We all know 1 Corinthians 13 for its elaborations on love. But I want to remind us of a few elements that tend to be forgotten:
Paul did not write verses 4 through 8 as the happy memoirs of a marriage counselor. This famous passage on love was written as a rebuke against brethren! There were some at Corinth who had all sorts of fanciful gifts, blessings, and abilities, but they were not using them for or with love. As the Corinthians read this list they ought to have been ashamed of how they were behaving:
They were not being patient with each other when they scarfed down the Lord’s supper before their poor brethren could arrive (chapter 11). They were not being kind as they made fun of Paul’s speech, and likely each other’s (2 Corinthians 10:10). They were envying one another’s spiritual gifts and bragging about what they thought was special about their own (chapter 12). Those with knowledge were puffing themselves up and putting their weaker brethren down by what they ate (chapter 8). They were acting improperly and selfishly by ignoring each other’s conscience, and being unwilling to adapt preferences to open doors for the gospel (chapter 9). They were being irritable in their complaints (chapter 10) and resentful of their gender roles (chapter 11). They were reveling in their abuse of the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11), rejoicing in the adultery of one of their members (chapter 5) and turning up their nose at prophesy (chapter 14). They did not bear with one another as they segregated into their social and spiritual clicks (chapters 1, 3). They doubted the resurrection, lost site of the eternal, and begun to think that their toil was in vain (chapter 15). Their mindset was on the carnal, the temporary, the momentary pleasures of self-service and pride, rather than the eternal nature of love.
Paul’s point is: your abilities and talents are worthless the way you are using them. You are nullifying the grace of the Spirit by trusting in your exalted blessings to save you. This is all headed toward the resurrection of Jesus and His example of self-sacrifice. What they should have been seeking is the greater gifts which are endued upon the Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers (chapter 12:28-31). Why? Because the Apostles witnessed the resurrected Jesus, the Prophets spoke through His resurrected authority, and teachers draw people’s minds, hearts, and actions to His resurrection through the word. The resurrection was that which is of first importance (chapter 15). Likewise, the greater gifts lead people to it. The connection, then, between the resurrection of Jesus and love should be apparent. The resurrection of Jesus is what displays the love of God to the fullest. Conformity to His resurrection is how we display our ours. It is specifically because we shall join His resurrection that we dedicate ourselves to loving the brethren as He did. I believe this is the “perfect” which Paul anticipates at the end of chapter 13: conformity to the resurrection of Christ upon the last day (see also Philippians 3:10-14 and 1 Peter 5:10). No wonder some of these Corinthians had trouble with Love, when they doubted the implications of the resurrection!
Can we really say we are living a life of love if we doubt His resurrection? Can we really love as God intends if we doubt our own resurrection? Lots of people engage in acts of service and compassion with honesty and fervor, but Paul has pointed out that it’s possible to do so without love (chapter 13:3). Lots of people claim the Lord and even engage in the highest visible displays of spirituality, but Paul has pointed out that it’s possible to do so without love (chapter 13:1-2). Love endures forever because the resurrection endures forever. Love never fails because Jesus’ resurrection never fails. The more we come face to face with the resurrected Jesus, seeing His re-birth and glorification as the highest symbol of sacrifice, selflessness, and service, the greater our faith will be, the greater our hope will be, and, most applicably, the greater our love will be.
If we are to make the most pertinent applications for today, then we should not read this list as validation of our current lives or as only applicable to marriages. We should deeply reflect on this as an admonition and rebuke to an audience who, to be honest, is not all that different from our culture today. As we read, we need to see the example of Jesus. We need to think of specific ways in which each trait needs to indisputably shine through in our actions and words. Can your network of neighbors, co-workers, contacts on social media, family, and friends say each of these things about you? If we are honest, I think we all will admit we have some work to do.