1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13:1

[a] sounding brass] That κύμβαλον, cymbal, here, is an instrument of loud music, may appear, not only by the epithets which are given it, psalm cl. 5, the loud cymbals, and the high sounding cymbals, but also by the rest of the consort there mentioned, the sound of the trumpet in the first, and (after the psaltery and harp, timbrel and pipe, stringed instruments and organs,) this of the cymbal in the last and highest place, and that no doubt a πνευματικόν, a wind instrument of brass, as appears by Hesychius, who renders χαλκόστομα, instruments with brasen mouths, by χάλκια κύμβαλα, brasen cymbals. So improbable is it that this should be that tinkling instrument of so slight and low a sound that now we call by that name. This more appears by the epithet here added to it, ἀλαλάζον, which certainly signifies a loud noise or cry, a shout either of mariners and the like, when they set all uniformly to some work of difficulty, to noise the mainsail, to which they all must join, and summon one another to it by that shout; or else of conquerors in a field, ἀλαλάζει, ἐπινικίως ἠχέι, the word notes shouting for victory, saith Hesychius, and ἀλαλαγμός, ἐπινίκιος ὕμνος, ἡ εὔφημος βοή, it is a song of victory or shout of acclamation. And that signifies this instrument to be such as was then used (as the trumpet, meant, I suppose, by the χαλκός ἠχῶν, resounding brass, is now) for those solemn military ovations and triumphs; and in that respect it seems most applicable to the gift of tongues in the church, as that is opposed to charity. Charity is all for the edification, the benefiting and profiting of others; but the gift of tongues being only useful, as a miracle, to convince unbelievers, and to speak intelligibly to them which are of another nation, and not at all useful to believers of their own nation that understood not a strange tongue, may, in respect of them, fitly be compared to a cymbal, or trumpet, sounding a triumph for ostentation, but not for edification, as is insisted on at large in the fourteenth chapter.

1 Corinthians 13:3

If I have the liberality to give away all my goods, and even the care and solicitude to distribute them to those that stand in need of them, and do not this out of any principle of charity and compassion, to contribute to the good of others, but either to please men or acquire glory; and so in like manner, if I proceed to part with my very life, adventuring the most cruel death, even to be burnt alive, and have no charity, or sincerity of love to others, live and die without that most Christian necessary virtue, I am in comparison never the better for it.

1 Corinthians 13:4

It is the property and commendation of this virtue of charity to be so far from wronging others, that it teacheth forbearance; makes a man perfectly patient, and not revengeful of injuries; very kind, tender, and compassionate, as sensible and zealous of other men’s good as of his own; makes a man far from envying, very well pleased at all other men’s happinesses; abates all foolish elation of mind, ambition and ostentation, as also all pride and insolence in overvaluing himself and despising others, so very observable in the present heretics and disturbers of the church, the Gnostics;

[b] suffereth long] The notion of μακροθυμεῖν for slowness to wrath or revenge, in opposition to quick resentment of injuries, is sufficiently known, Rom. ix. 22, and so it is to be taken here, as a first and principal act of charity, on which χρηστεύεται, is kind, or good, or gentle, or gracious, fitly attends. This differs from the οὐ παροξύνεται, is not exasperated or highly provoked to anger, ver. 5, especially in two things: 1. παροξυσμός notes the height or pitch to which it advanceth, as the paroxysm is the sharp fit of the fever; and so that part of the character of charity is, that where that is planted, it moderateth anger, and suffers it not to boil to that height; but this of μακροθυμία is the deferring and putting it off: the charitable man is so far from rash anger, or sudden revenges, that he can bear and forbear long. 2. Παροξυσμός is restrained to the passionate, sharper part of anger, which is called ὀργή, as the former to the rational and heavier part of it, θυμός, which

[c] is kind] Χρηστότης signifies εὐσπλαγχνίαν, τὴν πρὸς τὸν πέλας συν- διάθεσιν, τὰ αὐτοῦ ὡς οἰκεῖα ἰδιοποιουμένην, saith Phavorinus, “tenderness of compassion, kindness toward the neighbour, making all things that belong to him as if they were his own;” and so it seems to signify here, that it is the property of charity, where it is planted, to infuse a benignity into their nature, making them consider others as they do themselves, and so extend the same liberality and kindness to them that stand in need of it, that in the like case they would wish to themselves; a God-like quality, attributed to God himself, ὅτι Κύριος χρη- στὸς, the Lord is gracious, 1 Pet. ii. 3.

