2. Read Together
Love is patient, love is kind and is not
jealous; love does not brag and is
not arrogant, does not act
unbecomingly; it does not seek its
own, is not provoked, does not take
into account a wrong suffered,
1 Corinthians 4-8a 2
3. Read Together
does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
but rejoices with the truth; bears all
things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things. Love never
fails;
1 Corinthians 4-8a 3
6. Big Idea
But earnestly desire the greater
gifts.And I show you a still more
excellent way.
1 Corinthians 12:31 6
7. Favorite Gift
If I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, but do not
have love, I have become a noisy
gong or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1 7
8. Speaking in Tongues in Corinth
Heavenly language
Pagan practice of banging gongs
W/O love it’s a bunch of noise
8
9. Powerhouse Preacher
If I have the gift of prophecy and
know all mysteries and all
knowledge; and if I have all faith, so
as to remove mountains, but do not
have love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2 9
11. Super Saint
And if I give all my possessions to
feed the poor, and if I surrender
my body to be burned, but do
not have love, it profits me
nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 11
14. An Old Testament Picture
[God], “Take now your son, your only
son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to
the land of Moriah, and offer him there
as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains of which I will tell you.”
Genesis 22:2 (NASB95)
14
15. What is Love?
In this is love, not that we
loved God, but that He
loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation for
our sins.
1 John 4:10 (NASB95) 15
16. Jesus demonstrates Love
Greater love has no one than this, that one
lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13 (NASB95) 16
17. True Love is Spirit Inspired
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22–23 17
18. Positive and Negative Pictures
Love is patient, love is kind
and is not jealous; love does
not brag and is not arrogant,
1 Corinthians 13:4 18
19. A picture of
God
Expressed
to someone
Fruit of the
Spirit
Patient
20. Kind
A picture of Jesus
Expressed to
someone
Fruit of the Spirit
21. These attributes expressed in is negative are
examples of what is going on at the church in
Corinth. We have covered specific examples, find
admonitions and prohibition in the book of 1
Corinthians.
Paul Paints a bad picture
21
23. Doesn’t brag
Brag-a self display, to
praise oneself,
employing rhetorical
embellishments in
extolling oneself
excessively.
23
24. Not Arrogant
Arrogant-‘to puff up, to inflate,’
to cause someone to be proud,
arrogant, or haughty—‘to make
proud, to make arrogant, to
make haughty.’
24
25. Good take on bad behavior
does not act unbecomingly; it does not
seek its own, is not provoked, does not
take into account a wrong suffered,
1 Corinthians 13:5 25
37. Permanent VS Temporary
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.
1 Corinthians 13:8 37
40. When?
For we know in part and we
prophesy in part; but when the
perfect comes, the partial will be
done away.
1 Corinthians 13:9–10 40
41. What is the
perfect?
Not the New Testament
Not Spiritual Maturity
Kingdom of God
41
42. Spiritual Gifts without Love
When 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.
1 Corinthians 13:11 42
44. Now and Then
For 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.
1 Corinthians 13:12 44
46. Permanent vs Temp Summary
Notice the parallelism
1. v. 9, know in part, prophesy in part vs. when
the perfect comes
2. v. 11, a child vs. an adult
3. v. 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.
46
47. The now
But now faith, hope, love, abide
these three;
1 Corinthians 13:13 47
48. These
Three
Faith- Towards God
Hope- Surety of Christ’s return
Love- Of God reflecting
Christlikeness to others
48
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;
A Study of 1 Corinthians 11
1. Chapter 12—do they motivate unity?
2. Chapter 13—are they motivated by/in love
3. Chapter 14—do they build the body?
1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
That more excellent way is to use spiritual gifts in love.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
Heavenly language or mortal languages
Pagan practice of banging gongs
W/O love it’s a bunch of noise
1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Paul Apollos Peter
Super apostles, elegant speakers, revelatory speaker
1 Corinthians 13:3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Voluntary poverty
OT sacrifice Martyrdom wasn’t facing the church at large
Agape
Agape
A Person Jesus Christ
Covenant God’s promise
An Action-not just an emotion
Self Giving-
Gen 22.2[God], “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
Might be the reference to giving up body to be burned
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God demonstrates love
John 15:13 (NASB95) Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB95)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NASB95)Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
A picture of God-Psalm 103:8 (CEV) The Lord is merciful! He is kind and patient, and his love never fails.
