Verse Smart · Commentary comparison
What do the great Christian commentators say about 1 Corinthians 13:13? Below is a side-by-side look at how Matthew Henry, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Albert Barnes, and John Wesley read this passage — where they agree, where they diverge.
1 Corinthians 13:13 · WEB
“But now faith, hope, and love abide; these three. But the greatest of these is love.”
Love is greatest because it most reflects God's own nature and character.
Love is supreme due to its eternal nature and direct connection to God.
Love is the highest perfection and the most pleasing to God, thus supreme.
Summaries are AI-rendered overviews of public-domain commentaries (Henry, Calvin, Spurgeon, Barnes, Wesley). Always consult primary sources for study.
Late 17th/Early 18th Century
Henry emphasizes that faith, hope, and love are the enduring virtues that remain after miraculous gifts cease. He sees faith and hope as leading us to love, which is the highest and most perfect of these divine graces.
“Love is the queen of the Christian virtues, remaining eternally while faith and hope are completed.”
16th Century
Calvin explains that faith and hope are temporary, necessary for this life, but love is eternal and perfected in God. He sees love as the ultimate goal that completes and perfects faith and hope.
“Love is the eternal bond that perfects faith and hope in the life to come.”
19th Century
Spurgeon highlights the lasting nature of faith, hope, and love, calling them the three great pillars of the Christian life. He strongly asserts that love is the greatest because it is the attribute most like God and will continue forever.
“Love is the greatest because it is the essence and practice of God Himself.”
19th Century
Barnes views faith and hope as essential for the present life, but love as the virtue that will endure into eternity. He argues that love's superiority stems from its direct and eternal connection to God's nature.
“Love’s eternal duration and its reflection of God's nature make it supreme.”
18th Century
Wesley teaches that faith and hope are vital for salvation but love is the highest Christian perfection, essential for pleasing God. He believes love is the ultimate expression of Christian character that will last into heaven.
“Love is the perfection of Christian experience, the highest grace that abides forever.”