1 Corinthians 12:31

“But covet earnestly the best gifts, and moreover I will show you a supremely excellent way.”

Theodoret has taken the first proposition interrogatively. In that case it would contain a rebuke, either in the sense: “Are you careful to seek the most useful gifts? No, you seek the most brilliant;” or in this: “Do you seek the greatest gifts (the most brilliant)? Yes, and it is your sin.” But neither of these meanings harmonizes with the following proposition. It leads us to take the first clause as an exhortation resulting from the application, 1 Corinthians 12:27-30: “All gifts are useful and in their place; you are right in seeking them. But (δέ) let this search be especially after those by which you can contribute most to the edificaof the whole.” The δέ is rather adversative, as de Wette thinks, and as is proved by Edwards against Meyer. Holsten rightly remarks that the adjective ought to be detached from the substantive: “Seek gifts, and the best ones.” The reading of the received text κρείττονα, better, which is that of the Greco-Lats. and Byz., seems to me preferable to the Alex. reading: μείζονα, greater. This is taken, probably, from the passages 1 Corinthians 13:13 and 1 Corinthians 14:5, which have been mistaken for parallels to this. The adjective κρείττων, strictly more powerful and so more useful, is evidently taken here in this second meaning: the gifts most capable of producing the common edification. The word μείζων would have the same meaning, but less naturally.

By these better gifts, there have been understood faith, hope, and charity (1 Corinthians 13:13), but wrongly. Never, in Paul's language, are the gifts, which are the means of Christian activity, confounded with the virtues which are the very elements of life. The sequel will show that Paul has especially in view prophecy and teaching.

It is asked how he can stir up believers to seek gifts. Does not the very term gifts imply that they are received, not acquired by labour? Must we with Reuss see here an insoluble contradiction between the two elements of Paul's view: Divine gift and human pursuit? But first the pursuit can take place in the way of prayer, an act which agrees easily with the notion of gift. Then the gift may exist in the believer as a germ in a natural talent which it is his mission to cultivate, but which he may also leave buried. No doubt there were among the Corinthians more prophets and teachers potentially than really. Love for the Church would have developed those gifts; but they were decaying in consequence of the false direction which the new life had taken. See this idea of ζηλοῦν, covet, taken up again in the second part of 1 Corinthians 14:1. At the moment when he was about to develop it, all at once Paul stops, seized with the need of expressing a feeling which has for a long time filled his heart in view of the spiritual state of this Church. What does he mean by speaking of a supremely excellent way, which he proceeds to describe? Is it the normal way of attaining to the possession of the most desirable gifts? The way would thus be the true mode of the ζηλοῦν. Or is it the way in a more general sense, the way of holiness and salvation, in opposition to gifts which of themselves cannot sanctify and save? Commentators are divided between the two meanings. The former seems at first better to suit the context; it is adopted by Chrysostom, Meyer, Osiander, de Wette, Edwards, and yet the latter is alone really admissible, as has been clearly seen by Tertullian, Estius, Olshausen, Rückert, Hofmann, Holsten. This appears from the relation between our verse and that by which it is resumed, 1 Corinthians 14:1. There we find clearly expressed the idea of a contrast between seeking love and coveting gifts. Consequently, in the apostle's view, love is by no means mentioned here as a means of succeeding in the pursuit of gifts, but as a virtue to be sought first of all and for itself. Meyer and Edwards object that this meaning would have required ἀλλά, but (Meyer), or ὅμως, nevertheless (Edwards), instead of ἔτι, moreover; but wrongly. The apostle rises from the encouragement to seek gifts to another recommendation, viz. to walk (ὁδός) in charity. The καὶ ἔτι, and moreover, suits this meaning: “Seek gifts, and, moreover, I will now describe a way which is still better than the exercise of gifts, even the best, that whereby alone the possession and exercise of gifts will truly become a blessing.” I find in Holsten nearly the same thought thus expressed: “Paul shows that above all gifts and the aspiration after them, there is a higher way open to the Christian love. The Corinthians find therein the true standard by which to appreciate the value of this aspiration and of its satisfaction.” It would be possible to connect ἔτι with καθ᾿ ὑπερβόλην; but in this way we only form a pleonasm; ἔτι is naturally joined with the verb: “And moreover I have to show you...” Comp. Acts 2:26. The form καθ᾿ ὑπερβόλην, in superabundance, excellently, is somewhat frequent in Paul's writings: sometimes it relates to the verb (2 Corinthians 1:8; Galatians 1:13); sometimes it qualifies the adjective or the substantive it accompanies; so Romans 8:13 (καθ᾿ ὑπερβ. ἁμαρτωλός), and perhaps 2 Corinthians 4:17. Here, applying it to the verb, with Grotius and Ewald, we should be brought to the meaning: “And to give superabundance of clearness or certainty, I again point out to you the true way.” But first this meaning would attach to the false explanation of the word way, which we have set aside; and in any case, the indication of the way would not be in the least superfluous, for Paul gives it a whole chapter. The idea of superabundance or excellence therefore qualifies the way itself. The supremely excellent way whereby the Christian ought to seek to attain the end of life is charity. Reuss explains: “A supreme rule which is to guide you in your judgment.” The explanation is grammatically correct; but the way designates not the rule for judging gifts, but love itself, which should guide the use of them.

The present δείκνυμι, I show, simply announces what Paul is about to do in the following passage (in reply to Edwards).