This last Sunday we considered how love endures, looking at four movements in Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13.
- From the temporary to the eternal (v. 8)
- From the partial to the perfect (vv. 9-10)
- From the child to the man (v. 11)
- From the mirror to face to face (v. 12)
Sermon audio is available online; discussion question and study resources are listed below.
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Discussion Questions
Opening Observations
- Look at the structure of Paul’s argument: What parallel statements can you identify? Keep these parallel statements in view as they will help to interpret each other.
The Conclusion of Gifts (vv. 8-10)
- Why would Paul contrast love’s endurance to the transitory nature of prophecies, tongues, and knowledge?
- How should the church Corinth respond to the revelation that their partial knowledge and prophesy will pass away?
- Do you see in anything in the text that helps illuminate that is meant by “the perfect” in verse 10?
Growing in Spiritual Maturity (v. 11)
- What kind of maturity characterizes Corinth? (see 1 Corinthians 3:1-2)
- What childish behaviors are on display in Corinth?
- What is the difference between “the most excellent way” and these “childish ways”?
- What are some practical steps one might take to move toward spiritual maturity?
- Why might we be tempted to use wrong metrics (giftedness and knowledge) to measure spiritual maturity?
From a Mirror to Face to Face (vv. 12-13)
- What are the implications of seeing “in a mirror dimly”?
- In 13:12, Paul is referencing Numbers 12:8. How might this give clarity to Paul’s argument?
- How does the Scripture speak of seeing the face of God? See also Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:11, 18-23; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10; Psalm 42:1-2; Habakkuk 1:13; Matthew 5:8; John 1:18, 14:8-10; 1 Timothy 6:15-16; 1 John 3:1-2; Revelation 22:3-4.
- Who can see His face?
- What will happen to those who see His face?
- If God is Spirit, does He have a face?
- How does the doctrine of the Trinity shape our understanding of this question?
- What is the difference between our sanctification and glorification?
- In what ways will we be transformed on the day when we see face to face?
- How will love continue into the New Creation?
- Why is love greater than faith and hope?
For Further Study
Articles and Sermons
- Love Like Christ: A Look at 1 Corinthians 13 — This blogpost shows the chiastic structure of of 1 Corinthians 12–14 and 1 Corinthians 13:1–13
- What is Love? — A Sermon Series on 1 Corinthians 13 (beware: the audio is not great)
- Why I am Cessationist by Thomas Schreiner — a brief article explaining why the New Testament denies the continuation of the miraculous gifts; Sam Storms wrote a companion article (Why I am a Continuationist)
- A Word about J. I. Packer on Charismatics by Dan Phillips
Books
- Charity and Its Fruits by Jonathan Edwards — Edwards classic work is a theological and devotional exposition of 1 Corinthians 13
- Loving the Way Jesus Loves by Philip Graham Ryken – Ryken, former pastor and current president of Wheaton College, looks at Jesus’ love through the lens of 1 Corinthians 13
- Divine Inspiration by Ebenezer Henderson– In his final chapter, Henderson nicely tackles some of the reasons why the miraculous (and revelatory) gifts ceased in the generation after the apostles.
Via Emmaus 