Most evangelical Christians identify the author of 1 Corinthians (including 1 Corinthians 13:6–7) as the Apostle Paul. Below is a concise evangelical summary of who Paul was and why evangelicals regard him as the author and authoritative voice behind this passage.
Who Paul was
– A Jewish Pharisee from Tarsus (Acts 22:3), highly educated under Gamaliel, familiar with Scripture and Jewish law.
– A persecutor-turned-apostle: after his dramatic conversion to Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), he was called by Jesus to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:11–16).
– A missionary and church planter: Paul undertook multiple missionary journeys, planting churches across Asia Minor and Greece. He spent significant time in Corinth (Acts 18), where he founded the church to which 1 Corinthians is addressed.
– A Roman citizen and tentmaker by trade (Acts 16:37–39; Acts 18:3), which helped him both to travel and to support his ministry.
Why evangelicals accept Pauline authorship of 1 Corinthians
– Internal claim: The letter itself identifies Paul as the author (1 Corinthians 1:1). He writes with personal references, specific knowledge of the Corinthian situation, and a consistent self-presentation found in his other letters.
– Early attestation: Early church evidence and Christian tradition consistently attribute 1 Corinthians to Paul.
– Consistency: The theology, style, and concerns of 1 Corinthians match Paul’s other undisputed letters (e.g., 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, Romans), fitting the historical context of his work in Corinth.
– Canonical status: Evangelicals accept Paul’s letters as inspired Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 3:15–16), so Pauline authorship gives the passage apostolic authority for doctrine and practice.
Context and purpose of 1 Corinthians 13:6–7
– 1 Corinthians 13 is Paul’s famous “Love (agape) chapter,” written amid a letter addressing real problems in the Corinthian church (divisions, immorality, misuse of spiritual gifts).
– Paul elevates agape—self-giving, Christlike love—as the supreme ethic that should govern Christian speech and behavior. Verses 6–7 describe love’s moral and relational character: it does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth; it bears, believes, hopes, and endures.
– For evangelicals, Paul’s teaching here is rooted in the gospel: Christian conduct flows from union with Christ and the work of the Spirit, not merely from moralism.
Practical and theological emphasis (evangelical perspective)
– Agape is both a commanded duty and a fruit of the Spirit (compare Galatians 5:22).
– Paul’s teaching is seen as normative for church life and personal holiness: love must shape how believers exercise gifts, correct one another, and live in community.
– The passage ties ethics to truth (love “rejoices with the truth”), reflecting evangelical commitments to both doctrinal truth and incarnational, sacrificial love.
Recommended evangelical resources (if you want to study further)
– Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Commentary on the New Testament) — a widely used evangelical commentary
– F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Corinthians — accessible historical-theological treatment
– N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians — pastoral and readable (widely used though more recent and differently nuanced in some theological emphases)
If you’d like, I can give a brief explanation of the Greek terms behind “love” (agape) in these verses, summarize the surrounding passage, or show how evangelicals apply 1 Corinthians 13:6–7 in pastoral practice.
