this, that the one basis on which men can rest-ay! even for the immediate future, and the contingencies of life, as well as for the solemnities and certainties of heaven-any legitimate and substantial hope is trust in Jesus Christ, His word, His love, His power, and for the heavenly future, in His Resurrection and present glory. A man who believes these things, and only that man, has a rock foundation on which he can build his hope.
Faith, in like manner, is the parent of Love. Paul and John, diverse as they are in the whole cast of their minds, the one being speculative and the other mystical, the one argumentative and the other simply gazing and telling what he sees, are precisely agreed in regard to this matter. For, to the Apostle of Love, the foundation of all human love towards God is, ‘We have known and believed the love that God hath to us,’ and ‘We love Him because He first loved us,’ and to Paul the first step is the trusting reception of the love of God, ‘commended to us’ by the fact that ‘whilst we were yet sinners Christ died for us,’ and from that necessarily flows, if the faith be genuine, the love that answers the sacrifice and obeys the Beloved. So faith, hope, love, these three are a trinity in unity, and it abideth. That is the main point of our last text. Let me say a word or two about it.
I have said that the words have often been misunderstood as if the ‘now’ referred only to the present order of things, in which faith and hope are supposed to find their only appropriate sphere. But that is clearly not the Apostle’s meaning here, for many reasons with which I need not trouble you. The abiding of all three is eternal abiding, and there is a heavenly as well as an earthly form of faith and hope as well as of love. Just look at these points for a moment.
‘Faith abides,’ says Paul, yonder, as here. Now, there is a common saying, which I suppose ninety out of a hundred people think comes out of the Bible, about faith being lost in sight. There is no such teaching in Scripture. True, in one aspect, faith is the antithesis of sight. True, Paul does say ‘We walk by faith, not by sight.’ But that antithesis refers only to part of faith’s significance. In so far as it is the opposite of sight, of course it will cease to be in operation when ‘we shall know even as we are known’ and ‘see Him as He is.’ But the essence of faith is not in the absence of the person trusted, but the emotion of trust which goes out to the person, present or absent. And in its deepest meaning of absolute dependence and happy confidence, faith abides through all the glories and the lustres of the heavens, as it burns amidst the dimnesses and the darknesses of earth. For ever and ever, on through the irrevoluble ages of eternity, dependence on God in Christ will be the life of the glorified, as it was the life of the militant, Church. No millenniums of possession, and no imaginable increases in beauty and perfectness and enrichment with the wealth of God, will bring us one inch nearer to casting off the state of filial dependence which is, and ever will be, the condition of our receiving them all. Faith ‘abides.’
Hope ‘abides.’ For it is no more a Scriptural idea that hope is lost in fruition, than it is that faith is lost in sight. Rather that Future presents itself to us as the continual communication of an inexhaustible God to our progressively capacious and capable spirits. In that continual communication there is continual progress. Wherever there is progress there must be hope. And thus the fair form, which has so often danced before us elusive, and has led us into bogs and miry places and then faded away, will move before us through all the long avenues of an endless progress, and will ever and anon come back to tell us of the unseen glories that lie beyond the next turn, and to woo us further into the depths of heaven and the fulness of God. Hope ‘abides.’
Love ‘abides.’ I need not, I suppose, enlarge upon that thought which nobody denies, that love is the eternal form of the human relation to God. It, too, like the mercy which it clasps, ‘endureth for ever.’
But I may remind you of what the Apostle does not explain in our text, that it is greater than its linked sisters, because whilst faith and hope belong only to a creature, and are dependent and expectant of some good to come to themselves, and correspond to something which is in God in Christ, the love which springs from faith and hope not only corresponds to, but resembles, that from which it comes and by which it lives. The fire kindled is cognate with the fire that kindles; and the love that is in man is like the love that is in God. It is the climax of his nature; it is the fulfilling of all duty; it is the crown and jewelled clasp of all perfection. And so ‘abideth faith, hope, love, and the greatest of these is love.’
