WITH THE TONGUES (ταις γλωσσαις). Instrumental case. Mentioned first because really least and because the Corinthians put undue emphasis on this gift. Plato (_Symposium_, 197) and many others have written on love, but Paul has here surpassed them all in this marvellous prose-poem. It comes like a... [ Continue Reading ]
The ecstatic gifts (verse 1 Corinthians 13:1) are worthless. Equally so are the teaching gifts (prophecy, knowledge of mysteries, all knowledge). Crasis here in καν=κα εαν. Paul is not condemning these great gifts. He simply places love above them and essential to them. Equally futile is wonder-work... [ Continue Reading ]
BESTOW TO FEED (Ψωμισω). First aorist active subjunctive of ψωμιζω, to feed, to nourish, from ψωμος, morsel or bit, and so to feed, by putting a morsel into the mouth like infant (or bird). Old word, but only here in N.T.TO BE BURNED (ινα καυθησωμα). First future passive subjunctive (Textus Rec... [ Continue Reading ]
Verses 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 picture the character or conduct of love in marvellous rhapsody.SUFFERETH LONG (μακροθυμε). Late _Koine_ word (Plutarch) from μακρος, long, θυμος, passion, ardour. Cf. James 5:7.IS KIND (χρηστευετα). From χρηστος (useful, gracious, kind) and that from χραομα, to use.... [ Continue Reading ]
DOTH NOT BEHAVE ITSELF UNSEEMLY (ουκ ασχημονε). Old verb from ασχημων (1 Corinthians 12:23). In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 7:36. Not indecent.SEEKETH NOT ITS OWN (ου ζητε τα εαυτης). Its own interests (1 Corinthians 10:24; 1 Corinthians 10:33).IS NOT PROVOKED (ου παροξυνετα). Old word. I... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICETH NOT IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (ου χαιρε). See Romans 1:32 for this depth of degradation. There are people as low as that whose real joy is in the triumph of evil.BUT REJOICETH WITH THE TRUTH (συνχαιρε δε τη αληθεια). Associative instrumental case after συν- in composition. Truth personified... [ Continue Reading ]
BEARETH ALL THINGS (παντα στεγε). Στεγω is old verb from στεγη, roof, already in 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Thessalonians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:5 which see. Love covers, protects, forbears (_suffert_, Vulgate). See 1 Peter 4:8 "because love covers a multitude of sins" (οτ αγαπη καλυπτε φηθος αμαρτιων... [ Continue Reading ]
LOVE NEVER FAILETH (Hη αγαπη ουδεποτε πιπτε). New turn for the perpetuity of love. Πιπτε correct text, not εκπιπτε, as in Luke 16:17. Love survives everything.THEY SHALL BE DONE AWAY (καταργηθησοντα). First future passive of καταργεω. Rare in old Greek, to make idle (αργος), inoperative. All th... [ Continue Reading ]
IN PART (εκ μερους). See on 1 Corinthians 12:27. As opposed to the whole.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH IS PERFECT (το τελειον). The perfect, the full-grown (τελος, end), the mature. See on 1 Corinthians 2:6. Hοταν ελθη is second aorist subjunctive with οταν, temporal clause for indefinite future time.... [ Continue Reading ]
A CHILD (νηπιος). See on 1 Corinthians 3:1 for νηπιος in contrast with τελειος (adult).I SPAKE (ελαλουν). Imperfect active, I used to talk.I FELT (εφρονουν). Imperfect active, I used to think. Better, I used to understand.I THOUGHT (ελογιζομην). Imperfect middle, I used to reason or calcula... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A MIRROR (δι' εσοπτρου). By means of a mirror (εσοπτρον, from οπτω, old word, in papyri). Ancient mirrors were of polished metal, not glass, those in Corinth being famous.DARKLY (εν αινιγματ). Literally, in an enigma. Old word from αινισσομα, to express obscurely. This is true of all ancient... [ Continue Reading ]
ABIDETH (μενε). Singular, agreeing in number with πιστις (faith), first in list.THE GREATEST OF THESE (μειζων τουτων). Predicative adjective and so no article. The form of μειζων is comparative, but it is used as superlative, for the superlative form μεγιστος had become rare in the _Koine_ (Robe... [ Continue Reading ]