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1 Coríntios 13

A.T. Robertson · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 Coríntios 13

Robertson says that 1Corinthians 13:4-7 pictures "the character or conduct of love in marvellous rhapsody. (1 Corinthians 13) Chrysostom adds that here Paul…makes an outline of love’s matchless beauty, adorning its image with all aspects of virtue, as if with many colors brought together with precision.

1 Coríntios 13

Robertson writes that "Joy demands fellowship." Vine observes that "All unrighteousness is the negation of truth. Love expresses itself in truth, and all conduct that satisfies holy love satisfies truth. Truth and righteousness are associated in Eph 5:9 (note). The truth (225) (aletheia from a = without + lêthô = that which is hidden or concealed, the combination meaning out in open) is the the unconcealed reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of matter. The basic understanding of aletheia is that it is the manifestation of a hidden reality. For example, when you are a witness in a trial, the attendant says "Raise your right hand. Do you swear that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" And you say, "I do" and you sit down. The question is asking "Are you willing to come into this courtroom and manifest something that is hidden to us that only you know so that you will bear evidence to that?" And when you do speak the truth, you are manifesting a hidden reality. Truth then is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set it forth. To say it another way, words are true when they correspond with objective reality. Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession. Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth. Truth is the property of being in accord with fact or reality as defined by God. Whatever God says is Truth. Truth is a person, Jesus. Aletheia in 1-2 Corinthians - 1 Cor 5:8; 13:6; 2 Cor 4:2; 6:7; 7:14; 11:10; 12:6; 13:8;

