Sometimes familiarity breeds
not contempt but rather presents us a challenge. Some texts have such a well-established setting within the ritualistic life
of the church, that it is difficult for us to understand them apart from their ritual captivity. It is hard for us to view
these texts within the congregational and cultural setting in which they first were written.
That challenge certainly is true with I Corinthians 13. Most of
us are familiar with these words, and often we have heard them read at weddings. Yet,
Paul never intended for the church to use these words in a wedding service. He would have understood a closer use of these
words in marriage counseling, when harsh words and even harsher actions have began fragmenting a marriage. Today as we hear these well-known words, can we hear them anew? Can
we dislodge them from our thinking of the white dresses, rented tuxedos, bouquets, and unity candles?
When Paul wrote these words, he wrote them to a church that was in a high level of internal conflict. The church was not just threatening to fragment—it already was shattering. Problems were abounding throughout the life of that congregation. For example:
When
they gathered for their weekly common meals—those members of the congregation that arrived first were eating up all
the food. They were not waiting for those members that were slaves, and who could
not get off work until later.
Some of the members were scorning their fellow members gifts for ministry, while at the same time, trying to overshadow
everyone else in bragging about their own gifts.
Some
members always were insisting that they have their own way in the church, and that everyone had to bend to their will in church
decisions. In other words, they were using the church to be the setting for their
own “power- trips.”
Some members were “bad-mouthing” and “back-biting” others, and spreading gossip—all in
an effort to get leadership positions for themselves within the church.
These members’ “problem” was not that they did not have spiritual gifts for the work of the church;
Rather, their “problem” was the way that they were seeking to manifest
their spiritual gifts in the church’s worship and service.
Paul had a special affection for this congregation. First Church Corinth was a very small congregation that was meeting in peoples’ homes. As
was typical of early Christianity—this was an urban congregation, which was located in the city of Corinth. Corinth was the capital city of a Roman
province, which had a diverse population. Paul had preached there for 18 months
and there were many converts during his ministry in Corinth.
About two or three years later while Paul was seeking to build up the church in Ephesus—he received
a letter from some of the elders at the Corinthian Church. In that letter, they wrote
to him about several divisive conflicts within their congregation. They had sought to resolve the conflicts, but they had
been unsuccessful. Moreover, the longer the conflicts continued within
that congregation, the more the congregation was splintering into little groups with specific agendas. Each of these groups
proudly identified their concerns with one of the former leaders of that congregation. The
congregation was coming apart! The elders were frustrated and did not know what
to do about it all. They therefore wrote Paul a letter, and had asked for his
guidance on how to resolve the conflicts between competing church members.
Paul’s letter of I Corinthians, therefore was an answer to
the desperation of the elders at First Church Corinth. In his letter, Paul
began in chapter 1 on a positive note. He wrote to them as, “...those who Christ has made holy, who are called to be God’s
men and women...” Paul further wrote that he was “...always thankful to God for what the gift of his grace in Jesus Christ has meant (to them)...(How) the Christian message had been established among (them).” (Quote from J.B. Phillips, translation, 1958, modified)
Then Paul confronted them regarding the divisions within that congregation: “Now I do beg you, my brothers and sisters,
by all that Christ means to you, to speak with one voice, and not allow yourselves to be split up into parties...For I know,
from what some of Chloe’s people have told me, that you are each making different claims—‘I am one of Paul’s
supporters’, says one; ‘I am one of Apollos’, says another; or ‘I am one of Cephas’; while someone
else says, ‘I owe my faith to Christ alone’.” (Quote from J.B. Phillips translation, 1958)
Then in chapter 12, Paul stressed to them that the Holy Spirit had given spiritual gifts to each member of the
congregation—every member had a gift—the gifts were diverse within the membership—and
these gifts were not gained by personal effort or personal achievement. Each
member of the congregation therefore was to use their gift in playing their essential role within that congregation, all for
the good of the whole body of believers.
Then in chapter 13, lest there was any lingering doubt about the foolishness of taking selfish pride in one’s
gifts—he wrote them that “love” trumps all such gifts of the Spirit. Paul chose to use the word “AGAPE” to express what he meant by love. AGAPE love was not here today and gone tomorrow. Moreover, it had nothing to do with emotional feelings about
someone or something—one could have AGAPE love, even for one whom one did not like. Moreover,
such love was given without expecting any response of appreciation from that other person. It
was given even when the other person did not confirm to one’s expectations.
In considering the implications of AGAPE love—three words might be helpful. Those words are “ESSENTIAL,”
“ENABLES,” and “ETERNAL.”
