Contextual note: Chapters 12-14 of the First Letter to the Corinthians reveal St. Paul's teaching on New Covenant sanctification/edification by the Holy Spirit--the "perfecting of saints." By comparing 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 with Eph 4:7-16, Romans 12:2-13, and Colossians 3:5-25, readers get a full picture of the maturation process of individual Christians unto holiness/obedience, as accomplished by the Holy Spirit (2 Thess 2:13; 1 Cor 6:11; 1 Pet 1:2; 2 Cor 3:18). God placed various spiritual gifts within the Church (see full listing by comparing Eph 4:8,11-12, 1 Cor 12:18,28-31, and Rom 12:3-9) to develop individual Christians from the "babehood" of early regeneration unto "maturity" as full-grown saints bearing the image of Christ (Gr. "teleios" - i.e., "perfect"). The "babe" language of 1 Cor 13:11 relates to immature "spiritual babe-hood" addressed in verses like 1 Cor 3:1-2, 1 Cor 14:20, 1 Pet 2:1-2, Heb 5:12-14, and Eph 4:14. While all believers are initially regenerated as "babes," it is the calling of every Christian to become mature like the Master, Jesus Christ (Lk 6:40; Mt 5:48; Mt. 19:21; Eph 4:11-13; 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Thess 4:3-9; 1 Cor 2:6). For the Christian, this requires an ongoing transformation process guided by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit begins His sanctifying work on newly regenerate Christians (see "babes" at 1 Cor 3:1-2, 1 Pet 2:2, 1 Cor 13:11/14:20, Heb 5:12-14, and Eph 4:14-15), and He uses various means of sanctification/edification listed in Ephesians 4:8,11-12, 1 Corinthians 12:18,28-31 and Romans 12:1-9 to nurture believers unto maturity--that they may be like their Master (Lk 6:40). Throughout his letters, St. Paul shows that spiritual maturity is a process of spiritual development, from being babes to being full grown (1 Cor 13:11; see also 1 Pet 2:1-2). The apostle even discusses his own journey towards Christian "perfection" at Phil 3:12-15. Finally, a Christian's attainment of "the perfect" is according to the measure of grace God has determined for the individual (Eph 4:7,16; Rom 12:3,6), and it is accomplished by the Holy Spirit's New Covenant ministries and powers (Eph 3:14-21).

1 Cor 13:1 -- "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."
St. Paul encourages growth in spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:27-31 and 14:1), and in 1 Corinthians 13 he explains that these gifts must be performed with the love of God if Christians are to be perfect as the Lord commanded (Matt 5:48; Matt 19:21; Luke 6:40). As stated in here in 13:1, to exercise the gift of tongues (1 Cor 12:27-28,30 - "tongues of angels") yet lack divine love is of no use or profit to anyone. Tongues not exercised properly according to the rule of edification and love (see: 1 Cor 14:5-20,26-28; 16:14) results in a full breakdown of the gift's efficacy and intent (cf. 13:1 to 14:6-11). The Holy Spirit's ministry of sanctification is pragmatic above all, and all the spiritual gifts have one goal: to transform Christians into people of mature faith and character rooted in divine love. Becoming perfect in love (Gr. "teleios" - "perfect," "mature") is the ultimate goal of our spiritual sanctification, as explicitly stated in passages such as 1 John 2:5-6, 4:11-21; Eph 4:12,15-16; Col 3:14; 1 Thess 3:10-4:9; Rom 13:8-10; Gal 5:6,13-14,22; 1 Tim 1:5; 1 Cor 16:14; Eph 3:16-19, 5:1-11. Divine love is a product of communion with the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22; Rom 5:5, 15:30; Eph 3:16-20), and is necessary for effective spiritual formation of saints. Without love and proper application, the sanctifying gifts of the Holy Spirit fail to be effective in reaching their desired goal--namely, they fail to develop people towards maturity in Christ. (1 Cor 14:6,17).