[d] vaunteth not] What the word περπερεύεται signifies, or of what origination it is, whether Greek or Latin, is somewhat difficult. Among the ancient Greeks it is not met with, but among the most ancient Latins it is; perperi in Accius, and perperitudo, and perperam facere very ordinarily: which makes it reasonable to resolve it a Latin, not a Greek word originally. Then for the meaning of it; in the Latin it signifies generally to do amiss, perperam opposed to recte; but in the Greek, the Glossaries and the ancient Fathers do differ, and yet prettily well agree. Περπερεύεται, κατεπαίρεται, saith Hesychius, is elated, sets him- self out at the greatest advantage; and πέρπερος μετὰ βλακείας ἐπαιρόμενος, lifted up, and foolish. (and therefore when in Phavorinus we read περπε- ρεία, ἡ κολικεία, it should doubtless be read ἡ βλακεία, foolishness, and so presently to the same word he hath ἡ καὶ βλακεία.) And Phavorinus hath pointed to this place, οὐ περπερεύεται, ὁ ἀπόστολός φησι, τουτέστιν, οὐ προ- πετεῖ, (for which St. Chrysostom reads οὐ προπετεύεται, and what that is will be best judged from Antiochus, 7 Λογ. σ’. Μὴ ὑπεραυρόμενος— μήποτε προπετευόμενος, not lifted up above measure, not exalted with an opinion of himself, as appears by the opposites there, ταπεινόφρων, lowly-minded, καταγμένος τῇ καρδίᾳ, depressed in heart, λογιζόμενος ἑαυτὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον εἶναι, accounting himself to be an unprofitable servant,) “when the apostle saith, οὐ περπερεύεται, the meaning is, that he runs not headlong, precipitous, as giddy proud fools are wont to do. Προ- πετής, saith Hesychius, προπίπτω πρὸ τοῦ λογισμοῦ, that falls upon any action before consideration or deliberation, rash, unadvised. So 2 Antiochus, Λογ. μ’. speaking of longanimity and lenity of mind, saith, that he that hath it is (among other things) ἀπέρπερος, not guilty of that precipitous rashness that wrathful men are subject to, (and there- fore when Hesychius hath περπερᾷ, προτρέπει, it will be reasonable to correct, and read it προπετεῖ.) 4 Clemens Alexandrinus renders περ- περεία καλλωπισμός, adorning and dressing one’s self gaily. And 5 St. Basil, Τί ἐστι περπερεύεσθαι; πᾶν ὁ μὴ διὰ χρείαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ καλλωπισμὸν παραλαμβάνεται, What doth it signify? all that is put on not for use but ornament So in 6 Cicero ad Attic. Ego autem ipse, Dii boni,

1 Corinthians 13:5

Keeps men from using others unseemly either in words or gestures, or from disorderly behaviour in the church; inclines them to take care of others’ good and profit, and not only of their own praise, &c. (see note [d] Rom. xiv.); permits not a man to fall into immoderate, violent distempers of anger upon whatever provocation, (see note [b]); imputes and reckons all the good, but none of the evil that is done by any;

[e] behave itself unseemly] What οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ here signifies is a matter of some question. That which seems most commodious to some circumstances of the place is, that it is one effect of the grace and duty of charity to our brethren, that he that hath it doth never use others unseemly in words or gestures, but especially not reproachfully. Thus will it fitly be joined to οὐ φυσιούται, is not puffed up, contumelious behaviour being a natural concomitant of pride and arrogance. And accordingly as Hesychius renders ἀσχημονεῖ (for so it should be read, not as the copy corruptly hath it, ἀσχῆναι) ἀκοσμεῖ, doth uncomely in general, so he explains ἀσχήμων θάνατος, an uncomely death, by ἐπονεί-διστος, reproachful, contumelious, to which it will be consequent, that the verb may also signify to deal reproachfully; and to do so is very contrary to charity, of which therefore it is here denied. The notion which Erasmus hath of it for being ashamed of nothing, doing any the meanest offices, though it might be agreeable to the context, as an act of high charity, doth not yet any way agree with the nature of the word. And the other notions, of doing no dishonest thing, &c., affixed by others, will not agree with the context, which belongs all to duties of charity to other men, whereas this is terminated in ourselves. Only it may be worthy of consideration, whether (this chapter of the marks and effects of charity being founded in the discourse of gifts in the church, ch. xii, and both compared with and set before them here, ver. 1, 2, 8, and also set opposite to the factions and divisions incident to the irregular use of them, and so particularly pursued, ch. xiv.) this and many other parts of the character of charity be not so to be interpreted, as may most immediately refer to that matter. Thus the three immediate precedents here, οὐ ζηλοί, οὐ περπερεύεται, οὐ φυσιούται, envieth not, vaunteth not, is not puffed up, seem peculiarly to mark out the malice and pride and ostentation of the Gnostics, and then, proportionably, so may οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, behaves not itself disorderly; that is, where true Christian charity is, (opposed to γνῶσις, knowledge, ch. viii. 1.) it hath this effect, it keeps men from irregular disorderly behaviour

