This passage is so overused that many Christians find it to be cliché. It is used very often as a wedding reading. My Dad, a pastor, particularly dislikes it when weddings he officiates use it, but of course he goes along with it. He doesn’t dislike it because of the passage itself, but because of its misapplication to marriages in particular.
The word used for love in this passage is “αγάπη,” which translates as “brotherly love.” Contrary to the interpretations of many Christian brides and grooms, αγάπη has nothing to do with romantic love. In fact, throughout the whole New Testament, its main application is to God’s love for mankind, and mankind’s reciprocal love for God. For example, it is used in the famous “God is love” verse in 1 John. Thus, this passage is mainly about both mankind’s relationship with God, and the extension of that love towards fellow man.
I tend to agree with Paul’s vision of love in this passage, which is suprising. I disagree with Paul’s teachings more than any other New Testament author. Paul was quite the religious politician. Paul was always starting new churches, training followers, and resisting counter subcultures within the early Christian community. He consolidated power and created an interconnected, yet interspersed, network of churches. Many of his epistles (and epistles falsely penned under his name) reflect this fact. His politics and system of ethics often frustrate me. For example, Paul wrote the only anti-gay sentiment in the whole New Testament. But even though these verses are possibly politically motivated (Paul wants cooperative churches in order that they may grow), his words ring true with me. While I might not think that “Love” exists as an actual absolute entity, Paul describes a view of the abstract notion of love for mankind that I can get behind.
Here is my remix: Love is genderless, love is colorblind. It does not persecute, it does not discriminate, it is not prejudiced. It does not discourage, it never stagnates, it is always understanding and forgiving. Love does not delight in ignorance, but rejoices with knowledge and wisdom. It always uplifts, always supports, always encourages, always empowers.
If this post starts good conversation/people like it, I’ll continue to do more like them. Though I am not religious, I love the Bible and like discussing it honestly and critically (something you never get at a church) and talking about its many meanings (something you never get in academia).