problems among the Corinthians

1 Corinthians

What were some problems among the Corinthians that Paul had to address?

In chapter 13, as in chapter 12, Paul once again addresses the jealousy among the Corinthians. They seemed to all want the more flashy spiritual gifts, and despise those who didn’t have them. So Paul tells them about the ultimate gift that they all need - love.

When do you often hear these words of God?

This chapter could be split up into three sections -

vs. 1-3 - the Supreme Importance of Love

vs. 4-7 - the Characteristics of Love

vs. 8-13 - the Permenance of Love

The Supreme Importance of Love

Read 1. What are the tongues of men and angels?

Is Paul implying that he has this gift?

What was more important that these gifts?

A or D: The love God talks about and displays is different than man’s love.

What does Paul mean by comparing tongues with love to a resounding gong or clanging symbol?

Read 2. What is the gift of prophecy?

Paul must have been referring to Matthew 17:20 “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

How does this often get misinterpreted?

Albrecht: We cannot point to any time when someone’s faith literally moved a mountain. We need to remember that powerful faith does not exist in a vacuum. Faith is always related to a SPECIFIC PROMISE. When the Lord makes a promise and we take him at his word, that promise is certain to be fulfilled. (People’s Bible of Matthew: 252)

Is it possible for someone to have faith without love?

Formula of Concord: 943: Many fabricate for themselves a dead faith or delusion which is without repentance and without good works, as though there could be in a heart true faith and at the same time the wicked intention to persevere and continue in sins, which is impossible; or as though one could, indeed, have and retain true faith, righteousness, and salvation even though he be and remain a corrupt and unfruitful tree, whence no good fruits whatever come, yea, even though he persist in sins against conscience, or purposely engages again in these sins, - all of which is incorrect and false.

So Paul may be referring to one of three scenarios -

1) making up an impossible scene - true faith without love

2) if I had faith to move mountains, but then lost it

3) maybe not saving faith - but an unbeliever performing special miracles

In what sense would Paul’s statement be true, “I am nothing.”?

Read 3. Why would anyone do these things if they didn’t have love?

The irony in this statement is that those who make sacrifices to gain something, gain nothing. If their motivation is not a faith driven love to God and neighbor, but only a selfish motivation for recognition and personal gain, they will gain nothing. Motivation plays a big factor in God pleasing works.

What message was Paul sending to the Corinthians?

What can we learn from this?

The Characteristics of Love

Read 4. What word does the KJV use for patient?

How is that a good description of patience?

In Exodus 20:5 God describes His kind of love with jealousy: You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

So what does Paul mean when he said, “love does not envy.”?

How does pride get in the way of love?

Fischer: Kindness is not so much a sweet disposition as it is the practice of useful, beneficial, friendly acts. (212)

Read 5.How would you define “rude”?

John would often find himself becoming irate at his infant son for waking up in the middle of the night. He tried not to get so angry, but time and time again he would lose his temper. He started to wonder if he was really a Christian since he became “easily angered.”Was John a Christian? What did he need to remember?

How could he get control of his anger?

In light of this verse, why is it especially comforting to know that God has a perfect love?

Read vs. 6. How does the opposite of love ring true in America?

Truth does not seem to be the opposite of evil - you would expect good to be the opposite. But Lenski explains: “Truth” is the gospel truth, the divine, saving reality. Where unrighteousness prevails truth is of necessity absent. Unrighteousness prevails where the heart has pleasure in it, loves it, and thus rejoices in it. There the love that Paul describes is absent. But where the heart “rejoices with the truth,” embraces it gladly, there unrighteousness is driven out. (559)

Paul now procedes with positives instead of negatives. Instead of “nothings” he speaks of “all of this”. Read vs. 7. How is the KJV different?

Lenski: “Beareth all things should not lead us to think of a load that is placed upon and held up by the arms of love. The figure has reference to enduring and quietly suffering inflictions. Love never complains that it is made to endure and to suffer too much; its capacity for suffering is very great. Remember all that the Lord’s love suffered. (560)

The way the NET translates “trusts” is like the KJV - “believes everything.” If you “believe everything” about a brother - how could this be good?

How could it be bad?

How does the explanation of the 8th Commandment reflect this verse?

Jane started having suspicions about her teenage son. He was hanging out with some shady characters, coming home late at night, and she thought she smelled like alcohol one night. When she asked him about it, he said, “of course not, mom. Don’t you trust me?”

Is there a difference between ignorance and trust?

How do we know when to draw the line?

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

How are we to be hopeful in all things? In regard to who?

A or D: Any pessimism shows a lack of love.

“Enduring” refers to suffering pain in regard to things, while patience is suffering in reference to persons. How do we need to be “enduring everything in this world?” Give me some examples. (When car doesnt work, or door doesnt open correctly, etc.)

Why is it difficult for unbelievers to do these things?

A or D: Single people have an easier time being loving than married people.

Lenski: Paul does not describe love in its greatest works, sacrifices, martyrdoms, triumphs; he goes into the ordinary circumstances of life as we meet them day by day and shows us the picture of love as it must be under these. Be a true everyday Christian in the exercise of love, then all great triumphs of love will take care of themselves. He who fails in the ordinary works of love will not even have an opportunity when the supreme moment for the performance of the extraordinary arrives. (561)

The Permenance of Love

Read vs. 8. Why is love greater than the gifts that the Corinthians were so enamored with?

Read 9-10. When will all of these gifts cease to be? Or have they already ceased? (In the future of Paul - tongues ceased long ago. Some people say that they came up again in 18th century for 1st time in 17 centuries. Ultimately these will cease when perfection comes, meaning Judgment Day.)

What will cease to be when perfection comes?

Why will these cease on Judgment Day?

Read 11-12. What two illustrations does Paul use to explain the point?

How is a mirror incomplete?

Toppe: Our spiritual knowledge and our prophetic proclamation of God’s Word are not complete today. We know in part and we prophesy in part. The day will come when our partial knowledge and our incomplete prophesying will be replaced by full knowledge and understanding. Then we shall know more fully the nature of creation, of the incarnation of God’s Son, of the Trinity, of the inspiration of Scripture, and of so many other truths we understand today with the limited perceptions of little children. Only after our Lord returns in glory will we have a deeper understanding of all things. (125)

Read 13. Why is this so?

Toppe: In heaven there will still be hope. Even though we shall have attained the goal of our hope, eternal life, yet we shall hope for ever new joys to experience in heaven. Heaven will not be the kind of experience that will cause us to say that after one day we have seen it all. David speaks of “eternal pleasure at God’s right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

Lenski: Heaven is not one everlasting monotony which, once attained, leaves nothing further to expect. The angels sing ever new praises to God. So we, too, shall pass from one to another of the joys which God has prepared for us. The glories of heaven are inexhaustible, and we shall never get through exploring them. Love is not greatest because it OUTLASTS faith and hope but because it OUTRANKS these two. How? Because love alone makes us like God. 1 John 4:7,12 , 16: Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. It is faith’s nature to receive, but love gives; and giving is greater than receiving. God’s fullest purpose is attained in us when we are filled with love. And for every new joy which hope receives in heaven love will be the response on our part. (572)

Any questions? Email Pastor at bslc@birch.net