Beareth oil things. This may either mean, bears in silence all annoyances and troubles, or covers up all things (as a-riyoi may have either meaning), in the sense of concealing or ex- cusing the faults of others, instead of gladly disclosing them. The latter interpretation harmonizes better with what follows, but it is contrary to Paul's usage as to this word. See 9, 12. 1 Thess. 3, 1. 5. With him the word always means to hear patiently. Further, love believes all things^ is not suspicious, but readily credits what men say in their own defence. Hopeth all things^ i. e. hopes for the best with regard to all men. It would be contrary to the context to understand the faith and hope here spoken of as referring to the truths and promises of the gospel. Enditreth all fhings. The word (vTrofiivoi) is properly a military word, and means to sustain the assault of an enemy. Hence it is used in the New Testament to express the idea of sustaining the assaults of suffering or persecution, in the sense of bearing up under them, and enduring them pa- tiently. 2 Tim. 2, 10. Heb. 10, 32. 12, 2. This clause, there- fore, differs from that at the beginning of the verse ; as that had reference to annoyances and troubles, this to suffering and persecutions.
8. Charity never faileth : but whether (there be) prophecies, they shall fail ; whether (there be) tongues, they shall cease ; whether (there be) knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Z^ove never fails, i. e. it endures for ever. It is not designed and adapted, as are the gifts under consideration, merely to the present state of existence, but to our future and immortal state of being. Whether there be prophecies, or be it prophe- cies, they shall fail, i. e. be done away with. The gift shall cease to be necessary, and therefore shall not be continued. Be it tongues, &c., i. e. the gift of tongues shaU cease. Be it knowledge, it shall vanish away, i. e. cease to exist. It is the same word as that used above in reference to prophecies. It is not knowledge in the comprehensive sense of the term that is to cease, but knowledge as a gift ; as one of the hst of ex- traordinary endowments mentioned above, 12, 8-11. Know- ledge, considered as the intellectual apprehension of truth, is, as the apostle immediately states, hereafter to be rendered perfect. But the A.oyos yvwo-cws, the word of knowledge, 12, 8,