Today we consider the permanence of love as contrasted with the temporary existence of
tongues, prophecies or knowledge as they were constituted gifts during the apostolic
times. Verse 8, "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail: whether there be tongues, they shall cease: whether there be knowledge it shall
vanish away."
"Love never faileth." Faileth is from pipto and means to fall. Vine points out in his
dictionary the law of God in its smallest detail, in the sense of losing its authority
or ceasing to have force. And thus did our Lord say, "And it is easier for heaven and
earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail" (Lk 16:17). When the Greek word
epileipo is used, it means "not to suffice for a purpose, or insufficient time, as in
Hebrews 11:32. "And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of
Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson . . . ."
In this clause, the Greek word is katargeo and is rendered "done away" in the ASV.
This verb literally means to reduce to inactivity, kata-down and argos-idle. In other
words there was to come a time when prophecies would be put out of action, or cease to
function. All prophecies, knowledge and things said to be "in part" were to be "done
away." And this word is usually translated by the English word abolish.
Christ by His death abolished, rendered inactive, death for the believer (II Tim
1:10). At the same time, the Devil's activities have been rendered inactive so that
Christ is said to have "destroyed him that had the power of death" (Heb 2:14).
At His second coming, Christ will abolish all rule and authority and power, render
them inactive (I Cor 15:24). The last enemy that shall be abolished is death (I Cor
15:26). When Israelites believe, the "veil that is upon their heart" is done away in
Christ" (II Cor 3:14).
"Tongues . . . . shall cease." Cease is from pauo to stop, make an end or to come to
an end. The word cease is used in the following ways of the cessation: 1) of a
discourse (Lk 5:4); 2) of a storm (Lk 8:24); 3) of Christ's prayer (Lk 11:1); 4) of
teaching and preaching (Acts 5:42); 5) of speaking against (Acts 6:13); 6) of evil
doing (Acts 13:10); of an uproar (Acts 20:1); 7) of admonition (Acts 20:31); 8) of a
scourging (Acts 21:32); 9) of sacrifices (Heb 10:2); and 9) of tongues (I Cor 13:8) to
name a few.
We should observe that all attempts to reintroduce glossolalia are either plainly
fraudulent or the result of being deceived. In either case, they are contrary to the
rightly divided Word and the Holy Spirit has absolutely nothing to do with them.
Various theories have been brought forward as to the time that glossolalia will cease.
Some have taught that since the immediate context deals with love, therefore the
spiritual gifts will cease when love is fully developed in an individual's life. But
please observe such an argument is based on the supposition "that which is perfect" is
love. The Greek phrase is to teleion. Now, while this particular Greek phrase does
refer to the end of a process or a development, it is the Word of God that was at that
time nearing the end of a process as it was related to the miraculous inspiration of
the Holy Spirit.
Also, the believer never reaches such a stage f development or spirituality that he is
so fully matured he can afford to cease from "growing in grace and in the knowledge of
God" (II Pet 3:18). It is true that Paul did use this particular Greek term as
descriptive of mature believers (I Cor 2:6) and he also encouraged the carnal and
immature saints to "become men" (I cor 12:20).
The position taken by the modern tongues movement is the gifts of the Spirit,
including tongues, will cease with the second coming of Christ, the millennium or the
eternal estate. Then too, carrying the meaning of "the end of a process," it certainly
could not stand in association with the second coming since that event is not a
process but is instantaneous.
We, of course, take the position that the gifts of the Sprit ended when the canon of
the "all scripture" was completed. Thus did Paul write, "all scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works" (II Tim 3:16-17). Hence when "the faith by which we walk and
please God" (Jude 3; I Thess 4:1) "was once delivered to the saints," it was also then
and there "confirmed" (Heb 2:3-4). It is not now being confirmed. Most folks seemed to
have missed the identification of "a more excellent way." That way is not the way of
love since it was already operable. It was the completed record and mind of God!
Teleion means that something is partially here now is presently developing and one day
will become complete. The only area in which such a meaning would make sense is in the
matter of the progressive revelation of the New Testament as we see it in the
following (Jn 14; 24; 26; 16; 12; 12; Col 1:25).
"Knowledge . . . . shall vanish away." Here again Vine points out the Greek verb is
katargeo which, as previously noted, means merely to abolish. The Greek equivalent for
vanish would be aphanizo, to render unseen. But in our text it is to abolish rather
than disappear.
Verse 10, "But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be
done away."
There is stress laid upon "in part" in each verse. The opposite of "in part" is "that
which is perfect" or whole, complete which when it comes will cause all said to be "in
part" to "be done away." Therefore when the Word of God has finished the gifts were
done away having fulfilled the purpose for their temporary existence.
Part is from ekmeros, a part as opposite to the whole. Perfect comes from teleios,
signifying having reached its end, telos or finished.
This term is used of having to do with development both physical and spiritual as in I
Corinthians 2:6, I Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 4:13 and Hebrews 5:14. Of things as
the completed revelation of God (I Cor 13:10)(Vine). JM
tongues, prophecies or knowledge as they were constituted gifts during the apostolic
times. Verse 8, "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail: whether there be tongues, they shall cease: whether there be knowledge it shall
vanish away."
