Well, our meal is almost finished, but now I have a taste for dessert. I remember coming here with the folks and having the hot apple pie with vanilla on top.

“Good enough to die for”, as they say. But I never had to, because the folks always seemed to pay for it. I never really gave that much of a thought, because I was a child.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.


I better make sure I brought enough cash to pay for this banquet. Let me see, I know I have it here somewhere. My wallet, I left it at home. Now what will I do?


12 For 1 now we see through a glass, darkly; but2 then face to face: now I know in part; but2 then shall I know even as3 also4 I am known.

correlative conjunctions
1 [γάρ G1063 truly therefore]
2 [δέ G1161 but]
3 [καθώς G2531 adverbial conjunction]
4 [καί G2532 also]


I know, I’ll call my friends who owe me money, they can help. So I called one friend who owed me a hundred bucks and said, “listen, if you come down here right now with fifty bucks, you won’t owe me the other fifty. We’ll be squared away”. I was so happy when they said they would.

But fifty dollars wasn’t enough to cover the bill, and I always leave a tip. I know someone else who owes me a hundred, I’ll call them. In fact, my first friend was so happy to pay only fifty, I’ll see if I can get a little more from this one. So I called, and they were thrilled to pay only eighty. and I couldn’t believe how fast they arrived to help. Turns out they both were dining there too. Just as they both went back to sit down, my server arrived.

I reached for my cash, but the server said
“it’s on the house”. WHAT , I said in amazement! How can that be? What’s the catch?  “ There’s no catch”, they proclaimed. “Do you see that bright light on the second floor? That’s the owner’s office”. Sure, I said, but it’s so bright I can’t look directly at it. “ Well that’s ok” my server said, “look at the gentleman seated to the owners right in the really big chair. The one dressed in all white, and wearing the crown of the prince. That’s the owner’s son. They’ve known you since before you were born, when your folks first started coming here. You’re welcome here anytime, and it’s on the house”. Wow, how can I ever show my gratitude for such graciousness, I asked. The server said, “just tell your friends and family we’re here. We’re open 24/7, 365 days a year. Except leap year, of course, then it would be 366 days”.

I want to be like the prince, when I grow up.

13 And
1 now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but1 the greatest of these [is] charity.

1And/but [δέ G1161 but] “so then” or “I say”.
“so then I say, now abideth
faith, hope, charity, these three”.
The conjunction
δέ precedes and follows after “now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three”, which is an internal Asyndeton. If it had read “now abideth faith and hope and charity, these three”, it would have been a Polysyndeton, forming a whole. If it had said “now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three” it would imply that faith, hope and charity were on equal standing one with the other. By omitting the conjunction, faith, hope and charity are simply presented as existing together, but not on equal standing, for the greatest of these is …

I’m sure glad the restaurant owner is so loving and kind, and his son is too.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV).
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (v 14&15).
“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”.


But what if I had refused the kindness of the owner and his son?

I didn’t even realize it, but when I sat down and ate, I was without any means to pay for my meal. If it hadn’t been for such kindness toward me, I would have been guilty. Much the same, when we come into this world we have no way of paying the bill that Adam left to our account. But thankfully, God is loving and kind toward all.

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? ” (Rom. 2:4)
Thankfully, I wisely accepted.
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”
(1 John 3:2).
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12).

(Luk 24:1-53 KJV)
1 Now upon the first [
day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down [their] faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary [the mother] of James, and other [women that were] with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem [about] threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed [together] and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications [are] these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found [it] even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed [it], and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things [were done] in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them [his] hands and [his] feet.

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took [it], and did eat before them.

44 And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

When he returns to gather together his own, he will know us, and we him. We’ll be like him. He remembered Peter and Mary and Joanna and the rest. We will be like him. We will know, even as also we are known.


After his resurrection he preached the good news to the poor in understanding. He healed the broken hearted, setting them at liberty from their fear and confusion. Do you think there may be some “left behind” who will be consumed by fear and confusion after the gathering together? Is it God’s will that any should perish?
God is love.
Love never fails.


Thank you for your interest, and for taking your time to follow this series of posts on Polysyndeton. There will be future posts on the figure, but this concludes our look at
1 Corinthians 13, at least for now.
Written by Ken Rossoll, March 6, 2021.
Enjoy!

 

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