III. Lastly, what follows from all this?
First, let us be quite sure that we understand what this abiding love is. I dare say you have heard people say ‘Ah! I do not care much about Paul’s theology. Give me the thirteenth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. That is beautiful; that praise of Love; that comes home to men.’ Yes, very beautiful. Are you quite sure that you know what Paul means by ‘love’ ? I do not use the word charity, because that lovely word, like a glistening meteor that falls upon the earth, has a rust, as it were, upon its surface that dims its brightness very quickly. Charity has come to mean an indulgent estimate of other people’s faults; or, still more degradingly, the giving of money out of your pockets to other people’s necessities. These are what the people who do not care much about Paul’s theology generally suppose that he means here. But these do not exhaust his meaning. Paul’s notion of love is the response of the human love to the divine, which divine is received into the heart by simple faith in Jesus Christ. And his notion of love which never faileth, and endureth all things, and hopeth all things, is love to men, which is but one stream of the great river of love to God. If we rightly understand what he means by love, we shall find that his praise of love is as theological as anything that he ever wrote. We shall never get further than barren admiration of a beautiful piece of writing, unless our love to men has the source and root to which Paul points us.
Again, let us take this great thought of the permanence of faith, hope, and love as being the highest conception that we can form of our future condition. It is very easy to bewilder ourselves with speculations and theories of another life. I do not care much about them. The great gates keep their secret well. Few stray beams of light find their way through their crevices. The less we say the less likely we are to err. It is easy to let ourselves be led away, by turning rhetoric into revelation, and accepting the symbols of the New Testament as if they carried anything more than images of the realities. But far beyond golden pavements, and harps, and crowns, and white robes, lies this one great thought that the elements of the imperfect, Christlike life of earth are the essence of the perfect, Godlike life in heaven. ‘Now abide these three, faith, hope, love.’
Last of all, let us shape our lives in accordance with these certainties. The dropping away of the transient things is no argument for neglecting or despising them; for our handling of them makes our characters, and our characters abide. But it is a very excellent argument for shaping our lives so as to seek first the first things, and to secure the permanent qualities, and so to use the transient as that it shall all help us towards that which does not pass.
What will a Manchester man that knows nothing except goods and office work, and knows these only in their superficial aspect, and not as related to God, what, in the name of common-sense, will he do with himself when he gets into a world where there is not a single ledger, nor a desk, nor a yard of cloth of any sort? What will some of us do when, in like manner, we are stripped of all the things that we have cared about, and worked for, and have made our aims down here? Suppose that you knew that you were under sailing orders to go somewhere or other, and that at any moment a breathless messenger might appear and say, ‘Come along! we are all waiting for you’; and suppose that you never did a single thing towards getting your outfit ready, or preparing yourself in any way for that which might come at any moment, and could not but come before very long. Would you be a wise man? But that is what a great many of us are doing; doing every day, and all day long, and doing that only. ‘He shall leave them in the midst of his days,’ says a grim text, ‘and at his latter end shall be a fool.’
What will drop? Modes of apprehension, modes of utterance, occupations, duties, relationships, loves; and we shall be left standing naked, stripped, as it were, to the very quick, and only as much left as will keep our souls alive. But if we are clothed with faith, hope, love, we shall not be found naked. Cultivate the high things, the permanent things; then death will not wrench you violently from all that you have been and cared for; but it will usher you into the perfect form of all that you have been and done upon earth. All these things will pass, but faith, hope, love, ‘stay not behind nor in the grave are trod,’ but will last as long as Christ, their Object, lives, and as long as we in Him live also.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Co 13:8-13
8Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1Co 13:8 Several translations begin a new paragraph at 1Co 13:8. Paul’s discussion about Christian love is slightly changing and developing in a new direction (i.e., qualities and activities of this age versus the consummation of the new age, which has been inaugurated).
“Love never fails” This term had two relevant metaphorical usages: (1) it was used of an actor being hissed off the stage or (2) it was used of a flower that dropped its petals because of inclement weather conditions (cf. Jas 1:11; 1Pe 1:24). God’s love never gives up!
NASB”if there are. . .if there are. . .if there is”
NKJV”whether. . .whether. . .whether”
NRSV”as for. . .as for. . .as for”
TEV”there are. . .there are. . .there is”
NJB”if there are. . .if. . .if
The grammatical form eite (three first class conditional sentences) implies there are spiritual gifts.
“prophecy. . .will be done away. . .tongues. . .will cease. . .knowledge. . .will be done away” Notice the parallel structure. These were the spiritual gifts which the Corinthian Church was magnifying (cf. 1Co 13:1-3). This verse has often been used to depreciate tongues because a different verb and voice are used. However, the context is affirming that all spiritual gifts will stop, but love will never stop. There is no emphasis in this context on the time element of one gift versus another. Spiritual gifts are a part of time, not eternity. Love is eternal!