"Love never faileth." Faileth is from pipto and means to fall. Vine points out in his
dictionary the law of God in its smallest detail, in the sense of losing its authority
or ceasing to have force. And thus did our Lord say, "And it is easier for heaven and
earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail" (Lk 16:17). When the Greek word
epileipo is used, it means "not to suffice for a purpose, or insufficient time, as in
Hebrews 11:32. "And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of
Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson . . . ."
In this clause, the Greek word is katargeo and is rendered "done away" in the ASV.
This verb literally means to reduce to inactivity, kata-down and argos-idle. In other
words there was to come a time when prophecies would be put out of action, or cease to
function. All prophecies, knowledge and things said to be "in part" were to be "done
away." And this word is usually translated by the English word abolish.
Christ by His death abolished, rendered inactive, death for the believer (II Tim
1:10). At the same time, the Devil's activities have been rendered inactive so that
Christ is said to have "destroyed him that had the power of death" (Heb 2:14).
At His second coming, Christ will abolish all rule and authority and power, render
them inactive (I Cor 15:24). The last enemy that shall be abolished is death (I Cor
15:26). When Israelites believe, the "veil that is upon their heart" is done away in
Christ" (II Cor 3:14).
"Tongues . . . . shall cease." Cease is from pauo to stop, make an end or to come to
an end. The word cease is used in the following ways of the cessation: 1) of a
discourse (Lk 5:4); 2) of a storm (Lk 8:24); 3) of Christ's prayer (Lk 11:1); 4) of
teaching and preaching (Acts 5:42); 5) of speaking against (Acts 6:13); 6) of evil
doing (Acts 13:10); of an uproar (Acts 20:1); 7) of admonition (Acts 20:31); 8) of a
scourging (Acts 21:32); 9) of sacrifices (Heb 10:2); and 9) of tongues (I Cor 13:8) to
name a few.
We should observe that all attempts to reintroduce glossolalia are either plainly
fraudulent or the result of being deceived. In either case, they are contrary to the
rightly divided Word and the Holy Spirit has absolutely nothing to do with them.
Various theories have been brought forward as to the time that glossolalia will cease.
Some have taught that since the immediate context deals with love, therefore the
spiritual gifts will cease when love is fully developed in an individual's life. But
please observe such an argument is based on the supposition "that which is perfect" is
love. The Greek phrase is to teleion. Now, while this particular Greek phrase does
refer to the end of a process or a development, it is the Word of God that was at that
time nearing the end of a process as it was related to the miraculous inspiration of
the Holy Spirit.
Also, the believer never reaches such a stage f development or spirituality that he is
so fully matured he can afford to cease from "growing in grace and in the knowledge of
God" (II Pet 3:18). It is true that Paul did use this particular Greek term as
descriptive of mature believers (I Cor 2:6) and he also encouraged the carnal and
immature saints to "become men" (I cor 12:20).
The position taken by the modern tongues movement is the gifts of the Spirit,
including tongues, will cease with the second coming of Christ, the millennium or the
eternal estate. Then too, carrying the meaning of "the end of a process," it certainly
could not stand in association with the second coming since that event is not a
process but is instantaneous.
We, of course, take the position that the gifts of the Sprit ended when the canon of
the "all scripture" was completed. Thus did Paul write, "all scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works" (II Tim 3:16-17). Hence when "the faith by which we walk and
please God" (Jude 3; I Thess 4:1) "was once delivered to the saints," it was also then
and there "confirmed" (Heb 2:3-4). It is not now being confirmed. Most folks seemed to
have missed the identification of "a more excellent way." That way is not the way of
love since it was already operable. It was the completed record and mind of God!
Teleion means that something is partially here now is presently developing and one day
will become complete. The only area in which such a meaning would make sense is in the
matter of the progressive revelation of the New Testament as we see it in the
following (Jn 14; 24; 26; 16; 12; 12; Col 1:25).
"Knowledge . . . . shall vanish away." Here again Vine points out the Greek verb is
katargeo which, as previously noted, means merely to abolish. The Greek equivalent for
vanish would be aphanizo, to render unseen. But in our text it is to abolish rather
than disappear.
Verse 10, "But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be
done away."
There is stress laid upon "in part" in each verse. The opposite of "in part" is "that
which is perfect" or whole, complete which when it comes will cause all said to be "in
part" to "be done away." Therefore when the Word of God has finished the gifts were
done away having fulfilled the purpose for their temporary existence.
Part is from ekmeros, a part as opposite to the whole. Perfect comes from teleios,
signifying having reached its end, telos or finished.
This term is used of having to do with development both physical and spiritual as in I
Corinthians 2:6, I Corinthians 14:20, Ephesians 4:13 and Hebrews 5:14. Of things as
the completed revelation of God (I Cor 13:10)(Vine). JM
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| The Permanence of Love as Contrasted with the Temporary Existence of Tongues, Prophecies or Knowledge Part I - I Corinthians 13:8-10 CHAPTER 26 By John C. Morgan |