Is this passage saying that spiritual gifts have ceased when the Bible came (which is what I was taught)?
“Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
This powerful, poetic section is about “the most excellent way” 1 Cor 12:31, and the greatest of these is “love” (1 Cor 13:13). Paul was making a point that spiritual gifts are very good, but they are not comparable to love. Love is what is far greater.
When we come to this passage in the particulars, it is often taught that this is about the cessation of gifts. That spiritual gifts are the “imperfect,” and the “perfect” is to come. Is that perfect
1) The completion of the Bible?
2) The return of Christ?
3) Heavenly glory?
For years, it was often taught that this is about the Bible coming and therefore there was no more need for spiritual gifts. But there is a problem — the Scriptures themselves.
How could Paul definitely and strongly say to “eagerly desire” spiritual gifts (1 Cor 13:31) immediately before, and then immediately after this context by saying to “eagerly desire spiritual gifts” (1 Cor 14:1), and then say they will soon pass way. It wouldn’t make sense contextually. And Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts was a full chapter length amount of material.
The interpretive problem is an emotive one. There are so many abuses and wild demonstrations of some claiming these are gifts that people are rightfully hesitant. Spiritual gifts are very highly abused. For that, it leads people to read into Scripture something that is wanted due to the uncomfortableness of it all.
But just because people abuse something doesn’t mean we can bend Scripture to our comfort level. The truth is that Paul directly and specifically says that we are to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. His point is not that they’ve gone away, he is making the case that the gifts are far less in significance than loving one another.
But let’s look at the text. How do we understand it?
1) “As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”
Some say that all prophecies, tongues, and knowledge as a practice will pass away. But again, this doesn’t fit the context of eagerly desiring spiritual gifts.
What he rather appears to be saying is that the gifts are for temporal situations. For example, Paul received a word of knowledge or a Spirit influenced dream not to go into Bithynia (Acts 16:7). This was not for all time, but for a specific situation. When he didn’t go into Bithynia, that word was fulfilled.
We see the same in the Bible with Jesus. The prophet to come was to be crucified (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53). When Jesus was crucified, that prophecy was fulfilled.
Whether it is a prophetic word, a word of knowledge,or a tongue, when it is fulfilled, it will pass away. It will no longer hold relevance.
This is not like love to which there is no end.
2) “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”
Prophecy is because God knows, and we don’t. The prophetic can be God giving us understanding of what is to come, and how we are to live. Typically this is for situations that we do not understand. It will pass away.
When the perfect comes, everything else will fade away. Is this when Christ returns? Or is it when we are in heaven? Both are plausible.
3) When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
This is comparing an immature life with a mature life. We put immaturity behind us, and grow into maturity.
Is this about the Biblical canon? That once Scripture comes we will put immature spiritual gifts away, and just have the Bible? This would not make sense contextually. Why?
Because it talks about seeing God face to face. These are words of unhindered fellowship with God.
It goes on to say “I shall know fully” – Christians, even with the Biblical canon, cannot know fully. Nor would it make sense that the canon can position us to be “fully known.” These are words of intimate relationship.
In summary, is this text the abolishment of the spiritual gifts when the canon comes? Contextually speaking, the answer is no. Paul is attempting to appeal to the people that as much as they desire spiritual gifts, there is something greater, and that is love.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.