Love, the Fullness of the Virtues (1 Corinthians 13:4–7)

1 Cor. 13:4-7. Love is patient, love is kind; it is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Having proved that without love there is no great benefit either from faith, or from knowledge, or from prophecy, or from the gift of tongues, nor even from a perfect life and martyrdom, the Apostle describes, as was necessary, the matchless beauty of love, adorning its depiction, as it were, with various colors—with different kinds of virtue—and carefully connecting all its parts. Therefore, beloved, be attentive to what is said and ponder each word with great care, so that you may see both the perfection of the subject and the skill of the painter. See what he began with and what he placed first as the cause of all blessings. What is it?—Long-suffering. (Saint John Chrysostom)

“Love is patient,” μακροθυμος. It patiently bears all unpleasantness, insults, and false accusations without yielding to movements of anger or vengeance. “Patience is the root of all wisdom; therefore the Wise One says: ‘A patient man has great understanding, but the hasty-tempered display folly’ (Prov. 14:29); and further, comparing this virtue to a strong city, he says it is stronger than a city. It is an unconquerable weapon, an unshakeable pillar, easily repelling all attacks. As a spark that falls into the sea causes it no harm but disappears at once, so all that is unexpectedly unpleasant, striking a patient soul, quickly vanishes and does not disturb it. The patient one, as though dwelling in a harbor, enjoys deep peace; whether you harm him, you will not move this stone; whether you insult him, you will not shake this pillar; whether you strike him, you will not crush this diamond; therefore he is called patient, having, as it were, a long and great soul, for what is long is also called great. This virtue is born from love, and to those who have it and use it well, it brings great benefit. Do not tell me that lost people, doing evil and not suffering for it, become worse: this happens not from patience, but from those very people who use it improperly. Therefore, do not speak of them, but remember the gentler people who receive great benefit from it; for when they, doing evil, do not suffer for it, marveling at the patience of the sufferer, they receive the very best lesson in wisdom.” (Saint John Chrysostom)

“Love is kind.” χρηστευεται, it acts beneficently: from others it endures unpleasantness, but itself not only causes nothing painful to anyone; rather, it regards the sorrows of others as its own and, entering into sympathy with their sorrow, strives in every way to alleviate their grief; as oil on wounds, so is it for every need, sorrow, and weakness of one’s neighbor—it does not rest until it has comforted, helped, and made peace; it suffers with all, especially those in need and suffering; even to those who cause it unpleasantness, it strives to instill a peaceful disposition; “it deals gently with those burning with anger, to calm it and extinguish it, and heals the wound and cures the ulcer of anger not only with courageous endurance, but with compliance and exhortation.” (Saint John Chrysostom)

“Love does not envy”. It envies neither the gifts nor the external prosperity, nor the distinctions, nor the success in affairs and no good or advantage of another before itself. This is contrary to its nature; its essence is to desire and to do good to others, and indeed every kind of good; therefore it does not seek to be happier than others, but that all be happy with the fullest possible happiness; it will allow itself to be passed by in regard to present good so that all may taste it, not caring whether anything falls to its portion, only that all receive their share.

“Love is not boastful,” ου περπερευεται, it is not conceited. The conceited person in words, judgments, manners, in intercourse, in deeds, allows much thoughtlessness, because he acts without deliberation, in the confidence that all that proceeds from him is fine and should in others leave only admiration and praise; he soars, settling on nothing, therefore he can produce nothing useful or give useful advice, interferes in everything with his judgment and, besides confusion, leaves nothing after him. Love does not soar thus; it acts quietly, looking about and making sure where, what, and how it can do something useful, and does it without noise and announcement. Saint John Chrysostom says: “Love ‘is not boastful’—that is, it does not act thoughtlessly. It makes the lover prudent, sober, and thoughtful. Conceited thoughtlessness is characteristic of those who love with fleshly love, while those who love with true love are completely free from this; love, dwelling in the soul like some skilled farmer, does not permit any such evil thorn to grow in the field of the heart.” The same is written by Theodoret: “He who loves does not agree to act rashly in anything.” Oecumenius: “He does nothing rashly: for the rash is the flying one.” The same thought appears in Theophylact: “Love does not act rashly, but acts with self-collected and careful attention. The flying one is the one who is light in thoughts, words, and deeds.”

