Chapter 13
V1-3 Agape is Greek for brotherly love, which is the type of love commanded of us to love thy neighbour as thyself. Agapao is love in a social or moral sense i.e. assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety e.g. love for enemies or brothers whom you do not really know. Phileo on the other hand is that love of a friend or one you are fond of i.e. affection as a matter of sentiment or feeling.
Paul stresses that the gifts of the Holy Spirit may perform all manner of wonderful things, but if brotherly love lacks in the heart of that person manifesting the gifts, then they are all but vain. Even good deeds such as giving away all of one’s possessions for alms and giving up your life for a worthy cause, if bereft of love is meaningless.
V4 Brotherly love is slow to anger, is kind and does not zeloo/envy, hate or be jealous, does not boast, nor is proud or haughty. Are these not the evils we find in our churches today? Does not the prosperity gospel promote jealousy, pride and boasting not only in the congregation but also between competing preachers? There is much hatred and anger that makes news headlines in the scandalous Catholic and Anglican churches between clergymen jostling for positions to but name a couple of denominations.
V5 Love does not act unbecomingly i.e. in a rude manner, is not selfish, is not short-tempered nor irritable and never bears evil thoughts. Homosexuality, lesbianism, paedophilia and all manner of unbecoming behaviour has pervaded the churches of our time. Evil thoughts may be one thing, but the evil deeds which are actioning of these thoughts have corrupted the so-called churches of God. Drunkenness, licentiousness, fornication, backbiting, slander, theft from church coffers and other unimaginable forms of evil have almost become acceptable behaviour in most contemporary churches, such wilful, repeated sins being claimed to be worthy of forgiveness no matter how often they are committed.
V6 Churches have foolishly become embroiled in the filthy politics of our day, allying themselves with rulers of this world who are given seats of power by the forces of darkness cf 2 Cor 4:1-4. There is little truth preached by such who pit themselves against other political parties backed by delinquent churches too, misleading and ultimately dismantling unity in the congregation. Much rejoicing in these churches for victorious political parties which have manifestos from the pit of hell, alienates these churches from any form of truth.
The American Republicans versus Democrats are a fitting example of the hypocrisy displayed by churches who lose sight of the Messiah and align themselves instead with these diametrically opposed parties’ representatives of the Hegelian dialectic. This is comprised of three dialectical stages of development: a thesis, giving rise to its reaction; an antithesis, which contradicts or negates the thesis; and the tension between the two being resolved by means of a synthesis. In more simplistic terms, one can consider it thus: problem → reaction → solution.
V7 Love stego/covers all things cf 1 Pet 4:8. A true Christian would rather diminish wrongdoing of others than magnify it and publicize it, effectively giving it prominence, which profits nobody but Satan and his kingdom. Love believes in goodness, and searches such in even the most decrepit individuals, rather than rushing into scandalizing and slandering others. Love hopes for the best in others, patiently giving everybody the benefit of the doubt. Having said this Paul would not be condoning pure diabolical behaviour of reprobate minds, but rather be referring to giving one exhibiting contrition that opportunity to be redeemed of aberrant behaviour cf Matt 18:21-22; 2 Tim 2:24; Pro 10:12. Love perseveres under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Messiah cf Matt 10:22; 2 Thes 1:4; Heb 13:13.
V8 Love will never perish because Elohim is love 1 Jn 4:8. It is only logical that prophecies/predicting the future, speaking under inspiration shall become redundant one day, once we are living in glory. Speaking in tongues shall come to an end once we are living in the presence of Elohim, where the purpose of such language shall no longer be relevant. Like prophecies, knowledge shall also one day be katargeo/redundant, inoperative, as we all shall be knowledgeable in our incorruptible bodies.
V9-10 Being in this corruptible body we are limited in our knowledge and prophecies. However, when Messiah who is perfect and complete, returns for us at the rapture, we shall be given incorruptible bodies and be forever with him, these limitations of our carnal tabernacles being done away with cf 1 Cor 15:48-53; 1 Thes 4:16-17.
V11 As babes in Christianity, we are full of carnality, which wrestles against, and is at enmity with the liberty found in the Holy Spirit cf 3:1-3; Rom 8:1-7. From birth, our carnal desire is for food to satisfy the belly Phil 3:18-19; Rom 16:17-18. Selfishness emanates from these desires which cascades into jealousy, pride, and all manner of evil if it remains unchecked. Hence why Torah must be instilled within the hearts of children from the outset, in order for the carnal desires of the flesh to be thwarted Deut 6:1,2,7.
Without Torah upbringing, one progressively becomes degenerate as the carnal desires formulate their behaviour and is etched in their minds permanently. Only liberty is then found in being born-again, whereby the power of the Holy Spirit brings truth into the reprobate mind. However, the transformation and renewing of the mind does not occur overnight cf Rom 12:2. Rather a spiritual battle occurs in the mind whereby the neophyte Christian must actively engage in warfare against the agents of Satan’s kingdom, in order to conquer the desires of the flesh, and live a spiritually mature life cf 2 Cor 10:3-6. It is at this point of victory that we put off childish things.
V12 In this earthly life, due to our limitations of physical as opposed to spiritual bodies that we possess, we look into the spiritual realm obscurely and ginosko/come to know only so much. We are unable to see things at a quantum level as the angels, Yeshua, Elohim and spiritual enmity do. Hence why we live by faith unto hope of things to come cf Heb 11:1. On that glorious day of Yeshua’s return, the righteous shall in the twinkling of an eye be transformed from living in corruptible bodies into that which is incorruptible. It is at that time that we shall be able to epiginosko/be thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, those things which appear obscure at present. We would no longer be constrained by faith, as we would be able to behold Yeshua and all truth face to face.
V13 Till that glorious day arrives, we are to live in faith, hope and love, the greatest of these being love. Faith and hope although good, must work through love cf Gal 5:5-6.