This term for “done away” is in 1Co 13:8; 1Co 13:10-11. See Special Topic: Katarge at 1Co 1:28.
1Co 13:9 This begins a series of verses that emphasizes the partiality and incompleteness of spiritual gifts. This partiality is due to human weakness, fallenness, and finitude, not a lack connected with God’s giftedness.
1Co 13:10 “when the perfect comes” This term (i.e., teleios) means “maturity, completeness,” or “fully equipped for an assigned task” (cf. 1Co 2:6; 1Co 13:10; 1Co 14:20). The question has always been, “To what does it refer?”:
1. Some have asserted that it refers to the NT. Nothing in this context points toward this. This is only a theory used to claim that the spiritual gifts have ceased in post-apostolic times.
2. Some have asserted that it refers to spiritual maturity because of 1Co 13:11 (i.e., child then adult) or the proper use of spiritual gifts.
3. Some have asserted that it refers to the Second Coming of Christ and the consummation of the New Age of righteousness because of 1Co 13:12 (i.e., “see face to face”).
4. For me it seems to be a combination of both #2 and #3.
The different uses and connotations of teleios can be seen in its use in the book of Hebrews. See Special Topic below.
SPECIAL TOPIC: END OR FULL (TELOS)
1Co 13:11 “I did away with” This is the Greek term katarge, which Paul uses so often. See Special Topic at 1Co 1:28. In this context Paul asserts that
1. prophecies will be brought to an end, 1Co 13:8 (future passive indicative)
2. knowledge will be brought to an end, 1Co 13:8 (future passive indicative)
3. every gift will be brought to an end, 1Co 13:10 (future passive indicative)
4. spiritual infancy will be brought to an end, 1Co 13:11 (future active indicative)
1Co 13:12 “mirror” Corinth was famous for its polished metal mirrors. They were the best available in that day, but they reflected a distorted image. Humans, even redeemed humans, are hindered by (1) sin nature; (2) finitude; (3) limited perspective; (4) culture-affected conscience and worldview; (5) time as chronological sequence; and (6) human language to explain and describe a spiritual realm.
Notice the parallelism
1. 1Co 13:9, know in part, prophesy in part vs. when the perfect comes
2. 1Co 13:11, a child vs. an adult
3. 1Co 13:12, a Corinthian mirror vs. face to face and know in part vs. fully known
These seem to reflect a present reality versus a future reality, therefore, the Second Coming, which consummates the New Age, is the focus.
“dimly” This is literally “a riddle” (cf. NJB). The rabbis believed God spoke to Moses in riddles (cf. Num 12:6; Num 12:8).
“face to face” This is a metaphor for intimate fellowship (i.e., comparable to Num 12:8). In the OT seeing YHWH meant death (cf. Gen 32:30; Exo 33:20; Joh 1:18). In the new age this will be normal (cf. Mat 5:8; 2Co 5:7; 1Jn 3:2; Rev 22:4).
“I know in part. . .I will know fully. . .have been fully known” This is obviously a play on the connotation of the Hebrew and Greek terms “know.” In the OT it referred, not to cognitive facts (i.e., Greek concept), but personal relationship (cf. Gen 4:1 and Jer 1:5).
In this verse there is also a play on the Greek word for “know” (i.e., ginsk). The first usage is the basic term. The second and third are the compound term (i.e., epiginsk), which implies experiential, full knowledge. Believers will know God in the new age as He has known us (cf. 1Co 8:3; Gal 4:9). The “new covenant” is characterized by God’s people each knowing Him (cf. Jer 31:31-34). There will be no need for preachers/teachers!
The theological concept of “knowing” is related to the concept of election. The mystery of how election (i.e., God’s choice) relates to covenant response (i.e., human choice) is uncertain. Following the logic of these OT verses: Psa 1:6; Jer 1:5; Amo 3:2 and these NT verses: Rom 8:29; Rom 11:2; 1Co 8:3; 1Co 13:13; Gal 4:9, believers are known by God before time, in time, and beyond time. Believers, however, know God in stages similar to justification, sanctification, glorification. We know Him in time through the OT, Jesus, and the gospel; through time by our growth to Christlikeness through the Spirit; and beyond time we will know Him in face-to-face, relational intimacy with perfect knowledge of the New Age of righteousness.
