1 Corinthians 13:5

5. Behave… unseemly Lovelessness cares not how offensive its demeanour towards others. It cares not how much mortification it creates in other breasts by its coarse, offensive, or haughty style. Even religious people often clothe their religion in a hard, stiff, legal aspect, rendering it unattractive, and producing rejection by those whom it should win. On the contrary, true love, brought to the surface, seeks to please, and thereby sheds a winsomeness over the manners and character. And it is wonderful how this quality does win its way; not by fighting a fierce battle, but by disarming beforehand, and rendering, the battle unnecessary. Worldly self-interest, policy, diplomacy, and courtliness often put on this manner. The gentleman is a gentle man. It is one of the benefits, indeed, of a common interest that it creates a common desire to please, and thus promotes more or less courtesy and cordiality of temper. It is thus that trade and commerce are, as intended by Providence, wonderful promoters of peace, civilization, and humanity. There is a contest between commerce and war, in which the former is gaining a gradual and most humane victory.

Not… provoked Not exasperated. For just so far as the exasperation extends love is neutralized. Hence the easily, inserted by the translators, without Greek, is unnecessary. But the not being exasperated now and then requires a permanent and perfected love. That is very necessary, indeed, to soothe by anticipation the irritability and prevent the exasperation. This irritability is often a sin of the disordered and sensitive nerves. It is a physiological sin. It requires an immense deal of love to neutralize the sharp sensations that sting the irritable nerves of some persons to fretfulness and exasperated words. This is the trial of some temperaments. And such persons should be careful how they excuse themselves for their sin on the ground of temperament. The moment they do this they are in great danger of giving themselves the privilege of the sin, and so making the sin of the nerves the sin of the will and the consent. We should, like a skilful general, rather concentrate our strongest force at our weakest spot.

Seeketh not her own Love may arise from common interest, and even from self-interest. It is provided by God that these should be productive of this good result. But love, just so far as it is pure love, thinks not of itself. It is happy in the happiness of others, having no regard for any happiness of its own, excepting this very delight in the others’ well-being. Its very excellence is, that it places its own happiness in the happiness of others.

Thinketh no evil An unfortunate translation. Literally, imputeth not the evil. Not, as Alford, “the evil which is, but love does not impute it;” but rather the evil imputation when the good one was equally probable. For love, as will soon be said, rejoices in the truth. Even love prefers the truth above the friend. But love imputeth not the evil construction where truth will permit the good.