1 Corinthians 12:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then the Apostle offers the chief consolation, which could encourage them and quiet the grieving soul. What is it? "Be zealous," he says, "for the greater gifts; and I show you a still more excellent way" (1 Cor 12:31).

By these words he hints, in some manner, that the Corinthians themselves are at fault if they receive lesser gifts. If they wish, they can receive greater ones.

By the expression "be zealous," he requires from them diligence and desire for spiritual gifts. He did not say "higher," but "greater," that is, more necessary and more useful.

The meaning of his words is this: do not cease desiring gifts, and I will show you the way to receive gifts. He did not say "gift," but "way," in order to exalt further what he intended to speak about.

"Earnestly desire the greater gifts" (τα κρείττονα). He secretly hinted that they themselves were to blame for having received lesser gifts. For by the word "desire" he requires effort from them and a greater striving toward spiritual things.

In Greek it does not say "greater" (τα μείζονα), but "better" (τα κρείττονα), that is, more useful. "And I show you a still more excellent way." If you earnestly desire gifts with determination, then together with these ways, as the word "still" indicates, I will show you one most excellent way.

That is, I will show an excellent way that leads to all the gifts. He means love.

Let us pray that we may be counted worthy of the gift, and once counted worthy, let us not think highly of ourselves.

He draws the Corinthians toward what is more profitable, showing them by degrees the grace of every gift named above. Whether it appears in men through tongues, the gift of healing, or prophecy, it belongs not to human merits, but to the honoring of God.

"Earnestly desire the greater gifts." Some read this as a question: Do you truly desire the greater gifts? If you truly desire them, I will gladly show you the way to them.

For the Apostle added this: "And I show you a still more excellent way." That is, I show the way to gifts greater by excellence. He teaches them that love for one's neighbor is higher than all these gifts.

Scripture calls the virtues ways, and greater than all the virtues is love. Therefore the Apostle said, "And I show you a still more excellent way" (1 Cor 12:31), since it disposes one to despise every material thing and to prefer nothing temporal to the eternal.

We do not say that the thought of eternal punishment, or of the blessed reward promised to the saints, serves no purpose. On the contrary, such thoughts are useful, since they lead those guided by them to the beginning of blessedness.

But love is filled with greater boldness and unceasing joy. It raises those devoted to it from the degree of servile fear and hired hope to the degree of filial love for God.

From those who are perfect, it makes them in a certain way more perfect. For the Savior says, "In My Father's house are many mansions" (Jn 14:2).

Although all the luminaries are seen in heaven, there is a great difference between the brightness of the sun and the moon, and also of the morning star and the other stars (1 Cor 15:41).

"Earnestly desire the greater gifts." The Apostle says this intentionally, to show that the Corinthians themselves are to blame for having received fewer gifts. If they desire greater gifts, he will show them the way by excellence. As is clear from what follows, this way is love for one's neighbor.

This text stands at the transition to the following discourse on love. Having said everything about the extraordinary gracious gifts manifested in the Church, and having brought peace to all who were troubled by receiving lesser gifts in comparison with others, the Apostle says to them, as it were:

Do you desire better gifts? Seek them. But I tell you that the work of Christian life is not in the gifts. All gifts can cease in the Church. There is something in Christianity higher than all the gifts. This is what I now wish to show you.

Love is not like the other gifts, some of which are given to some and others to others, but not all to all. It is a universal gift.

Indeed, it is not a gift in the same sense as the other gifts, but the necessary condition for receiving them all. It is the highest Christian power of the spirit.

The one who has it cannot murmur over the smallness of his gifts and will not envy others. The one who has love has the possibility of receiving all the higher gifts.

In a word, love is the highest way of life. The Apostle indicates and praises it for all Christians who strive to receive the greater gracious gifts, for Christian love has no limits of perfectibility.

This text stands at the transition to the following discourse on love. Having said everything about the extraordinary gracious gifts manifested in the Church, the Apostle had pacified all who were troubled by receiving lesser gifts than others.

He speaks to them as though saying: Do you desire the better gifts? Seek them. But I tell you that the work of Christian life is not in the gifts. All gifts can cease in the Church.

There is something in Christianity higher than all gifts. This is what I now wish to show you.

"A more excellent way," that is, the most excellent way: the way of life, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.