Expressed to someone-Proverbs 19:11 (CEV)It’s wise to be patient and show what you are like by forgiving others.
Fruit of the Spirit
A picture of Jesus-Matthew 11:29 (CEV) Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.
Expressed to someone-Ephesians 4:32 (CEV) …be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.
Fruit of the Spirit
These attributes expressed in is negative are examples of what is going on at the church in Corinth. We have covered specific examples, find admonitions and prohibition in the book of 1 Corinthians.
to be heated or to boil with envy, hatred, anger.
Expressed twice in 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
Brag-a self display, to praise oneself, employing rhetorical embellishments in extolling oneself excessively.
This boasting of yours is not good.
1 Corinthians 1:31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
Arrogant-‘to puff up, to inflate,’ to cause someone to be proud, arrogant, or haughty—‘to make proud, to make arrogant, to make haughty.’
Mentioned 6x in 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 8:1 (NASB95) we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
1 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB95) does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
to act in defiance of social and moral standards, with resulting disgrace, embarrassment, and shame,
Women dressing like prostitutes
Being happy about a man having his father’s wife
Seek its own
1 Corinthians 10:24 Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.
1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
Provoke-to sharpen, to irritate, provoke, arouse to anger. to scorn, despise. provoke, make angry. to exasperate, to burn with anger.
Love doesn’t get your goat
Accounting term use for an overdue bill
Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
1 Corinthians 13:6 (NASB95) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
Doesn’t celebrate acting against godly living (Righteousness is right acts before God)
Does celebrate acting biblically (The truth in Corinthians is God’s word the Gospel)
1 Corinthians 13:7 (NASB95) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
The Roof
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Believes the best in others
Benefit of the doubt
Sees the good in others
holds out hope of a fellow believer’s eventual development in the faith.
It does not despair.
Voluntary, steadfast endurance
No personal retaliation or rejection
Steadfast perseverance with people
1 Corinthians 13:8 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.
Metaphor
Actor booed off stage- Love always hits its marks, has the right lines, a please to watch and leaves you wanting more
A flower dropping its petals in inclement weather- Christian love is condition dependent. Never goes out of season. Forever in bloom
Prophecy-fulfilled
Tongues-We will behold God face to face
Knowledge-Knowledge will be sight Knowledge does not mean “education,” but the immediate imparting of spiritual truth
A call back to the opening verses
1 Corinthians 13:9–10 (NASB95)
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
Not the New Testament
Not Spiritual Maturity
Kingdom of God The expression of perfect love
1 Corinthians 13:11 When 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.
The Corinthians practices. This is a call for mature acting, speaking and thinking
1 Corinthians 13:12 For 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.
Word play ginōskō (nostic) vs epiginōskō Facts vs Experiential knowledge. Knowing memory verses as opposed to relationship
1 Corinthians 8:3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
Dim now Corinthian mirror
Complete then Face to face with God
When do we have consummated relationship with God? When will be have complete knowledge?
Notice the parallelism
1. v. 9, know in part, prophesy in part vs. when the perfect comes
2. v. 11, a child vs. an adult
3. v. 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.
In the New Testament (which at that time was not completed) we have a complete revelation, but our understanding of it is partial. There is a maturing process for the church as a whole and also for the individual believer. We will not be fully completed until Jesus returns, but we ought to be growing and maturing now. Children live for the temporary; adults live for the permanent. Love is enduring, and what it produces will endure
1 Corinthians 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Faith- Towards God
Hope- Surety of Christ’s return
Love- Of God reflecting Christlikeness to others
These stand in contrast to Tongues, prophecy, and knowledge
but the greatest of these is love.
God is love. Love remains. We will experience the totality of God’s love towards us. We are to practice this until Jesus comes back.