This is a brief reflection about three words found in Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. The first two words appear in Paul's "thanksgiving' near the beginning. He thanks God for (1) their "speech', and (2) their "knowledge.'

Of course the two are connected. First they "know' and then they "speak.'

Their "knowledge' was "gospel'-knowledge, as the apostle taught them when he established the church. These (mostly) former idolaters now "know' that there are not "gods many' and "Lords many' but that there is but "one God, the Father' and "one Lord, Jesus Christ.' They "know' that Christ died for their sins, was buried, was raised alive after three days and was seen alive by hundreds of people.

They "speak' this knowledge in their lively gatherings, calling out "Jesus is Lord' and "Maranatha,' "Come back Lord Jesus.' They spoke short punchy prophecies about the kingdom of God and warned and encouraged one another. They spoke excited, ecstatic "tongues' words of prayer and praise.

Paul is very grateful to God for their "knowledge' and their "speech' since these were clear evidences that the Corinthians had received the gospel.

But… and it is a big "but', all was not well in this church. It was the most gifted church Paul had founded, but it was also the weakest and for one main reason. It had to do with the third word, "love' - or rather lack of it.

Throughout the letter Paul chides them for their preoccupation with eloquence over and above a plain unvarnished teaching about Christ crucified. He condemns their litigiousness, their insensitivity eating in front of new Christians in pagan temples, the selfishness of the rich eating ahead of the poor at the Lord's Supper and their rudeness talking over the top of one another in their meetings.

The great chapter 13 about "love' (Greek, agape - pronounced "agapay') is probably critical to the whole book. He must drive home that in their prophesying "knowledge' and "speech' is only "in part' since the "perfect' has not yet come. The Corinthians are over confident; humility is called for. They and we know enough to be saved, more than enough in fact. But this side of the kingdom they and we don't know everything yet, as it appears that some of the Corinthian prophets claimed. Not least if these gifts of "knowledge' and "speech' are not exercised with an "others first' attitude they bring no benefit to the church.

Using the idea of an equation we might say that "knowledge' plus "speech' minus "love' is destructive. Remember their factions! On the other hand, "knowledge' plus "speech' plus "love' are "constructive.' The church is "built up' as "knowledge' about God is "spoken' in "love.'

Each is important. But "love' must not be omitted or "knowledge' and "speech' are of no benefit.

Taking these three words seriously will bring God's blessing to our church.

Paul Barnett
November 2001