I was reading through more of 1 Corinthians tonight when I was hit with an interesting realization. Most of us know about 1 Corinthians 13 "The Love Chapter." But did you know why it was in the Bible (other than we should love one another)? Read the chapter before. Chapter 12 begins with the topic of spiritual gifts. There are many spiritual gifts, but they are all equal because they are all from the same God. It then transitions into the discussion of the body of Christ. The human body needs all its parts.
" Suppose a foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? Or suppose an ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not a part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it. How could it be a body if it only had one part? So there are many parts but one body. An eye can’t say to a hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. However, our presentable parts don’t need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn’t have it. God’s purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness." (vv.15-26)
The next verses talk about how all the spiritual gifts are necessary in the body of Christ. Not everyone is the same, but we are all with the same God. The church Paul is writing to was very young and located in a wild city. They were becoming swayed by the world, and Paul was writing to instruct them in the right way. There was some discord among the church because of the different spiritual gifts. Paul tells them everyone is essential; there is no one better than the other.
Paul closes chapter 12 in verse 27: "You only want the better gifts, but I will show you the best thing to do." And boom, next comes chapter 13. I don't know about you, but I never noticed that flow. The problem with most translations nowadays is there are subtitles. Now, that's really not a bad thing. It can be helpful, but I think sometimes we miss the full context. When Paul was writing this, there were no chapters or verses. He says verse 27 and goes right into true love. For me, this makes more sense of verses 2 "I may have the gift to speak what God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. But if I don’t have love, I am nothing." and 8-10 "Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used. Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete. But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used." Those are referring to the spiritual gifts of knowledge, prophecy, and speaking other languages referred to in chapter 12.
My main point of this blog is just sharing with you that realization that occurred to me. It was just a lightbulb moment because honestly I have struggled with chapter 13 for years because it just never quite made sense. Now I get it. The church is supposed to love one another if we are a part of the body of Christ. Chapter 13 isn't just for couples or friends. It's for the Church. Now that is something powerful.
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