Commentary of Charles Spurgeon, Adam Clarke & Matthew Henry
to feed the poor,
and though I give my body
to be burned,
and have not charity,
it profiteth me nothing.
Vs.3
The outward acts of charity: Bestowing
his goods to feed the poor,
--There may be an open
and lavish hand, where there is no 
charitable heart. The external
act of giving alms may proceed from a very ill principle. Vain-glorious
ostentation, or a proud conceit of merit, may put a man to large expense this
way who has no true love to God nor men. ..... Note, If we leave charity out of religion,
the most costly services will be of no avail to us.
Even sufferings,
and even those of the most grievous kind: If we give our bodies to be burnt,
without charity, it profiteth nothing,
--Should we sacrifice our lives
for the faith of the gospel, and be burnt to death in maintenance of its truth,
this will stand us in no stead without charity, unless we be animated to these
sufferings by a principle
--of true devotion to God,
--and sincere love to his
church and people,
--and good-will to mankind.
The outward carriage may be
plausible, when the invisible principle is very bad......it is
possible that the very same principle may have worked up some to resolution
enough to die for their religion who never heartily believed and embraced it.
But vindicating religion at the cost of our lives will profit nothing if we feel
not the power of it; and true charity is the very heart and spirit of religion.
If we feel none of its sacred heat in our hearts, it will profit nothing, though
we be burnt to ashes for the truth.
God requires the heart to be right, and if that be not right, whatever cometh out of us is not acceptable in His sight.
