leases me by far the best, though I do not reject
the others, particularly the first. For Paul's very first premise is
impossible--"if I speak with the tongues of angels." To speak with an
angelic tongue is impossible for a human being, and he clearly
emphasizes this impossibility by making a distinction between the
tongues of men and those of angels. There is no angelic tongue; while
angels may speak to us in a human tongue men can never speak in those
of angels.

11. As we are to understand the first clause--"If I speak with the
tongues of angels"--as meaning, Were it as possible as it is
impossible for me to speak with the tongues of angels; so are we to
understand the second clause--"If I have all faith, so as to remove
mountains"--to mean, Were it as possible as it is impossible to have
such faith. Equally impossible is the proposition of understanding all
mysteries, and we must take it to mean, Were it possible for one to
understand all mysteries, which, however, it is not. John, in the last
chapter of his Gospel, asserts that the world could not contain all
the books which might be written concerning the things of the kingdom.
For no man can ever fathom the depths of these mysteries. Paul's
manner of expressing himself is but a very common one, such as: "Even
if I were a Christian, if I believed not in Christ I would be
nothing"; or, "Were you even a prince, if you neither ruled men nor
possessed property you would be nothing."

"And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor."

12. In other words, "Were I to perform all the good works on earth and
yet had not charity--having sought therein only my own honor and
profit and not my neighbor's--I would nevertheless be lost." In the
performance of external works so great as the surrender of property
and life, Paul includes all works possible of performance, for he who
would at all do these, would do any work. Just so, when he has
reference to tongues he includes all good words and doctrines; and in
prophecy, understanding and faith he comprises all wisdom and
knowledge. Some may risk body and property for the sake of temporal
glory. So Romans and pagans have done; but as love was lacking and
they sought only their own interests, they practically gave nothing.
It being generally impossible for men to give away all their property,
and their bodies to be burned, the meaning must be: "Were it possible
for me to give all my goods to the poor, and my body to be burned."