The 13th chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is superb. It consists of 13 verses, each one is a gem. Together, they are beautiful and have poetic rhythmic quality from repetition. The chapter deals with one supreme, greatest thing in the world – – – namely, LOVE, which, surprisingly to me is worded as “Charity”. So which is the most important thing, charity or love?
Older Bibles say “charity” while modern ones may say “love.” The transition is not arbitrary; it comes from how the original Greek word is translated. The original Greek word used in the bible was agapē. Paul used the word: ἀγάπη (agapē). Agapē means:
- self-giving love
- unconditional love
- the kind of love God has
- love that puts others first
- love that acts, not just feels
It is not romantic love (eros). It is not friendship affection (philia). It is the highest, most theological form of love. So from the very beginning, the word always meant love. Why did older Bibles translate agapē as “charity”?
Turning to articles and AI, I wondered, how could the word “charity” be used interchangeably with “love” in the bible to conclude with the familiar “…abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
In early English, “charity” didn’t mean giving money to the poor. It meant:
- Christian love
- benevolence
- self-sacrificial love toward God and neighbor
As the English word “charity” changed meanings over the centuries, newer translations now use the clearer word “love.”
Charity or LOVE — The Greatest Thing in the World
We are told that no matter what other abilities and qualities we may possess, how profound our knowledge, how great our achievements, if we do not have LOVE, none of these is of any value. If we have LOVE, it adds the extra quality of greatness to our lives.
Saint Paul personifies LOVE giving it the characteristics of a person. LOVE, we are told is long suffering and kind. It has no envy, no egotism, it never acts in an unseen fashion, it has no evil thoughts, it is steadfast and loyal, and endures to the end.
Other things pass away, but LOVE has the element of eternity. LOVE deepens and sharpens our insight and understanding, it stimulates growth, it makes us mature. It is the one way in which we may clearly comprehend life and it’s deeper mysteries. When we LOVE we will have an understanding of life. When we do not LOVE we only know a part, not understanding life as a whole. When we truly LOVE, the clouded mirror of life will clear up.
Three great words stand out supreme above all others: Faith – Hope – LOVE (that is charity or Agape) but the greatest of these is LOVE. The basic message of this wonderful chapter is that if we learn to LOVE, as Christ LOVED we become truly masters of life; if we fail nothing else really matters.
This is so inspirational and …. I am certainly not 100% on the mark, but I do so want to get there! My father-in-law always said as a priest, “God patiently perceives what we are trying to do”. I can keep trying! Getting old brings a desire to “get things right”. Nothing else but Agape matters as much.
Yesterday 300 of us in a famous musician’s barn celebrated hubby’s cousin’s son who died in his 30’s. Yet his life and his actions were 100% Agape. The tributes to his Christ centered life as a musician, husband, son, brother, friend, and finally bearer of an unexpected five month struggle, were remarkable. The takeaway: He exemplified how we can do better.
PS: This deep dive began many months ago when I was reading some of Dad’s bible study of Henry Drummond who wrote the book linked above. This has been sitting in draft form. I cannot remember all resources to properly give credit, or where I am quoting. Oops. Still, I want to share information about which is it that is most important, charity or love, and how we can master life with love as Christ did.