[f] thinketh no evil] What λογίζεται τὸ κακὸν signifies must be doubtful, because both λογίζεσθαι and κακὸν are capable of two interpretations: λογίζεσθαι may signify to think, as that signifies to design; λογίζεται διαλογίζεται, ἐνθυμίζεται, saith Hesychius; and κακὸν, evil, may be hurt or mischief; and then λογίζεσθαι τὸ κακὸν will be to imagine mischief, design in the mind, contrive hurt to any; and so thinking evil signifies, Gen. I. 20; and διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί, evil thoughts, are wicked machinations, (see note [c] on Matt. xv.) On the other side, λογίζεσθαι is to reckon, to account, and τὸ κακὸν, evil, is also wickedness in any man, as well as mischief to him. And then λογίζεσθαι τὸ κακὸν is to impute or account sin to any man. Thus λογίζεσθαι ἁμαρτίαν, Rom. iv. 8, is rendered truly imputing of sin, that is, accounting sin to any, reckoning it, charging it on him. To this purpose St. Chrysostom, Οὐδὲν πονηρὸν ὑποπτεύει κατὰ τοῦ φιλουμένου, “He suspects no ill of him whom he loves;” and, Μηδὲ ὑπόνοιαν πονηρὰν δεξασθαι ἀνεχομένη, “Charity endures not to receive any ill suspicion of any.” And this latter is more probably the meaning of the phrase here. For this may fitly be reckoned among the excellent effects of charity, that it keeps a man, in whom it is, from reckoning or imputing of evil to any man; whatsoever good another doth, it makes one impute that to him, commend him, reward him for that, as it was God’s charity to Abraham (and to all sincere believers) that he did λογίζεσθαι δικαιοσύνην, impute righteousness unto him, though he performed not exact obedience, or such to which the reward was due. But τὸ κακὸν, the evil, that which is amiss, (all one with τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, the sin,) οὐ λογίζεται, it will not suffer him to impute that any way to his disadvantage. This a man will be otherwise apt enough to do, if charity do not restrain him; and a most commendable virtuous act it is, a special ingredient in raising that great elogy of charity premised in the first verses of the chapter, that it accounts, reckons, imputes the good, but not the evil; whereas the designing of mischief is itself so vile a thing, so contrary to the laws of common humanity, that an heathen virtuous man, without the advantage of Christian charity, will not think fit to do so: and merely to restrain one from that diabolical malicious humour, is not so commendable or so excellent a thing. To this rendering of it agree the several glosses in Hesychius: Λογισμοῖς, ψήφοις; and Λογισμείναι, ἀπαριθμούμενοι; and Λογίζεται, φημίζεται; it is certainly a false print for ψηφίζεται; for it follows, Λογίζομαι, τῇ χειρὶ ψηφίζω—and Λογίζομαι, εὐθυμούμαι, φημίζω, it should certainly be again ἐνθυμούμαι, ψηφίζω. All tending to this, that it signifies to reckon, (see note [b] on Rom. iii.) as generally it doth in the New Testament. Another notion yet there is which is affixed to this phrase, that λογίζεσθαι τὸ κακὸν is to suspect evil, but that is expressed by another phrase, ἐνθυμίζεσθαι πονηρὰ, Matt. ix. 4; and that charity permits not a man to do that, is in effect said, ver. 8, in πάντα πιστεύει, it believes all things, believes always the best of every man; for that is all one with suspecteth not evil.

1 Corinthians 13:6

Is far from rejoicing at any other’s sins, his doing amiss, nay, is passionately affected with sorrow for it; but when others live and act as faithful Christians ought to do, he is very much concerned in that, rejoiceth at it;

[g] rejoiceth not in iniquity—] For the explaining this verse it must first be resolved what is meant by ἀδικία, iniquity, and ἀλήθεια, truth. Ἀδικία may signify (in opposition to the peculiar notion of truth) deceit or falseness; as when it is said of Christ, οὗτος ἀληθής ἐστιν, this is true, and οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδικία ἐν αὐτῷ, John vii. 18, there is no unrighteousness in him, that is, no deceitfulness, (see note [a] on Luke xvi.) And then the meaning will be, that true charity infuses such a value of truth and dislike of deceit and cozenage, that it permits not any man to be pleased with any such act either in himself or others. But as ἀδικία is oft used in a wider sense for all wickedness, and peculiarly for the villainies of the Gnostics, Rom. i. 18, so is ἀλήθεια taken for purity and sincerity of goodness, 1 Cor. v. 8; and so 3 John 3; and often in other places: and then as οὐ χαίρει, rejoiceth not, denotes the taking no pleasure, but on the contrary being very sad, extremely grieved, (as Isa. lxvi. 4, that in which I delighted not is their abominations, ver. 3,) so the full meaning of the verse will be, that charity will make a man truly mourn and grieve at any sin committed by others, (so far is it from the practice of the Gnostics, which delight in debauching men to unchristian sins,) and most heartily rejoice to see men discharge their Christian duty, live in all manner of sincerity. And thus saith St. John, 3 John 4, that he hath no greater joy than to hear that his children walk in the truth.

