Editor's note

* Before reading the next article…

On 12 November 2014, the Independent reported that a Japanese man had set himself on fire to protest against the decision of the government to ease the restrictions on the use of the Japanese military. Since World War 2, they had been unable to use military force against other nations, unless in self-defence. This act of self-immolation was even filmed.
This man has reportedly died. A similar case was reported in June, but that time the middle-aged man survived.
Self immolation is linked to sacrifice.

The "other" things

Before we can estimate at its true value the Love of which Paul writes in this sublime chapter, we must consider for a little while some of "the other things" with which he contrasts it in the course of his argument. We shall find that this Master-grace is not only a greater thing than faith and hope—the two particular virtues mentioned in our text—but a greater thing than all the occult mysteries with their complex organisations, which for many centuries had formulated and laid down the ways of life for countless millions of the earth's misguided population. We shall also find it to be a greater and more excellent thing than that immature and mechanical way of life prevailing in the Corinthian and other Churches in those very early days prior to the writing of those letters and Epistles which together comprise our New Testament. In a word, the scope of Paul's argument throws this heaven-sent Grace into sharp contrast with all those occult and idolatrous influences which had moulded the customs of the various sections of the human race; had instituted their many ways of life, and which, because of the hold it gave them over the masses, were held in great esteem by the intellectual princes of that ancient world. It is only when we can make allowances for all that old-time prophecy had meant to some, the "Occult mysteries" to others, and the practices of Stoic self-immolation* to still others, that we will be able to appreciate, as Paul appreciated it, what this marvellous heavenly gift will mean to men, when, at last, it comes to replace them all.

The relationship between God, man and the universe

Behind all these "other things"—the systems of prophecy, of the mysteries, and of self-immolation—stood the great problem of God and the Universe, and of man's relationship thereto. To the unenlightened heathen mind, whether cultured or untaught, this besetting problem was ever the great enigma of their lives. With them, as with men of modern times there was always a riddle of the Universe, deep, elusive, and difficult to solve.

Ancient theories known by 1st Century Corinthians

Many speculating minds sought to understand how a First Great Cause —which all admitted there must be—could have created an order of things in which the sensuous and servile qualities of men predominated so extensively. Men found themselves scarcely separated from the brute, bound with tendencies to lust and vice, unable to escape from the "pull" of a self-centred life. Why were they fettered in this way? Why could they not rise above this environment; How had this state of things come to be? Had the Prime Cause (or Causes, if more than one) definitely and deliberately made it so? Many and various were the speculations voiced by numerous enquiring minds, and many were the theories attempting to explain this riddle of the Universe. Some attempted to explain it by asserting that two antagonistic deities existed side by side—a good one and an evil one—and that all the evil in the world had been introduced by the evil god, with whom the "good" deity was at constant war—the one producing storms, gales, cyclones and all other disastrous things, while the other was responsible for the sunshine, bounteous harvests and life-giving water springs. "How" they asked "could one all-pure, all-good God form a world whose substance and inhabitants were so replete with such evil properties, and so many evil things?" The only solution they could see was that there must be two opposing Gods—the one responsible for the good in life, the other for the bad. This solution was not stated quite so simply as that, but was dressed up in high-sounding speculative terms, so that to the uneducated there was always something of mystery attending it.

Others sought to answer in another way. The First Great Cause projected from Himself, spiritual entities called Aeons or Emanations; these also, in turn, projected other Aeons or Emanations. With each succeeding projection the original divine element became weaker and less pure, so that, in course of time as the lower ranks of angels were projected they became able to deal with the chaotic matter in the universe; shape and make it into this terrestrial world, and people it with sensuous man.

Thus the gap between the Great First Cause and man was deep and wide, and many were the speculations as to the "how" and "why" it had been brought about. Specific claims to know these secrets were made by certain presumptuous minds whose special claim it was to have been thus entrusted with this "knowledge" by the gods. An air of deep mystery pervaded all this "gnosis", separating men who "knew" from those who did not "know".

In other lands mysteries associated with priestcraft and idol-worship claimed to hold the secrets of the gods. Stories of the exploits of the fallen angels in their clandestine relations with the daughters of men (Gen.6.2) both before and after the flood (see Num.13.33, for reference to the "giant" offspring of the illicit contact—same word "Nephilim" as in Gen.6.4) were invested with abstruse (obscure) meanings, and embodied in a vast system of "Mystery". Double meaning to words gave rise to both an inner and an outer explanation of these mysteries—the inner or "esoteric" explanation being for the priestly "initiate" alone. From this source came all the idolatrous systems of Babylonia and Canaan.

Knowledge and love

That Paul has all these ancient systems of mystery in his mind is evident from the recurring references he makes to the idol system with which the Corinthian brethren had had contact in those former days, before they received the truth. In Chapter 8.1, he introduces his line of contrast between the "Gnosis", and the "Agape", and informs us that possession of the "Gnosis" alone would result in vanity and conceit in the individual, while possession of the "Agape" would cause a sound foundation to be laid upon which a solid superstructure could be reared. Continuing (vs.5) he says "…there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there be gods many and lords (baals) many"—a sure indication that he has the many heathen systems under review.

