1 Corinthians 13:12-13

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Permanence of love. Why is it that the numerous objects around us are transient? On every side they appeal to us, connect themselves with hope and fear, enter into our business, awaken enterprise and ambition, and even inspire ardent love; yet they are ever passing away. Now, there must be a discipline in all this, and Christianity assures us what it means. It is that we may be trained in the midst of evanescence for that which is permanent. And this presupposes that there is not only an... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:12

Through a glass; rather, through (or, by means of ) a mirror. Our "glasses" were unknown in that age. The mirrors were of silver or some polished metal, giving, of course, a far dimmer image than "glasses" do. The rabbis said that "all the prophets saw through a dark mirror, but Moses through a bright one." St. Paul says that no human eye can see God at all except as an image seen as it were behind the mirror. Darkly ; rather, in a riddle. God is said to have spoken to Moses "by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:12

The body the dark medium of spiritual vision. "For now we see through a glass, darkly," etc. It needs no illustration to show that our vision of spiritual things is very dim. The cause of this is our subject—the medium is dark, that medium is the body. Through the five senses we gather all the lights that flash on our consciousness and form within us ideas. But why is it dark? I. The body tends to MATERIALIZE THE CONCEPTIONS OF THE MIND . We "judge after the flesh." ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:12

"Face to face." He who looked into and, as it seemed, through the brazen disc saw a dim reflection of his own or his brother's features, or a misty representation or the landscape. But he who sees face to face sees, as by an immediate intuition, with nothing to hinder a perfect knowledge of perception. The comparison opens up to us a wonderful and most inspiring view of the perfection of the future, the heavenly state. I. TRUE OF OUR KNOWLEDGE GENERALLY . The apostle speaks... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:12

Now, and then. Divine knowledge is the truest riches of the intellect; Divine love, the dearest wealth of the heart. Love is greater than all gifts; greater than tongues and than prophecy, which shall pass away; greater even than knowledge, which here is but partial and progressive. How natural that St. Paul, whose mind was eager for knowledge, and whose life was so largely devoted to communicating it, should linger for a moment and think of knowledge such as it now is and such as it is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:12

Now—then. I. OUR PRESENT IGNORANCE . Our knowledge of Divine things (for these are here chiefly referred to) resembles that which we obtain of natural objects when we see them "through a glass," or rather "reflected in a mirror." And ancient mirrors, of which the apostle speaks, were by no means so perfect as modern ones. Made of imperfectly polished metal, they gave but a very defective representation of objects reflected. The imperfection of our present knowledge is thus strikingly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:12

The nature of the future knowledge. "Then shall I know even as also I am known." Better read, "I was known," i.e. known or apprehended of Christ. St. Paul's thought appears to be that soul culture brings the true, full knowledge and power. A man knows only in the measure of the progress of the work of Divine grace in him; and what we may call perfect knowledge can only come when we are ourselves morally perfected, wholly sanctified, through the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Two points... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:13

And now. The "now" is not temporal (as opposed to the "then" of the previous verse), but logical. It sums up the paragraph. Abideth . These three graces are fundamental and permanent; not transient, like the charisms, on which the Corinthians were priding themselves, but which should all be "annulled." Faith, hope, charity. It might be difficult to see how "hope" should be permanent. But if the future state be progressive throughout eternity and infinitude, hope will never quite be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Love the greatest power in mind. "And now abideth faith, hope, charity," etc. Love is here brought into comparison with two other great things in mind—faith and hope. I. The CORRESPONDENCE between these three. The words imply: 1. That they are all great. The apostle speaks of the "greatest." "Faith" is a great thing. It implies reason, truth, and. the investigation of evidence. It is a great thing in business, in science, in society, as well as in religion. "Hope" is a great... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 13:13

"The greatest of these." Paul has often been called the apostle of faith, in distinction from John, the apostle of love. This declaration, therefore, coming from Paul is the more valuable. No doubt what he saw of the Corinthian Christians, who disputed much concerning gifts, natural and supernatural, made the apostle specially sensible of the supreme necessity of charity. What men are—their character—is of more importance than what they have— their abilities. Paul was not the man to... read more

Group of Brands