Aaron

Erhardt

minister & author

Paul said that the miraculous gifts would cease when “the perfect comes” (1 Corinthians 13:10, ESV). Many people see the word “perfect” and immediately think of Jesus. They assume that the gifts were to last until Jesus comes. Are they correct?

 

“Perfect” comes from the Greek word teleios, which means “complete,” “final,” “full grown,” “mature,” “perfect,” or “whole.” The context will determine which rendering is to be preferred.

 

The New Testament was revealed in piecemeal fashion, and when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians (A.D. 54-56) only a small portion of it had been revealed. They did not have Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, or Revelation. Can you imagine how small your New Testament would be without all those books? That is why Paul said “we know in part and we prophesy in part” (v. 9). However, he anticipated the time when they would have complete revelation (v. 10). Once that happened, the gifts would cease.   

 

Interestingly, the three gifts Paul chose to represent all nine gifts mentioned in the previous chapter pertained to the revealing of God’s Word — prophecies, tongues, and knowledge (v. 8). They were aids given by the Holy Spirit to help men know the New Testament. 

 

“Perfect” does not refer to Jesus in 1 Corinthians 13:10. The contrast is between “partial” revelation and “complete” revelation. Paul was looking forward to the time when the New Testament would be fully revealed. Therefore, the preferable rendering of teleios in this text is “complete.” Below are ten translations that you may find helpful in this regard:

 

NRSV: “when the complete comes”

 

Phillips: “when the complete comes”

 

NIV: “when completeness comes”

 

ISV: “when what is complete comes”

 

God’s Word: “when what is complete comes”

 

WEB: “when that which is complete has come”

 

OJB: “when completion comes”

 

MSG: “when the complete arrives”

 

AMP: “when the complete and perfect [total] comes”

 

Mounce: “when what is complete comes”