there can be no doubt, for the fact is alluded to in epistles of undoubted genuineness. 12. For as the body is one. The apostle now strengthens the argument contained in the preceding verses, by showing the analogy of the Christian church to the human body. As all the members of the body have their office, so have all the members of the church; although one has one gift, and another another, as in the human body unity is produced out of variety, so in the Christian body; as one member is not enough for the human body, so one gift is not enough for the church. The reasoning of the apostle holds good in regard to the human race. — - So also is Christ. "Christ" is here used for the church of Christ, all Christian believers. 19. And if all were one member, where were the body? If there were nothing but an eye or an ear, there would be no body. So if there were only one kind of talent and attainment there could be no Christian church and no human society. A variety of tastes, talents, and occupations is indispensable to human welfare. "The hand in its place is as Nay, the eye and the head 21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand. needful as the eye, and the feet as the head. could not perform their appropriate functions, or would be in a great measure useless, but for the aid of the hands and feet. its proper place." The same is true of human society. pensable to its existence. Each is useful in 22. Which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. Delicate organs, like the brain, heart, and lungs, are more necessary to the life of the body than stronger parts, like the arms and legs. A man can live without the latter, but not without the former. 23. We bestow more abundant honor. "The words rendered 'abundant honor' refer to clothing. We bestow upon them more attention and honor than we do on the face, that is deemed comely, and that is not covered and adorned as other parts of the body are." - Barnes. 26. And whether one member suffer. In this verse the apostle concludes his illustration drawn from the body and its members. No part can suffer without conveying pain to the whole; no part can be honored and the whole not share its joy. HINTS TO TEACHERS. This Lesson affords an opportunity to show the dependence of human beings on one another, and the sympathy and mutual respect which there should be in consequence. The various callings in which men are engaged and the different talents they possess promote the good of all. As when one member of the body suffers, all the others suffer with it, so when one nation or one calling suffers, all suffer. A war in another part of the world increases the cost of our food. The destruction or failure of crops affects not only the producer but the consumer. Ignorance and poverty, vice and crime, in one part of a community seriously affect every part. CHRISTIAN LOVE. 1 Corinthians XIII. 1-13. Love is the golden chain that binds The happy souls above; And he's an heir of heaven that finds His bosom glow with love. GOLDEN TEXT: But now abideth, faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.-1 COR. xiii. 13 (Revised Version). 1. What does the apostle Paul say is the best thing we can have? Christian love. 2. What does he say of faith if we have not love? He says that it is nothing. 3. What does he say of feeding the poor if we have not love? He says that it profiteth nothing. 4. Will you repeat what Paul next says of love? "Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away." 5. Will you repeat the Golden Text? 1. What does Paul say should be earnestly desired? 1 Cor. xii. 31. 2. What does he say he would show? 3. Where does he show this "more excellent way"? 4. What word should be used instead of "charity" in this thirteenth chapter? 5. What does he say in verses 1-3? 6. Why does he first mention the gift of tongues as inferior to love? 7. What motives besides love may lead one to give to worthy persons and objects? 8. What does Paul say of love in verses 4-7? 9. What figure of speech is used in these verses? 14. What is it to "behave unseemly "? 15. What is meant by "seeketh not her own"? 16. What does "thinketh no evil" mean? 17. How are the expressions in verse 7 to be qualified? 18. What does Paul next say of love? 8. 19. To what gifts is it superior in this respect? 20. What is the meaning of verse 9? 21. What is the meaning of verse 11? 22. What does the apostle mean by "now we see through a glass darkly"? 23. What two prominent graces does he call inferior to love? 13. 24. Why are they inferior to it? 25. Does he regard love as a single grace or as the root of all graces? INTRODUCTION. The thirteenth chapter of this epistle is closely connected with the preceding one, and not, as we might at first suppose, a passage independent of it. In the twelfth chapter, Paul alludes to the spiritual gifts of the Corinthian Christians, shows that each of these gifts had its place, and that none of them were to be despised; that all of them were conducive to variety and, at the same time, to unity. In the last verse of that chapter he says, according to the Revised Version, "But desire earnestly the best gifts. And a still more excellent way I shew unto you." That "still more excellent way" is love, which he proceeds to describe in the most beautiful and appropriate terms. It is almost needless to say that the word "charity" does not adequately express what the apostle had in mind. Nor is it the best translation of the original word. 66 This is rendered "love" in the Revised Version, and in nearly every translation of the New Testament except the King James. "This word," says Lange, was employed by the inspired writers to denote love in its highest and purest sense, a love which embraced as its proper objects both God and man. . . . What the apostle here speaks of is not any one particular virtue or grace, but that which is the root and spring of all virtues and graces, and which to possess is to be both like God and in God. In describing and recommending this