1Co 13:13 “hope” This Greek term does not have the ambiguity and uncertainly of the English term. It is a confident assurance that God’s promises will be reality in His timing.
SPECIAL TOPIC: HOPE
“But now faith, hope, love abide” The verb is singular (cf. Gal 5:22). Paul often uses this triad (cf. Rom 5:2-5; Gal 5:5-6; Eph 1:15-18; Col 1:4-5; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 5:8; Hebrews) and other NT writers also (cf. Heb 6:10-12; 1Pe 1:21-22).
“the greatest of these is love” It is greatest because these others will cease at the consummation of the new age. Faith will turn to sight and hope will have its fulfillment, but love remains because it is the basic character of God (cf. Joh 3:16; 1Jn 4:8; 1Jn 4:16).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

never. Greek. oudepote.
faileth. All the texts read “falleth”.
whether. Greek. eite.
fail = be brought to nought. Greek. katargeo. See Rom 3:3.
vanish away. Same as “fail”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

8-12.] The eternal abiding of Love, when other graces have passed away.
Fuente: The Greek Testament

1Co 13:8. , never faileth) is not destroyed, does not cease, it always holds its place; it is never moved from its position; comp. , Mar 13:25, note.- , but whether prophecies) viz., there are: so ch. 1Co 15:11. Prophecies in the plural, because they are multifarious.-, they shall be done away with) This is the expression in the case of prophecies and knowledge; but regarding tongues, , they shall cease. Tongues are a most charming thing, but the least lasting; they were the first gift on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2, but they did not continue in the primitive church so long as the other miraculous gifts: nor have they anything analogous in a perfect state, as prophecy and knowledge have, to which they ought therefore to yield; whence presently after, respect is shown to those in preference to tongues, when he is speaking of that which is perfect.-, tongues) These occupy a middle place, because they are the vehicle and appendage of prophecies; but prophecy and knowledge constitute two different genera, 1Co 13:9; 1Co 13:12.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

1Co 13:8
1Co 13:8
Love never faileth:-He now shows that spiritual gifts were temporary, and must pass away; while love, the doing of Gods will to all, as a principle of action and a means of justification, would never pass away. Love is the ruling principle in heaven, and is eternal.
but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away;-Prophecy, the foretelling of future events and the teaching by inspiration the will of God after it had been given by the apostles, would be done away.
whether there be tongues, they shall cease;-The speaking with tongues they had never learned would cease.
whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.-The time would come when miraculously bestowed knowledge would be known no more. All those spiritual gifts pertained to the introductory age of the church. These powers were given to help men do what they could not do without the power, as the New Testament had not been completed.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

charity
i.e. love; and so in 1Co 13:2; 1Co 13:3; 1Co 13:4; 1Co 13:8; 1Co 13:13.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

never: 1Co 13:10, 1Co 13:13, Luk 22:32, Gal 5:6
tongues: 1Co 13:1, 1Co 12:10, 1Co 12:28-30, 1Co 14:39, Act 2:4, Act 19:6
vanish: Jer 49:7, Heb 8:13
Reciprocal: 1Co 1:5 – and in 1Co 12:8 – is given 1Co 14:6 – knowledge 2Co 8:7 – knowledge Heb 12:15 – any man
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Co 13:8. Charity (or love) never faileth. A part of Thayer’s definition of the original for faileth is, “to perish,” which means that it will cease to be. That is not true of love, for it will never cease to be, even after the spiritual gifts mentioned in this verse cease to be.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

The Apologists Bible Commentary
1 Corinthians 13
8 – 108 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
CommentaryThis passage has been used by charismatic Christians to demonstrate that the miraculous gifts of prophecy and tongues will remain in the church until the Second Coming of Christ. Non-charismatics have used this verse to argue that tongues and prophecy ceased upon the completion of the canon of Scripture or the maturing of the early church. These interpretations turn on the meaning of “the perfect” (to teleion). What both charismatics and non-charismatics can agree upon is that the gifts mentioned in this verse will be “done away with” (in the case of prophecy and knowledge) and will “cease” (in the case of tongues). They would also agree that the reason these gifts will not continue forever is that they are inadequate – imperfect in relation to the “perfect” that is coming. Finally, they would agree that the gifts were operative in Paul’s time and that the time of their cessation was a future event for him. The difference in interpretation lies in whether the gifts mentioned have ceased prior to our time, or whether they are still operative for us, as they were for Paul, and their cessation lies yet in the future. A careful reading of the text demonstrates that Paul may be drawing