The application of love to the Corinthian's attitude toward their use of miraculous spiritual gifts would solve much of their division problems (1 Cor. 1:10-13). Paul lists fifteen characteristics of love in First Corinthians 13.

Positive Characteristics (1 Cor. 13:4a)

The King James Version's "charity" is from the Greek word agape. Charity denotes love in action. Consider these positive characteristics of love.

Suffereth Long ("patient," NAS) means that love is slow to anger. The Greek word (makrothumeo) literally means "long [makro] tempered [thumos]." Love takes a long time before igniting into the flames of wrath. It has the ability to endure evil and persevere in opposition. When wrong is done to it, love endures with much meekness and patience (cf. 1 Pet. 2:23).

Kind means that love is gracious. Love is active in being good and doing good to as many as possible. It was said in the second century that Christian love was so stunning to pagans that they called Christians chrestinai (the noun form of "is kind"), which means "made up of mildness or kindness."1

Negative Characteristics (1 Cor. 13:4b-6a)

These characteristics of love are designated negative because they have the word "not" or "no" in their translation.

Envieth Not ("does not envy," NKJ; "is not jealous," NAS) means that love is not jealous or envious of others (Acts 7:9; 15:2; 2 Cor. 11:2). Envy involves discontent and/or uneasiness at the sight of another's good fortune, but love does not envy the prosperity or happiness of another, nor does it feel badly when another is honored or succeeds (cf. 1 Cor. 12:26).

Vaunteth Not Itself ("does not parade itself," NKJ; "does not brag," NAS) means that love is not conceited nor vainglorious. The root of this word means "wind bag,"2 thus the meaning "braggart." Love does not thrust itself forward (in the spotlight) by boasting of its accomplishments to win the praise of men!

Not Puffed Up ("not arrogant," NAS) means that love does not display the outward disposition of arrogant pride, vanity, or egotism (1 Cor. 4:6, 18-19; 5:2; 8:1; Col. 2:18). Love does not feel superior to others, nor does it look down on others as inferiors (cf. Phil. 2:3-8).

Does Not Behave Itself Unseemly ("does not behave rudely," NKJ; "does not act unbecomingly," NAS) means that love does not act indecently. The Greek word (aschemoneo) literally means "not [a-] according to proper form [schema]." The opposite of this word is well-mannered, polite, and courteous. The point is that love does nothing improper or shameful.

Seeketh Not Her Own ("does not insist on its own way," ESV) means that love is not self-serving. Among the definitions of agape is seeking the highest good for its object. Love is not self-seeking (cf. Jn. 15:12-13).

Not Easily Provoked ("not irritable," ESV) means that love does not fly into a rage, nor does it easily take offense. One commentator said of this characteristic that a person "can get dreadfully on my nerves in the exercise of what he regards as...his particular gifts....Love cannot alter the fact that he gets on my nerves, but...it can rule out...my allowing myself to be 'provoked' by him."3

Thinketh No Evil ("does not take into account a wrong suffered," NAS; "is not resentful," ESV) means that love does not keep score of wrongs. The word "thinketh" comes from a word that means to "count, reckon, calculate, take into account...place to one's account."4 Love does not take account of the wrong that is done to it so that it can repay evil for evil (cf. Mt. 5:43-48; Rom. 12:17).

Rejoiceth Not In Iniquity means that love is not glad when wrong doing triumphs. Love is not happy because of sin or those who are lost in sin (cf. Rom. 1:32).

More Positive Characteristics (1 Cor. 13:6b-7)

Rejoiceth In The Truth means that love shares truth's joy (cf. 2 Jn. 4). "Truth," set against "iniquity" (cf. 1 Cor. 13:6a; 2 Thes. 2:10, 12), is personified in Christ (Jn. 14:6), revealed by the word of God (Jn. 17:17), and is able to set us free from sin (Jn. 8:32). Love is not indifferent to sin.

Beareth All Things means that love endures, no matter what comes against it. Love protects, or preserves, by concealing what is displeasing in another (cf. 1 Pet. 4:8).

Believeth All Things means that love believes the best in others. Love gives others the benefit of the doubt by placing the best interpretation on events unless compelled by evidence to do otherwise. "This does not mean that a Christian filled with love lacks the qualities of wisdom and discernment and thus becomes the gullible dupe of every falsifier. On the contrary, love is always wise and discerning."5

Hopeth All Things means that love looks on the bright side. This is not naive optimism that ignores reality, but is confidence that no matter what happens, God will triumph. Love does not lose hope even when things seem hopeless (cf. Rom. 4:18; 8:24-25).

Endureth All Things means that love tenaciously perseveres in all situations. The word translated "endureth" means to hold out, stand firm. "It is the endurance of a soldier who, in the thick of battle, is undismayed...Love is not overwhelmed, but manfully plays its part whatever the difficulty."6

We could easily substitute the name "Christ" for "charity [love]" in First Corinthians 13 to get an accurate description of the Lord's personality. Would these characteristics of love come close to describing ours?

End Notes

1 Ceslas Spicq, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament, vol. 3, trans. and ed. James D. Ernest (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994) 515.

2 Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 2nd rev. ed. by William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, and Frederick W. Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979) 653.

3 Leon Morris (quotes Barth), The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985) 180.

4 Barclay Newman, Jr., "A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament," The Greek New Testament, 4th rev. ed. (Stuttgart, Germany: United Bible Society, 1993) 108.

5 Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993) 461.

6 Morris 182.