1 Corinthians 13:7 Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Though not wholly dissimilar from the virtue described in the word "beareth," which suggested to us the tolerance of love, the characteristic here asserted is not precisely the same. This indicates the force of love to sustain quietly and to survive all persecutions and distresses inflicted by others. Indeed, our word "endure" embodies the thought very completely. I. LOVE HAS TO ENDURE MUCH This is strange, but it is true. Love is not requited with love, but often with misunderstanding and even with hatred. Error hates truth, selfishness hates love. Christ's biography supplies the climax of the proof of this. But all loving bears witness to the same experience. Does not God endure much? II. LOVE IS ABLE TO ENDURE MUCH. The distresses and persecutions that seem to have force enough in them to blast and burn out all they oppose, have been again and again as harmless to love as the fiery furnace to the three Hebrew youths. Fierce fire cannot consume it; many waters cannot quench it. (U. R. Thomas.) Parallel Verses KJV: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.WEB: bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. |
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