Paul and Spiritual Gifts

In the middle of the famous love chapter, an interesting interpretive conundrum arises within 1 Corinthians 13:9-10: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (ESV). The phrase under consideration is “when the perfect comes,” and, in particular, the meaning of the term “perfect.” The Greek term τέλειον has a relatively large semantic range and can mean meeting the highest standards, being mature, being a cult initiate, and being morally developed.^[1] The immediate context highlights the primacy of love and the temporality of certain spiritual gifts such as prophecy, tongues, and knowledge (1 Cor 13:1-8). Verses 9 and 10 then explain why knowledge and prophecy eventually terminate. The termination occurs because knowledge and prophecy are currently known only partially, and eventually, the partial passes away when the “perfect comes.” (1 Cor 13:9-10).

Various perspectives have been espoused to understand the term “perfect.” David Garland explains that some interpret the term as a process of maturity or the gradual development of the Christian life.^[2] Accordingly, the translation would likely be rendered “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when maturity in the Christian life arrives, the partial will pass away” (1 Cor 13:9-10). In other words, somehow spiritual gifts obstruct love and need eradicated once the believer arrives at maturity. In light of the broader context of gift utilization, the idea that τέλειον means maturity is incorrect. As Garland explains, Paul’s emphasis on love is not exhorting his readers to abandon spiritual gifts upon maturity but, instead, to deploy the spiritual gifts with love.^[3]

Alternatively, several scholars suggest eschatological overtones exist within the phrase. For example, Anthony Thiselton suggests that the term τέλειον combines the idea of fulfillment or goal with the idea of a completed whole.^[4] For Thiselton, wholeness is not something that develops or emerges from the old but points to a new creation; thus, Paul is referring to an “anticipatory reaching out to the new future which God has promised to create.”^[5]

The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Revised Edition: New International Commentary on the New Testament (NICNT)

Similarly, according to Gordon Fee, the contextual language of 1 Cor 13:12 provides the evidence needed to support an eschatological nuance when stating, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully.”^[6] The repetition of the “in part” language in both verses 9 and 12 combined with the “now…then” language in verse 12 corroborates that the incompleteness in verse 9 refers to the church’s present existence and the completeness in verse 10 refers to the believer’s final destiny in Christ.^[7] In other words, the knowledge and prophecy in verse 9 belong to the current age, and the perfect fulfillment, completeness, or wholeness occurs at the coming of Christ. At this future time, the spiritual gifts necessary to edify the church in the present age will no longer be necessary because “completeness will have come.”^[8] Accordingly, with regard to the purpose and status of spiritual gifts, the language of 1 Corinthians 13:10 reinforces both the critical importance of spiritual gifts for the edification of the church in the present age and the temporality of spiritual gifts as their necessity ceases upon Christ’s future return.

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[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000), 995–96.

[2] David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003), 622.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000), 1065.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Revised., The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014), 715.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid., 716.

Bibliography

• Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000.
• Fee, Gordon D. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Revised. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014.
• Garland, David E. 1 Corinthians. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003.
• Thiselton, Anthony C. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000.