Exposition of I Corinthians 13 – Part 2
February 19, 2010
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II Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
John 13:34,35 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also
love one another. [35] By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Since I believe we are living in the last days, and that the catching out of the saved is not a distant event, the judgment seat of Christ looms in my future, and I am naturally inclined to be more concerned about quality of love in my own life, since I believe it will be the most important factor considered when I am judged.
So I am presenting this exposition of love from I Corinthians 13 for my own edification as well as the readers.
Please allow me to repeat the last portion of Part 1 in this exposition of the 13 verses of I Corinthians 13.
I CORINTHIANS 13:1 – Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
THE LOVE OF GOD IS NOT LOUD OR BRASSY. IT IS THE WORD OF HIS SON LIVING IN US THAT MANIFESTS A SOUL SUBDUED BY THE LOVE IN HIS
WORD.
This process of submission is outlined by Paul in his first epistle to Timothy.
I Timothy 4:13 – Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
II Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I Timothy 3:14,15 – These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: [15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Ephesians 3:21 – Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
I CORINTHIANS 13:1 – Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
The supremacy of love is clearly established by contrast with human oratory (“tongues’) and communication of the angels. No language in heaven or earth can be justly compared with the practice of love. The art of oratory, which was so valued in the Greek culture, could in no way surpass love for one another in the church.
Great oratory of the Greek speakers held their listeners in great admiration of their technique and delivery of presentation,
and their words rippled through the air like the vibrations from a brass gong, but their effect was only as long as the resounding sound lasted. The act of agape love lasted because it engraved itself on the soul of the person who received it.
The clashing sound of cymbals tinkles the inner ear, and is temporarily exciting to the purpose driven man, and may be alluring and persuasive to lead a charge full of fervor, but if its action is not motivated by love, it is only noise, “sound without soul.”
Colossians 3:23,24 – And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily (ek psuche – from the saved soul), as to the Lord, and not unto men; [24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
I thank God it is not the PERSON preaching the Word that causes men to be saved. The power of salvation is in the Word itself, and not in the oratorical eloquence or style of the one sounding it.
John 6:62,63 – What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? [63] It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
If the motive of the speaker is the love of God and his Word, then the speaker will receive a reward, but I do understand what Paul stated concerning this process, and am constantly examining myself as to my motives in the things I preach and teach. If it is to draw attention to yourself, to put down others, to show how intelligent you think you are, or to impress others with your ability to speak it eloquently, as long as what you preach is the truth of the Gospel, then I rejoice that you
preach it.
Philippians 1:15-18 – Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: [16] The one preach Christ of contention not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: [17] But the other OF LOVE, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. [18] What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Paul longed for the appearing of Christ with an intense love for its occurrence, and seemed to be always looking for things that would indicate it to be near. His love for the Word of God is clearly manifested in the last thing he wrote before his departure from this present life.
II Timothy 4:8-13 – Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing. [9] Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: [10] For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. [11] Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. [12] And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.
[13] The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
Why in the world did Paul want Timothy to being John Mark with him, when he knew he was about to die? It was John Mark who was instrumental in causing Paul’s breakup with his great brother in Christ, Barnabas!
John Mark had bailed out on his Uncle Barnabas and the Apostle Paul when the going got tough at the foot of the steep mountains of Turkey. Paul and Barnabas met in Syria during Barnabas’ trip to Antioch. The account is carried in Acts 11:22-26.
Acts 11:22-26 – Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. [23] Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. [24] For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
[25] Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: [26] And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled
themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Paul, along with Barnabas and his nephew John Mark, later left Antioch on their first missionary journey, and it was a fairly easy mission until they reached the base of the foothills of the Taurus Mountains at Perga on the flat southern coastline of Pamphylia. Mark looked up at these vertical slopes and, knowing they had blizzards and great snowfall on the upper plateaus, as well as many robber bands living in them, he headed for home.
Acts 13:13 – Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
I do not wish to judge Mark for his conduct, for I am confident I would have done the same, being the coward that I am in the flesh. But Mark’s action at that time caused Paul to believe Mark could not be trusted to take on future missionary journeys, and later caused Paul and Barnabas to part ways when planning their second journey.
Acts 15:36-40 – And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. [37] And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. [38] But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. [39] And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; [40] And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
Paul was not a man who preached as “sounding brass and tinkling cymbals.” Paul’s motivation was the love of God manifested in him by his love for the Word of his God. So why in heaven’s name would he want Mark in the last days of his life?
II Timothy 4:11 – Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
So what possible use could Mark be to the man who had refused to let him go on the second missionary journey because of his forsaking the work? The answer is found in 4:13, and is one of the great examples of why it is not as important as to how a man starts the race, but as to how he finishes it.
II Timothy 4:13 – The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
The word translated “books” is “biblion,” which is a paper or letter written on papyrus bark (the inner part of the papyrus plant). “Parchments” is “membrane,” which consisted of stretched and dried animal skins on which papers and letters were written.
The first books of the New Testament were written on papyrus bark and animal membranes.
Most sources put the time of the writing of this last epistle of Paul no earlier than 65 A.D. and no later than 67 A.D., so with this in mind, it is important to acknowledge that only one of the four Gospels was finished by that time, which was the Gospel of Mark.
So we have a worn out old man, cold, tired, and waiting to be executed, in a damp Roman dungeon. What was, and had been, his motive for preaching the Gospel? It was his love for his Master manifested by his love for his Word? He wanted John Mark to being him all that he had written as the account of the first Gospel, and he
wanted to read it before he departed to the one who gave it to Mark.
So what is the “call to preach?” It is a love for the Word and the Lord who gave it, and the desire to please him because he has given you this greatest of all honors. So preach with the motivation of love! And what is the call that all receive to serve him? It is a love for the Word, and for the one who gave it.
Colossians 3:23,24 – And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; [24] Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
I Corinthians 13:13 – And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.