1 Corinthians 13:5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
The other verbs are more descriptive of attitudes and actions of the Corinthians without using the same words. The words Paul uses are rare or are used only here in the New Testament, but they address the broader contextual issues in the letter.
“Dishonor” is acting in a disgraceful way that goes against the best cultural norms and against holy Christian behavior. People who had this way tend to be crude or lack integrity. They don’t care because life is all about them. They may embarrass themselves or those around them. The type of person does not respect people. Love honors and respects people and treasures them like God does.
“Self-seeking” really gets at the heart of the issue and was likely what drove many of the problems in Corinth. It is hard to love others when one is selfish. Selfishness is at the center of sin. Selfishness is about pushing one’s own agenda with little or no concern about how this agenda affects other people. Love does what is best for others and puts their needs ahead of our own.
“Easily angered” may refer back to the fractures in the community characterized by strife and jealousy in chapters 1-4. Anger comes when something happens that we do not want. It is a natural response that can become sin if not resolved. We may not have a choice about our anger at first because it is a protective emotional response. The word “easily” shows that a person responds too quickly, without taking time to reflect and consider the cause of the anger. We must pause before responding to hurtful situations. Consider what our anger will do.
“Keeps no record of wrong” speaks to the problem of revenge in lawsuits discussed in 6:1-8. Love will forgive when someone does wrong. Keeping records can destroy relationships. Often, remembering the wrong done to us and letting this memory eat at us can be almost as bad or as bad as the wrong done to us in the first place.
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