a distinction between tongues on the one hand and prophecy and knowledge on the other. The latter two gifts will be “done away” with (katargeo). Tongues are said to “cease” (pauo). The “perfect” will actively “do away” with the “partial.” Katargeo is in the passive voice, indicating that the coming of the “perfect” is the cause of the “partial” passing away. Tongues, however, will cease of themselves. Pauo is in the Greek middle voice, which is defined as “an action taken by the subject upon him, her, or itself” (Friberg ). Thus, tongues will “cease” of themselves – not as a direct result of “the perfect” coming. If this is the case, Paul is not speaking definitively about when tongues will cease – only that when “the perfect” comes, tongues will no longer be operative in the church. “The perfect” will do away with prophecy and knowledge; but tongues will have ceased at some point prior to that event. Thus, even if we take “the perfect” to be the Second Coming, this verse does not teach that tongues will be active in the church at Christ’s return. As mentioned, “the perfect” is often taken by non-charismatics as being the completion of the canon This interpretation is possible, based on one of the meanings of teleion (“perfect, perfection, completion”). However, this interpretation seems foreign to the immediate context. As the Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes: It is difficult to prove the cessation of these gifts at the end of the first century A.D. by taking teleion to refer to a completion of the canon at that time, since that idea is completely extraneous to the context. While teleion can and does refer to something completed at some time in the future, the time of that future completion is not suggested in v. 10 as being close (EBC ). Other non-charismatics take teleion to be the maturity of the church, which more or less coincides with the completion of the canon. This interpretation is contextually more plausible (1 Corinthians 12 – 14 centers on church conduct), and thematically appealing: There is much to commend this view, including the natural accord it enjoys with the illustration of growth and maturity which Paul used in the following verses (BKC ). However, I find this view somewhat strained lexically. While teleion can mean “a state of maturity” when speaking of a person, there are no other NT examples of it carrying this meaning when used of a collective group or abstract noun (which must be inferred as “church” in this interpretation). An additional problem with this interpretation is the fact that Paul says in verse 12 that “at that time” (i.e., when “the perfect” comes), he will “know fully.” It does not seem reasonable to understand Paul to be saying that he expected to live to see the maturity of the church and then to “know fully.” Rather, it seems more likely that Paul here is referring to a time of spiritual completion – either when he dies and goes to be with Christ, or at the resurrection following Christ’s Second Coming. Indeed, many evangelical commentators understand “the perfect” to mean either the Second Coming or the perfection of the human soul that occurs when the Christian is united with Christ in death: On the other hand, in a number of contexts the related words telos (“end,” “termination;” “last part”) and teleo (“bring to an end”) are used in relation to the second coming of Christ. This is true in both non-Pauline writing (cf. James 5:11; Rev 20:5, 7; 21:6; 22:13) and 1 Corinthians 1:8; 15:24. Since in the contexts of the Second Coming these related words are used and since Paul himself used telos in talking about the Second Coming elsewhere in 1 Corinthians, it seems more normal to understand teleion in v. 10 to mean that “perfection” is to come about at the Second Coming, or, if before, when the Christian dies and is taken to be with the Lord (2Cor 5:1-10) (EBC ). “But it seems that the perfect thing Paul has in mind must be the eternal state – “face to face” in verse 12 can best be explained as being with God in the new heavens and new earth. It is only in glory that we will know as we are known (John MacArthur, Charismatic Chaos, p. 389). But in heaven, faith will be swallowed up in actual sight, and hope in enjoyment. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But there, love will be made perfect. There we shall perfectly love God. And there we shall perfectly love one another. Blessed state! how much surpassing the best below! (Henry ). On the whole, it is probably best to take to teleion to mean the Second Coming (though the maturity of the church is possible as well). The gift of tongues will cease at some point prior to Christ’s return, while this sublime event will do away with knowledge and prophecy. These two gifts need not be taken to be miraculous manifestations, but rather the gift of knowledge that allows the believers to grasp and retain the meaning of God’s revelation and the gift of prophecy that allows teachers and pastors to powerfully and truthfully proclaim God’s Word. Indeed, the view that knowledge and prophecy would lead to new revelations would contradict the counsel of Scripture in countless other places. Spiritual gifts – whether spectacular or mundane – are always focused on God’s revelation, now complete in the pages of our Bibles.
