1 Corinthians 13:1

Tongues Mentioned first because of the exaggerated importance which the Corinthians attached to this gift. Angels Referring to the ecstatic utterances of those who spoke with tongues. Charity (ἀγάπην) Rev., love. The word does not occur in the classics, though the kindred verbs ἀγαπάω and ἀγαπάζω to love, are common. It first appears in the Septuagint, where, however, in all but two of the passages, it refers to the love of the sexes. Eleven of the passages are in Canticles. See, also, 2 Samuel 13:15, Sept. The change in the Rev. from charity to love, is a good and thoroughly defensible one. Charity follows the caritas of the Vulgate, and is not used consistently in the A.V. On the contrary, in the gospels, ἀγάπη is always rendered love, and mostly elsewhere, except in this epistle, where the word occurs but twice. Charity, in modern usage, has acquired the senses of tolerance and beneficence, which express only single phases of love. There is no more reason for saying "charity envieth not," than for saying "God is charity;" "the charity of Christ constraineth us;" "the charity of God is shed abroad in our hearts." The real objection to the change on the part of unscholarly partisans of the A.V. is the breaking of the familiar rhythm of the verses. Sounding brass (χαλκὸς ἠχῶν) The metal is not properly brass, the alloy of copper and zinc, but copper, or bronze, the alloy of copper and tin, of which the Homeric weapons were made.

Being the metal in common use, it came to be employed as a term for metal in general. Afterward it was distinguished; common copper being called black or red copper, and the celebrated Corinthian bronze being known as mixed copper. The word here does not mean a brazen instrument, but a piece of unwrought metal, which emitted a sound on being struck. In the streets of Seville one may see pedlers striking, together two pieces of brass instead of blowing a horn or ringing a bell. Tinkling cymbal (κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον) The verb rendered tinkling, alalazo, originally meant to repeat the cry alala, as in battle. It is used by Mark (Mark 6:38) of the wailings of hired mourners. Hence, generally, to ring or clang. Rev., clanging. Κύμβαλον cymbal, is derived from κύμβος a hollow or a cup. The cymbal consisted of two half-globes of metal, which were struck together. In middle-age Latin, cymbalum was the term for a church or convent-bell. Ducange defines: "a bell by which the monks are called to meals, and which is hung in the cloister." The comparison is between the unmeaning clash of metal, and music; between ecstatic utterances which are jargon, and utterances inspired by love, which, though unintelligible to the hearers, may carry a meaning to the speaker himself and to God, 1 Corinthians 14:4, 1 Corinthians 14:7.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 . Though, &c. — The apostle having observed in the last verse of the preceding chapter, (with which this chapter is closely connected,) that he would show them a more excellent way, that is, a way more wise, holy, and useful, than that of striving to excel each other in miraculous gifts, now proceeds to do this, directing them to pursue the divine grace of love to God and man, as of the highest excellence, and of absolute necessity. Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels — That is, all the languages which are spoken upon earth, and with the eloquence of an angel; and have not charity — Αγαπην , love; namely, the love of God shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost given to me, and the love of all mankind for his sake; I am become — Γεγονα , I am, or have been, before God; as sounding brass — No better than the sounding instruments of brass used in the worship of some of the heathen gods; or a tinkling cymbal — This was made of two pieces of hollow brass, which being struck together made a tinkling, but with very little variety of sound. Some have thought that the apostle mentions the tongues of angels, because in he patriarchal ages angels often spake with men. But as they then spake in the language of men, their tongues, thus understood, are the same with the tongues of men.

And therefore by the tongues of angels, the apostle doubtless meant the methods, whatever they are, by which angels communicate their thoughts to each other, and which must be a much more excellent language than any that is spoken by men. And though I have the gift of prophecy — Of foretelling future events; and understand all mysteries — Both of God’s word and providence; and all knowledge — Of things human and divine, that ever any mortal attained to; and have all faith — The highest degree of miracle-working faith; so that I could remove mountains — From their bases, and transport them from one part of the earth to another, and thus change the whole face of nature with a word; and have not charity — Αγαπην δε μη εχω , but have not love, I am nothing — In the sight of God with respect to piety: I not only have not true religion enough, but in reality I have none at all. And — To go further; though I bestow — Εαν ψωμιζω , though I distribute deliberately, piece by piece, with the greatest prudence and care; all my goods to feed the poor: and though I give my body to be burned — Rather than renounce my religion, or any truth or duty of the gospel; and have not the love, hereafter described, it profiteth me nothing — With respect to life eternal. It neither proves my title to it, nor prepares me for the enjoyment of it. Without love, whatever I speak, whatever I have, whatever I know, whatever I do, whatever I suffer, is nothing.

