Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 2:6
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:
6. Howbeit we speak wisdom ] Is there, then, no wisdom possible for a Christian? no sphere for the exercise of those faculties of the intellect which we received from God? the hearer may say. Certainly, says the Apostle, (for to say otherwise would be to contradict the Jewish Scriptures, especially Proverbs 1-9), but it must take as its starting-point the truths revealed by Christ, and it will be proportionate, not to the secular knowledge or intellectual power of the inquirer, but to his moral and spiritual attainments, that is, to his proficiency in the doctrine of Christ.
among them that are perfect ] Perfect, i.e. full-grown, that which has reached its end. The great majority of the Corinthians were at present babes in Christ (ch. 1Co 3:1). Their notion of wisdom was earthly argument, disputation, “free inquiry.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
How be it – But de. This commences the second head or argument in this chapter, in which Paul shows that if human wisdom is missing in his preaching, it is not devoid of true, and solid, and even divine wisdom – Bloomfield.
We speak wisdom – We do not admit that we utter foolishness. We have spoken of the foolishness of preaching 1Co 1:21; and of the estimate in which it was held by the world 1Co 1:22-28; and of our own manner among you as not laying claim to human learning or eloquence; but we do not design to admit that we have been really speaking folly. We have been uttering that which is truly wise, but which is seen and understood to be such only by those who are qualified to judge – by those who may be denominated perfect, that is, those who are suited by God to understand it. By wisdom here, the apostle means that system of truth which he had explained and defended – the plan of salvation by the cross of Christ.
Among them that are perfect – ( en tois teleios). This word perfect is here evidently applied to Christians, as it is in Phi 3:15, Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded. And it is clearly used to denote those who were advanced in Christian knowledge; who were qualified to understand the subject; who had made progress in the knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel; and who thus saw its excellence. It does not mean here that they were sinless, for the argument of the apostle does not bear on that inquiry, but that they were qualified to understand the gospel in contradistinction from the gross, the sensual, and the carnally minded, who rejected it as foolishness. There is, perhaps, here an allusion to the pagan mysteries, where those who had been fully initiated were said to be perfect – fully instructed in those rites and doctrines. And if so, then this passage means, that those only who have been fully instructed in the knowledge of the Christian religion, will be qualified to see its beauty and its wisdom. The gross and sensual do not see it, and those only who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit are qualified to appreciate its beauty and its excellency.
Not the wisdom of the world – Not that which this world has originated or loved.
Nor of the princes of this world – Perhaps intending chiefly here the rulers of the Jews; see 1Co 2:8. They neither devised it, nor loved it, nor saw its wisdom; 1Co 2:8.
That come to naught – That is, whose plans fail; whose wisdom vanishes; and who themselves, with all their pomp and splendor, come to nothing in the grave; compare Isa. 14. All the plans of human wisdom shall fail; and this which is originated by God only shall stand,
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Co 2:6-8
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world.
The wisdom of God, as preached by the apostles of Christ
I. Explain the character here mentioned as necessary to discern true wisdom.
1. The apostle means by them that are perfect, such as have attained that measure of understanding which is necessary to comprehend the wise design of the whole, and perfect consistency of the several doctrines of Christianity.
2. Perfect men conveys the idea of minds unprejudiced, and free from the bias of irregular passions and affections; and this is indeed necessary to a just understanding of things: for truth can never appear as it is through a gross and fallacious medium.
3. A sincere and upright heart is another character essential to the perfect man. Wisdom flies the grasp of a dishonest mind; and, though it were possible he could find it, he would soon let it go; for the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
II. Show the wisdom of God manifested in the redemption of man by Jesus Christ, according to the doctrine of His apostles.
1. We read clear characters of Divine wisdom in the discovery that the gospel has given man of his true state.
2. The wisdom of God, by the gospel, is visible in the glorious end it purposes and publishes to the world, that is, the salvation of sinners.
3. Our thoughts might trace with pleasure a vast variety of topics to illustrate the wisdom of God in the means He hath chosen to accomplish the mighty design of His mercy to mankind. To reconcile sinners to Himself, He hath chosen the fittest Mediator that could possibly be, His only begotten and well-beloved Son: the only one who could approach God without terror, and converse with men without pollution; who alone could make up the peace by laying His hand upon both. But another thought, which I cannot pass, to magnify the wisdom if God in the redemption of man discovered by the gospel, and that is to observe how it draws the greatest good from the greatest evil, taking occasion from sin to honour God, by raising man to a more exalted state.
4. The wisdom of God discovers itself in the honourable terms of mercy which the gospel hath established.
(1) Faith, or a firm persuasion of all that God hath recorded in His Word: the most plain and speedy way to truth, particularly in those matters which the bulk of mankind have not time or capacity to trace; and the only way in matters which the reason of man could not discover or comprehend.
(2) Repentance, or amendment of life, is another term of salvation wisely fixed, because without it the guilty can never be fit objects of mercy, or capable of happiness.
5. As it exceeds the power of man to work such a change of heart and life in himself, the wisdom of God is manifested in the direction and assistance He hath provided to bring His mighty purpose to effect.
(1) For his direction, He hath given him such a system of precepts, such an assemblage of illustrious examples, as the wisdom of man could never devise, as the history of mankind could never furnish.
