The Greek in 1 Corinthians 13:7 has the recurring word panta, which means “all”, as in “all things.” And the “all things” is emphasized in each occurrence in Greek by what we call ‘fronting for emphasis.’ The first characteristic is panta stegei, which refers to agape bearing all things. That means agape is demonstrated by putting up with a lot! At the first sign of something a person might not be interested in putting up with, agape doesn’t bolt for the door. It bears on…and when you have two people interacting, the tendency of the flesh is not to put up with things! But to speak the mind, put the other in his place, demonstrate dismissal! But that’s not agape. Agape puts up with, and keeps going despite the tendency to not want to, and it is marked by endurance.
The next in the list of “all” things is panta pisteuei. That is, agape believes all things. Agape wants to believe the best. When the person motivated by and demonstrating agape love hears about someone or something, the first thought should be: “I’m sure that something good has happened!” There is an agape-filled belief that the person is doing well and is motivated for good action and behavior. The best has happened, and the best will work out! While in actuality the result may not be positive, but that’s the perspective and initial response that agape love brings.
Then, Paul mentions panta elpizei, or hopes all things. It’s future looking, which is the nature of hope. Agape is always demonstrated by forward-looking optimism, confidence, expectation. It’s not down-on-the-ground, can’t-get-my-head-up-because-the-world-is-bad perspective that keeps us slowly moving along with no “bright hope for tomorrow”, to borrow a line from a popular hymn. “Yes, I’m in relationship with this person, and I’m trying to demonstrate agape, but I know it’s not going to work out very well because, well, it never does.” That’s the opposite of hoping all things! It is marked by looking up and forward and waiting to see what God is going to do, and trusting Him for a great outcome; a perspective that says I believe he and I, or she and I, will have a profitable relationship, and it will work out, and all things will come together—though I don’t know how. Hope coming from agape keeps me going.
The last of the four is panta hupomenei, which is translated as endures all things. Get the idea that love puts up with a lot (bears, believes, hopes, endures)? That the presence of agape, or the stated intent of agape, or desire for agape does not necessarily equal harmonious and peaceful relationship, and thus everything’s great? There is work involved! Endurance indicates long haul, marathon, tears, sweat, pain, toil, turmoil, telling yourself “you gotta keep going.” Which is very different from: “Endure? Why, we are in agape relationship! I’m sure it’s all good! It’s all going to work! In fact, it’s marked as agape, so we don’t even have to work at it. It’s automatic.” Wrong! Endurance requires developing strength over periods of resistance. That’s how muscles are built up and increased—through overcoming resistance. And that’s how agape grows.
Some may feel like failures at love, because frankly, they have not, in every situation been able to do “all” of these four “all” things, bear, believe, hope, and endure. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb: I doubt any of us have. I certainly haven’t. But it still stands as God’s kind of love, and what He desires for us in our relationships, and what we should strive for. And God knows that and is willing to help! Part of our developing spiritual journey should be that “all” these should be our first response and plan and goal, rather than an immediate give-up and go-no-further. My personal prayer today is that I will demonstrate these four, and I ask the Father for his strength and wisdom in striving to reflect these in my life, even when I feel I don’t have the personal resources, interest, or strength to do so.
Freddy Boswell 