1 Corinthians 13

Main Body

The Superiority of Love V. 1-3

Compared with tongues

• What comparison does Paul make to tongues without love?
  • Corinth was known for its production of Corinthian brass. The people would have been very familiar with the sound of a hammer striking brass.
  • Paul's comment on the tongues of angels may be a play on the people's view that they had arrived. The people may well have identified themselves as having arrived and being at the level of angelic beings in their worship. Paul's contrast with a clanging symbol is striking.

Compared with Prophecy and Knowledge

• What are some spiritual things that you do not understand? Wouldn't you like to know the answer?
  • It is worth noting that commentaries disagree on how many gifts are actually mentioned here. For example some argue that prophecy, understanding mysteries, understanding knowledge, and faith are all separate. Others think of this as just prophecy and faith. In this context it is somewhat irrelevant, the key here is that none of this matters without love.

Compared with self-sacrifice

• What does our society typically think of as being the ultimate testament of a person's spirituality?
  • We often think of self-sacrifice as being the ultimate test of spirituality. However, again, Paul brings love into the equation.

The progression

To the person who would argue that gifts of the Spirit give spiritual standing Paul offers the following: without love I am just a lot of noise, I am nothing, and I gain nothing.