(2) That men, seriously concerned to be saved, might not fall short of the end of their faith, the gospel hath done what no other law or doctrine so much as pretends. It hath assured us of sufficient help and ability to practise the duties it teacheth. And we may come boldly to the throne of grace, not only to obtain mercy, but to find grace to help in the time of need.
Conclusion:
1. The folly of infidels, who spend all their wit and learning to oppose the gospel of Christ, the plan of Divine wisdom, a system so friendly to virtue, which they pretend to patronise; a scheme so directly calculated to purify the hearts and refine the manners of mankind.
2. Since the gospel of Christ reveals the wise counsels of God for the salvation of men, it must be our duty, who preach it, to understand more and more of the unsearchable riches of Christ, that we may speak to others with greater success and better hope.
3. To the hearers of the gospel let me only say (Jam 1:21). (Wm. Beat.)
The contrast between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God
I. That is–
1. Changeable.
2. Presumptuous.
3. Fallible.
II. This is–
1. Divine.
2. Eternal.
3. Enjoyed by the perfect. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Wisdom, human and Divine
A blind tortoise lived in a well. Another tortoise, a native of the ocean, in its inland travels happened to tumble into this well. The blind one asked of his new comrade whence he came. From the sea. Hearing of the sea, he of the well swam round a little circle, and asked, Is the water of the ocean as large as this? Larger, replied he of the sea. The well tortoise then swam round two-thirds of the well, and asked if the sea was as big as that. Much larger than that, said the sea tortoise. Well, then, asked the blind tortoise, is the sea as large as this whole well?Larger, said the sea tortoise. If that is so, said the other, how big, then, is the sea? The sea tortoise replied, You having never seen any other water than that of your well, your capability of understanding is small. As to the ocean, though you spent many years in it, you would never be able to explore the half of it, nor to reach the limit, and it is utterly impossible to compare it with this well of yours. The tortoise replied, It is impossible that there can be a larger water than this well; you are simply praising up your native place in vain words.(J. Gilmour, M. A.)
The hidden wisdom
I. Is glorious in its nature.
1. Apprehensible only by the perfect.
2. Not of this world.
3. Divine in its origin.
4. Adapted to secure eternal happiness.
II. Is undiscoverable by human reason (1Co 2:8).
1. Proved by the ignorance and conduct of the princes of this world.
2. By the unsearchableness of the Divine purpose.
III. Is revealed by the Spirit of God (1Co 2:10).
1. He searcheth the deep things of God.
2. Communicates them to man.
IV. Can only be communicated by the help of the Spirit of God (1Co 2:13).
1. We must use the words of the Spirit.
2. He must create spiritual discernment.
V. Is realised and enjoyed by those who abe spiritually enlightened (1Co 2:15-16). Who–
1. Judge all things.
2. Are understood by none.
3. For God is unsearchable.
4. Have the mind of Christ. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Pauls view of spiritual wisdom
It is necessary to bear in mind that the wisdom with which the apostle was confronted was not the vigorous and lofty aspirations of Aristotle and Plato, but the hollow and worn-out sophistries of the last days of the Greek rhetoricians. Still, although a different turn would doubtless have been given to the whole argument if the living power of the gospel had been met not by a dead form, but by a power which, though of lower origin, and moving in a different sphere, was still living like itself, the general truth here urged remains the same. It is not by intellectual, but by moral and spiritual excellence, that the victories of the gospel have been achieved. Religion is not philosophy. But although the two spheres of intellect and Christianity are thus distinct, the apostle also wishes to show that there is in Christianity an element analogous to that by which intellectual wants are gratified; as though he had said, Although the Christian lives in a world of his own, yet in that world he is independent of all besides (what the philosophers would have called ), and the more fully his Christian stature is developed, he will find every craving of his nature the more completely satisfied. This element he here introduces under the names of wisdom, the Spirit, and solid food as distinct from milk. Taking into comparison the other passages (Joh 3:12; Joh 16:12; Heb 6:1), where a similar contrast is drawn between the higher and lower stages of Christian progress, the reference seems not to be to any exhibition of new doctrines, but to the deep spiritual intuitions which have always been regarded as the highest privilege of advanced Christian goodness. Thomas a Kempis says that a pure heart penetrates the secrets of heaven and hell; the beatific visionhas always been regarded as the consummation of our intellectual and moral perfection; and the analogy which is here drawn between the perceptions of the human intellect and those of the enlightened spirit might be illustrated abundantly from the biographies and devotions of good men in all ages. What this was in its highest or most extraordinary form may be seen in the account of St. Pauls rapture (2Co 12:1; 2Co 12:4) or of St. Johns (Rev 1:10; Rev 4:2). What it was in its more ordinary form may be seen in the whole atmosphere of St. Johns first Epistle, especially in the connection between love and knowledge which pervades it, and which is illustrated in chap. 13:8, 12 of this Epistle. See also Rom 11:33-34; Eph 1:8; Eph 1:17-18. This use of the passage–
I. Accords with the words employed. Wisdom, although suggested in the first instance by the contemporary philosophy, derives its religious sense chiefly from its use in Proverbs and Ecclesiasticus, where it is applied not to the gaining of new truths, theological or natural, but to a deeper practical insight into moral truth. This general sense is further limited in this passage by the indication of its subject, viz., the glory or blessedness of Christians, which in verses 8, 10 assumes such a prominence as to be almost identified with the wisdom itself that seeks it. And the faculty by which this wisdom is obtained is described emphatically as spiritual–the Spirit. The word is chosen partly from the frequent use of the phrase both in Greek and Hebrew, to express the intellect-chiefly as expressive of a direct connection with God. It is the inspiration which in Scripture is ascribed to every mental gift (Exo 31:3; Job 32:8, &c.), but which is specially applicable to the frame of mind (to use the modern form of speech founded on the same metaphor) breathes the atmosphere of heaven. The same sense also–
II. Agrees with the general context and occasion. When the apostle says, But to us God revealed it by His Spirit, the use of the first person, here as elsewhere, indicates that, though speaking of believers generally, he especially refers to his own experience. The consciousness of his spiritual gifts, especially of his spiritual insight into things invisible, was always present with him, and never more so than at the period of these two Epistles (1Co 14:18; 2Co 12:1; 2Co 12:4). And this tendency to dwell on the inward, as distinct from the outward blessings of the gospel–on the things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, as distinguished from the things which the eyes of the first apostles had seen and their ears had heard–was a peculiarity of St. Pauls teaching.