1 Cor 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, but have not love, I am nothing."
To further make his point, St. Paul states that "total spiritual giftedness" amounts to nothing if exercised apart from love. Here Paul contrasts the hypothetical potential of "all spiritual giftedness" with the more common "in part" giftings mentioned at 13:9,12. The ideal of having all knowledge (Gr. "gnosis"), having all faith, and understanding all mysteries (Gr. "musterion" - see: 1 Tim 3:9; Matt 13:11; Eph 3:17-19), while certainly desirable and descriptive of Christ, is nothing without divine love. Divine love is supreme above all. Ephesians 3:19 notes that the love of Christ exceeds/surpasses knowledge ("gnosis"). Moreover, 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 notes that knowledge ("gnosis") often makes people arrogant, whereas love edifies. Love is called the "bond of perfection" (Col 3:14); it is the supreme goal of all spiritual attainment. The spiritual powers listed in 1 Corinthians 13:2 are central to the Christian faith and are to be coveted by those who are spiritually minded (12:31; 14:1); however, to possess or exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit apart from genuine charity is to miss the mark and miss the "more excellent way" (1 Cor 12:31). Divine love is the greatest of all the gifts of God, and all the powers of God's Holy Spirit are to be rooted and grounded in love (Eph 3:16-21).

1 Cor 13:3 -- "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."
Continuing with the "all giftedness" motif, St. Paul states that even ultimate self-sacrifice and asceticism (e.g., giving away all possessions to the poor - see Matt 19:20-21), if done apart from divine love, profits nothing--as was just said of prophecy, knowledge, and faith at 13:2. Bestowing goods to the needy is part of the ministry/administration gifts of the Spirit (Gr. "diakonia"), as listed at Romans 12:7 and seen in passages like Acts 6:1-6, 2 Cor 8:1-9:15, and Rom 15:25-28. And yet, even sacrificial giving should be done cheerfully, not grudgingly or out of compulsion (2 Cor 9:7). So as with the other spiritual gifts, maximum altruism and self-sacrifice (i.e., giving "all my goods") apart from divine love are rendered useless. The proper way to maximize all the spiritual gifts is to exercise them with divine love (2 Cor 8:12, 9:6-9).

1 Cor 13:4-8 -- "Love is patient and kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is not arrogant, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, and thinks no evil. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
In contrast to the spiritual gifts listed in verses 1-3, which even when possessed in the fullest can be rendered futile and useless, divine love never fails. Love is the "more excellent way" to maturity and edification (1 Cor 8:1-3). Love never fails to be the pure expression of God's Spirit, for God is love (1 Jn 4:7-8). Moreover, the goal of the believer is to have the love of God brought to full maturity within (1 Jn 2:5, 3:16-17, 4:11-21). The functioning of love is supreme, as described here eloquently by Paul. It is always virtuous and enduring (i.e., "it abides" - v.13). Other spiritual gifts, if exercised apart from divine love, will be ineffective in bringing about holiness and perfection.

1 Cor 13:8-9 -- "Love never fails. But whether prophecies, they will fail; tongues, they shall cease; knowledge, it shall be made useless. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part."
As Paul has been arguing, and as he continues to argue all throughout chapter 14, spiritual gifts exercised apart from divine love and proper use are not effective in bringing about true holiness and perfection. They fail. The exercise of them can be made useless, and so they are not supreme like divine love. Divine love is the more excellent "way" (Gr. "hodos" - method or means) because it never "fails" (Gr. "ekpipto"), it never becomes useless. The word "ekpipto" means "to fall," to "be of no effect," to "be useless," to "be inefficient." Chapters 12-14 are concerned with seeking the effective edification of believers using various spiritual means (12:7,25; 14:3-5,12,14,16-20,26,31), and the functioning of divine love never fails to accomplish its end result (1 Cor 8:1-3). As such, love is the more excellent way, surpassing even knowledge (Gr. "gnosis" - Eph 3:19). The typical Christian experience of knowing only "in part" and prophesying only "in part" is not as transformative or effective as divine love. Far from the total spiritual giftedness and love possessed by Jesus Christ, the partial spiritual giftedness of common Christian experience has limits. Prophesying, tongues, knowledge, asceticism, and other spiritual gifts can be made useless, if exercised improperly and apart from love. The phrase "know in part" and "prophecy in part" is to be contrasted with Paul's earlier use of "all"--as in "have all knowledge" and "all faith" and "understand all mysteries" (1 Cor 13:2-3).The meaning of knowing and prophesying "in part" is evident: the phrase "in part" (Gr. "ek merous" - partial, imperfect) means something is lacking (see the "perfect vs. lacking" concept in James 1:4; 1 Thess 3:10; Matt 19:20-21). This "partial" or "lack" is compared to a lack of clarity in spiritual seeing in 13:12 (cf. Num 12:6-8); it is also compared to the imperfect understanding and comprehension of small children relative to adults (13:11). Therefore, we see that the "in part" in this passage equates to "imperfect," "immature," "lacking." In the verse that follows, the phrase "that which is in part" implies something "partial" or "imperfect" in the way that the phrase "that which is perfect" means "complete" or "perfect" (Gr. "teleios"). As verses 13:1-3 established, one can be graced with maximum powers of the Spirit and still be "nothing" if love is not present. Such a person is not mature (Gr. teleios), is not like the Master (Luke 6:40). The parallel passage of 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 adds further light on the contrast between love and spiritual gifts: "We all have knowledge (Gr. gnosis); knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies." We see from this passage that having knowledge can make one arrogant, a quality opposite to that of love.

