Chunks: 1 Corinthians 13

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. He does this to stimulate their imaginations: the high road of love is part of God’s eternal purposes. If they understand this, they should move away from the low road way in which they've used spiritual gifts to suit their own purposes. 

What is Chunks: 1 Corinthians 13?

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.)