Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 13:1

ἐάν. Even suppose I were to.

καὶ τῶν�. The Rabbis (see Lightfoot in loc.) speak of the languages of angels. It is possible that St Paul may be referring to this notion. And he himself also speaks (2 Corinthians 12:4) of hearing ‘unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter,’ when he was ‘caught up to the third heaven.’ But it is very possible that he is only using the language of rhetorical hyperbole and means no more than languages of angelic beauty and power.

ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω. Yet if I have not love. The A.V. makes ἕχω subjunctive here. It is doubtless indicative. And so the Revised Version takes it. The A.V. has unfortunately departed here from the earlier rendering love of Tyndale and Cranmer (which the Revised Version has restored) and has followed the Vulgate caritas. Thus the force of this eloquent panegyric on love is impaired, and the agreement between the various writers of the New Testament much obscured. See note on ch. 1 Corinthians 8:1. The aim no doubt of the Vulgate translators was to avoid the sensuous associations which the Latin word amor suggested. But the English word charity has never risen to the height of the Apostle’s argument. At best it does but signify a kindly interest in and forbearance towards others. It is far from suggesting the ardent, active, energetic principle which the Apostle had in view. And though the English word love includes the affection which springs up between persons of different sexes, it is generally understood to denote only the higher and nobler forms of that affection, the lower being stigmatized under the name of passion. Thus it is a suitable equivalent for the Greek word here used, which (see Dean Stanley’s note) owes its existence to the Bible, since it does not appear in Classical Greek, and is first found in the Septuagint translation of the O. T. See also Mr Carr’s note on .

θεὸς. Suddenly introduced because their pretence to piety is really mocking Him. No article, because St Paul is contrasting His nature and position with those of men. Compare Galatians 2:6.

οὐ μυκτηρίζεται[163], “is not mocked,” 2 Chronicles 36:16; Proverbs 1:30. Cf. ἐκμυκτηρίζω, Luke 16:14; Luke 23:35[164], in each case Christ being the object. The verb properly means “turn up the nose” (so “mock,” also = “wipe the nose”). It means “the open gesture of contempt for one who is an easy dupe” (Perowne).

[163] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.
[164] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.

ὃ γὰρ ἐὰν (Galatians 6:17) σπείρῃ. A proverbial saying, see below, but perhaps here suggested by St Paul’s reminiscence of his recent words to the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 9:6. On the relation of this passage to the collection for the saints at Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1) see the Introduction, p. xxi. sq.

ἄνθρωπος. Unlike Galatians 6:1, where see note.

τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει, cf. Job 4:8. Wetstein quotes Aristotle, Rhet. III. 3 σὺ δὲ ταῦτα αἰσχρῶς μὲν ἔσπειρας, κακῶς δὲ ἐθέρισας, and Cicero, de Orat. II. 65 ut sementem feceris, ita metes.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 13:1

Old Testament

New Testament