1 Cor 13:10-11 -- "But when that which is perfect may come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a babe, I was speaking as a babe, I was thinking as a babe, I was reasoning as a babe; when I have become a man, the things of the babe are done away."
In this passage, the tables are turned. Earlier, spiritual gifts were said to be rendered void and useless by a lack of love. But here, things that are incomplete, partial, or immature in the life of the Chrisitan are said to be voided by the coming of maturity (Gr. "teleios" - i.e., "perfection")--they are done away. Prior to the arrival of maturity, knowing was said to be merely "in part." But when mature spiritual adulthood arrives, partial knowledge is done away: "I shall know fully even as I am known" (v.12). As explained earlier, the phrase "that which is in part" means "incomplete" in the same-yet-opposite way in which "that which is perfect" (Gr. "to teleion") means "complete" or "mature." Things that are incomplete or immature in the life of the Chrisitian are done away by the coming of maturity (Gr. "teleios" - perfection). "When I have become a man, I have made useless the things of the babe" (i.e., the incomplete thinking, speaking, and reasoning of childhood). When maturity comes, the believer no longer carries the former imperfections of early development, but has been conformed to the image, character, and virtue of Christ (2 Cor 3:18; 2 Pet. 1:3-10; Eph 4:11-16).

Again, the goal of every individual Christian is to become "perfect" (mature) like the Master (Matt 5:48; Matt 19:21; Lk 6:40; Eph. 4:11-13; 2 Cor 7:1; 1 Thess 4:3-9), bringing forth fruit to perfection (Lk 8:14). Comparing scripture with scripture, it is evident that "being perfect" is the end goal of sanctification in the life of the believer--namely, to reach maturity in all spiritual things. Parallel verses that speak of "perfect" (Gr. "teleios - mature) are found in nearly every New Testament letter. Being "perfected" is the goal of sanctification of individuals (see: 1 Jn 2:5-6, 4:12-21; Eph 4:11-12; Heb 13:20-21; 1 Cor 2:6; 1 Cor 14:20; 1 Thess 3:10; Phil 3:12-16; Col 4:12; 2 Cor 7:1-2; James 1:4, 3:2; 1 Pet 5:10; Lk 6:40; Matt 5:48; Matt 19:20-21).

What does "perfection" (maturity) look like? An examination of the parallel verses on "perfect" (Gr. teleios") reveals that tangible goals of spiritual sanctification include the following: *maturity in knowing and doing the will of God (Heb 13:21; Col 4:12; 1 Thess 4:1-10; Col 1:9-11; Rom 12:2-9; 2 Tim 2:20-21; James 1:4), *maturity in righteousness and discerning good and evil (Heb 5:12-14/Eph 4:11-12; 1 Cor 14:20), *maturity in holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor 7:1; James 3:2; 1 Thess 4:3-8; 1 Thess 3:10-13), *maturity in love (1 Jn 2:5-6; 1 Jn 4:16-21; 1 Thess 3:10,12, 4:9; 1 Cor 13 --all; 1 Cor 8:1-3), *maturity in spiritual gifts/ministries (Rom 1:11-12; 1 Cor 1:4-8; 1 Cor 14:20,26,39-40; Eph 4:12,14-16), *maturity unto the measure of the very stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13,15; Gal 4:19; Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18). The process of spiritual sanctification by the Holy Spirit (2 Thess 2:13; 1 Cor 6:11; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Pet 1:2) nurtures spiritual "babes" unto spiritual "adulthood" (full grown, perfect). The "babe" language of 1 Cor 13:11 correlates to the spiritual "babe-hood" addressed in 1 Cor 3:1-2, 1 Cor 14:20, 1 Pet 2:1-2, Heb 5:12-14, and Eph 4:14. The Holy Spirit begins His work on newly regenerate Christians (the "babes" of 1 Cor 3:1-2, 1 Pet 2:2, 1 Cor 13:11/14:20, Heb 5:12-14, and Eph 4:14), and, through the means of sanctification/edification listed in Ephesians 4:8,11-12, 1 Corinthians 12:18,28-31 and Romans 12:1-9, He brings them unto maturity to be like the Master (Lk 6:40). In 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul shows that spiritual maturity is a process of spiritual development from being babes to being full grown--to be like Christ himself. It is important to note that Paul makes application of 1 Cor 13:11 a few verses later in 1 Corinthians 14:20, where he exhorts the Corinthian believers to "be perfect" (Gr. teleios - "full grown") in their understanding of spiritual gifts and to not be "children" in their understanding. The context makes it clear that the Corinthians had been childlike in their use of spiritual gifts, and Paul was calling them to maturity concerning the powers of the Spirit and their proper use in the Church. The Corinthians were full of immaturity, acting upon a childlike understanding concerning the mysteries and powers of the Kingdom Age (the "powers of the age to come" - Heb 6:4-5).