Though {1} I speak with the tongues of men and of {a} angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a {b} tinkling cymbal. (1) He reasons first of charity, the excellency of which he first shows by this, that without it, all other gifts are as nothing before God. And this he proves partly by an induction, and partly also by an argument taken of the end, for what reason those gifts are given. For, to what purpose are those gifts but to God's glory, and the profit of the Church as is before proved? So that those gifts, without charity, have no right use. (a) A very earnest amplifying of the matter, as if he said, If there were any tongues of angels, and I had them, and did not use them to the benefit of my neighbour, it would be nothing else except a vain and prattling type of babbling. (b) That gives a rude and uncertain sound.

1 . the tongues of men ] i.e. the languages of mankind. See notes on ch. 14. and of angels ] The Rabbis (see Lightfoot in loc .) speak of the languages of angels. It is possible that St Paul may be referring to this notion. But 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.’ and have not charity ] Tyndale (who is followed by Cranmer and the Geneva Bible), love ; Vulgate, caritas . The force of this eloquent panegyric on love is impaired, and the agreement between the various writers of the New Testament much obscured, by the rendering charity , instead of love . 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. sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal ] So Wiclif and Tyndale. The Apostle refers here to Psalm 150:5 , where the Hebrew speaks of ‘cymbals of sound’ and ‘cymbals of clangour,’ and the Septuagint renders almost by the same words as St Paul. Cf. ch. 1 Corinthians 14:7 , where the difference between an unmeaning noise and real music is spoken of.

XIII. (1) Though I speak . . .—The more excellent way is “Love.” Without it all moral and intellectual gifts are valueless. If there be love—the love of God, and the love of our brethren—in our hearts, all will be well. This hymn of praise in honour of love is remarkable. (1) as coming from St. Paul, and not from St. John, from whose pen we might naturally have looked for it; and (2), occurring here in an atmosphere of controversy, preceded and succeeded as it is by close logical argument. On the first point we may observe what a striking illustration it is of the completeness of St. Paul’s character. The clear, vigorous intellect and the masculine energy of the great Apostle are united to a heart full of tenderness. We can almost feel its pulsations, we can almost hear its mighty throbbings, in every line of this poem. That this passage should be found in the middle of a protracted argument suggests the idea that we have here the result of a sudden and direct inspiration. The Apostle had always been conscious of a mighty power working in him, mastering him, bringing him into captivity to Christ. There suddenly flashes upon him the realisation of what that power is, and he cannot but at once give utterance, in language of surpassing loftiness and glowing with emotion, to the new and profound conviction which has set his whole soul aflame. This chapter is the Baptismal Service of Love. Here it receives its new Christian name.

The word (agapè) which is used here for love is peculiar to the New Testament (and a few passages in the LXX.). It is not to be found in any heathen writer. The word “charity,” which signifies either tolerance or almsgiving, is an insufficient rendering of the original, and destroys the force of the passage, especially in 1Corinthians 13:3, where “almsgiving” without love is pronounced worthless. The Latin caritas was used as the rendering of agape, probably because the ordinary Latin word amor (love) was considered too significant of a mere earthly or fleshly affection; and hence the word “charity” in the English version. Perhaps it was hoped that the word “charity,” when planted in such a soil. and with such surroundings, would have grown to have that larger significance to which the original gives expression. If so, the experiment has not succeeded, the word has not become acclimatised to this chapter. The word “love” had better be restored here. The rare purity of its surrounding atmosphere will completely deprive it of any earthly or sensual taint. This chapter, occupied with the one main thought, divides itself into three parts— 1Corinthians 13:1-3. The greatest gifts are valueless without LOVE. 1Corinthians 13:4-7. The pre-eminent characteristics of LOVE. 1Corinthians 13:8-13. Gifts are transient; virtues are eternal, and chief of them is LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13:1 . Εὰν , if ) All the gift s [ although they may be, in the highest degree, delightful, extensive, and useful .—V. g.] ought to be estimated, exercised, and elevated, according to love and its standard. The apostle introduces into the discussion of the gifts a more efficacious discussion respecting love. So in Disputations, we must always return to those points, which give a higher degree of grace.— ταῖς ) all.— γλώσσαις , tongues ) A gradation: with the tongues , 1 Corinthians 13:1 : prophecy , 1 Corinthians 13:2 : faith , 1 Corinthians 13:2 : I shall have bestowed , 1 Corinthians 13:3 .— λαλῶ , I speak ) The tenor of love causes, that, whereas he just before used the expression, to you , he should now however speak in the first person singular. He does not except even himself in the condition supposed [viz., Though I speak, etc., and have not charity, etc.]— καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων , and of angels ) Angels excel men, and the tongue or tongues of the former excel those of the latter. Moreover, they use their tongues at least to address men: Luke 1, 2— ἀγάπην , love ) by which the salvation of our neighbour is sought.— μὴ ἔχω , have not ) in the very use of the gifts, and in the rest of the life. Many indeed have prophecy and other gifts, without charity and its fruits, 1 Corinthians 13:4 ; Matthew 7:22 , which are called gifts , not so much in respect of themselves, as of others.— γέγονα ) I have become , for want of love.