1 Coríntios 13

Robertson - Obviously, they will be ‘rendered idle.’ Tongues were a rapturous mode of addressing God; and no such rapture would be needed when the spirit was in His immediate presence. Godet - Prophecy lifts on each occasion only a corner of the veil which covers the plan of God and its final accomplishment. Similarly the isolated acts of spiritual knowledge grasp the truth of salvation only in fragments, and consequently every particular point of the great fact. Even to possess the complete knowledge of one point, the whole would require to be known distinctly. Now this full and only true knowledge is not granted us in the present economy. As to tongues, the apostle does not think it necessary to justify their disappearance. The reason for it is too evident: it is their ecstatic character. The only ground for ecstatic transport is that we are not yet living fully in the reality of the Divine. When we live in God, we are in Him without going out of ourselves. This is why there is no ecstasy in the life of Jesus, at least after His baptism. We (present tense - continually) know in part - Moffatt "we only know bit by bit." Amplified - "For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect)." Part (first for emphasis - meros from meiromai = receive one's portion) means a share or portion as distinct from the whole. The NLT is a good paraphrase rendering it "Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete." What does Paul mean by the phrases know and prophesy in part? I like A T Robertson's explanation - Both will be done away, for it is from a part only, and not from the whole, that we get to know anything of the truth, and from a part only that we prophesy. We cannot know, and therefore cannot preach, the whole truth, but only fragments. Knowledge and prophecy are useful as lamps in the darkness, but they will be useless when the eternal Day has dawned; ὁ γὰρ μέλλων βίος τούτων ἀνενδεής. In both clauses ἐκ μέρους is emphatic. Bishop Butler has shown that here complete knowledge even of a part is impossible, for we cannot have this until we know its full relation to the whole; and, in order to do that, we must have full knowledge of the whole, which is impossible." (1 Corinthians 13 Commentary) MacArthur on know in part - Through God’s Word and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, we can have “a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,” but even our true knowledge is still imperfect knowledge, because only in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:2–3). God has provided all the truth we need to know “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 5:20). God’s “divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet. 1:3). The Lord has provided all the knowledge we need in order to know and serve Him—more, in fact, than any man could ever comprehend. Yet God’s written Word does not exhaust truth about Him. (MNTC- 1 Cor) And we (present tense - continually) prophesy (propheteuo) in part - The prophet only gives a glimpse of the whole truth. Fenton "we teach with imperfection." NLT = "even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!" Charles Hodge - This is the reason why knowledge and prophecy are to cease. They are partial of imperfect, and therefore suited only to an imperfect state of existence. The revelations granted to the prophets imparted mere glimpses of the mysteries of God; when those mysteries stand disclosed in the full light of heaven, what need will there be of those glimpses? A skilful teacher may use diagrams and models to give us some knowledge of the mechanism of the universe, but if the eye is strengthened to take in the whole at a glance, what need is there of a planetarium or of a teacher? The apostle uses two illustrations to teach us the difference between the present and the future. One is derived from the differed between childhood and maturity; the other from the difference between seeing a thing by imperfect reflection, or through an obscure medium, and seeing it directly. (1 Corinthians 13 Commentary) As Robertson says "Knowledge and prophecy are useful as lamps in the darkness, but they will be useless when the eternal Day has dawned....Bishop Butler has shown that here complete knowledge even of a part is impossible, for we cannot have this until we know its full relation to the whole; and, in order to do that, we must have full knowledge of the whole, which is impossible. Lenski on know in part - Our knowing is “in part,” partial, and thus inadequate. We never know with full comprehension, full penetration, complete mastery. In all our knowing there is something left that we do not know, a beyond to which our little brain and our intellectual ability do not reach. Knowledge attains a depth of miles, and our mind is a line that is only a few fathoms long; how can we hope to sound it? This is also true with regard to prophesying. We constantly come to impassable barriers. Speculation tries to leap over them but fails to reach anything save uncertainties. Therefore, too, it is a prime theological and a Christian virtue to be satisfied with the limits which the Word sets for us, and never to try to go beyond them. Such a limitation seems humiliating to many, but their efforts to go beyond the limits set lead them only into bogs and swamps of error. Even many of the truths which the Scriptures present to us—how inadequately do we apprehend them intellectually: the Trinity, the Incarnation, the workings of providence, etc.! Ever we arrive where Paul arrived in Rom. 11:33. This is true in regard to even the far lower domain of nature: we know only in part. What are matter, life, light, electricity, and a thousand other things? We know not what they are; we know only this or that about them. In the words of a noted scientist: Ignoramus, ignorabimus; we do not know, we shall not know. The pride of so many scientists is pricked and deflated by this little phrase “in part.”