NL 244: Faith, Hope, and Love
image: “Forever” by SidewaysSarah (source)
1 Corinthians 13
Initial Thoughts
One of the most well known and beautiful parts of scripture
NOT INTENDED FOR WEDDINGS!!!
This is about love within a divided and divisive community - this is a message more to those on the brink of divorce than the beginning of a relationship
Should not be preaching in isolation from I Corinthians 12 - the unity of the community and the value of each individual finds it foundation in love above all things- EVEN FAITH - a radical declaration for a church founder
However- Christ as the basis for that love and the exemplar of love is established previously in the letter: 1:30, 3:7, 8:6
Love is greater than any individual gift or status
Bible Study
Agape vs phileo – used interchangeably, often used to justify a later interpretation of the word – e.g. mansions in John 14 (not what the word meant 400 years ago)
Kenneth Bailey, New Testament Scholar, suggests that 1 Corinthians 11-14 is a series of six homilies organized chiastically (A, B, C, D, C’, B’, A’). These are laid out below- what do you think of them? Do you find this structure compelling? Why?
In the Church, Love is Central
Men and Women Leading in Worship: Prophets and How They Dress (11:2-16)
Order in Worship: Sacrament—The Lord’s Supper (12:1-30)
Gifts and the Nature of the Body (12:1-30)
The Hymn of Love (12:31-14:1)
Spiritual Gifts and the Upbuilding of the Body (14:1-25)
Order in Worship: Word—Prophets and Speakers in Tongues (14:26-33a)
Women and Men Worshiping: No Chatting in Church (14:33b-36)
What Love Is: Love is Greater Than Spiritual Gifts
The Spiritual Gifts (12:-21)
Love and the Spiritual Gifts (13:1-3)
Love defined (13:4-7)
Love and the Spiritual Gifts (13:8-13)
The Spiritual Gifts (14:1-25)
What Love Isn’t: Christian Love Does Not Boast in Its Gifts But in Its Giver
Continue in zeal for the higher gifts and I will show the way (12:31)
Love and the spiritual gifts (13:1-3)
Love defined positively (13:4a)
Loved defined negatively (13:4b-6)
Love defined positively (13:7)
Love and the spiritual gifts (13:8-13)
Purse love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts (14:1)
[Original: “Continue in zeal for the gifts and run after love.” KB overlooks the reversed ordering of love and spiritual gifts; the reversal mirrors the earlier combination (12:31) and stitches the two (love and spiritual gifts) together. All this from David S Schrock https://davidschrock.com/2013/08/29/love-like-christ-a-look-at-1-corinthians-13/]
Being not doing (see more on this from Brian Peterson at WorkingPreacher.com)
Love does a lot. The traditional translation Love is patient, Love is kind, etc is incorrect. In vv. 4-8a, love is the subject 16 times in a row.
Better translation, “Love shows patience” and “Love acts with kindness”, love is paired with action verbs- Love is doing these actions not simply being these things. (see more on this from Yung Suk Kim at WorkingPreacher.com)
“love is a busy, active thing that never ceases to work. It is always finding ways to express itself for the good of others.” (Peterson)
“Paul never says that such love feels good, ... But true love is not measured by how good it makes us feel. In the context of 1 Corinthians, it would be better to say that the measure of love is its capacity for tension and disagreement without division.” (Peterson)
Thoughts and Questions
What difference does it make for you to locate 1 Corinthians 13 in the larger context of the church at Corinth and its challenges (and to take it out of the context of, say, a wedding service)?
Paul uses many powerful images in this chapter, (ex: a noisy gong). List all of the images you find here. Is there one that you find particularly provocative or memorable? Why?
The previous chapter was about Spiritual gifts and this chapter is about love. What is the relationship between spiritual gifts and love?
The term “love” may be used in many ways. We may “love” our job or a great book or chocolate. How should we define love? How does Paul define love?
Opening music: Misirlou, One Man 90 Instruments by Joe Penna/MysteryGuitarMan at MIM
Closing Song by Bryan Odeen