1. Paul's purpose in this chapter is to silence and humble haughty
Christians, particularly teachers and preachers. The Gospel gives much
knowledge of God and of Christ, and conveys many wonderful gifts, as
Paul recounts in Romans 12 and in First Corinthians 12. He tells us
some have the gift of speaking, some of teaching, some of Scripture
exposition; others of ruling; and so on. With Christians are great
riches of spiritual knowledge, great treasures in the way of spiritual
gifts. Manifest to all is the meaning of God, Christ, conscience, the
present and the future life, and similar things. But there are to be
found few indeed who make the right use of such gifts and knowledge;
who humble themselves to serve others, according to the dictates of
love. Each seeks his own honor and advantage, desiring to gain
preferment and precedence over others.
2. We see today how the Gospel has given to men knowledge beyond
anything known in the world before, and has bestowed upon them new
capabilities. Various gifts have been showered upon and distributed
among them which have redounded to their honor. But they go on
unheeding. No one takes thought how he may in Christian love serve his
fellow-men to their profit. Each seeks for himself glory and honor,
advantage and wealth. Could one bring about for himself the
distinction of being the sole individual learned and powerful in the
Gospel, all others to be insignificant and useless, he would willingly
do it; he would be glad could he alone be regarded as Mister Smart. At
the same time he affects deep humility, great self-abasement, and
preaches of love and faith. But he would take it hard had he, in
practice, to touch with his little finger what he preaches. This
explains why the world is so filled with fanatics and schismatics, and
why every man would master and outrank all others. Such as these are
haughtier than those that taught them. Paul here attacks these
vainglorious spirits, and judges them to be wholly insignificant,
though their knowledge may be great and their gifts even greater,
unless they should humble themselves and use their gifts in the
service of others.
3. To these coarse and mean people he addresses himself with a
multitude of words and a lengthy discourse, a subject he elsewhere
disposes of in a few words; for instance, where he says (Phil 2, 3-4),
"In lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not
looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the
things of others." By way of illustration, he would pass sentence upon
himself should he be thus blameworthy; this more forcibly to warn
others who fall far short of his standing. He says,
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels."
4. That is, though I had ability to teach and to preach with power
beyond that of any man or angel, with words of perfect charm, with
truth and excellence informing my message--though I could do this,
"but have not love [charity]," and only seek my own honor and profit
and not my neighbor's, "I am become sounding brass, or a clanging
cymbal." In other words, "I might, perhaps, thereby teach others
something, might fill their ears with sound, but before God I would be
nothing." As a clock or a bell has not power to hear its own sound,
and does not derive benefit from its stroke, so the preacher who lacks
love cannot himself understand anything he says, nor does he thereby
improve his standing before God. He has much knowledge, indeed, but
because he fails to place it in the service of love, it is the quality
of his knowledge that is at fault. 1 Cor 8, 1-12. Far better he were
dumb or devoid of eloquence, if he but teach in love and meekness,
than to speak as an angel while seeking but his own interests.
"And if I have the gift of prophecy."
5. According to chapter 14, to prophesy is to be able, by the Holy
Spirit's inspiration, correctly to understand and explain the prophets
and the Scriptures. This is a most excellent gift. To "know mysteries"
is to be able to apprehend the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures, or
its allegorical references, as Paul does where (Gal 4, 24-31) he makes
Sarah and Hagar representative of the two covenants, and Isaac and
Ishmael of the two peoples--the Jews and the Christians. Christ does
the same (Jn 3, 14) when he makes the brazen serpent of Moses typical
of himself on the cross; again, when Isaac, David, Solomon and other
characters of sacred history appear as figures of Christ. Paul calls
it "mystery"--this hidden, secret meaning beneath the primary sense of
the narrative. But "knowledge" is the understanding of practical
matters, such as Christian liberty, or the realization that the
conscience is not bound. Paul would say, then: "Though one may
understand the Scriptures, both in their obvious and their hidden
sense; though he may know all about Christian liberty and a proper
conversation; yet if he have not love, if he do not with that
knowledge serve his neighbor, it is all of no avail whatever; in God's
sight he is nothing."
6. Note how forcibly yet kindly Paul restrains the disgraceful vice of
vainglory. He disregards even those exalted gifts, those gifts of
exceeding refinement, charm and excellence, which naturally produce
pride and haughtiness though they command the admiration and esteem of
men. Who would not suppose the Holy Spirit to dwell visibly where such
wisdom, such discernment of the Scriptures, is present? Paul's two
epistles to the Corinthians are almost wholly directed against this
particular vice, for it creates much mischief where it has sway. In
Titus 1, 7, he names first among the virtues of a bishop that he be
"non superbus," not haughty. In other words that he do not exalt
himself because of his office, his honor and his understanding, and
despise others in comparison. But strangely Paul says,
"If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I
am nothing."