Grammatical AnalysisPAUSONTAI (PAUW) (3973) mid[dle voice] stop (oneself), cease (BAGD ) to cease, leave off (Thayer ) They shall cease (pausontai). Future middle indicative of pau, to make cease. They shall make themselves cease or automatically cease of themselves (RWP ). TELEION (TELEIOS) (5046) having attained the end or purpose, complete, perfect; subst[tantive] to teleion what is perfect Ro 12:2; perh[aps] 1 Cor 13:10 (BAGD ) brought to its end, finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness; perfect … to teleion, substantively, that which is perfect… the perfect state of all things, to be ushered in by the return of Christ from heaven 1 Cor xiii. 10 (Thayer ).
Other Views ConsideredCharismatics objection: In order to understand this statement we need to examine its context. Paul said that prophecies will cease, tongues will be stilled, knowledge will pass away, and perfection will come (verses 8-10). Paul was speaking of a time yet future both to his original readers and to us. When the kingdom of our Lord is ushered in, perfection will come and there will be no further need of Spirit-given knowledge, prophecy, and tongues. They will disappear because they will be longer needed. But these operations of the Spirit are still needed today. There is no indication in Scripture that tongues would cease at the end of the first century. Tongues are to be a part of the life of the church in every generation until Christ returns to set up His perfect kingdom. Paul’s perception was that spiritual gifts would be operational until that day (1 Corinthians 1:7, 8) (from The Assemblies of God website ). Response: It must be admitted that this view is possible; however, it requires that we understand Paul’s distinction between tongues “ceasing” of their own accord (middle voice) and prophecy/knowledge to be “done away” with directly by the coming of “the perfect” (passive voice) to be mere stylist variations and not related to the overall meaning of the text. Given Paul’s careful use of language throughout this epistle, as well as in his other letters, a stylistic nuance seems unlikely. If, as seems probable, Paul is teaching that tongues will cease of their own accord before the Second Coming, this interpretation must be rejected – at least with regard to tongues. While there is no direct statement in the Bible that tongues will cease following the Apostolic age, there is substantial evidence that tongues did, in fact, cease. We may note that tongues are only mentioned in the earliest NT books. Paul wrote at least 12 epistles after 1 Corinthians and never mentioned tongues again. Peter, James, Jude, and John do not mention tongues. There is no evidence from the sub-Apostolic fathers that tongues existed in the church after the first century (see Cleon Rogers, “The Gift of Tongues in the Post-Apostolic Church,” Bibliotheca Sacra, 122, p. 134). An interesting sect known as the Montanists seem to have practiced something like speaking in tongues in the second century, but this group was considered heretical by other Christians because of its insistence that its leaders were receiving direct revelation from the Holy Spirit which added to – and even supplanted – the recorded teachings of Christ and the Apostles. The Montanist movement was defeated almost incidentally as a result of measures the church took against Gnosticism and Marcionism, especially by the definition of the canon of Scripture, which closed the door to Montanus’ new revelations (Heresies , p. 68). While isolated groups on the fringes of mainstream Christianity have, from time to time, practiced something akin to speaking in tongues, this spiritual gift has not been normative for Christians since the Apostolic age – at least, not prior to the modern Pentecostal movement in late 1800’s. Thus, the burden of proof rests on those who would argue that tongues have not ceased, a burden that would seem heavy indeed, based on the historical record.
Fuente: The Apologists Bible Commentary

1Co 13:8. Love never failethneither absolutely ceases, nor passes into any other and higher phase. This general proposition is next broken up into three details, referring to three of the gifts already dealt with.
but whether there be prophecies … tongues . . . knowledge, it shall be done away (the reference is to 1Co 13:1-2). The reason for this is now stated.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Charity never faileth. Holy love is an everlasting quality and employment; it shall not fail at death, as other graces do, but be perfected at death.
Repentance should accompany us to the gates of heaven, but repentance ceases for ever in heaven; for no need of repentance where there is entire innocence.
Faith is swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition; but love is then and there in its exaltation.
Thus charity never faileth, but all other gifts will fail; prophesying, languages, sciences, and all artificial knowledge, will cease for ever; knowledge itself in heaven shall vanish away.
But how vanish?
