Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 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. And 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. – 1 Cor 13: 1-3. It may seem like a detour to suddenly turn away from discussing the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians to the middle of Paul’s explanation of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 13. However, this is not really a detour. Rather, it is a perfect opportunity to dive into and dig up more details about love.
The first thing we notice is that love is spoken of as both a gift and a fruit. It is a transitional trait because it is how Paul pivots from the discussion of the gifts to that of the fruit. He brings up love because it too, like those mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The capacity to have it comes from God. It is like a fruit of the Spirit because it can only reach maturity and be manifested in its purity as an outgrowth of the Holy Spirit.
Next, we see that love profits more than the other gifts. Tongues must cease in the presence of love. Prophecy must listen to love. Knowledge is nothing unless it understands love. Faith is wasted without being exercised in love. Charity is mere social work without love. Even martyrdom is a senseless loss of life without love. As Paul says, even if we possess all of these gifts, we are nothing but sounding brass and clanging cymbals without love.
Thirdly, we must conclude that if we were to seek any gift or fruit as a matter of priority, it should be love. In Proverbs 4: 7, King Solomon instructed his son: “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” Similarly, here in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, Paul is insinuating: “Love is the principal thing. Therefore get love. And in all your seeking, seek love.”