III. It best suits the circumstances of the Corinthian Christians, who had no especial need of new intellectual truths, nor, if they had, was there any especial impediment to their reception. But higher consciousness of the Divine presence; a knowledge deep and comprehensive, as being grounded in love; an insight into the spiritual world–were gifts which, on the one hand, the apostle might well long to give them, and which were yet, on the other, most alien to their state of faction and bitterness. How could they, who were absorbed in their contentions, enter into the atmosphere of peace which surrounds the throne of God? How could they, who were for ever insisting on particular names and party watchwords, enjoy the vision where all else is lost in the sense of communion with Christ? Controversy and party spirit may sharpen the natural faculties of shrewdness and disputation, but few sins more dim the spiritual faculty by which alone all things are rightly judged. These disputes and rivalries were of the flesh, no less than the sensual passions which are commonly so classed; and, if so, they have no place in heaven, they are directly opposed to the Spirit.(Dean Stanley.)
The wisdom of God as displayed in the gospel
I. In relation to its great end. The gospel is glad tidings of good. This good is–
1. Most suitable. God, who well knows our nature, has adapted His gifts to its wants.
2. Permanent. God has formed us to endure for ever; and the good which He has prepared for us is enduring also.
3. Divine. God has revealed Himself as the chief, the only satisfying good. He only can fill the powers of the soul–He only subsists through every changing scene. Let us admire the wisdom of God in proposing such a good to us; and let us recollect that such a good as is proposed to us in the gospel is to be found nowhere else.
II. In relation to the medium through which it is communicated.
1. The salvation of the race is made to turn on the death of an individual. This is above all the ideas of men; it never could enter the human mind that one man could be saved through the mediation of many, much less that all could be saved through the mediation of one. This was a stumbling-block to the Jews, &c. But this displays the highest wisdom. It is not an individual merely, but an individual fashioned expressly for the work. In the person of Christ we see a man with a person capable of suffering; and a Divine person, to make His sufferings meritorious. Had Christ been mere man, there could have been no merit; had He not been man, He could not have suffered. Had the question been asked, How shall man be just with God? it could not have been answered to eternity; but, in the fulness of time, God sent forth His Son, &c. The way to reconcile the justice and the mercy of God could never have been conceived but for the wisdom of God in fitting this God-man and sending Him to suffer for the sins of the world.
2. The wisdom appears in Christs defeating Satan by the very weapons which he employed to subvert His designs. By the Cross of Christ God has, as it were, reversed the order of things. In the first Adam man fell by aspiring to be as God; Jesus Christ, the second Adam, saves by condescending to become man. Man was indebted for his ruin to an evil spirit; he owes his recovery to a good Spirit. As man was ensnared by deceit and vanity and became miserable, he is liberated by truth and purity and becomes happy. The machinery of Satan is thus turned upon himself.
III. In the dispensation of the gospel the wisdom of God appears–
1. In the manner in which the truths of the gospel are taught. There are two modes of communicating instruction: the one is by facts, the other is by argument. The latter mode is generally considered the most efficient, and was most commonly employed by the ancients in their schools of learning. But many subtleties were resorted to in this mode of teaching. Learning was clothed in such a garb that it did not even attract the attention of the common people; they could not comprehend it, they could not be benefited by it. But God taught by facts. I came declaring unto you the testimony of God. Such were the facts the apostles asserted, that the truths they taught must stand or fall by those facts. And these facts are the very soul of the gospel. He who believes that the apostles spake truth, that Jesus Christ really came, and died, and rose again, and ascended, must also believe that He died for the salvation of sinners. And he who considers the number of these witnesses, their character, the harmony of their testimony, their miracles, and refuses to believe their testimony, will be found turning the gospel of the Saviour against himself. In all this the wisdom of Gods teachings appears above the teachings of the philosophers. They retired from the crowd; but heavenly wisdom is addressed to all, and is founded upon facts that all may understand.
2. In committing the dispensation of the gospel to men. They can enter into the states of those whom they address; they can comfort those that mourn by the same consolations with which they have been comforted; they can have access to them at all times. And not only was the dispensation of the gospel committed to men, but to men of obscure station and mean talents (1Co 1:26; 1Co 1:31). Had God employed the great and the wise to propagate His gospel, suspicions might have been raised in the minds of men that its success was to be ascribed to the elevated talent and station of its propagators. But the greatest effects have been produced more by piety than by talent. God will not divide His success with any human being. (R. Hall, M. A.)
