The Context of 1 Corinthians 13

Perhaps there is no single chapter of the Bible that is read outside its context as much as 1 Corinthians 13, often known as the “Love Chapter.”

We take the word “love” in this chapter and merchandise it and idealize it, and generally use it any which we want – what we don’t typically do is submit to it, we seldom have genuine interest in obeying it.

Really now, who is interested in bearing all things and believing all things and enduring all things? Who is inclined to stop himself from bragging? Who honestly does not want to “seek his own”?

This is not an idealized love, this is love in action. But it is not just love in action anywhere, for Chapter 13 is nestled, believe it or not, between chapters 12 and 14 – and those chapters are about the Church, the Body of Christ – about an organic entity whose Head is Jesus Christ. The nexus of Chapter 13 is the Body of Christ, it is not a Valentine’s Day card, or a birthday card, or a sentimental song or poem – it is living in nitty gritty relationship with other members of Christ’s Body.

Now to be sure, the love of the Body of Christ ought to flow outward into the world, and into all of our relationships – but that is a fruit of what occurs in the Body of Christ – 1Corinthians 13 is first and foremost about Christ’s Body, about living in communion with one another in Christ.

As we read 1Corinthians 13…how are we doing? How does our obedience look? Need we seek reconciliation with others? Do we need to confess sin to Christ? As we ponder 1Corinthinans 13, are we prepared to approach the Lord’s Table?