<p>13:2- see on Mt. 7:22.</p><p><i>And if I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries, and all knowledge- </i>Prophecy, knowledge and understanding &quot;all mysteries&quot; are nothing unless we are going to use that knowledge to profit or assist others. In the knowledge oriented world of the information age, we need this reminder as no other generation. Intellectual knowledge alone cannot save; it is only if this is harnessed for others that we can become 'profitable' and as it were find ourselves; otherwise we shall simply &quot;be nothing&quot;. The Corinthians were modelling their church upon the surrounding idol cults, with their claims to speak &quot;mysteries&quot; and have exclusive knowledge. They were clearly making these claims in the name of having Holy Spirit gifts. Although they were not spiritual (3:1), Paul doesn't directly attack their false claims. Rather he argues more subtly, that even if he has all such knowledge of mysteries, this of itself is nothing if it is not rooted in the love that seeks to upbuild others.</p><p><i>If I have all faith so as to remove mountains</i>- Paul appears to speak of such faith as a gift of the Spirit. Perhaps the miracles of the Spirit were done through granting the believers the gift of faith so that they could achieve the miracles. Surely Paul has in mind the Lord's teaching that faith as a grain of mustard seed could remove a mountain (Mt. 17:20). But that alone would not save the individual doing the miracle. That mustard seed had to grow into a great plant which gave shelter to others (Lk. 13:19). Faith alone will not save; it must have works, and those works relate to the blessing of others. This is the whole theme here in Corinthians. We may have the faith which enables us to eat idol food; but that is not the point. Our impact upon others and care for them is the essential thing.</p><p>The fact we copy the language patterns of those we are with was true for Paul. The Gospels were so much in his heart that he can hardly speak or write without some reference, consciously or unconsciously, to the Lord Jesus. Thus in 1 Cor. 13:2 I sense that Paul as he is writing (on a human level) was looking round for a superlative to express just how useless we are without love. And the superlative expression he picks is unconsciously taken out of the Gospels (Mt. 17:20): &quot;Though I have all faith <i>so that I could remove mountains</i> and have not charity, I am nothing&quot;.</p><p>Even if we have faith to move mountains- an allusion to the Lord's teaching in Mt. 21:21- we 'are nothing' without love (1 Cor. 13:2). God so respects faith that He may hear the prayer of a believer, even though He considers that person &quot;nothing&quot; because they lack love. Rather like Elijah bringing fire down from Heaven by his faith- and yet the Lord Jesus seems to imply that this wasn't the right thing to have done, because Elijah lacked love (Lk. 9:55). In our self-examination we may perceive how God answers our prayers, our faith is rewarded... and think we're doing OK. But it could be that we are still &quot;nothing&quot;. It's a sobering thought. Paul goes on in 1 Cor. 15:2,19 to say that faith can be &quot;in vain&quot;, and hope can likewise be merely of benefit in this life. But 1 Cor. 13:3 hits even harder home: a believer can give their body to be burned, for nothing, if they lack love. Remember these words were written, albeit under inspiration, by a believer who did give his body to die a violent death, and who had seen with his own eyes the death of Christians. Surely Paul writes with a warning word to himself; that even that apparent pinnacle of devotion to the Lord can be in vain, if we lack love.<br />Note how he writes in the first person: &quot;If <i>I</i> have all faith... but have not love, <i>I am nothing</i>&quot; (1 Cor. 13:2). It's not only that Paul is warning himself personally; the only other time the Greek phrase &quot;I am nothing&quot; occurs is Paul speaking about himself, also to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:11). There's a kind of association of ideas between the &quot;I <i>am</i> nothing&quot; and &quot;Love <i>is</i> everything&quot;. Unless we 'are' love, we 'are' nothing.</p><p><i>But do not have love, I am nothing</i>- The same phrase is only used, also to the Corinthians, in 2 Cor. 12:11 &quot;Though I am nothing&quot;. We are indeed &quot;nothing&quot; of ourselves; only if we have love for others do we become something. We are to connect &quot;I am nothing&quot; with the comment that &quot;it profits me nothing&quot; in :3. If we do not profit or benefit others, then we are ourselves nothing. This continues the theme so often touched upon in Corinthians- that our salvation is wrapped up in that of others. We cannot just focus upon our own salvation and relationship with the Lord. If we do not profit others, then we are nothing ourselves. This explains Paul's passion for the spiritual growth and salvation of the Corinthians and indeed all his converts. The whole situation is reminiscent of how the men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh were not allowed to have their own inheritance on the East of Jordan until they had helped their brethren to secure their inheritances in the promised land to the West of Jordan.</p>