The wisdom of the gospel
I. The wisdom of the gospel is–
1. Divine.
2. Transcendent.
3. Spiritual.
4. Practical.
II. Its reserved communication.
1. Among the perfect who believe, study, practise it.
2. Because they only can understand, appreciate, and profit by it. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The superlative wisdom of the gospel
is demonstrated–
I. By its origin. It proceeds–
1. Not from the wise and mighty of this world.
2. But from the hidden depths of the Godhead.
II. By its purpose, which is–
1. Not realised in time.
2. But in eternal glory.
III. By its essential mystery.
1. Unknown to the greatest in times past.
2. Undiscoverable by reason or sense.
IV. By the mode of its revelation.
1. Through the Spirit of God.
2. To the spirit of man. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The gospel
I. Its nature. Wisdom. The wisdom of a system may be determined–
1. By the character of the end it contemplates, A system which aims at an insignificant or unworthy end would scarcely be considered wise. The end the gospel aimed at was the restoration in human souls of supreme sympathy with God. This man lost in the Fall. Its absence is the cause of all the evils that curse the world; its restoration is the souls salvation. When the value and the influence of one soul are considered, is not this restoration, even in one case, a grand end? But the gospel aims at it in all souls.
2. By the fitness of the means it employs. Though a system contemplate a grand end, yet ii the means are unadapted it could scarcely be called wise. The means Christianity employs to generate this love for God are–
(1) A personal manifestation of God.
(2) A human manifestation of God. God in the form of an angel, e.g., would not awaken this affection. God in any form but mans would rather terrify and repel than inspire with confidence and hope.
(3) A loving manifestation of God. A manifestation of coldness or anger would never awaken love. Love alone begets love. These things are essential, and the gospel in Christ gives us a personal, human, loving manifestation of God. It is, therefore, emphatically the wisdom of God. It is Divine philosophy.
II. A rule for its preachers. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect. The word perfect has, some think, an allusion to the heathen mysteries. These mysteries were religious observances of a secret kind, open only to the initiated. The apostle clearly means by the word perfect those in the Christian community who were more advanced in the knowledge of Christ, who stood most in contrast with those who are but babes in Christ. One of three ideas may be attached to the language of the apostle. Either that he had an exoteric and esoteric doctrine for men, or that the most advanced Christian alone could discern the wisdom of his doctrine, or that he adapted his teaching to the capacity of his hearers. Which of these ideas are we to accept? Not the first, for Paul had not two messages, one for those who were without the Church, and one for those within–one for those who had high capacity, and one for those who had weak. His message to all was one–Gods love to the world through Christ. Not the second, for the man who was the least advanced in the Christian life must have some appreciation of the gospel. It was the last, namely, that he accommodated his teaching to the capacity of his hearers. In another place he tells the Christians at Corinth that he had hitherto fed them with milk, and not with meat, because they were not able to bear it. His conduct I take as a rule for all true preachers. The great saving facts of the gospel are few and simple, viz., that Christ died and rose again. But the doctrines connected with these facts and their relation to man, God, the universe, and phases of truth which can only be appreciated by those who have attained to certain stages in Christian knowledge and experience. The Great Teacher has said, I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
III. An Obligation Upon Its Hearers. If the higher aspects of gospel religion can only be appreciated by those who are perfect, those who have attained to a high stage of Christian knowledge, it is manifestly their duty to endeavour to advance beyond the first principles of the oracles of God. This duty hearers owe–
1. To themselves. The more knowledge man has of the wisdom of the gospel, the more power he has within him to purify his affections, exalt his character, and bless his being. The ignorant Christian is feeble, fickle, uninfluential.
2. To their minister. The man who has to minister to hearers who make no progress in Divine truth is limited in his thoughts to the mere rudimentals of the gospel. His motives for pulpit study weaken, and he becomes the commonplace utterer of platitudes.
3. To the system of Christ. The glorious system of Christ, which is the wisdom of God, will only grow in power, influence, and extent in the world as mens knowledge of it increases. (D. Thomas, D. D.)
The gospel and the intellect
1. It must not be thought that the gospel despises wisdom. The gospel is itself wisdom, only it is Gods wisdom and net mans. We speak wisdom yet a wisdom not of this world. There is nothing which some of us need more just now than a demonstration of this sort.
2. It is constantly assumed that the progress of knowledge has exploded the gospel; that the cultivated intellect leaves faith behind; that the triumph of reason means the overthrow of religion.
3. This is bad enough, but what is worse is that some Christian people countenance such a view. They look askance at science, believing it to be an enemy of the faith. Huxley and Tyndal are very terrible names to them. They are uncomfortable when they find their sons are beginning to question and to think. Reason has an unpleasing suggestion of The Age of Reason and the French Revolution. Then these good people quote, Not many wise are called, omitting the qualifying after the flesh.
4. Does Christ relinquish His claim on able men? No. The Christian religion is distinguished from all other religions in this, that it is an appeal to the reason, it calls into play all its powers and welcomes all the established results of science. It asks us to believe that we may know and understand. It calls for faith, but only that faith which reason allows or requires. And as the religion differs from other religions, so our Scriptures are distinguished by their constant eulogy of wisdom. The Bible is not only an appeal to the conscience; it is also an appeal to the brain. It is so constructed that it demands diligent study.
