Lesson 10 — The Way of Love

I Corinthians 13:1-13


Introduction

In Billy Graham's newspaper column the following question was posed: “Nobody loves me. Why?”

Answer: This is a sad question but one we often receive in our mail. To love and be loved is the gist of living, and when one feels that one is not loved no pain or anguish is greater. Generally, the person who is unloved mistrusts love. He builds up a defense against it. While longing for it he repels it, with a biting tongue, with unlovely actions. This makes a chain reaction, and, although there are those who love him, he thwarts the very thing he most desires and is left alone---miserable and lonely. A famous psychologist writes: "If you would be loved, stamp out the habits of selfishness and egotism. Curb your caustic tongue, your overbearing nature, and cultivate graciousness, understanding and kindness. You can do this, if only you make up your mind to do it, and grow into maturity and magnanimity --- a veritable center of love and affection."

John has been called the apostle of love. Love is one of the key words of both his gospel ad epistles; whereas Paul has been considered a preacher of faith. John tells us that God is love, but it is Paul who perhaps makes the profoundest contribution to the Christian understanding of love. 

Contextual Overview 

Some interpreters have questioned whether or not Paul actually wrote 
I Corinthians 13 because its literary style is different from his usual writings and because its placement in context doesn't seem to connect to the preceding and following portions of the letter. They think this chapter may have been an interpolation made at a later time by editors. Most scholars, however, do not question that Paul is the writer. To them, its placement in context is quite logical. In preceding chapters Paul has been talking about spirituality and gifts. 

Outline

I. The superiority of love (vv. 1-3)
II. The nature of love (vv. 4- 7)
III. The permanence of love (vv. 8-13)

Textual Review

Church members in Corinth had become prideful about their gifts, displaying them ostentatiously and promoting a feeling of self-importance. They were boasting about having gifts of healing, prophecy, speaking in tongues, etc. In this chapter Paul is telling them their gifts are nothing to boast about. He puts it all in perspective with the word love.

The form of the word love Paul uses is agape, not the usual word for love used at that time, particularly in the vice-ridden, sensual city of Corinth. Agape signifies moral love, conveying the idea of good will, brotherliness, and friendship. Paul saw the church as being a community of friendship in which members were characterized by a spiritual bond uniting them in faith and loyalty to their Lord and to each other. Agape is love for all human beings. It carries the meaning of love guided or governed by principle. It does not necessarily include affection or fondness. Agape is not unfeeling, but it is not ruled by feeling or sentiment. As Christians we may rightly show agape toward others for whom we may feel no affection or fondness, but we do it for the welfare of these persons. Even if we do not feel affection we do feel compassion and sincere concern for such fellow human beings. The height of agape love is love for one's enemies. AGAPE CAN BE KNOWN ONLY FROM THE ACTIONS IT PROMPTS.

This chapter reads poetically. There is a rhythm and cadence to it. Paul frequently uses the language of contrast stating what is and is not true of love. This chapter has been called the hymn of love. As we read the thirteen verses of this chapter, let us be attentive to the characteristics and nuances of the meaning of Christian love that Paul lists. These verses can serve as a checklist that tells us whether or not we are becoming loving persons. Love has the following attributes:

1. is patient
2. is kind
3. is not envious
4. is no braggart
5. is not inflated with its own importance
6. does not behave gracelessly
7. does not insist upon its own rights
8. does not fly into a temper
9. does not store up the memory of any wrong received 
10. finds no pleasure in evil doing
11. rejoices with the truth
12. can endure anything
13. is completely trusting
14. does not cease to hope
15. bears everything with fortitude 

Conclusion
Some additional thoughts for consideration:
Erich Fromm --- “Love is the only satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.”

In reference to the gift of intellectual knowledge, it has been said that people don't care how much you know. They want to know how much you care.

Gary Chapman has explored five ways that people tend to communicate love to one another:

1. sharing quality time 
2. words of affirmation 
3. gifts
4. acts of service
5. physical touch

Discussion Questions

1. Is love a spiritual gift?
2. Why do you think Paul spoke in first person singular in the opening verses?
3. Can patience be a vice as well as a virtue? Give examples.
4. In what way is love superior to faith and hope?
5. Can love ever be allowed to insist upon its rights?
6. What indications do you see that Pleasant Valley church is a community of friendship?

References
The Anchor Bible Dictionary
Insight on the Scriptures
The Interpreter's Bible



(Mary Button is a retired elementary teacher and a long-time member of the Pleasant Valley church. She is married to Chris.)