“It is not arrogant,” ου φυσιουται, it is not puffed up by φυσαω—to blow, to inflate, like a bubble. Whatever perfections love may possess, it thinks it has nothing better compared to others, and however much good it may have done in its sphere, it does not think it has done anything at all. Like a mother caring for children, however much she labors over them, she acts as though she had done nothing, and doing something, she does it again as though beginning for the first time: so also love. “It does not think much of its own goodness.” (Oecumenius) “It does not pride itself over the brethren.” (Theodoret) “But it thinks humbly, despite possessing lofty perfections.” (Theophylact) “We see that many pride themselves in their very virtues, that is, in being not envious, not evil, not faint-hearted, not foolish (these vices are joined not only with wealth and poverty, but with very good natural qualities), while love completely purifies all.” (Saint John Chrysostom)

Bringing together in one review all the qualities mentioned thus far, Saint John Chrysostom remarks as follows: “Note: the patient one is not always merciful; if he is not merciful, then his good quality becomes a vice and can turn into rancor; but love, providing the remedy—that is, mercy—keeps this virtue pure. Also, the merciful one is often thoughtless, but love corrects this defect as well. The merciful and patient one is often proud, but love destroys this vice as well. It, on the one hand, produces virtues, on the other—destroys vices, or rather, does not allow them to arise. It is not that the Apostle said, for example: although she has envy, but she overcomes envy, or: although she has pride, but she tames this passion; he says: ‘she does not envy, she is not proud’; and what is especially remarkable, she does good without effort, raises a trophy without struggle and resistance. For he who has her does not labor to achieve a crown, but without labor she brings him a reward, because where there is no passion opposing the virtuous disposition, what labor can there be?”

Remarkable is the last word of Saint John Chrysostom about effortless and unimpeded good-doing apart from passions. Love is the denial of all passions and dwells in the heart after their expulsion. This expulsion in some is accomplished directly upon conversion, in the moment of rebirth, by the Holy Spirit, who at the same time pours perfect love into the heart. Since we come to consciousness of Christian obligations quite some time after baptism, by which time, having been deadened in rebirth, the passions have managed to come alive again and rise with force, for us, before our heart is filled with full love, it still remains to struggle with passions and overcome them, so that we may unimpeded perform every good. The blessing of love for us is a blessing yet to come. Saint Isaac of Syria calls love a paradise which is on an island in the middle of the sea. We are still sailing there. And oh, if only we would reach it!

“It is not rude,” ουκ ασχημονει, it is not disdainful, does not scorn, is not disgusted by anything, so long as the good of one’s neighbor requires it; whatever may seem degrading in the eyes of men, it does not stop before it, but is readily willing to do it, only to do good to the beloved. So all our interpreters! Theodoret writes: “It does not refuse to do something even degrading for the benefit of the brethren, does not consider such action inappropriate for itself.” Oecumenius: “Although sometimes it must endure something shameful for the beloved, it does not count this as shame for itself.” The same in Theophylact. But here is an extensive word from Saint John Chrysostom: “What do I say, continues the Apostle, that love is not arrogant? It is so far from this passion that, enduring extreme misfortunes for the beloved, it does not count it as dishonor for itself. He did not say again: although it endures dishonor, but manfully bears it, rather—it does not feel dishonor at all. Let us look at Christ in this regard, and we will see the truth of what is said. Our Lord Jesus Christ was spat upon and scourged by miserable slaves, and not only did he not count this as dishonor, but even rejoiced and esteemed it as glory; he admitted to paradise a thief and murderer before others, conversed with a harlot, even in the presence of all his accusers, and did not count this as shameful, but even allowed her to kiss his feet, to anoint his body with tears and wipe them with her hair, and all this before the eyes of enemies and opponents; because love does not disdain anything. Therefore, even fathers, though they were wiser and more eloquent than all, are not ashamed to babble together with children, and no one who sees this condemns them; rather, this seems such a good deed that it even deserves praise.”

“It does not insist on its own way.” “Having said: it is not rude, he shows also how love does not tolerate dishonor. How?—‘It does not insist on its own way.’ The beloved constitutes everything for it, and it considers itself dishonored when it cannot save him from dishonor, so that if one’s own dishonor could help the beloved, it would not even consider it dishonor for itself; the beloved for the lover is the same as oneself. Love is such that the lover and beloved no longer constitute two separate persons but one, which nothing but love can do. Therefore, do not seek your own, that you may find your own; for he who seeks his own does not find his own. That is why Paul says: ‘Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor’ (1 Cor. 10:24). The good of each consists in the good of one’s neighbor, and the good of the neighbor in his good. God has arranged it thus so that we might be attached to one another.” (Saint John Chrysostom)

“It is not irritable,” ου παροξυνεται, does not grieve. Meeting something unpleasant from the very one to whom it strives to do good, it does not grieve at it, or does not grieve at the unsuccessfulness of its labors for someone’s good, and does not cease seeking ways to achieve its goal in this regard; or as Theodoret writes: “If it encounters something sorrowful from anyone, it bears it magnanimously because of the passion of love which it has in itself.” Saint John Chrysostom says the same: “See again how it not only destroys vices but does not even permit them to begin. For he did not say: although she is irritated, she overcomes the irritation, but: ‘is not irritable.’ She does not permit grief even to be conceived.”