(The interpretation of St. Paul's First and Second epistle to the Corinthians) Know (1097)(ginosko) conveys the basic meaning of taking in knowledge in regard to something or someone, knowledge that goes beyond the merely factual. In essence ginosko means involves experiential knowledge, knowledge personally experienced, not merely the accumulation of known facts. By extension, the term frequently was used of a special relationship between the person who knows and the object of the knowledge. It was often used of the intimate relationship between husband and wife and between God and His people. Ginosko in 1-2 Corinthians - 1 Co. 1:21; 1 Co. 2:8; 1 Co. 2:11; 1 Co. 2:14; 1 Co. 2:16; 1 Co. 3:20; 1 Co. 4:19; 1 Co. 8:2; 1 Co. 8:3; 1 Co. 13:9; 1 Co. 13:12; 1 Co. 14:7; 1 Co. 14:9; 2 Co. 2:4; 2 Co. 2:9; 2 Co. 3:2; 2 Co. 5:16; 2 Co. 5:21; 2 Co. 8:9; 2 Co. 13:6; Prophesy (4395)(propheteuo from pró = before or forth + phemí = tell) means literally to tell forth and can mean to speak forth God's message, (having been taught of God). The idea is speaking with the help of divine inspiration to proclaim what God wants to make known. In other contexts to prophesy means to speak under inspiration and foretell future events. Its most prominent use is in connection with the oracles at places like Delphi. Typically, a person would ask a question of the gods and receive a cryptic answer from the female mouthpiece of the deities. This answer would then be completed and interpreted by the men who specialized in that task. Prophēteuō in this context meant “explain a message from the gods in response to a client’s question.” Propheteuo - 27v - Matt. 7:22; Matt. 11:13; Matt. 15:7; Matt. 26:68; Mk. 7:6; Mk. 14:65; Lk. 1:67; Lk. 22:64; Jn. 11:51; Acts 2:17; Acts 2:18; Acts 19:6; Acts 21:9; 1 Co. 11:4; 1 Co. 11:5; 1 Co. 13:9; 1 Co. 14:1; 1 Co. 14:3; 1 Co. 14:4; 1 Co. 14:5; 1 Co. 14:24; 1 Co. 14:31; 1 Co. 14:39; 1 Pet. 1:10; Jude 1:14; Rev. 10:11; Rev. 11:3 1 Corinthians 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. NET 1 Corinthians 13:10 but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside. NLT 1 Corinthians 13:10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless. ESV 1 Corinthians 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. NIV 1 Corinthians 13:10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. GNT 1 Corinthians 13:10 ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται. KJV 1 Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. YLT 1 Corinthians 13:10 and when that which is perfect may come, then that which is in part shall become useless. ASV 1 Corinthians 13:10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. CSB 1 Corinthians 13:10 But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. MIT 1 Corinthians 13:10 When the perfect state arrives, that which is incomplete will be retired. 1Co 13:12 Isa 24:23 Isa 60:19,20 2Co 5:7,8 Rev 21:22,23 Rev 22:4,5 1 Corinthians 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE COMING OF THE PERFECT ELIMINATES NEED FOR THE PARTIAL but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away (katargeo) - In this verse when the perfect comes is interpreted by some (Henry Morris) as a reference to the completion of the canon of Scripture (since this was one of the first NT books written), but others interpret it as a reference to the Second Coming of Christ, when the Perfect One comes to establish His kingdom. This interpretation is supported by Paul's phrase "face to face" in 1 Cor 13:12, which will come about when we see Jesus "face to face" (cf 1 Jn 3:2). Godet on when the perfect comes says that the aorist tense "alludes to a fixed and positively expected moment, which can be no other than that of the Advent." Gordon Fee also sees the perfect comes as the Second Coming writing - At the coming of Christ the final purpose of God’s saving work in Christ will have been reached; at that point those gifts now necessary for the building up of the church in the present age will disappear, because “the complete” will have come. To cite Barth’s marvelous imagery: “Because the sun rises all lights are extinguished.” (NICNT-1 Cor) Lenski agrees writing "The aorist subjunctive ἔλθῃ marks the great future moment when the goal shall be reached, namely the Parousia of Christ. Then this entire state of imperfection which is now evident upon the earth will be abolished, for it will have served its purpose. An entirely new way of apprehending, of seeing, and of knowing shall take its place. Even then we shall not know all things—omniscience belongs to God alone, and even the angels do not know the deep things of God, which only the Spirit of God searches. In heaven we shall know in a heavenly manner." (The interpretation of St. Paul's First and Second epistle to the Corinthians) Lenski has this note on partial - partial, able to convey to us only a part of the full reality which we shall at last come to know. Melanchthon stimulated his love for dying by thinking about the joy of knowing the mysteries of the Holy Trinity no longer merely “in part” but in the complete heavenly manner. Believer's Study Bible favors this as "a reference to Christ's second coming. Some understand this to refer to the completion of the canon of Scripture, but that would mean that we now see more clearly than Paul did." NIV Study Bible - Verse 12 seems to indicate that Paul is here speaking of either Christ’s second coming or a believer’s death, when they will see Christ “face to face” (v. 12). Some interpreters translate this term “the perfect” and consider it to refer to the canon of Scripture, claiming tongues ceased when the canon was complete. This interpretation is unlikely, however, since the close of the canon did not result in perfect knowledge nor a face-to-face encounter with Christ (vv. 12–13). Cf. also 1:7, where believers have all the gifts until Christ returns. John MacArthur does not believe this refers to the Second Coming writing that "By process of elimination, the only possibility for the perfect is the eternal, heavenly state of believers. Paul is saying that spiritual gifts are only for time, but that love will last for all eternity. The point is simple, not obscure." (See his discussion of the eternal state in this sermon) Perfect (5046)(teleios from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal) means complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, in good working order. In all its meanings teleios carries the underlying idea is that a purpose has been achieved or that a thing or person has reached its intended goal or end. Teleios speaks of totality, as opposed to partial or limited and when used of things means in full measure, undivided, complete or entire. Teleios also speaks of that which is fully development as opposed to that which is immature. Teleios - 17v - Matt. 5:48; Matt. 19:21; Rom. 12:2; 1 Co. 2:6; 1 Co. 13:10; 1 Co. 14:20; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:15; Col. 1:28; Col. 4:12; Heb. 5:14; Heb. 9:11; Jas. 1:4; Jas. 1:17; Jas. 1:25; Jas. 3:2; 1 Jn. 4:18 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

