Reading for October 9th

 Read 1 Corinthians 13.1--13. In 13.1-13: The way of love. I in this chapter is Paul speaking out of his own experience, but its lofty, poetic tone extends Paul's own experience to everyone. In verses 1-3: Religion requires love.  Each item mentioned relates to Paul's own experience: Tongues (14.18); prophetic powers (14.37); mysteries and knowledge (2.6-13; 4.1; 15.51); faith (power to heal; Rom 15.18-19; 2 Cor 12.12); giving away possessions (4.11; 9.18); handing over his body (2 Cor 4.10-12). He uses boast in a positive sense (Rom 15.17). In verses 4-7: Active love. Paul sketches this profile of love with terms used of his own ministry: patient and kind (2 Cor 6.6); not envious or boastful (3.7, 21); not arrogant or rude (2 Cor 2.17; 4.1-2); does not insist on its own way (10.24,33); not irritable or resentful (4.14); does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth (2 Cor 6.10; 11.29); bear, believes, hopes, endures (9.27; 2 Cor 6.3-10). In verses 8-13: Love never ends. In verse 9: In part: For all their value, both knowledge and prophetic speech give an incomplete picture. In verse 10: The complete body refers to the end time, when God is fully revealed (Rom 8.18-25). In verse 12: In a mirror, dimly: Paul compares life to lookin in a mirror that yields an unclear image. Paul thinks of conversion as being fully known by God (8.3; Gal 4.90. Inverse 13: These three are  difficult to separate (Col 1.4-5; 1 Thess 1.3).  Comments or Questions..