1 Corinthians 13:7

Inclineth a man to hide or conceal all the evil of another that he knows, so far as is for his good, and is not contrary to the greater good of others; to believe without prejudice all the good that he hears, or

² distribute all my goods and, ψωμίσω πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου καί. ³ courteous. ⁴ highly provoked, or, exasperated. ⁵ doth not impute the evil. ⁶ congratulates with the truth, συγχαίρει τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. ⁷ covereth.

[h] beareth] That στέγω signifies to cover, and is, within a very little, the Latin tego, and from thence στέγος, tectum, is sufficiently known; and therefore by Hesychius it is first expressed by κρύπτει, συνέχει, to cover, to contain, and then by βαστάζει, ὑπομένει, to carry, to endure. And that this notion of covering belongs principally to concealing, in opposition to speaking out or reporting, may appear by Hesychius also, who in the word στέγανον explains it by τὸ δυνάμενον στέγειν τοὺς λόγους, καὶ μὴ ἰξαγγέλλειν, to cover words, and not report them, and σεγανώτερον, σωπηλότερον, referring to silence or holding the peace. And this is the most probable notion of the word here, where speaking of charity, that it rejoiceth not in iniquity, (that is, is so far from joying to see another offend, that it produceth great sorrow and compassion for it, (but, on the other side, rejoiceth together in the truth, is very glad to see men do as they should do, live in all Christian sincerity, he adds, πάντα στέγει, as a further evidence of that temper, conceals all the ill of another, unless when it is greater charity to reveal it, (as Prov. x. 12, it is said of love, that it covers all sins,) and then goes on, πιστεύει πάντα, believeth all things, that is, all things that are said for the excuse or mitigation of a fault, (which is the quality of the supernal wisdom, James iii. 17, that it is εὐπειθής, easy to be persuaded of that which tends to mitigate the fault;) and when nothing is said in defence or excuse, yet ἐλπίζει πάντα, hopeth the best that the matter is capable of: and then follows πάντα ὑπομένει, endureth all things; whatsoever of injury comes to him by another’s fact, he is most ready to bear, and never meditate revenge. Which is the very thing that must be meant by this phrase πάντα στέγει, if it were rendered beareth all things; as in Hesychius it is manifest that στέγω, in that notion of bearing, is ὑπομένω, to endure. And that is one further evidence that στέγω is here in the other notion; for else there would be no avoiding a tautology. It is true that ch. ix. 12 it may bear another sense, (for

1 Corinthians 13:8

And for this charity, the love of God and our brethren, as it hath many branches of excellent virtue in it, so hath it privileges above all other graces or gifts of the Spirit, particularly this, that it shall be useful to us, and be exercised by us in another world; it shall never be outdated, but last even in heaven, when our imperfect gifts of prophecy, languages, explication of mysteries, shall be swallowed up in that abyss of perfections.

9, 10. For our knowledge and prophecy, and other graces and gifts, being now imperfect, must give way to the perfect state, and become absolutely useless then.

1 Corinthians 13:11

As it fares in the change of ages in a man, our words, our affections, our inclinations, and our reasonings are quite changed; in the compass of a few years we neither say, nor desire, nor understand any thing as some years before we did: so much more is it betwixt this and another life.

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now our vision is very dark and imperfect, looking at things as when they are shewed us through a glass, on purpose to give us but a glimpse of them; but when we come to heaven, we shall then see as perfectly as if we looked close to it, know God as truly as we have hitherto been known by him.

1 Corinthians 13:13

So that it is evident, that as faith, hope, and charity are far to be preferred before all other gifts of the Spirit, which are given men for the benefit of others, ver. 2, so of those three graces or divine virtues charity is the most excellent, whether considered in itself or in the duration of it: in itself it is the most necessary grace here, ver. 1, &c.; and all the other whether graces or virtues are but means for the working of this; our faith teacheth it, and our hope excites it, and charity is the end of the commandment, and faith must be perfected by it; and without it all the gifts mentioned vv. 1, 2. are

1 Corinthians 13:31

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CHAP. XIII.

THOUGH I speak 1. If I have never so perfect a degree of the gift of with the tongues of languages, and do not withal study and endeavour the men and of angels, good and edifying of the church, I am no better than and have not charity, a trumpet or cymbal that sounds a triumph for vanity I am become ¹ as [a] sounding brass, or boasting, but not at all for profit or benefit of the or a tinkling cymbal. church.