I. Who are the natural men nowadays who correspond to those who, in St. Pauls time, were incapable of receiving the things of the Spirit of God?
1. Those who tell us that matter can explain Spirit, that thought is a mere function of a grey, unthinking substance called the brain. Now they cannot receive the wisdom of the gospel–not because they are wiser than every one else, but because their wisdom is after the flesh, and a limited and foolish kind of wisdom. So far from being really wise, they do not even comprehend the question which agitates all earnest men, viz., the meaning of the spiritual world of which you are all more or less conscious. They say, The spiritual world is only part and parcel of the material world with which we are familiar. But if thought comes from brain, then it must be already a thinking brain from which it comes. If spirit is a mere outcome of matter, then it must be already a spiritual matter which produces it. Materialism cannot apprehend the wisdom of the gospel, for it has juggled away the very meaning of its terms–spiritual and material.
2. Those who speak as if the understanding could answer all the questions and meet all the needs of the human spirit. The understanding ,cannot comprehend God; therefore, say they, God does not exist. The understanding cannot explain the freedom of the will; therefore the will is not free. And not admitting the existence of God or the freedom of the will, moral responsibility is quickly discredited. On the same showing love and hope and self-sacrifice ought to be dismissed as chimeras–and perhaps by some they are. Now, such people cannot understand the wisdom of the gospel; not because they are so much cleverer than all the world, only because they have made a rather childish mistake, they have not noticed the limits within which the understanding is able to work; they are like men who should deny that the atmosphere exists because they cannot walk on it as the birds of the air can. The understanding is only a part of our being. Every man is more than understanding; he is also heart, conscience, will. The understanding is only absolute within its own sphere.
II. The wisdom which Paul speaks among the perfect is nothing less than the indwelling of the Spirit of God in the spirit of the Christian man. Just as consciousness alone can be aware of our own inward life, so Gods consciousness alone can understand the depths of God; and only by being made partakers of Gods consciousness can we search those depths.
1. Such an indwelling Spirit will rescue us from the two errors on which we have been reflecting: of materialism and the undue exaltation of the powers of our own understanding. This indwelling Spirit forces us to recognise that the world and life, as we see them, stand forth out of an encircling sea of mystery in which their origins and issues are hidden. It makes us glad to learn from science all about the process of development, but it clearly teaches us that in the last resort it is only in the will of God that either the world or the life upon it could have its birth and find its issue.
2. But this wisdom of the gospel is more than an admission of mystery and of our own limitations. It comes to us as the explanation of the mystery and as the aid of our limitations. The gospel gives us the key to creation, culminating in humanity, the Incarnate God-Man–Christ Jesus; the key to mans great dumb longing for God in Gods great uttered longing for man; the key to the heavy sorrow which oppresses the life of man, in the suffering of the God-man; the key to the dead weight of sin in the complete and voluntary sacrifice of Christ.
3. Nor is this all; in the mind of Christ, an intellect in which there meets the fullest understanding of God with the most tender sympathy for man, is really hidden a treasure of wisdom, a solution of all the questionings of our imperfect spirits. We have the mind of Christ. The humble and unlearned believer is made partaker of that wonderful mind, is allowed to share its workings, and so to apprehend the answer which it is always giving to the searchings of man.
III. Thus, as we reflect on Pauls pregnant sentences, we become aware that the gospel does not suppress wisdom; it is a wisdom far surpassing the wisdom of the world. It would be the greatest mistake to suppose that by the wisdom of 1Co 1:20-21; 1Co 1:26 Paul means the reason, or the exercise or products of reason. Indeed, there is not a little almost unintentional irony in his use of the word, and his comment on its rarity among the called. He speaks rather as one might speak to a number of miners who have just come out of the bowels of the earth into the broad light of day. You see your calling, my friends; not many torchbearers among you; not many people carry safety-lamps. No; and, indeed, under so glorious an expanse of sunlit blue there is not for the general purposes of life much need of them. We have had among us in this generation many brilliant natural men, highly gifted with wisdom after the flesh. There was the late Professor Clifford; there are Haeckel, Maudsley and Spencer. Have they thrown light upon the universal question? Why are we-intelligent spiritual beings, with conscience, will, and hearts–why are we here at all; whence coming, whither going? So far from superseding this wisdom of which Paul speaks, they fall very short of it. For the most part they modestly confess they have no answer to the question. But Paul has an explanation; and to spiritual minds reason is satisfied. (R. F. Horton, D. D.)
Christianity a system of wisdom and mystery
I. A system of consummate wisdom.
1. Devised by God.
2. Before the world began.
3. To our glory.
II. A system of mystery.
1. Hidden from the world.
2. Mysteriously communicated.
3. Among the perfect, who believe and act upon it. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Mystery revealed
I. The revelation of this mystery is made–Them that are perfect, i.e., those who have qualifications for receiving the wisdom.