AGAPE love
is “ESSENTIAL” to the life of the church.
AGAPE love “ENABLES”
the church to be the church.
AGAPE love is “ETERNAL” for all time, and it never ends.
FIRST OF ALL, AGAPE LOVE IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH. Paul wrote to them that such “love”
was the “plumb-line,” the standard by which all Christian actions were to be measured. Without “love,”
even the most spiritual expressions in worship meant nothing. Without “love,” even the most eloquent religious
speech, finest music, and fervent religious emotions were worthless. They
were as worthless as the noisy gongs and cymbals that the members formerly had used in pagan worship.
Without love, the intellectual ability of being able to understand
great theological concepts, and the gift of being able to teach those concepts to others—they were worthless. Without
love, the greatest acts of personal benevolence were worthless—even the selling all of one’s possessions to feed
the hungry, and even giving up one’s life in martyrdom for one’s beliefs.
Without love, all these acts of worship, Christian education, and outreach within
the community were worthless. They were worthless, because the members have ignored
the core principle and prime directive of Christianity. That core principle and
prime directive was AGAPE love. It was without exception, “essential”
in the manifestation of every Christian’s actions or attitude.
SECONDLY, SUCH LOVE ENABLES A GATHERING OF INDIVIDUALS TO BE THE CHURCH. Paul explicitly contrasted “love”
to the conflicts that were taking place within the life of that particular congregation. He
wrote:
Love
is not short-tempered—and yet some congregational members had a “short-fuse” with one another. As a result, there was tenseness throughout the congregation.
Love
does not envy what others have achieved or their possessions in life—and yet some congregational members constantly
were “nit-picking” other members efforts and successes in life. Perhaps
some even were jealous of achievements that one might have had in the past—such as once being named “Homecoming
Queen” or having been elected for an office in high school such as “Class President,” or having been chosen
to be a “cheerleader.”
Love
is not boasting about what one has done, or having an inflated sense of one’s self-importance—and yet some members
were always bragging about themselves or their possessions.
Love
does not pursue selfish advantage over others—and yet some of the wealthier members were manipulating the pagan court
system in order to secure favorable rulings for their businesses and pet projects.
Love
enables us not just to get along with others within the church and the community, but rather love “enables” us
to be in a positive and intimate relationship with others.
Further, as J.B. Phillips put it, “love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope;
it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when
all else has fallen.” (J.B. Phillips translation, 1958)
THIRDLY, AGAPE LOVE FURTHER IS ETERNAL. In verse
10, Paul used the Greek word, “teleion.”
“Teleion” is an adjective. It
usually is translated as “complete,” and it stands in contrast to the idea of “incomplete” or “partial.”
The word also carries with it the overtone of the “end” or the “end-time.”
Paul therefore was saying that as long as we currently live in “this age”
with our human limitations, even with the aid of the Holy Spirit, we have a limited understanding of life and of God’s
love.
He then used an analogy of a mirror. Such ancient mirrors where made of
polished bronze—and their reflection was very distorted. He was saying
that we never see ourselves as others see us—and especially as God sees us. However,
when the “teleion” comes—the “end-time” when God’s reign is complete over all creation—at
that time we will completely understand God’s mystery, and see ourselves as God sees us. Paul urged the Corinthians to be “end-time Christians”—to love one another according to
the standard that will be fully manifested at the end of all time.
Recently we have seen much suffering in Haiti, and we have seen how
so many people have given of themselves for those in need. Tragically, suffering
is not limited to Haiti. Suffering also takes place at other
times, in other places. A while
back, it took place in a mission hospital. A little boy was brought in
with a deep gash in his right leg. He had lost a lot of blood. His older
brother was a match for his blood type. When asked if he would give his blood for his brother, he paused for a moment, and
then nodded “yes.” He climbed onto a gurney, and he lay still while
the needle was inserted into his arm. Soon his blood began to flow into
an IV bag.
In a few minutes the nurse returned, and took the IV bag off the line and took the needle out of his arm. She then told him that he was through giving blood, and that
he could leave. He was confused. He had only given a pint. He told the nurse, “I
didn’t know that you just wanted a pint of my blood. I thought you wanted all of my blood.” He was willing to
give all of his blood for his brother! That is what Christ did for you and me—he
loved us so much that he gave his life for us that we might have life. That is the essence of the Christian faith—love—to love as Christ loves
us. Paul put it this way, “In this life we have three great lasting qualities—faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of them is
love.” (J.B. Phillips translation,
1958)
Dr. William dePrater
