Teleios
BDAG defines teleios as something pertinent to meeting the highest standard of things, of persons who are fully up to standard in a certain respect and not satisfied with half-way measures. Perfect, complete, expert. Jesus became perfect human, mature, full grown, adult, referring to an initiation into mystic rites. Fully developed in a moral sense. Pertaining to God(perfect), God is a role model for unlimited display of beneficence, attainment of likeness to God, restoration in a corrupt context, perfection, completeness. In contrast to elementary knowledge. This is coming from 1 Corinthians 13:10.
Mcreynolds defines teleios as complete.
Liddell, Scott, and Jones define it under sacrifices. Perfect of full tale and number, of victims without spot or blemish.
Hatch Redpath states that Noah was blameless(Genesis 6:9), Exodus 12:5 speaks an unblemished lamb, Deuteronomy 18:13 states that the people shall be blameless before God.
TWOT uses the word shelem which means, be complete, be finished, to complete, restore or deliver. This is derived from a Chaldee word. Additional notes on this point also taken from Strong’s.
Moulton and Milligan define teleios as, having reached its end, full grown, mature, of persons. It was also used in the time of Augustus to refer to marriage ,or a contract. It was used in classical Greek around 186 A.D. proving that women who have attained maturity are witnesses of their persons, and can remain with their husbands or not as they choose. It can also refer to hens laying eggs in perfect condition, or a complete lampstand, or even a final verdict.
Louw/Nida lists that it is something pertaining to being perfect in the sense of not lacking moral quality. James 3:2; Matthew 5:48 can be compared with being mature in one’s behavior. Mature, grown up as a mature person to measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ(Ephesians 4:13). It is also possible to interpret this word as meaning perfect also in Ephesians 4:13. It is also possible that in Matthew 5:48 it means maturity of behavior, though usually interpreted as being perfect since it refers to God.
Kittel lists it as sacrifices without blemish as well. Homer uses it as complete, no part outside, nothing left out, in the Septuagint it always refers to unblemished, undivided complete, whole. In the NT it often means totality. It is that from which nothing is missing.
Conclusion
I believe that this passage is speaking of the eternal state when it comes to the word teleios. First, Paul uses two different words to refer to prophecy and knowledge, and tongues. The former will be done away, while the latter will cease. The latter will not end by the coming of the perfect for they will already have ceased. The perfect must be the eternal state since we will have preachers and teachers in the Kingdom. It won’t be the completion of the canon since we still see operation of those two gifts. The sign gifts will cease on their own since their whole purpose was a proof to unbelievers that they spoke the Word of God. With the whole revelation of God now revealed through His word, the sign gifts are not necessary anymore.
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