1. Of course, we are told at once that this is the ignorant conceit of religious people. But why ignorant conceit? You do not speak of the ignorant conceit of the physician, or of the engineer, or of the chemist, or of the artist, or of the poet. Nay, does not the ignorant conceit belong rather to those who think that without faculty, without study, they can understand as well as the most assiduous and learned? A spiritual man must know that he has a faculty of spiritual discernment, just as a poet knows that he has a faculty of poetic discernment. And an unspiritual man should know this also, that he has not the spiritual faculty which the other man has. The great doctrine of the apostle is that in religious things right feeling, a right disposition, is the condition of all knowledge. If any man will do His will, &c. If you begin with an ignorant or unspiritual man by simply instructing his understanding in the hope that his heart will be affected, you have this difficulty–his hardened spiritual feeling will hinder understanding. We all know how difficult it is to make men understand what they do not like. All the training of a university will not make some men mathematicians. Again, if a man does not love truth and honesty, you cannot make him true and honest by expounding truth or honesty; you must begin by creating within him a feeling of truth and honesty; then you can easily teach him what things are true and honest. You must have a moral faculty for discerning moral things.
2. I think, therefore, we may see the profound wisdom of the gospel method. It begins by setting mans feeling right, producing in him a desire for holiness and a hatred of evil. The apostle tells us that this is the working of the Spirit of God. Take the little faults of men; you cannot reform a habit or a temper by merely teaching about it–nay, by a mere resolution of the will. The root of the thing is in the love for it, and you must begin by destroying this and cultivating love for good, or you will never succeed. You can cure a bad passion only by producing a good one; you can expel an evil affection only by the Spirit of God.
3. The way of the world in seeking religious truth and life is to investigate evidence, to exercise the reasoning faculties–just as you would investigate a problem of history, or demonstrate a proposition in mathematics or logic. Hence it is that so many learned philosophers and theologians never attain to Christianity; to them it is simply an intellectual study; they study it as they would study Buddhism or Mohammedanism. They can understand theology as a science of God; they can understand religion as a theory and a morality; but they have no conception of its spiritual character. The natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit; they are discerned only by a spiritual faculty.
II. But then it is wisdom, even to the perfect, of a mysterious kind.
1. A man cannot reason out such a system as Gods salvation by Christ; it is discerned, as Paul says, by spiritual recognition, just as the poetry of a landscape cannot be discerned by a mere mathematician, by a mere engineer. Christianity is a revelation of facts, not a mere notion; Christ tells us what God is, that He is our Father in heaven; what God has done, that God has given His only begotten Son, because He so loved the world. Now these facts could not have been imagined, could not have been demonstrated by human reasoning. But when they are testified by God, when they are proved by evidence to be facts, then, if I am a perfect, i.e., a spiritual man, I at once feel that this revelation of God in Christ is true; that it is exactly suited to my personal need; it commends itself to every mans conscience in the sight of God. None of the princes of this world in thought or in politics have believed. They did not see the principles of truth, righteousness, and love that were manifested by Jesus Christ. Had they seen these as the man of spiritual feeling sees them, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Pilate had some philosophical knowledge; he felt even an interest in and wanted to save Christ. He talked with Him about His kingdom and about the truth; but Pilates corrupt selfishness, his political interests, permitted him to sentence a man to crucifixion–whom he knew to be innocent. There was the moral blindness in close conjunction with the philosophical intelligence.
2. Every teaching about God must have mystery pertaining to it that can never be revealed. This is true, indeed, of everything in human life. Let a man begin to think about God and about moral being, and how soon he comes to a blank wall that he cannot penetrate! Well, it is not that God purposely conceals things, it is that we cannot comprehend them. Instead of adding to the mystery of God, we understand more of God through Jesus Christ than we can on any other theory. And yet how much remains that is impenetrable! We are compelled to exclaim, Oh! the depths, &c. Who can fathom the mystery of the incarnation, of the atonement, of the quickening of spiritual life in men, &c. In the love of Christ, in the love of God, there are heights and depths that pass knowledge. And yet observe–
(1) That there are no mysterious things in Christianity. Christianity has no sacred rites, inscrutable puzzles, artificial concealments.
(2) That Christian mysteries are revealed to men so far as they are qualified to discern them. Nothing in Christianity is purposely concealed. The religious life of us men and women who have to do with the business of this great city, is never so powerfully moved, so loftily inspired, so practically directed, as when we simply stand before the great Christian doctrines.
(3) What a practical temper this gives to the religious life! What a passionate desire for God, for the study of God, in His Word, in prayer, in worship!
(4) The domain of the knowable is sufficient for all the practical needs of man. It is so in science. We eat without knowing the chemistry of food; we act without knowing the philosophy of motion. It is so in religion. I may, however ignorant of the higher mysteries of being, practically realise the life of virtue and piety. The way of life through Christ is plain. (H. Allon, D. D.)
The foundation of faith
In the verses which precede the text, St. Paul reviews the motives which actuated him, and the line of conduct he had pursued during his ministry at Corinth. When he went there, two courses were open to him. He might have aimed to gain personal adherents, merely using Christianity as a means of displaying the extraordinary powers of mind. Nor can we doubt that he would have been successful. The other course was for him to gain believers in the gospel he preached, and disciples for the Master whom he served. Without the least hesitation, he chose the latter as his aim. Self was studiously kept in the background. This faithful man could say, with perfect sincerity, We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; whilst he assigns this as his motive, That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Now the steadfast pursuance of this plan, by St. Paul and his colleagues, gave a marked feature to the early Churches. I refer to their singular and rapidly acquired independence of apostolic care. Scarcely was a community of believers gathered, although it might be in the midst of some heathen city, before the little flock were left to themselves, to be instructed by their native teachers, and to preserve their fidelity by mutual oversight. Indeed, but for this, the progress of Christianity could not have been so rapid as it was. Its chief original agents were very few, and if they had been compelled to remain long in one place, only a much smaller portion of the world could have been covered by their labours. Here, in the text, we have described two foundations on which our faith may rest–the wisdom of men, and the power of God, and we have to make our election between them.