1 Coríntios 13

Robertson - Having shown the worthlessness of supernatural gifts, if love is absent, and the supreme excellence of a character in which love is dominant, St Paul now shows that love is superior to all the gifts, because they are for this world only, whereas love is for both time and eternity. “This is the crowning glory of love, that it is imperishable” (Stanley); it abides until and beyond the supreme crisis of the Last Day. The last attribute of love in verse 7 was endures which makes a good transition to that which does not fall (pipto). As Robertson says " From ὑπομένει (endures) to οὐδέποτε πίπτει (never fails) is an easy transition. That which withstands all assaults and is not crushed by either the shortcomings of comrades or the violence of opponents, will stand firm and unshaken." Love (agape) never fails - Love will never end but will last forever and ever. Amen. Agape love never falls into ruin. Paul's point is that through all the ages to come, love will go on in that we will still love the Lord and love one another. Unlike the leaf on a tree, love never falls off but will abide forever. Paul strengthens his point on the permanence of love by comparing it to the spiritual gifts which the Corinthians so highly prized, all these spiritual gifts eventually coming to an end. Love never fails because it is an attribute of God (See Love) as John teaches in 1 Jn 4:8, 16 ("God is love.") Never (3763) (oudepote from oude = not even + poté = ever) means (absolutely and objectively) not even at any time, never at all, neither at any time, never, nothing at any time. Observe in the following NT passages some things which can never, ever happen (interesting)! Fails (4098) (pipto) means to fall, fall down, under judgment, under condemnation, be prostrated or fall prostrate, to fall into ruin, to perish, lose authority, no longer have force. Metaphorically as used in this verse pipto means to to fall away, to fail or to be without effect. Pipto usually denotes to fall and that which falls ceases its activity and that is what supernatural agape love never does beloved! Why? Because, the Fountain head, the Well spring, the "Head waters", the Source of this supernatural love is the supernatural God and thus the Source is inexhaustibly infinite and eternal. Our continual charge and challenge is to "tap in" to the Source. Our love as human beings does fail far too often (especially when tested by oppositional people or adverse circumstances - as someone well said "I could live this Christian life if it weren't for people!"), but as we progressively grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (that's called progressive [Think - "Making progress", not an "arrival" in this present life] "sanctification" or growth in holiness, cp Jesus' prayer for us Jn 17:17 and Peter's prayer 2Pe 3:18-note where "grow" is a present imperative = calling for continual, daily growth in Christ-likeness), we will find that more and more this quality of "unfailing love" is manifest to and through us (we serve as "conduits" as it were of this unfailing love flowing from the Throne of Grace) to our spouses, our families, our neighbors, our co-workers, and the list goes on. How are you doing? May we not fall into the trap of "trying" to manifest this love in our own strength or power. It is impossible (cp Mk 10:27, Mt 19:26, Lk 18:27, Ge 18:14, Nu 11:23 - as an aside - What's the "impossibility" right now in your life beloved? Forgiveness to someone who's offended you? Loving someone "unlovable"?). But as you and I learn to abide in the Vine (Jn 15:5) we come to learn that what with men is impossible, with Christ is ever "Him-possible"!

