Yes—1 Corinthians 13 is placed there deliberately, by inspiration, to frame Paul's correction of the Corinthians' problems with love.
The Corinthians had written Paul a letter full of questions arising from real problems in their carnal, newly converted congregation. Rather than confronting those problems with harshness, Paul—by inspiration—set the great love chapter between chapters 12 and 14 to soften his approach and prepare the ground. As Les teaches, the only way to bring people around to the truth is in a spirit of love.
1 Corinthians 12:31 — Paul calls love 'a more excellent way' right before the love chapter, directly explaining why chapter 13 sits where it does.
1 Corinthians 13:1 — The love chapter immediately connects charity with spiritual gifts, showing why it must govern the gifts in chapters 12 and 14.
1 Corinthians 14:1 — Chapter 14 opens with the command to 'follow after charity,' showing love is meant to guide the spiritual gift discussion that follows.
The text of 1 Corinthians sets chapter 13 between two discussions of spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:31 says, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." The very next chapter opens with the gifts mentioned in connection with charity: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Chapter 13 concludes with the declaration, "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:13). Then 1 Corinthians 14:1 immediately continues, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." In the Bible's own arrangement, love is presented as the 'more excellent way' that must govern the contrast between the gifts in chapter 12 and the instructions about prophecy and tongues in chapter 14.
Les Feldick teaches that 1 Corinthians came about because the Corinthian congregation wrote to Paul with a series of questions (1 Corinthians 7:1). The church was made up of believers who had recently come out of paganism and were the most carnal and least spiritual of any church Paul dealt with. Their questions rested on real problems: meat offered to idols, excesses at the Lord's table, marriage and divorce, and the use of spiritual gifts. In the middle of those problem passages, Les explains, Paul—by inspiration—placed the great love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, between two chapters that are still controversial today. Paul wanted to soften his approach and prepare the ground before handling the problems in chapters 12 and 14. Les stresses that the only way to bring people around to the truth is in a spirit of love, not by slapping them in the face with anger or ridiculing them. For Les, love is the foundation of the Christian faith: it prompted Christ to the cross and is the predominating factor in the believer's life.
In 1 Corinthians 7:1, Paul says, "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me." Les explains that the Corinthians had sent Paul a letter with a whole batch of questions about things popping up in their church. Paul was across the Aegean Sea at Ephesus, and he answered those questions one by one. Their questions were resting on problems—they were believers just out of paganism, still carnal and largely ignorant of spiritual truth.
Les says the love chapter is deliberately set between two chapters filled with problems and controversy. The Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write chapter 13 in order to soften his approach and prepare the ground. The Bible shows this structurally: 1 Corinthians 12:31 points to 'a more excellent way,' and 1 Corinthians 14:1 begins by telling believers to 'follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts.' So love is the lens through which the gifts in chapters 12 and 14 are to be exercised.
The Corinthians were just recently out of a pagan background and did not have the teaching background other believers might have had. They had problems with idol meats, the Lord's table, marriage, and spiritual gifts—problems Paul had to straighten out. Les says the only way to bring people around to the truth is in the spirit of love. By placing the great love chapter in the middle of these problem sections, Paul prepared the Corinthians to receive correction and softened his approach to them rather than coming at them with anger or ridicule.
What the Bible Really Says About Love vs Spiritual Gifts
effort to come up and be a part of this taping. And we just want you to know that even the television audience appreciates you people. You'd be surprised how many comments we get on the class that we have in the background. And that makes them feel like they're a part of the class. So when I say thanks for coming, I mean it from the depths of my heart.
Between Two Controversial Chapters
Les says Paul, by inspiration, put the love chapter between two chapters that remain controversial today, and the only way to handle controversy is on the basis of the love of 1 Corinthians 13.
Love as the Foundation
Les teaches that love is the very foundation of the Christian faith, what prompted Christ to the cross, and the predominating factor in the believer's life—explaining why the love chapter matters so much.
A Letter of Questions
Les explains that 1 Corinthians 7:1 shows the Corinthians wrote Paul a letter of questions, and those questions gave rise to the epistle.
The Corinthians' Problems
Les says 1 Corinthians was written in response to the congregation's questions, and their questions rested on problems; the Corinthian church was the most carnal and least spiritual of Paul's churches.
Ignorant New Believers
Les says the Corinthians were recently out of paganism, had no Sunday school or catechism background, and were plagued with questions they could not answer.
To Soften His Approach
Les says Paul placed the love chapter between two problem-filled chapters to soften his approach and prepare the ground, because people are brought to truth through love, not anger or ridicule.
Answering One by One
Les says Paul answered the Corinthians' questions one by one, and the letter opens up once you see that 1 Corinthians is a response to questions from a struggling congregation.
1 Corinthians 7:1: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
This verse reveals the Corinthians had written Paul questions, the occasion for the whole letter.
1 Corinthians 12:31: But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Paul transitions from spiritual gifts to the way of love, setting up chapter 13.
1 Corinthians 13:1: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
This opening verse connects love directly to the spiritual gifts discussed in chapters 12 and 14.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Les teaches that the only way to handle the controversy of chapters 12 and 14 is on the basis of this love.
1 Corinthians 13:13: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The chapter ends by placing charity above even faith and hope, reinforcing its central position.
1 Corinthians 14:1: Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
This verse shows the love chapter's placement directly shapes how the next chapter deals with gifts.
The King James text repeatedly uses the word 'charity'—the biblical word for love—and says that without charity even tongues and prophecy are empty. It also declares that 'the greatest of these is charity' (1 Corinthians 13:13). Les calls it 'the great love chapter.'
It is part of a letter Paul wrote to answer the Corinthians' questions. Les explains their questions were all resting on problems, and in the middle of those problem chapters the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write the love chapter.
Les teaches that the only way to handle the controversy in chapters 12 and 14 is on the basis of the love of 1 Corinthians 13. You do not slap people in the face with anger or ridicule them; you bring them to the truth in the spirit of love.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Love vs Spiritual Gifts