Love hopes all things
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
-1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)
Adam Clarke:
Hopeth all things - Παντα ελπιζει· When there is no place left for believing good of a person, then love comes in with its hope, where it could not work by its faith; and begins immediately to make allowances and excuses, as far as a good conscience can permit; and farther, anticipates the repentance of the transgressor, and his restoration to the good opinion of society and his place in the Church of God, from which he had fallen
Joseph Benson:
Hopeth all things - Hopes that all will turn out well. This must also refer to the conduct of others; and it means, that however dark may be appearances; how much soever there may be to produce the fear that others are actuated by improper motives or are bad people, yet that there is a "hope" that matters may be explained and made clear; that the difficulties may he made to vanish; and that the conduct of others may be made to "appear" to be fair and pure. Love will "hold on to this hope" until all possibility of such a result has vanished and it is compelled to believe that the conduct is not susceptible of a fair explanation. This hope will extend to "all things" - to words and actions, and plans; to public and to private contact; to what is said and done in our own presence, and to what is said and done in our absence. Love will do this, because it delights in the virtue and happiness of others, and will not credit anything to the contrary unless compelled to do so.
Ben Witherington:
The specific thrust of v. 7 is difficult to determine. It probably means that if one has Christian love, then one's faith, hope, and endurance always keep going. It clearly does not mean that one is gullible, trusting all when there is no reason to do so.
F.F. Bruce:
(Love) it hopes against hope, and is always ready to give an offender a second chance and to forgive him 'seventy times seven' (Mt. 18:22).
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)
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Clarke's Commentary, 1 Corinthians 13
Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, 1 Corinthians 13
Gm Brother, thank you for this posting. The Lord was pleased to guide me to it on a day and occasion I needed to hear it most.
ReplyDeleteHis Word goes out and does not come back void, according to His Purposes. God bless you! Keep sending it out, O 'hidden one'.