Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 13:11

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things." — 1 Corinthians 13:11 (ASV)

Love is permanent, in contrast with prophecies, tongues, and knowledge— all of which will cease to exist because they will cease to be needed. The reason these three will cease is that they are imperfect and partial (vv.9–10) compared to perfect knowledge and prophetic understanding in heaven. Paul does not say when they will cease. Some think he meant that the need for miraculous gifts would cease to exist at the end of the apostolic period. This view is based in part on the implications of the meaning of the term “perfection” (GK 5455) in v.10, which is taken to refer here to the completion of the canon at the end of the first century A. D. With this view, the term “prophecies” (GK 4735) in v.8 is taken narrowly as referring to direct, inspired revelatory communication from the Holy Spirit. This cessation would apply also to tongues and to the special gift of knowledge (vv.8–9).

There is something attractive about this view as an argument against the position that the gifts of vv.8–10 continued beyond the apostolic period; however, it is difficult to prove the cessation of these gifts at the end of the first century A. D. by taking “perfection” (teleion) to refer to a completion of the canon at that time, since that idea is totally extraneous to the context. On the other hand, in a number of contexts the Greek words related to teleion, such as telos (“end”; GK 5465) and teleo (“to bring to an end”; GK 5464) are used in relation to the second coming of Christ. This is true in both 1:8; 15:24 and in non-Pauline writing (cf. James 5:11; Revelation 20:5, 7; 21:6; 22:13). Therefore, it seems more appropriate to understand teleion in v.10 to mean that “perfection” is to come about at the Second Coming, or, if before, when the Christian dies and is taken to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:1–10). All things considered, one can argue for the cessation of the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and the special gift of knowledge on the basis of the larger context of Paul’s writings and on the basis of the grammar of vv.9, 13, rather than on the meaning of a specific word. According to Paul, prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will pass away soon. His view seems to be that this passing away will occur when the important office of apostle with its requirement of men having seen the Lord and having been a witness to his resurrection (Galatians 1:14– 24) is no longer exercised. But “now” faith, hope, and love continue to remain. Paul’s illustration of a child’s thoughts and speech, real but inadequately conceived and expressed in comparison with those of mature persons (v.11), aptly conveys the difference between the Christian’s present understanding and expression of spiritual things and the perfect understanding and expression he or she will have in heaven (v.12). The metaphor is that of the imperfect reflection seen in a polished metal mirror (cf. James 1:23) of the ancient world in contrast with seeing the Lord face to face (cf. Genesis 32:30; Numbers 12:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Paul’s thought in 12b may be expanded as follows: Now through the Word of God, I know in part; then, in the presence of the Lord, I will know fully—to the full extent that a redeemed finite human being can know and in a way similar in kind to the way the Lord in his infinite wisdom fully and infinitely knows me. The Corinthians, Paul implies, must not boast now of their gifts (cf. 13:4), for those gifts are nothing compared to what is in store for the Christians in heaven.