1 Cor 13:12 -- "For we see now through a glass darkly, and then face to face; as it is now, I know in part, and then I shall know, as also I am known."
In 13:11, spiritual growth was likened to development from childhood to adulthood. When adulthood comes, babehood goes away. Here, in 13:12, another comparison is given. The comparison Paul makes is to Moses and his contemporary prophets in the wilderness (cf. 13:12 to Num 12:6-8). Moses was sanctified beyond his contemporaries in the wilderness, for Moses was faithful in all God's house (Num 12:7). Moses was said to know God "face-to-face" (Deut 34:10-11; Num 12:8), beholding the "form of the Lord" clearly (Num 12:8). The other prophets saw their dreams and visions "darkly" through enigmatic sayings (cf. Num 12:6-7; 1 Cor 13:12). They did not see the form of the Lord clearly--not "face to face" as Moses who was faithful in all God's house (Num 12:7; Heb 3:2-5). Many at the time were in touch with the Spirit of God and were prophesying according to God's will. But since Moses was "faithful in all God's house" (Num 12:7; Heb 3:2-5), he was more perfect than the others--his was called a "face to face" relationship with God's Spirit. To any first-century Jew familiar with the life of Moses, Paul's statement resonates: the goal of sanctification of the Holy Spirit under the New Covenant order becomes what it was for Moses--namely, seeing a clear heavenly revelation of God and his will for men, and being obedient. Just as Moses was sanctified and became a faithful servant in all God's house (Num 12:7; Heb 3:2-5), so also New Covenant believers must be faithful and attain unto that which is mature. Again, the end goal of sanctification is "maturity" (Gr. teleios, "the perfect"), which Paul equates with the life of Moses, seeing God "face to face" by way of sanctification of the Holy Spirit. Such is a transformation process as is described in 2 Corinthians 3:18: "We all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord" (cf. Rom 8:28-29). With "the veil removed" in Jesus Christ (2 Cor 3:13-17), followers of Christ undergo a transformation into the likeness of the Lord through sanctification by the Holy Spirit. It is by the very presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church that NT saints may see God's face and have his Law written upon their hearts (Ez 39:29/Acts 2:17/10:45; Ez 36:27). It is important to note that the 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 passage also refers us to Moses' experience compared to the rest of the children of Israel (2 Cor 3:13-15). Moses, himself, was never veiled before God (Ex 34:29-35)--he lived with an unveiled face before God and was described as a man that talked to God "face to face" (Ex 33:11; Deut 34:10). Moses' process of sanctification with God's Spirit is what brought him to "face to face" clarity of God. Such religion is to be normative for the Church, for the veil comes off in Christ, and the Church's members now are to be sanctified unto maturity as was Moses. We should remember that it was this precise "face to face" experience of the Lord that Moses' contemporaries tasted but rejected (Deut 5:4-31), and Moses was forced to wear a veil before the people to keep the people apart from the glorious Presence (Ex 34:29-35). The New Covenant Church is "unveiled" because of Christ (2 Cor 3:14), and its citizens are set on the path towards spiritual maturity and holiness, becoming sanctified vessels fit for every good use of the Master (2 Tim 2:20-21; 1 Thess 4:3-9; Rom 9:21-24)--even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 Cor 13:13 --"As it is now, faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but love is the greatest of these."
This verse reinforces the logical argument of the chapter. Love is the more excellent way. It abides, it believes, it is patient, it does not envy, it is not arrogant, it thinks no evil, it bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things--love, simply put, never falls or fails. As Paul so clearly argues here and in chapter 14, the rest of the sanctifying gifts do fail when exercised improperly in immaturity. The Corinthians had been exercising the sanctifying gifts of the Spirit imperfectly, in immaturity, and as babes--they were ineffective as a result. Divine love has no such shortcomings. Love edifies (8:1).