Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
Read Chapter 13
Ambrosiaster
AD 400
It is a great gift to be able to speak in different languages. To speak with the tongues of angels is even greater. But in order to show that none of this can be ascribed to merit and that every tongue is subject to the glory of God, Paul adds that a man without love is like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Balaam’s ass spoke a human language in order to demonstrate the majesty of God, and children sang the praises of Christ in order to confound the Jews. In fact the Savior went further and declared that even stones could cry out if necessary. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER
i. He points out that of all gifts and graces, charity is the first, and that without charity no gift or virtue is of any use.
ii. He enumerates (ver4) the sixteen conditions of charity, or the modes of its manifestation towards our neighbours.
iii. He shows (ver8) the eminency of charity from the fact that it will remain in heaven, when faith is changed into sight and hope into fruition.
The whole of this chapter is in praise of charity. The Apostle treats of charity at such length, not only because charity is the queen of all virtues, but also because he wishes by charity, as by a most effectual medicine, to cure the pride and divisions of the Corinthians; for charity effects that superiors do not despise inferiors, and that inferiors do not feel bitter when their superiors are preferred before them. But, especially, he commends charity to them as a most excellent gift, that they may seek it rather than the gift of tongues, or of prophecy, or of miracles, w...
A tinkling cymbal. Which may give notice, and be beneficial to others, but not to itself. (Witham)
Without charity, both towards every individual, and especially towards the common body of the Church, none of the aforesaid gifts will be available. (Bristow)
What is, of men? Of all nations in every part of the world. And neither was he content with this amplification, but he likewise uses another much greater, adding the words, and of angels—and have not love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
Do you see to what point he first exalted the gift, and to what afterwards he lowered and cast it down? For neither did he simply say, I am nothing, but, I have become sounding brass, a thing senseless and inanimate. But how sounding brass? Emitting a sound indeed, but at random and in vain, and for no good end. Since besides my profiting nothing, I am counted by most men as one giving impertinent trouble, an annoying and wearisome kind of person. Do you see how one void of love is like to things inanimate and senseless?
Now he here speaks of the tongues of angels, not investing angels with a body, but what he means is this: should I even so speak as angels are wont to discourse unto each other, without this I am nothing, nay ...
The tongues of angels refer to the different languages spoken on earth since the destruction of the tower of Babel. As Moses says in Deuteronomy [:]: “God has set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of angels.” It is therefore the task of each angel to defend the distinction of nations. The tongues of men on the other hand are languages which we learn; they do not come to us naturally. .
