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1 Corinthians Chapter 13	Teachers Notes

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Introduction

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Introduction-1

In chapter 12, Paul begins teaching about the spiritual gifts.
They had become envious of those who possessed what they considered the best gifts.
They considered the “best gifts” as those that were outwardly appealing.

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Introduction-2

Paul teaches that all Christians were equally important in the body of Christ.
The gift given by the Holy Spirit that was needful for that person to do the work of God.
The collective group profited by the each other’s individual gift.

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Preliminary Thoughts

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Preliminary Thoughts-1

Paul taught that love was the greatest gift a person can have.
Paul also exhibited indignation toward the Corinthians.
Their lack of spiritual growth. (1 Cor. 3:1- 4)
Their tolerance of fornication. (1 Cor. 5)
Taking each other to secular courts to resolve problems. (1 Cor. 6:1; 7)
Abuse of the Lord’s supper. (1 Cor. 11:17; 22)

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Preliminary Thoughts-2

Righteous Indignation to prevent sin is showing love toward the brethren.
Jesus demonstrated righteous indignation by throwing the money changes out of the temple. (Matt. 21:12-13)
We must be careful and do not allow righteous indignation to become self-righteous indignation.
Righteous indignation should be the last resort.

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Why This Chapter Is So Forceful

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Why This Chapter Is So Forceful-1

Consider Paul’s Conduct Before His Conversion

Acts 8:1 – Now Saul was consenting to his death (Stephen)

Acts 8:3 – As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

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Why This Chapter Is So Forceful-2

Consider Paul’s Conduct Before His Conversion

Acts 9:1-3 – Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

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Why This Chapter Is So Forceful-3

Consider Paul’s Conduct After His Conversion

Acts 15:35-40 - Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.

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Why This Chapter Is So Forceful-3

Consider Paul’s Conduct After His Conversion

Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

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Chapter Synopsis

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Chapter Synopsis

13:1-3 – There is no profit in what we do without love.
13:4-7 – Love suffers long and is kind.
13:8-10 – Love never fails.
13:11-12 – The gospel brings us from childhood to maturity.
13:13 – Love is the greatest gift we have.

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1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Love Is The Vital Principal Without Which All Else Is In Vain

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Love Is The Vital Principal

This chapter is the most beautiful and tender illustration of the nature, excellency, and power of love.
Love is above the power of speaking languages of both men and of angels.
Without love, sympathy, and kindness.
The Characteristics of love – Agape.

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1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The Characteristics Of Love

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The Characteristics Of Love-1

Love Suffers Long	Is Not Provoked
Love Is Kind	Love Thinks No Evil
Love Envies Not	Does Not Rejoice In Iniquity
Does Not Parade Itself	Love Rejoices In Truth
Love Is Not Arrogant	Love Bears All Things
Does Not Behave Rudely Or Unbecomingly	Love Believes All Things Love Hopes All Things
Does Not Seek Its Own	Endures All Things

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The Characteristics Of Love-2

LOVE SUFFERS LONG

Love manifests itself by being “patient.”
It is slow to anger and is not quick retaliate when wronged. (1 Pet. 3:8-9)
It does not encourage or uphold a man in sin, instead it helps him out of sin, (Gal. 6:1-2)
Consequently, one who loves will kindly correct the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted and support the weak. (1 Thess. 5:14)

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The Characteristics Of Love-3

LOVE IS KIND

Love will actively do good to another rather than rendering evil for evil. (Rom. 12:17-18)
It is gentle and not harsh, sour, have a gloomy disposition, or ill natured. (1 Pet. 3:8)
One who loves even prays for enemies and is ready to forgive. (Matt. 5:44-48)

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The Characteristics Of Love-4

LOVE ENVIES NOT

Envy tends to resent others and criticize them when they excel. (James 3:6)
Love acts differently by wishing the best for others and rejoicing when they do well. (Rom. 12:15)

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The Characteristics Of Love-5

LOVE DOES NOT PARADE ITSELF

To Parade is to “brag”, “boast”, or to “vaunt oneself”.
Instead, love is humble, retiring, and feels no need to wave flags when good works are done. (Matt. 5:16)
It attributes any ability as a gift endowed from God that should be received with gratitude and used without boasting.

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The Characteristics Of Love-6

LOVE IS NOT ARROGANT (PUFFED UP)

Love is not “proud” or “arrogant”.
It does not elevate itself over others regarded as inferior. (Rom. 12:16; Prov. 29:23; 16:18)

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The Characteristics Of Love-7

DOES NOT BEHAVE RUDELY ON UNBECOMINGLY

Instead, he is courteous, polite, mannerly, and will behave with gentleness, sympathy, and with consideration for the feelings of others. (Col. 3:12-14)

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The Characteristics Of Love-8

DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN

A charitable person is unselfish in every way, esteeming others better than self by seeking their good above his own. (Phil. 2:1-4)
His own “rights” are not the main focus of his attention. He is not self-seeking.

