"Love. No. 3" by Charles H. Welch in The Berean Expositor circa 1915


"Love envieth not."

The words are translated "envy" in the the A.V.  Zelos has sometimes a
good sense as in John ii. 17, and Rom. x. 2, as also zelo in I Cor.
xii. 31, "covet earnestly," and xiv. 1, "desire"; sometimes, and in
Scripture oftener, an evil sense, Acts v. 17, "indignation," Rom. xiii.
13, "envying," Gal. v. 20, "emulations."  Phthonos on the other hand is
not capable of a good signification (sec Trench's New Testament
Synonyms).

Emulation and zeal can be noble and beautiful, but too often the human
heart is unable to behold superior qualities in others without envying
them their superiority.  Thus, as in sound so in fact, "to be zealous"
may soon become "to be jealous"; "to covet" in the right sense of I
Cor. xii. 31 may descend to the coveting of a baser and forbidden
variety.  True zelos beholds the good qualities in another, and desires
to raise itself up to that standard.  Zelos degenerated to "envy"
desires only that the "envied" may be levelled to its own inferior
rank.

"Love envieth not."  Love can behold the gifts and graces in our
brethren, can praise God for their bestowal and manifestation, can
earnestly desire to be thus minded, and thus enriched, but love never
entertains a jealous feeling against the object recognised as superior.
 Thus in Phil. ii. 2-4 we read, "that ye be like minded, having the
same love .... let nothing be done through strife and vainglory (a
close relative of envy, see Phil. i. 15, 16), but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem other better than themselves."  I Corinthians xiii.
very pointedly calls this carnally minded church to the neglected
spirit of love, without which all their boasted knowledge would but
puff up, and their gifts but cause envy and strife.