The meaning is, that such knowledge as we have now shall vanish then; that imperfect knowledge we have now will cease and be useless then. Our present knowledge is attained with much labour and study; but it shall be no more difficult to know in heaven, than it is for the eye to open and see; the beautiful face of truth shall in a moment be unveiled to us in heaven, and the curtain drawn away by the hand of God, which interposed between us and the light.
Again: knowledge of so imperfect a degree, as now it is of, shall vanish away: here we know what we know by divine revelation, but in part; and we prophesy by inspiration, but in part.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

The Temporary Nature of Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts were needed to aid in the growth and development of the early church. The need for those gifts came to an end when God’s will was completely revealed. In contrast, love is always a part of the church and its development. The prophecies of which the apostle spoke would be the inspired speaking of God’s message ( 1Co 14:3 ). This comes from the Greek word Katargeo, which means they would be abolished. Roy H. Lanier, Sr. says this is the same word used in Eph 2:15 ; 2Ti 1:10 ; Heb 2:14 (destroy); and 2Co 3:11 . Thus, one could learn from such speaking (the written record of), but the continued use of Spirit guided speaking would be brought to an end by God’s decree. In the same way, Paul said the Spirit given knowledge would be abolished ( 1Co 12:8 ).
Concerning tongues, Paul used the Greek word pauo. This would usually denote a willing cessation in contrast to a forced end. Tongues were used to confirm the fact that the revealed message was from God. When men stopped delivering Spirit inspired messages, as Paul has said they would do at God’s command; then the use of tongues would stop of itself, or naturally. Remember that Jesus promised the apostles that the Spirit would guide them into “all truth” ( Joh 16:13 ). Thus, we could safely say the inspired message would cease to be delivered at least by the time of the death of the last apostle ( Jud 1:3 ). These things were temporary, lasting only until the whole faith was delivered to man ( 1Co 13:8-9 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

1Co 13:8-10. Love never faileth It accompanies us to, prepares us for, and adorns us in eternity; nay, it is the very felicity of heaven. In these respects it materially differs from, and has an apparent advantage over, many of those gifts which some are so ready to emulate and pursue, to the neglect and injury of this love. For whether there be prophecies, they shall fail When all things foretold are accomplished, and God is all in all. Whether there be tongues, they shall cease For one language shall prevail among all the inhabitants of heaven, and all the low and imperfect languages of earth shall be forgotten. Whether there be knowledge Such as we now pursue with the greatest eagerness, the knowledge of the fleeting, transitory things of earth, and affairs of men, conducive as it is to our present usefulness; it shall vanish away As starlight is lost in that of the mid-day sun, so our present knowledge in the light of eternity. For we know in part, we prophesy in part The wisest of men have here but short, narrow, and imperfect conceptions, even of the things round about them, and much more of the deep things of God. And even the prophecies which men deliver from God are far from taking in the whole of future events, or of that wisdom and knowledge of God which is treasured up in the Scripture revelation. But when that which is perfect is come As in the heavenly state it shall; then that which is only in part shall be done away Both that poor, low, imperfect, glimmering light, which is all the knowledge we now can attain to, and these slow and unsatisfactory methods of attaining it, as well as of imparting it to others.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Co 13:8-13.
The absolute duration of charity is developed in these last verses: first, in opposition to gifts, then even in contrast to the other two fundamental virtues, faith and hope. Thus the apostle completes the demonstration of his thought: charity is the supremely excellent way.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

8. Love never faileth. Here we have the hard shell religion that never falls from grace. This Divine love never faileth. Hence you have nothing to do but get it and keep it, and you will never fall. Perfect humility, always involved in perfect love, puts you down on the Lords bottom and keeps you there, whence there is no falling, since you are on the bottom and there is no place to fall to. Where there be prophecy, they shall be done away Why? Prophecy is the spiritual gift qualifying to preach and teach salvation generally. When we pass out of this world we will find no lost souls to be saved, hence no one to preach to. So of course all preaching will cease. Whether there be tongues, they shall cease. We will not need mortal language in Heaven, where everything is purely spiritual. When Paul was there (2 Corinthians 12) he heard things impossible to utter. Mortal language is utterly inadequate to cover the ineffable realities of Heavenly glory. Our language here signifying spiritual things is mainly symbolic, because while in these bodies it is so difficult for us to conceive pure spiritualities. When we pass into the purely spiritual world we will all use the language of the angels, archangels, cherubim and seraphim. Where there be knowledge. it shall be done away. Do not misunderstand this.