“It does not rejoice at wrongdoing,” ου λογιζεται το κακον, does not take evil into account, and does not even think that there is evil in the actions of others, does not see evil in evil; others see it, but it does not; to the lover all seem good, and as he plots nothing but good for others, so he never suspects anything evil in the actions of others toward himself. Thus Theodoret: “Excuses faulty deeds, supposing that they were done without ill intent.” Another thought: does not plot evil in vengeance, which would be the direct consequence of the preceding, and can be seen here, but in connection with it (Theophylact). Saint John Chrysostom understands not scheming of evil, apart from injuries received, but thus: “Not only does she not do, but she does not even plot anything bad against the beloved. And indeed, how will she do evil when she does not even permit an evil thought? And here is the source of love.”

1 Cor. 13:6. It does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.

Wrongdoing and truth here determine themselves mutually. As you understand wrongdoing, so by opposition you must understand truth, and conversely. The interpreters understand these words so variously that, collecting all together, one must understand by wrongdoing all evil, and by truth all good. Saint John Chrysostom says: “She does not rejoice when others suffer from some moral evil; she rejoices in those who are well-ordered in life. Or here the same thing is contained as is said elsewhere: ‘rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep’ (Rom. 12:15). Therefore she does not envy, therefore she is not arrogant: the goods of others she recognizes as her own. Do you see how love makes her nursling almost an Angel? For if he has no anger, is free from envy, and clean from every destructive passion, then clearly he has already risen above human nature and achieved the dispassion of Angels.” Theodoret writes accordingly: “Hates lawlessness, is glad about what is good.” Theophylact somewhat differently: “She does not rejoice when someone is wronged, injured, and has evil done to him; she rejoices with those who are well-ordered, while truth prospers, counting it as glory for herself.”

1 Cor. 13:7. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

“It bears all things,” στεγει, covers. Saint John Chrysostom says: “Love ‘bears all things,’ by its patience and gentleness, whatever sorrowful and burdensome thing happens, even if it be insults, even if blows, even if death, or something else similar. This can be seen from the example of the blessed David. What can be heavier than to see a son who has risen up, seeks power, and thirsts for his father’s blood? But the blessed David endured even this; he did not even wish to utter a reproachful word against the murderer, but, leaving everything else to the commanders, commanded to preserve his life; so strong was the foundation of love in him! Therefore the Apostle says: ‘it bears all things.’ By these words he expresses the power of love.” Theodoret writes: “Out of love it endures even sorrowful things.” It can also mean: στεγη—a roof. From this the thought: love serves as a covering for all, all resort to it and find in it protection and shelter from all troubles. A roof gives also the thought of covering: from this love covers the sins, weaknesses, defects, and infirmities of others; not only does it not reveal them, but covers them with good words.

“Believes all things.” “Regards the beloved as truthful” (Theodoret). “Believes all that the beloved says; and not only does it not itself speak with cunning deceit, but does not even suspect that another would speak thus” (Theophylact).

“Hopes all things.” Doing good and meeting with failure, it does not stop, but devises new methods, and if these do not lead to success, takes up still others, and so forth, encouraged by the hope that God will bless this labor of love with success. Theodoret writes: “If it sees the beloved inclined to evil, it expects a change for the better in him.” It does not itself sit idly, but uses all available means on its part for his correction, and using them, “does not despair, but hopes that he will finally return to what is better” (Theophylact).

“Endures all things.” It willingly undertakes all labors necessary in doing good, manfully overcomes obstacles, benignly endures unpleasantness, and all that is encountered on the path of good it endures, having one goal—to do good to the beloved, that is, to every human being; it even endures the unsuccessfulness in doing good. “If it happens that the beloved does not respond to its cares and remains in his evil way, it benignly endures his falling” (Theophylact). “And whatever is in the beloved, or from his side, nothing can separate the lover from love of him” (Theodoret).

Saint John Chrysostom unites all three of these—“hopes all things, believes all things, endures all things”—into one discourse and says: “Without despairing, it expects everything good from the beloved, and even if he were evil, it does not cease to correct him, to care and be concerned about him, and it does not merely hope, but with confidence, because it loves strongly; and even if contrary to expectation no good comes about, and even the beloved becomes worse, it endures this too.”

1 Cor. 13:8. Love never ends.

“The divine Paul, having depicted the above-mentioned properties of love in particular details and perceiving that his language is insufficient to praise love, briefly adds: ‘Love never ends,’ that is, does not depart, but always remains constant, unmovable, abiding eternally. For the Apostle shows this in the words that follow” (Theodoret). “Do you see by what he completed the depiction, and what is especially sublime in this gift?—That it never ends, that is, does not cease, does not weaken from the fact that it endures, because it loves all. Whoever loves can never hate, whatever happens: in this is the greatest dignity of love. Such was Paul himself. How much evil did the Jews do to him! But this not only did not cool his love, but raised it even more to the point that he prayed to ‘be cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren’ (Rom. 9:3) (Saint John Chrysostom); or: it does not cease in this life, will pass into the future age and abide there, even though all else is done away” (Theophylact).