"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues,
they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and
we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I gave up childish ways. 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. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but
the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:8-13; ESV)
In 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14 Paul discusses various aspects
of spiritual gifts. The phrase spiritual gifts refers to the miraculous
endowments, that were bestowed on believers in the age of the apostles
through the laying on of the apostles' hands. (cf. Acts 8:14-19; 19:6;
Rom. 1:11) In chapter 12 Paul details the enumeration of the gifts. In
chapter 13 he discusses the cessation of the gifts, and in chapter 14 he
discusses the regulation of the gifts.
The question before us is this: is there anything in the context of Paul's
discussion of spiritual gifts that tells us when they would end? The answer
is yes. How do we know?
Paul says "Love never ends." Love, intense interest in the well-being of
others, is permanent. It survives time and eternity. "God is love," that is, he
is characterized by love, and all that he does is motivated by love. (1 Jno.
4:8,16) He immediately names three things that will pass away and cease;
prophecies (miraculously speaking forth or disclosing the will of God);
tongues (spoken languages that were not learned by ordinary methods,
but were miraculously bestowed by the Holy Spirit.); and knowledge
(miraculous understanding or insight). The three gifts mentioned are
a part of those enumerated in chapter 12, therefore by the figure of
speech known as synecdoche, in which a part of the named items stands
for the whole, prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are representative of
all spiritual gifts.
The text clearly says that the gifts will cease. When will they pass away?
Notice that Paul says, "we know in part and we prophesy in part, but
when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away." Instead of "the
perfect" the NRSV more accurately says, "the complete" to represent the
Greek phrase "to teleion." The gifts, which are "in part" would pass away
or cease when "the perfect" comes. I believe it is significant that the gifts
Paul mentions; prophecies, tongues, and knowledge were revelatory gifts.
They were the miraculous manifestations through which the word of God
was conveyed to the nations. None of the individuals who were endowed
with the gifts, separately contained the totality of God's word on every
subject. Each person had a "part" and when all the parts were made
known through the people who were thus endowed, the means by which
the bestowal occurred would be taken away. The miracles would cease.
This is especially apparent when we take note of the illustration Paul
uses in the context. "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." (13:11) The one who was a child is the same one who
became a man. There was simply a different stage of development or
maturity. Just so, the state of infancy ("in part") gave way to the
full-grown ("the complete") in the sense, that the information which
was initially in men in varying "degrees" was made available in
complete and final form and constitutes the new covenant. All spiritual
gifts have ceased because "the complete" has come. Thanks be to God
for his complete revelation!
The best lectures I have ever heard on 1 Cor. 12, 13, and 14
were delivered by Alan E. Highers. The lectures are available as a three
volume set of CDs from Freed-Hardeman University's Recording
Department. His arguments are biblical, clear, logical, and unassailable.
RD
Copyright 2011
they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and
we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I gave up childish ways. 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. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but
the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:8-13; ESV)
In 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14 Paul discusses various aspects
of spiritual gifts. The phrase spiritual gifts refers to the miraculous
endowments, that were bestowed on believers in the age of the apostles
through the laying on of the apostles' hands. (cf. Acts 8:14-19; 19:6;
Rom. 1:11) In chapter 12 Paul details the enumeration of the gifts. In
chapter 13 he discusses the cessation of the gifts, and in chapter 14 he
discusses the regulation of the gifts.
The question before us is this: is there anything in the context of Paul's
discussion of spiritual gifts that tells us when they would end? The answer
is yes. How do we know?
Paul says "Love never ends." Love, intense interest in the well-being of
others, is permanent. It survives time and eternity. "God is love," that is, he
is characterized by love, and all that he does is motivated by love. (1 Jno.
4:8,16) He immediately names three things that will pass away and cease;
prophecies (miraculously speaking forth or disclosing the will of God);
tongues (spoken languages that were not learned by ordinary methods,
but were miraculously bestowed by the Holy Spirit.); and knowledge
(miraculous understanding or insight). The three gifts mentioned are
a part of those enumerated in chapter 12, therefore by the figure of
speech known as synecdoche, in which a part of the named items stands
for the whole, prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are representative of
all spiritual gifts.
The text clearly says that the gifts will cease. When will they pass away?
Notice that Paul says, "we know in part and we prophesy in part, but
when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away." Instead of "the
perfect" the NRSV more accurately says, "the complete" to represent the
Greek phrase "to teleion." The gifts, which are "in part" would pass away
or cease when "the perfect" comes. I believe it is significant that the gifts
Paul mentions; prophecies, tongues, and knowledge were revelatory gifts.
They were the miraculous manifestations through which the word of God
was conveyed to the nations. None of the individuals who were endowed
with the gifts, separately contained the totality of God's word on every
subject. Each person had a "part" and when all the parts were made
known through the people who were thus endowed, the means by which
the bestowal occurred would be taken away. The miracles would cease.
This is especially apparent when we take note of the illustration Paul
uses in the context. "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." (13:11) The one who was a child is the same one who
became a man. There was simply a different stage of development or
maturity. Just so, the state of infancy ("in part") gave way to the
full-grown ("the complete") in the sense, that the information which
was initially in men in varying "degrees" was made available in
complete and final form and constitutes the new covenant. All spiritual
gifts have ceased because "the complete" has come. Thanks be to God
for his complete revelation!
The best lectures I have ever heard on 1 Cor. 12, 13, and 14
were delivered by Alan E. Highers. The lectures are available as a three
volume set of CDs from Freed-Hardeman University's Recording
Department. His arguments are biblical, clear, logical, and unassailable.
RD
Copyright 2011
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