Love is eternal and reflects God’s fundamental character. Love is also greater than the gifts because it remains while they cease. Faith enables us to come to God, but love enables us to imitate Him.
Above all love!
1 Corinthians 13:1–13
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
The reference to tongues “of angels” probably indicates the belief that one type of “gift of tongues” involved speaking in the language of angels. Paul points out that even the language of angels is meaningless without love. Love is a genuine and selfless concern for the well-being of others. Paul identifies it as the greatest of the three Christian virtues.
Paul chastised the wealthy believers because they did not demonstrate love to the less wealthy believers. Paul mentions the crashing cymbal to suggest that spiritual gifts without love make the Corinthians’ worship no different from the pagans’. The early Christians sold their property to meet the needs of those around them. Helping the poor was a focus of Paul’s ministry.
Paul spoke of the desire to obtain adoration or acknowledgment from others by explaining to others your own self-worth (usually without them asking to know about it). And the self-admiration that leads a person to consider himself or herself better than others failing to show respect and honor to others. The wealthy Corinthian believers dishonored the poor believers.”
The gospel demonstrates God’s love. It involves enduring difficulties, and even taking on (spiritually) the difficulty of others by being compassionate.
The Corinthian believers emphasized the gift of tongues as a sign (perhaps even a required sign) of Christ dwelling with someone. Paul reveals that the gifts will one day be no longer necessary, but love will always be. Therefore, love is the true sign of someone who follows Christ.
Paul refers to three spiritual gifts that will no longer be necessary in the age to come—prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. All three gifts are related to God’s revelation to His people during the present age; thus, the three “will pass away” at the end of the age when the kingdom of God is fully inaugurated. The gifts do not have eternal value compared to love. The fullness of God’s salvation that will come at the second coming of Jesus Christ. When Christ appears, believers will no longer need the gifts—Christ Himself will be showing who He is and what He is doing in person (not just through others, but directly to all people). Likewise, the spiritual gifts are appropriate for this age, but they will cease when Christ returns. Faithlife Bible
This uncompromising and bold affirmation introduces the contrast with the spiritual gifts which will not last. Paul wants the Corinthians to know that all the gifts, especially tongues, which attracted their attention so much, would one day no longer be needed. But love would continue forever. NKJ Bible
Psalm 10:3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins.
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