Episode 16: A love that endures

As I suggested earlier, when Paul says in verse 7 that love “trusts” and “hopes,” I take this as a reference to the virtues of faith and hope he mentions at the end of the chapter. But what does he mean when in the same verse he says that love always “protects” and “perseveres”? In this episode, I’ll argue that with both words, Paul is pointing to a love that endures despite the many challenges it faces.

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.)