I. The human foundation. The wisdom of men.
1. The personal influence of good and wise men in the Christian Church is an ordinance of God, and when kept within proper limits, is an incalculable blessing. It is perfectly right, as well as perfectly natural, that any man who is endowed with eminent gifts, added to sincere piety and fervent earnestness, should win the respect, affection, and confidence of brethren. They involuntarily place themselves under his direction, taking him as their guide and teacher. He becomes a high authority in their estimation. So far all is lawful; but go beyond this, and the most serious consequences follow. If any man was ever entitled to the kind of authority I have described, it was St. Paul, who not only had these personal excellences, but possessed supernatural inspiration. Yet hear how he limits that authority, and indicates a point where it would fail him–Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Again, Be ye followers of me; but observe, he adds the qualification, even as I also am of Christ. These limits to human influence, however, are commonly disregarded. There are human teachers who are not only allowed to be influential, but omnipotent; not only good, but perfect; not only wise, but infallible. Respect for them passes into blind obedience; affection into something very much like idolatry. Their utterances are regarded as above criticism. Whatever they say is taken as gospel; not because of its intrinsic truth and reasonableness, but because they say it. This is clearly a form of the evil which St. Paul so earnestly deprecated when he wrote, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom ,of men.
2. This undue influence of men in matters of religion is not only exercised through their oral teaching, and over those who are personally acquainted with them, but also through their writings. No man who is sincerely anxious about his spiritual culture, and is glad of light, from any quarter, upon the most important of all subjects, can afford to neglect the stores of Christian thought which have come down to us as precious legacies from the past, or which are still issuing from the press. And yet the teachers, however wise and good, who speak to us through their books, ought to be listened to with the same cautious reserve as those who address us in an audible voice. They ought to be treated as helps, not as final authorities. Is it not a very common thing to hear the inquiry, not What saith the Scriptures? but, What say the fathers? What saith St. Chrysostom? What saith St. Augustine? And the answer obtained is considered as final. The opinions of commentators, the systems of theologians, and even the beautiful dreams of Christian poets, may be useful to us, but to take our religion from them alone is to let our faith stand in the wisdom of men.
3. A faith which rests on such a foundation must of necessity be insecure. If men have given us our faith, men can take it away from us. What one has built up, another can destroy. Are there not multitudes continually undergoing such changes of religious belief? They are ever passing from one teacher to another; the last and newest is sure to have them. No anchorage, no stability for them! Staggered by each new scientific theory, which appears hostile to religion, or captivated by the last vagary of superstition, they are children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men. But insecurity of belief is not the only evil in their case. The life they live is as unstable as the faith they hold. Character degenerates, and every semblance of piety disappears, when the influence which gave birth to it is withdrawn.
II. The Divine foundation. The power of God. We recognise this phrase as one which the apostle uses elsewhere. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation. In the previous chapter he had said–We preach Christ crucified.., the power of God. When, therefore, he desires that faith should stand in the power of God, he means that it should rest upon the gospel, and especially upon Christ, who is the gospels central Object. This grand revelation has been made to the world once for all. It is open to universal, to individual inspection. We may be very thankful to another for telling us what he sees in Christ. For if he is a man of eminent piety, who has looked long and earnestly, with an eye whose perceptions love has quickened, and holiness has purified, he may point out to us some features which would otherwise have escaped our dimmer vision. But what he tells us should rather stimulate than supersede our personal observation. All such helps should be like the guide books which a traveller takes with him when he ascends a mountain. If he did not consult them now and then, he might miss some points of interest in the panorama which lies around him. But then he does not allow them to prevent him from using his own eyes. It is evident, however, that St. Paul meant something more than the contact of individual minds with Divine truth, when he speaks of faith standing in the power of God. The power of God can never give stability to faith until it actually enters the soul and exerts its mighty influence there; until Christianity ceases to be a mere set of opinions, and becomes a vital experience. It may seem very satisfactory to say–my religion is not to be found in the teaching or writings of men, it is contained between the covers of the Bible. But if your religion is shut up there it is a worthless thing. It is not the perception, but the entrance of Gods Word that giveth light, and heat, and life, to our dark, cold, dead nature. It is when the power of God brings peace to our conscience, and submission to our wayward will, and purity to our sinful heart, that it makes our faith a strong and indestructible thing. (B. Bird.)