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The Characteristics Of Love-9

IS NOT PROVOKED

He is not easily irritated and stirred to anger.
It possesses an even temper that will not allow the evils of others to provoke him to react with vile words and harsh actions.
It is calm, good-natured, and in control of his passions.
He will not let the sun go down on his wrath. (Eph. 4:24-27)

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The Characteristics Of Love-10

LOVE THINKS NO EVIL

Love does not take into account a wrong suffered. It keeps no record of wrongs.
It tends to look kindly on the actions of others, possibly to have mistaken his conduct.
Does not feast on gossip nor retell it to others.
One does not jump to the worst conclusion when he hears something about another.
Instead, desiring to find a good, reasonable explanation. (Prov. 17:9, 17)

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The Characteristics Of Love-11

DOES NOT REJOICE IN INIQUITY

Love does not delight in evil or rejoice in unrighteousness.
When others do fall into sin, it finds no occasion of happiness in it, but will work to help the brother correct his sin. (James 5:19-20)
It does not find pleasure in a malicious report.
It does not actively remember the wrongs another has committed. (Gal. 5:13-15)

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The Characteristics Of Love-12

LOVE REJOICES IN TRUTH

Love rejoices when others do well. (Phil. 1:14-19)
It will not make a hasty judgment that may be inaccurate.
It will carefully hear all the facts in the desire to find the truth.
It rejoices when suspicions are proved unfounded, when wrong is vanquished, and right prevails.

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The Characteristics Of Love-13

LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS

Love is not quick to censor another or find fault but will deal with an attitude that always protects. (1 Cor. 11:18)
With patience it will strive to help another out of error. (Gal. 6:1-2)
Love “covers a multitude of sins” when it helps share the load another is carrying. (1 Peter 4:8)

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The Characteristics Of Love-14

LOVE BELIEVES ALL THINGS

Of those we love, we tend to believe the best.
We trust them that they act with the best of motives, therefore we will not judge or condemn them on partial evidence.
We will treat them as we would want to be treated. (Matt. 7:1-5,12)

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The Characteristics Of Love-15

LOVE HOPES ALL THINGS

No matter how dark things may look, love will not despair.
Even when the circumstances are unfavorable, love hopes for the best and will lift up those who are discouraged. (Heb. 12:12-14; Prov. 10:28)

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The Characteristics Of Love-16

ENDURES ALL THINGS

No matter what blemishes or mistakes another makes, true love will keep on loving.
A mother who loves her child will endure loss and even death for her child.
Likewise, one who loves will continue in affection for another even when things are not going well. (Rom. 12:9-10)

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1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Love Will Abide Even When �Spiritual Gifts Cease

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Love Will Abide Even When

Spiritual Gifts Cease-1

The gift of prophecy will “fail,”or cease to exist.
When the New Testament was fully revealed, no longer was revelation necessary.
The gift of tongues will also cease
When the New Testament was fully confirmed, there would no longer be a need for tongues as a “sign” to unbelievers (1 Cor. 14:22)
The gift of miraculous knowledge, 12:8, would “vanish away.”

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Love Will Abide Even When

Spiritual Gifts Cease-2

These three gifts stand as representative of all of the spiritual gifts that were to be done away when their purpose had been completely served.
These three gifts may have been deemed the best to be desired by the Corinthians.

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1 Corinthians 13:9

“In Part”

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“In Part”

In 12:12-30 Paul compared members who had spiritual gifts to different parts of the body.
Each part functioned differently from the others.
All worked together for the body to be complete.
Each spiritual gift was a “part” because no one person had all of God’s revelation.
Each spiritual gift part worked to make the church whole before the complete gospel was revealed.

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1 Corinthians 13:10

When That Which Is Perfect Is Come,

Then That Which Is In Part Shall Be Done Away

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That Which Is Perfect-1

If we identify what the “parts” were, we can know what is referred to as the “perfect.”

The nine spiritual gifts described in 12:8-10 were the “parts.”
They were transferred to believers by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, (Acts 8:14-25)
When the apostles died these gifts could no longer be transferred – They ceased to exist.

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That Which Is Perfect-2

The word “perfect” stands for the completed revelation which cannot be added to or changed without sin. (James 1:25)

James 1:25

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

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1 Corinthians 13:11

Paul makes another analogy of the human body to this period of spiritual gifts

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1 Corinthians 13:11

A comparison to the time of his youth

He spoke, understood, and thought like a child.
He was immature.
When he matured to be an adult, his childish activities ceased.
An adult does not continue to speak or act as a child.

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1 Corinthians 13:12

“We see through a glass darkly”

“Now I know in part”

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“We See Through A Glass Darkly”

Knowledge was limited then only to the part that was revealed.
Now the entire, complete revelation can be held in our hand and we can see clearly as if “face to face.”
We have the mind of Christ!

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“Now I Know In Part”

Paul acknowledges that at that time he did not have knowledge of the complete revelation of the gospel.
He also acknowledges that it would all be revealed to him.
This would be before his death.
He would know everything concerning the gospel.
His knowledge would be full.
Just like he is known among the saints.

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1 Corinthians 13:13

“And now abide faith, hope, and love”

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“Faith, Hope, And Love”

These three attributes existed then, and would remain even after the spiritual gifts ceased.
The greatest of these is love.

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