1 Corinthians 13

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1 Corinthians: 13 is the thirteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians. It is on the subject of love, principally the love that Christians should have for everyone. In the original Greek the word αγαπη (agape - worshipful love) is used throughout. This was translated as charity in the King James version; but the word love is preferred by most other translations, both earlier and more recent. Authorship is generally attributed to Paul of Tarsus.[1]

Contents

[edit] Historical and literary context

1 Corinthians illuminates the early church's efforts to define itself, not only in terms of doctrine, but also allegiance to spiritual leaders such as Peter, Paul, Apollos and Jesus.[2] Who is a "real Christian" and who is not is a major theme. A significant portion of the preceding chapter (1 Corinthians 12:1-10) focuses on the issue of spiritual gifts, and there appears to have been interpersonal conflicts based upon the possession of such gifts, including speaking in tongues or prophecy.[3] Paul tells his audience that they may have all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but unless they first have love, these gifts mean nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

[edit] Description of agape

A description of agape, the concept of selfless love, forms a major passage in this Epistle's thirteenth chapter, running from verse 4 to the end.

According to the author, agape:

  • (verse 4)
  • is longsuffering (i.e. tolerant, patient)
  • is kind
  • is free of jealousy, envy and pride
  • (verse 5)
  • does not display unseemly behavior
  • is unselfish
  • is not touchy, fretful or resentful
  • takes no account of the evil done to it [outwardly ignores a suffered wrong]
  • (verse 6)
  • hates evil
  • is associated with honesty
  • (verse 7)
  • protects
  • trusts [implying faith in God and trusting in righteousness]
  • hopes
  • perseveres
  • (verse 8)
  • triumphs
  • (verse 13)
  • is greater than either faith or hope

[edit] "Through a Glass, Darkly"

1 Corinthians 13:12 contains the phrase

βλεπομεν γαρ αρτι δι εσοπτρου εν αινιγματι

rendered in KJV,

"For now we see through a glass, darkly."

which refers to mirrors,[4] not lenses, and which has inspired the titles of many works.

[edit] Other notable passages

There are two other passages from 1 Corinthians: 13 which have been notably influential.

Firstly, verse 11: "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (KJV).

Secondly, verse 13, in praise of the Theological virtues:

νυνι δε μενει πιστις ελπις αγαπη τα τρια ταυτα μειζων δε τουτων η αγαπη
"And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." (NRSV)

[edit] Ritual use

The passage has appeared in Christian wedding liturgies, including the Book of Common Prayer. Sometimes it is read in funeral services as well, as when Prime Minister Tony Blair read the passage at the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997.[5]

[edit] Cultural references

  • George Orwell's 1936 novel Keep The Aspidistra Flying quotes the King James version of the text with the word charity replaced by the word money.[6]
  • The Latin motto of Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada is Nunc cognosco ex parte ("Now I know in part").
  • The passage is often quoted in Elmer Gantry (1960), a film by Richard Brooks based on the novel by Sinclair Lewis. The film, set in Prohibition-era America, tells the story of a roguish traveling salesman who becomes a revivalist preacher.
  • Krzysztof Kieślowski's film Three Colors: Blue (1993) draws many images and themes from 1 Corinthians 13, including allusions to appearances ("seeing through a glass") and musical sounds. The Song for the Unification of Europe at the center of the story sets an abridged version of the original Greek text.
  • In the film The Mission by Roland Joffé, the character Rodrigo Mendoza reads from 1 Corinthians 13:11 on his journey towards reformation.
  • Quoted within E.T.A. Hoffmann's grotesque short story, Der Sandmann, "Possibly, also, you will come to believe that real life is more singular and more fantastic than anything else and that all a writer can really do is present it as 'in a glass, darkly.'
  • Verses 11 and 12 are quoted in the movie Ghost In The Shell.
  • The name of the novel/film A Scanner Darkly is derived from a slightly different translation of verse 13.
See also: Through A Glass Darkly
  • Quoted in the film A Walk to Remember
  • The Bob Dylan song, "Watered Down Love" from the Album Shot of Love quotes 1 Corinthians 13 , several times, and is about living without it.
  • In the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Barney refers to 1 Corinthians 13, which Marshall recites, and Lily then adds to their list of "Wedding Cliches We Won't Do At Our Wedding"

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ New Testament Study Helps: Paul's Letters to the Corinthians at theologywebsite.com
  2. ^ Latourette, Kenneth Scott, A History of Christianity, Volume 1: Beginnings to 1500, p. 114, © 1975 Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., ISBN 0-06-064952-6
  3. ^ Henry, Matthew, Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation): First Corinthians Chap. XII, Public domain, Library of Congress call no: BS490.H4, at Christian Classics Ethereal Library
  4. ^ Entry: εσοπτρον (espotron - Strong's 2072), retrieved from blueletterbible.org
  5. ^ Diana's funeral (CNN) Retrieved 20-Jun-2006
  6. ^ Keep the Aspidistra Flying preface (project Gutenberg) Retrieved 12-Oct-2006