Again in Chapter 10.20, he says "…the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils (demons 'daimoniois')..." (See also vs.21). Furthermore, the use in Chapter 13.2, of the two words "musteria" (mystery) and "gnosis" (knowledge) affords the strongest evidence that Paul was taking a very wide survey of the heathen world, with all its ways of life. Even though the word "musteria" was a word in general use to denote things peculiar to a trade or profession—trade secrets we would call them today—the special circumstances of those days would invest it with a more specific meaning than that. Trades and professions were dedicated to the gods, and specific knowledge of the trade was interwoven with specific knowledge of the god.

Paul's use of these terms shows that he is contrasting "the way of life" purpose by God with all the many ways of life associated with the many gods, and with the many philosophic answers to the unsolved riddles of the Universe. He will yet show that "the Agape" alone can provide the answer to this otherwise insoluble enigma.

In this analysis Paul also sees the system of the fire-worshipper who gave his body to the flames, not to be burned to death, but to have it callosified (made callous or insensitive). "Fakir" practices like this abound in some eastern lands to this day. Great merit—sainthood—was considered to flow from this method or burning sin out of the flesh.

To the Jew

Additionally, with his eye on the stickler for Jewish orthodoxy in the Corinthian Church, Paul introduces the Jewish way of life into his analysis, and visualises the "explainer of the Prophecies", at his work. To the ardent Jew—as a member of a people separated unto God, the old-time prophecies contained the very word of God Himself in answer to the universal enigma—they contained the sum and substance of all essential knowledge needful to understand men's relation to the First Great Cause. And he who could, by great subtlety of argument, bring down the high things—the mountains—to the level of the human mind was accounted great indeed in his people's esteem.

Corinthians not broken clear

Here then, in these varying contrasted things, Paul has compiled a summary of the greatest and most revered institutions known to the peoples of his day. Among the Corinthian brethren were some who had had contact with, and some degree of knowledge of, one or more of the systems on his list and would be able to evaluate Paul's line of contrast much better than we can do today. To us these things are merely historic echoes from an ancient past; to them they had been the living factors imposed upon them by heredity and environment—rounds of life from which they had not as yet entirely broken clear.

But, though we cannot judge these contrasts as they could, we should try, at least, to understand that all these cults and systems had been for them the only channels of present satisfaction and of future expectation in that dark period of the world, both for the life that now is, and for the enshadowed life that lies ahead. The dim pleasures of Elysium, or Nirvana, and every other conception of final bliss had been to them the only climax to these several ways of life that they had lived for.

The daily life

In this list of contrasts we are brought face to face with universal things, the daily round and common task for nations and for men, from the cradle to the grave; also with the vast superstitious systems which had moulded both nations and men and made them what they were. We should also realise that apart from the new heaven-sent Way which Paul was setting forth there was no road out, no way of escape from the age-worn groove into which they had been born, in which they were fated to live, till life was done. Life's deeper things were mysteries indeed, riddles concerning the universe, riddles concerning the First Great Cause, and riddles of even humankind itself.

With all their supposed philosophic knowledge and their myriad mysteries what advantage did they gain? Death still reigned supreme, evil still ran rampant without check, tyrant rule stalked the earth, and priestly craft still bound the minds of men, even of their noblest and best. Where was their driving power, and to what end could they lead, save into deeper darkness and hopelessness? The nations were indeed without God and without hope in the world. Even the Jews, by tradition, had made void the Word of God, and the Light was about to pass them by, and leave them also in darkness deeper than theretofore.

Agape Love

Against all this flotsam of thought and practice Paul sets forth one thing — The Agape! Were I able to reveal every mystery — so he says — explain every prophecy, feed all the poor everywhere, mount the purifying pyre, or even charm the earth with angelic wisdom or Homeric eloquence all this would avail me nothing if I lacked the Agape. It would but add to the world's clanging din, out of which no good had yet come; out of which no good could ever come world without end. Generations would still drag their weary way to the tomb, groping through the darkness without one ray of light.

Not from the mystery-mongering of conceited men, not from farfetched solutions of ancient prophecy, not from Stoic or humanitarian activities could that which is "perfect" come. There is but one power that can lead to that desired end—that Power is "The Agape". Not by self-effort can that "Perfect" estate be attained. It can come only by the help of God. And it is that "Helping Hand" which Paul sets over against all these "other things".

Superior way of Life

God has purposed to bring in a "way of Life", which, because it is the "Way of Love" will be superior to all these "other things", and thereby reveal the answer to the riddle that has baffled human-kind for all the ages past. It will, in itself, be the explanation of the Purpose that has had all the ages for its development. It will show why men by searching could not find out God, and why through the dark centuries they were left to guess and speculate about the Great First Cause, about the Universe, and about themselves.

TH