NOTES for Co1 13:3

Why does Paul value love so highly? Why is even faithfulness unto death by itself, without love, insufficient for the Kingdom? Of course, much could be said about what faith, including religious faith, is without love. Today, however, there is no sense in saying much about it: examples of religious fanaticism, which is in essence the fullness of faith without a single grain of love, are before everyone's eyes. It is obvious that such faith only destroys a person, not to mention that it often proves dangerous for those around him. But the point is not only this. The apostle, after all, most likely has in mind here not only the human love known in every age, but also the love of the Kingdom, witnessed by Jesus Himself, in particular at the Last Supper. And this compels us to look at his words somewhat differently. Indeed, the love of which the Bible also speaks is in itself, above all, a relation, an intention directed toward one's neighbor and bearing within itself the desire for that neighbor's good. Of course, such an intention can be accompanied by thoughts and emotions, but both are only additions to the main thing. Jesus speaks of more: He speaks of the Kingdom, where love turns out to be the spiritual environment within which all the relations binding the inhabitants of the Kingdom are built. Love, in a certain sense, could be called the spiritual substance of the Kingdom, and the one who has no part in this love in fact has no part in the Kingdom either. Then everything proves meaningless: the meaning of a Christian's life consists only in partaking of the life of the Kingdom. Nothing else in itself is needed by a Christian; it is useless anyway. And Paul, who himself lives the life of the Kingdom, of course understands this perfectly. And, as is clear, he does not grow tired of reminding his fellow believers of these things foundational for Christian life.