You will not forfeit any of your attainments in the acquisition of knowledge, but retain them all, and add to your investment with paradoxical rapidity. You must remember he is not speaking of your acquired knowledge, but the spiritual gift denominated knowledge, and here under discussion with the other eight. This gift means insight into Gods revealed Word to enable you to understand the Bible. This will be done away, and for the good reason that we will not take our Bibles to Heaven. We will not need material eyes there and we will have no Bible to read, hence we will not need that gift whose immediate province is to reveal to us the truth as given in our Bibles. Instead of studying Pauls epistles, we will have Paul himself, and not need his letters, which he wrote to lead us to Heaven.
Now that we are there we no longer need the way-bill. Doubtless we will learn more in a single hour after we get to Heaven than we have ever known before in all our lives. When we pass out of the body memory will be so quickened that all the blessed truth we have forgotten will come back vivid and bright, to abide forever. What a glory to hear Paul preach after he has spent nineteen hundred years in the universities of Heaven! How glorified Paul will eclipse sanctified Paul! What a wonderful teacher Father Adam will be! How I will be delighted to hear him describe Eden before the Fall and tell how long he lived in it! How wonderfully can Enoch tell us about the antediluvian world, and Noah about the Flood! Daniel about the lions den, and the Hebrew children about the fiery furnace! How I will delight to hear Gabriel tell about my Lords first advent, and Michael about the second! How unutterably delectable to wing my flight escorted by radiant angels through trackless ether to some grand celestial world contemplated through the telescope when a boy!
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Verse 8
Charity never faileth; it is a steady and permanent principle which shall endure forever.–It shall vanish away; that is, its importance and value, and the prominence which its possessor now derives from it, shall disappear. This must necessarily be, as is shown in the 1 Corinthians 13:9,10.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

13:8 {3} Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] {g} knowledge, it shall vanish away.
(3) Again he commends the excellency of charity, in that it will never be abolished in the saints, whereas the other gifts which are necessary for the building up of the church, so long as we live here, will have no place in the world to come.
(g) The getting of knowledge by prophesying.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The permanence of love 13:8-13
Paul moved on to point out that Christian love (agape) characterizes our existence now and forever, but gifts (charismata) are only for the present. The Corinthians were apparently viewing the gifts as one evidence that they were already in the eschatological stage of their salvation.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

Love never fails in the sense of falling away when the physical and temporal things on which affection rests pass away; it outlasts temporal things. Gifts of the Spirit will pass away because they are temporary provisions, but the fruit of the Spirit will abide.
Prophecies are messages from God, but when we stand before Him and hear His voice there will be no more need for prophets to relay His words to us. Likewise when we stand before God there will be no need to speak in other languages since we will all understand God when He speaks. The knowledge that is so important to us now will be irrelevant then because when we are in God’s presence we will know perfectly (1Co 13:12; cf. 1Co 1:5; 1Co 8:1; 1Co 12:8). The knowledge in view seems to be knowledge of God’s ways in the present age. As will become clearer in chapter 14, Paul’s preference regarding the gifts was prophecy, but the Corinthians favored tongues and knowledge.
The verb Paul used to describe what will happen to prophecy and knowledge is in the passive voice in Greek and means "shall be terminated" (from katargeo; cf. 1Co 2:6). The verb he used to describe what will happen to tongues is in the middle voice and means "automatically cease of themselves" (from pauo). [Note: Robertson, 4:179.] The passive voice points to God terminating prophecy and knowledge when we see Him. The middle voice suggests that tongues will peter out before we see God. [Note: See Stanley D. Toussaint, "First Corinthians Thirteen and The Tongues Question," Bibliotheca Sacra 120:480 (October-December 1963):311-16.] Church history testifies that this is what happened to the gift of tongues shortly after the apostolic age. [Note: Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, 1:236-37. See also George W. Dollar, "Church History and the Tongues Movement," Bibliotheca Sacra 120:480 (October-December 1963):316-21; and the series of four articles by F. David Farnell, "Is the Gift of Prophecy for Today?" Bibliotheca Sacra 149:595 (July-September 1992):277-303; 596 (October-December 1992):387-410; 150:597 (January-March 1993):62-88; and 598 (April-June 1993):171-202.] Paul dropped tongues from his discussion at this point, which supports the fact that the gift of tongues would not last as long as knowledge and prophecy. He continued to speak of knowledge and prophecy in the next verses.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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