20160728 Thursday, July 28 2016
1 Corinthians 13: What Does Charity Really Mean?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"

The English-language word "charity" originated from a Latin word, caritas, that meant to care (care, caress, cherish and charity all originated from the same Latin word).

The Latin word caritas, and the English word that was derived from it, "charity," were originally used with the applied meaning of love. Hence the reason that some translations of the Holy Bible use "charity," while others use "love."

"1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (1 Timothy 1:5 KJV)

"1:5 whereas the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5 RSV)

By actual definition, acts of "charity" without love are not true charity (i.e. merely making a "charity" donation for the purpose of a tax deduction):

"16:14 Let all your things be done with charity." (1 Corinthians 16:14 KJV)

The Messiah's teachings about "charity" weren't merely about the present-day "giving" definition of charity. The LORD taught charity as a way of life.

"5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:44-48 KJV)

So it was that Paul's teachings about "charity" were not merely the philosophy of a man. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity [i.e. love], it profiteth me nothing" were direct from the LORD.

"13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 13:2 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

13:8 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. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 KJV)

Fact Finder: Is "charity" the basis of the Ten Commandments?
See The Two Great Commandments