fundamental grace, therefore, the apostle might well be expected to enlarge most eloquently. Accordingly, we have here presented to us a chapter which, as Hodge remarks, 'for moral elevation, for richness and comprehensiveness, for beauty and felicity of expression, has been the admiration of the church in all ages.' Paul here exhibits to us love after the manner of a jeweller handling the most precious gem of his cabinet; turning it on every side, showing it in varied lights, and holding it up to view in a way best fitted to awaken desire for its possession." Says Stanley, "On each side of this chapter the tumult of argument and remonstrance still rages; but within it all is calm; the sentences move in almost rhythmical melody, the imagery unfolds itself with almost dramatic propriety, the language arranges itself with almost historical accuracy. We can imagine how the apostle's amanuensis must have paused to look up in his master's face, at the sudden change of his style of dictation, and seen his countenance lighted up as it had been the face of an angel, as the sublime vision of divine perfection passed before him." NOTES. 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. The value of love is first presented in a negative way. “There is a climax in the passage throughout. . . . The gift of tongues is mentioned first, as it was against the exaggerated use of this that he had chiefly to contend. The expression is hyperbolical, but still based on real feeling. He proceeds next to speak of prophecy as the gift of which he himself thought most highly, and which he wishes to contrast with that of tongues, as spoken of in the preceding verse. From the gift of prophecy and its accompanying graces, he proceeds to the outward expressions of love itself."-Stanley. "The addition of 'angel's is a poetic touch, and does not imply that these beings had language, or the special gift of tongues." - Riddle. "Tinkling cymbal" is rendered "Clanging cymbal" in the Revised Version. By "I am nothing," we are to understand morally and spiritually nothing; and by "It profiteth me nothing," nothing for Christian aims, here or hereafter. 4-7. "In these verses love is personified, and its excellencies, both negative and positive, are stated in short, crisp terms, even more significant and suggestive."- Riddle. "Having declared the importance of love, the apostle here commences to describe its nature and operation. It is observable that in every point described, its prevalence would remove the strifes and contentions, the envyings and jealousies, the ambitious pretensions and supercilious behavior, which abounded in the Corinthian church, and against which a large portion of this epistle is directed." — Paige. Charity suffereth long. "Love disposes one to bear injuries long.". Macknight. "Love is long-suffering."— Conybeare. "In face of provocations controlling her anger, repressing it, giving it up, and maintaining her own proper character." - Meyer. Is kind. This is the positive side of the same quality. Kindness is a divine attribute, for God is "kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." - Envieth not. This is the first of eight negative statements. The sense is, love does not envy others the happiness which they enjoy or the good which they possess. Vaunteth not itself. Does not make a bragging, swaggering display. Is not puffed up. "This is closely connected with the last phrase, which speaks of the outward, boastful manifestation of vanity, while this refers to conceit itself." -Riddle. Doth not behave itself unseemly. "The proper idea of the phrase is that love prompts to all that is fit and becoming in life; it would save from all that is unfit and unbecoming. There may be included in the word also the idea that it would prevent anything that would be a violation of decency or delicacy. . . . There is much that is indecent and unseemly still in society that would be corrected by Christian love. What a change would be produced if, under the influence of that love, nothing should be said or done in the various relations of life but what would be seemly, fit, and decent!" - Barnes. Seeketh not her own. "There is, perhaps, not a more striking or important expression in the New Testament than this, or one that more beautifully sets forth the nature and power of that love which is produced by true religion. Its evident meaning is that love is not selfish; it does not seek its own happiness exclusively or mainly; it does not seek its own happiness to the injury of others. ... A man under the influence of true love seeks the welfare of others, and desires to promote their happiness and salvation, even at great personal sacrifice and self-denial. It is the characteristic of the man, not that he promotes his own worth, health, happiness, or salvation, but that he lives to do good to others. Barnes. There is not a particle of selfishness in true love." · Is not easily provoked. "Is not provoked."— Revised Version. Rage is due to offended selfishness, the opposite of love. - Thinketh no evil. "Taketh no account of evil."-Revised Version. "Maketh no account of an injury."-Noyes. "The idea is that love does not store up in mind the injuries done her. Love puts the best possible construction on the motives and conduct of others. It is not malicious, censorious, disposed to find fault. . . . We desire to think well of the man whom we love, nor will we think ill of his motives or conduct until we are compelled to do so. True religion will prompt to charitable judging; nor is there a more striking evidence of the destitution of true religion than the disposition to impute the worst motives and opinions to a man."- Barnes. Rejoiceth not in iniquity. "Rejoiceth not in unrighteousness."— Revised Version. The idea is that love is not glad to hear of immorality in others.- But rejoiceth in the truth. "Or, in goodness, justice, virtue, as contrasted with iniquity. . . . Love regards the welfare of all, and rejoices in every triumph of virtue over vice, |