Tuesday, September 29, 2009
LOOKIE HERE: the definition of love
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
(1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
so love isn't what we feel, but what we do? for some reason i'm uber sad after reading this passage.
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I've seen that quote a lot... it's a very popular choice for a reading at weddings.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog and leaving a little note! It's great to e-meet you!
If it's any help, this passage is always taken out of context. 1 Corinthians 13 is part of a bigger letter, to the early Christian church at Corinth. The members of the church were, for lack of a better word, "behaving badly". So Paul wrote them the letter (which is considered to be really angry in the Greek), to reprimand them for their un-Christian behaviour. The "love" he is talking about is actually "agape", which is also translated as "charity". So, it really is talking about loving action towards others, and not about love love like what you feel. Does that make you feel less sad?? (and I am a PhD in Early Christianity, if you're wondering my credentials on this one lol)
ReplyDeleteThanks visiting. Your blog is interesting.
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