1 Corinthians 13:5

doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil;

'doth not behave itself unseemly' -'does not act unbecomingly' (NASV); 'is never rude' (Mof); 'It isn't indecent' (Beck); 'to behave disgracefully, dishonorably, or indecently..love is mannerly; it does not conduct itself in. way which is contrary to the accepted standards of decency.' (Willis p. 456)

Comments:

1. 'The art of politeness cannot be learned exclusively from books of etiquette; it comes from within; it is inspired by sympathy, and is guided by consideration for the feeling of others. It is commonly. lack of love rather than. lack of knowledge that leads to bad manners, impropriety, and embarrassing rudeness.' (Erdmans p. 134)

2. This phrase reminds us of various Christian women in Corinth who were casting off the veil and shocking the society they lived in. (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)

3. Obviously, some of the tongue-speakers had been very rude to their fellow Christians. (1 Corinthians 12:21)

4. Paul practiced such courtesy. (Acts 26:1; Acts 25:1)

'seeketh not its own' -'does not insist on its own way' (RSV); 'does not insist on its rights' (Gspd); 'does not pursue selfish aims.' (Nor)

Comments:

1. And yet the Corinthians had been insisting on their own rights. (1 Corinthians 8:1ff)

2. 'It does not seek its own; it does not believe that " finding oneself " is the highest good; it is not enamored with self-gain, self-justification, self-worth.' (Fee p. 638)

3. The Corinthians were caught up in. "legalism" that we often forget about. Insisting that you have the right to do it, simply because it is lawful, is also "legalism". Paul had taught, other things need to be considered, even beyond the lawfulness of the proposed act. (1 Corinthians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:24)

'In the last analysis, there are in the world only two kinds of people--those who are continually thinking of their rights and those who are continually thinking of their duties; those who always insist upon their privileges and those who always remember their responsibilities; those who are always thinking of what life owes them and those who never forget what they owe to life.' (Barclay p. 135)

'Cure selfishness, and you plant. Garden of Eden.' (Lenski p. 557)

'is not provoked' -'not quick to take offence' (NEB); 'it is not irritable' (RSV); 'It is not touchy' (Phi). 'is not embittered or enraged by abuse, wrong, insult, injury.' (Lenski p. 558)

Comments:

1. 'Intent on one's own advantage, one is incessantly angered to find the world at cross purposes with him.' (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 899)

2. Anger, bitterness and resentment can never be mastered, until. learn to become an unselfish person. It is. smart man or woman that soon accepts the fact of life, that this world is cursed by sin, and therefore, it's not going to be perfect. In fact, often, the world will seem to be working against us. (Genesis 3:17)

'taketh not account of evil' -'does not take into account. wrong suffered.' (NASV) 'love keeps no score of wrongs.' (NEB)

'account' -'Old verb..to count up, to take account of as in. ledger or note-book.' (Robertson p. 178) 'Storing up the memory of wrongs, of indifference, of contempt, of grievances, of wounds; making. rigorous record of the injuries received from others.' (Erdman p. 135) 'The word we have translated (account) is an accountant's word. It is the word that is used for entering up an item in. ledger so that it will not be forgotten..One of the great arts in life is to learn what to forget.' (Barclay p. 136)

Comments:

1. Therefore, love refuses to hold. grudge or seek revenge. Love can forgive. (Matthew 18:35; Matthew 6:14)

2. This section reveals why forgiving others is so hard for some of us. As long as our mind is upon "self", forgiveness will be difficult, if not impossible.

3. It's hard to forgive. debt, when you keep looking at the ledger!

4. Some people can live with their own selfishness and evil deeds, as long as they are able to convince themselves, that others have done worst to them, i.e. that they are still on the credit side of the relationship.