After having explained the temporary nature of the (revelatory) gifts (1 Corinthians 13:8–12), Paul comes back to the main subject of his poetic digression: love. To the virtue of love he adds two other virtues: faith and hope.
This is not the only place in Paul’s letters where these three virtues are grouped together (see Colossians 1:4–5; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Yet the greatest of these is love.
Does Paul mean that faith, hope, and love will abide forever whereas the revelatory gifts (prophecy, knowledge, and tongues) will pass away? This is how this verse is often interpreted. Yet there are three objections to such an interpretation:
The verse begins with the Greek adverb nuni, which most often refers to the present time (as opposed to the past or the future). If this is indeed the way in which the adverb is used here, then Paul is saying that faith, hope, and love remain now—not that they will remain forever.
Elsewhere we are taught to think of faith and hope as temporary virtues. They will one day be replaced with sight (Romans 8:24; 2 Corinthians 5:7).
This interpretation does not explain why Paul suddenly refers to faith and hope when he is about to conclude his discourse on love.
It is more likely, then, that Paul uses the words faith
and hope
to refer to the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, and tongues. These gifts are used in faith and hope (see, e.g., Romans 12:6; 2 Corinthians 3:12). Like faith and hope, they remain for the present. But like faith and hope, they will one day pass away, leaving behind only that which is greatest,
namely, love.
This interpretation is not without its difficulties. It can give the impression that the revelatory gifts will remain as long as faith and hope remain—that is, until the day of Christ’s return. If that were the case, it would mean that the canon of Scripture is not closed and that Scripture is not sufficient.
However, we might resolve this difficulty by keeping in mind that Paul is speaking from a personal point of view. He has just stated, for example, Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known
(1 Corinthians 13:12). In that statement, the word now
referred to his own experience as a believer living in the present age.
Likewise, when Paul writes that now faith, hope, and love abide,
he likely does not have in view the whole course of church history up to the point of Christ’s return. The word now
rather refers to the time in which he and his first readers are living, a time of faith, hope, and love.
Of course, faith, hope, and love continue to characterize the lives of believers today. But for Paul and his first readers, faith and hope were coupled with the revelatory gifts. Believers today have the complete Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, which contain everything we need to know for a life of faith and hope.
Believers living in any age should look forward to the day when they will leave this world to be with Christ. Ultimately, they should look forward to the day of Christ’s return. Both these events will bring an end to faith and hope (since who hopes for what he sees? (Romans 8:24)).
Love, on the other hand, will never come to an end. Life in God’s presence will be a life of love, because God is love (1 John 4:7–8).
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.