Love Bears All Things Greg Weston The word Paul used in this text, which is translated "bears" in the New King James translation means "to cover" (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, p. 586). Thayer gives the varied usage of this word as "1. to protect or keep by covering, to preserve... 2. to cover with silence; to keep secret; to hide, conceal... 3. By covering to keep off (something which) threatens, to bear up against, hold out against, and so endure, bear, forbear..." Paul did not intend that we hide the sins of others, in a sense of promoting sin. For he had just noted that love "does not rejoice in iniquity". And, the hiding of sin was not the goal of Paul but the forgiveness of sin. This does not mean we make public every man’s fault, but simply emphasizes that Paul’s purpose here is not to cover one’s faults. The word is used four times in the New Testament. Twice Paul used it in the first letter to Corinth (9:12; 13:7) and he used it twice in his first letter to the Thessalonians as well (3:1, 5). In the letter to Thessalonica Paul spoke of a time when he could no longer endure, or bear the fact that they had not heard how the saints in Thessalonica were doing. So they sent Timothy to see how these disciples were doing. Paul was frustrated with this burden, the anxiety for the disciples and took action. He endured it as long as he could. In addition, the reference in the Corinthian letter - apart from this context - is Paul’s discussion of his work of preaching. He said he did not use the right of having the Corinthians support him to preach. He endured all things in order not to hinder the gospel of Christ. He made a choice to bear his own financial burden, apart from the help of the Corinthians, due to the circumstances with the Corinthians. He did receive support at other times, but not from the Corinthians as he was with them. The idea of bearing then is to endure the challenges present, in each of the passages where Paul uses the word. Love bears all things. Love then will look to others and assist them in enduring the difficulties of life, the challenges of resisting Satan. As a parallel thought, consider John’s encouragement. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (I Jn 3:16). In our love for one another we will bear all things individually, and will help others endure all things for the goal of their eternal salvation. This application is to be extended to all, for we must love as God loves. This is a refreshing teaching. It is from the Lord and we see its value to all as it is applied universally. Again, the Lord’s way is the best way!
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 21:11:56 +0000
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