being a word of kindred meaning and immediately preceding. Of those gifts, which are enumerated at ch. xii., Paul at ch. xiii. selected such as are more remarkable, and to which the peculiar prerogatives of love are fitly opposed. Mysteries relate to things concealed ; knowledge comprehends things which are more ready at hand, and more necessary, as Wissenschaften is commonly said of natural things — w far tv, faith) ch. xii. 9, note.
3. K at sow, and if) This is the utmost that the helps and governments can do, ch. xii. 28. — ^ufifau, though I should distri- bute) He puts in the highest place, what refers to the human will and seems to be the most closely connected with love, in regard to acting and suffering. He, who delivers up his goods and his body , has much love, 2 Cor. xii. 15 ; but he who delivers them up without love , keeps back his soul to himself : 1 for love is a faculty of the soul ; therefore he speaks of profit (wpsXoD^a/) in the apodosis. On *4 'Ufiifyiv see Rom. xii. 20. — Kupadw, give up) for others. — iva) even to such a degree as that I be burnt , Dan. iii. 28; they gave up their bodies to the fire , ‘rapsdux av rd cw/xara auruv tig
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4. 'h dydrtri) love) He points out the nature of love. He does not say, love speaks with tongues, prophesies, gives to the poor : but it is long-suffering. This is a metonymy for the man, who has love. But Paul chiefly mentions those fruits of love, neces- sary in the use of the gifts, which he requires from the Corin- thians, and without which there may be prophecies, but there can be no profit. If we take 1 Cor. viii. 1, we may advan- tageously compare together the delineation of love which Paul adapted to the Corinthians, and the delineation of wisdom, which J ames in like manner adapted to [portrayed for] those to whom he wrote, Jam. iii. 17. — /jja-Kpodu^ suffers long) The twelve praises of love are enumerated by three classes, ver. 4—7 — (if we reckon together one pair at the beginning, and two pairs at the end, as we show in the following notes). The first consists of two members, (1.) it suffers long , is kind: (2.) envies not. We have the same synthesis and antithesis, Gal. v. 22, 20. Long- suffering has respect to evil proceeding from others : kind has respect to the extending of good to others ; on the other hand,
1 He may give up his body, but he keeps hack his soul. — Ed.