1 Corinthians 13:10

10 but whenever the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:10 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 13:10

But when that which is perfect is come
When perfect knowledge of God, of Christ, and of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven shall take place; which will not in this life, but in that which is to come. So the Jews say ^F18 that at the resurrection, upon the reunion of the soul and body,

``the children of men shall attain to (hmylv hed) , "perfect knowledge";''

which is what the apostle refers to here:

and then that which is in part, shall be done away:
the imperfection of knowledge shall be removed; the imperfect manner of communicating knowledge, and of receiving and acquiring it, will cease: thus the apostle explains what he means by the cessation and failing of knowledge, and prophecy; not that knowledge itself will be no more, and a state of ignorance and darkness succeed; but imperfect knowledge will vanish away, or rather will be perfected, or be swallowed up in perfect knowledge; the imperfection of it will disappear; and it will be no more taught and received in part; the whole of truth will be clearly known.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 Midrash Haneelam in Zohar in Gen. fol. 69. 1.

1 Corinthians 13:10 In-Context

8 Love never ends. But if [there are] prophecies, they will pass away. If [there are] tongues, they will cease. If [there is] knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10 but whenever the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside the things of a child.

12 For now we see through a mirror {indirectly}, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know completely, just as I have also been completely known.