Many Christians think of 1 Corinthians 13 as Paul's "love chapter." The verses are read at weddings and printed on inspirational keepsakes. But Paul wasn't writing about love in the abstract; he was writing as a pastor trying to correct the attitudes and behaviors of a troubled congregation. Thus, we'll explore Paul's teaching against the background of how the Corinthians struggled in relationship to each other, and see how this might apply to our lives as Christians. (All biblical texts will be read from the New International Version, unless otherwise noted.)
First Episodes
Episode 1: The love chapter
Many Christians, if asked what the New Testament teaches about love, will think of 1 Corinthians 13. But to understand what Paul teaches there, we have to read that ch...
Episode 2: What love doesn’t do
Paul’s words about love are famous. Unfortunately, they’re often quoted out of context, as if Paul were writing about love in the abstract. As a pastor, Paul is trying...
Episode 3: The low road and the high road
In chapter 12 of First Corinthians, Paul teaches that all the believers in Corinth are one body in Christ; he says this to correct the selfish way they’ve been thinkin...
Episode 4: Without love
In the opening and closing verses of First Corinthians 13, Paul repeatedly trumpets the primacy of love over spiritual gifts, even over the virtues of faith and hope. ...
Episode 5: Love is patient and kind—and so is God
When Paul says begins his description of love, he says that love is both patient and kind. This is not just a description of human love, but first and foremost a descr...