1 Coríntios 13

Robertson points out that "Three prominent charismata (9 were mentioned in chapter 12) are taken in illustration of the transitory character of the gifts: to have gone through all would have been tedious." But - Term of contrast. If there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away - The gifts of prophecy will be put aside. There is no need for prophecy when we see the One about Whom all Scripture has prophesied! Prophecies will disappear when the re­ality comes. The knowledge that is so important to us now will be irrelevant then because when we are in God’s presence we will know perfectly. Praise the Lord! Done away (2673) (katargeo from kata = intensifies meaning + argeo = be idle from argos = ineffective, idle, inactive from a = without + érgon = work) literally means to reduce to inactivity. The idea is to make the power or force of something ineffective and so to render powerless, reduce to inactivity. To do away with. To put out of use. To cause to be idle or useless. To render entirely idle, inoperative or ineffective. Cause something to come to an end or cause it to cease to happen. To abolish or cause not to function. To free or release from an earlier obligation or relationship. To no longer take place. Katargeo - in the Corinthian letters - 1 Co. 1:28; 1 Co. 2:6; 1 Co. 6:13; 1 Co. 13:8; 1 Co. 13:10; 1 Co. 13:11; 1 Co. 15:24; 1 Co. 15:26; 2 Co. 3:7; 2 Co. 3:11; 2 Co. 3:13; 2 Co. 3:14; if there are tongues, they will cease - Amplified = "as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease." BBE = " tongues come to nothing." Tongues will terminate! These gifts will no longer be necessary, for when we stand before God there will be no need to speak in other languages since we will all understand God when He speaks. Tongues (1100) (glossa see also glossa)) in the NT is used literally to refer to the tongue as a part of the body, and figuratively to refer to speech (1Jn 3:18, in Lxx of Pr 25:25, Pr 31:26) particular languages or dialect as spoken by people group (Acts 2:11 referring to the language of Cretans and Arabs, in Lxx of Ge 11:7 where God confused man's language at Babel because they had the same language Ge 11:6 and self-centered motives Ge 11:4). Glossa - 1 Co. 12:10, 28, 30; 13:1, 8; 14:2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22, 23, 26, 27, 39; Cease (3973) (pauo from which we get English "pause") means to cause something or someone to cease from some activity or state and so to come to an end. Paul's point is that all three of these supernatural gifts (and perhaps other supernatural gifts as well) will eventually become unnecessary, the timing of this cessation being one which is quite controversial (See notes below by David Guzik and the link to John MacArthur which seem to be at opposite ends of the interpretative spectrum regarding cessation of tongues). Related Resources: See John MacArthur's sermon - The Permanence of Love, Part 1 that discusses his 6 reasons for believing the gift of tongues as ceased. if there is knowledge, it will be done away Paul says that knowledge will be abolished, not knowledge in general (which will become perfect) but the spiritual gift of knowledge, for there will be no need for this spiritual gift when we are glorified. Pulpit Commentary notes that this knowledge "shall be only annulled in the sense of earthly knowledge, which shall be a star disappearing in the light of that heavenly knowledge which shall gradually broaden into the perfect day." Knowledge (1108) (gnosis from ginosko = to know especially experientially) in simple terms is the possession of information of what is known. Gnosis describes the comprehension or intellectual grasp of something. Gnosis refers to knowledge gained by experience in contrast to intuitive knowledge. Gnosis is an “experiential knowledge,” and not a mere passing acquaintance. Gnosis is not simply an intellectual (head) knowledge of Christ, but refers to a more intimate, experiential knowledge. Louw-Nida says gnosis means "acquaintance with," which in the English dictionary refers to "personal knowledge" with synonyms such as familiarity with, knowledge of, experience with/of, awareness of, understanding of, comprehension of, grasp of. Gnosis - 29x in 28v in the NAS (Notice where the majority of uses of gnosis are found! 16x in letters to one church!) - Lk. 1:77; 11:52; Ro 2:20; 11:33; 15:14; 1Co 1:5; 8:1, 7, 10, 11; 12:8; 13:2, 8; 14:6; 2Co 2:14; 4:6; 6:6; 8:7; 10:5; 11:6; Ep 3:19; Php 3:8; Col 2:3; 1Ti 6:20; 1Pe 3:7; 2Pe 1:5, 6; 3:18