Obedience begetting faith
According to Scriptures there are two remedies for unbelief; one the way of argument, the other the way of experiment. In these two ways it is possible to establish the great doctrines of revelation. A careful investigation of the Evidences of Christianity is exceedingly helpful to some persons. But it is well to remember that historical knowledge is one thing, belief another. They may quicken the intellect; they do not necessarily enkindle devotion in the soul. Again, Christs Church has had a noble history–one with which we do well to acquaint ourselves. Still, a knowledge of its sufferings, sorrows, trials, losses, triumphs, and glories does not necessarily produce faith. There are some, not a few, who endeavour by a process of speculation to strengthen their faith in God and in His revealed will. It is admitted that in matters of religious faith reason should be satisfied. Intelligent service is what our Heavenly Father demands. Commending most heartily the application of reason to the solution of questions connected with religion, we are nevertheless justified in severely condemning the spirit of rationalism. Ratienslistic speculation has accomplished but little good in the world. Some persons are disposed to view truth in abstract form. They endeavour to comprehend what is, always has been, and for ever must remain incomprehensible to finite minds. Argument, it is true, has its place in the defence of Scripture. It establishes Gods people in the truth. It by no means follows, however, that arguments, however potent they may be, will convince the prejudiced. Proof is not conviction. The establishment of the facts is not the removal of antagonism to the facts. Moreover, the way of argument, when exhaustive, is exceedingly laborious. We would find it quite inconvenient to believe nothing till we had established it by unanswerable arguments. May I believe nothing in astronomy, nothing in geology, nothing in chemistry until I have possessed myself of all the arguments bearing upon the subjects? Must I analyse every species of food before eating anything? Supposing I have the ability to do so, will I ever have the opportunity of examining critically all the arguments bearing upon Christianity? There assuredly must be some more direct method of establishing the truth. Yes, says Christ, If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of Myself. Yes, says Paul, Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Stand in the wisdom of men. How could our faith rest secure on such a tottering foundation? Mans wisdom is folly. Look at the seething whirlpool of opinions, philosophies and elaborate systems, all driven by the breath of some new metaphysical nondescript into the gurgling vortex of endless oblivion. What metaphysical truth has been so firmly established that no defiant caviller has presumed to call it in question? Shall we found our faith on this ever-heaving ocean? No. Do and know. Stand in the power of God and live. There is then a more direct way of securing faith than by the toilsome process of argumentation. The seeker after truth may experiment. He may test God. He may test doctrine. He may test religion. He may test prayer. He may test piety. He may do and know. Does he lack faith in the efficacy of Christs merit? Let him come to Christ. They who have cordially accepted the Saviour have never questioned His saving ability. Do any question the preciousness of Jesus love? Oh taste and see that the Lord is gracious. God, then, has seen fit to allow His system of faith to be tested by actual experiment. He invites us, commands us to try it in our own experiences. In this age the inductive method of philosophising is universally accepted. Scientific truths are established by a carefully conducted series of experiments, not by a priori reasoning. The ancient philosophers endeavoured to determine the facts of each science by reasoning from first principles. Cease your blind reasoning, said Bacon. Sit as learners at the feet of Nature and listen to what she has to say. Gather up the facts. Arrange them logically. Form generalisations. Interpret nature. As a result of the adoption of this method, the physical sciences have made gigantic strides in these last days. To most of us, therefore–for we insensibly imbibe the spirit of the age–it is a question of no small moment: Are the doctrines of revealed religion open to experiment? We answer, Yes, we may make a scientific investigation of the truths we are asked to adopt. In adopting this method of establishing truth, however, it should be borne in mind that we have no right to make our own selection of the tests. I have no right to say, If there is a sovereign ruler of the universe, let Him speak to me in an audible voice from heaven. Are we justified in imitating the cavillers of the Saviours time and exclaiming, We would see a sign? To such no sign shall be given. Though there are experiments that would be irreverent, there are others that are entirely proper. (J. S. Van Dyke, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect] By the , among those that are perfect, we are to understand Christians of the highest knowledge and attainments- those who were fully instructed in the knowledge of God through Christ Jesus. Nothing, in the judgment of St. Paul, deserved the name of wisdom but this. And though he apologizes for his not coming to them with excellency of speech or wisdom, yet he means what was reputed wisdom among the Greeks, and which, in the sight of God, was mere folly when compared with that wisdom that came from above. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that the apostle mentions a fourfold wisdom.
1. Heathen wisdom, or that of the Gentile philosophers, 1Co 1:22, which was termed by the Jews chokmah yevanith, Grecian wisdom; and which was so undervalued by them, that they joined these two under the same curse: Cursed is he that breeds hogs; and cursed is he who teaches his son Grecian wisdom. Bava Kama, fol. 82.
2. Jewish wisdom; that of the scribes and Pharisees, who crucified our Lord, 1Co 2:8.
3. The Gospel, which is called the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1Co 2:7.
4. The wisdom, , of this world; that system of knowledge which the Jews made up out of the writings of their scribes and doctors. This state is called haolam hazzeh, this or the present world; to distinguish it from haolam habba the world to come; i.e. the days of the Messiah. Whether we understand the term, this world, as relating to the state of the Gentiles, cultivated to the uttermost in philosophical learning, or the then state of the Jews, who had made the word of God of no effect by their traditions, which contained a sort of learning of which they were very fond and very proud, yet, by this Grecian and Jewish wisdom, no soul ever could have arrived at any such knowledge or wisdom as that communicated by the revelation of Christ. This was perfect wisdom; and they who were thoroughly instructed in it, and had received the grace of the Gospel, were termed , the perfect. This, says the apostle, is not the wisdom of this world, for that has not the manifested Messiah in it; nor the wisdom of the rulers of this world-the chief men, whether philosophers among the Greeks, or rabbins among the Jews (for those we are to understand as implied in the term rulers, used here by the apostle) these rulers came to nought; for they, their wisdom, and their government, were shortly afterwards overturned in the destruction of Jerusalem. This declaration of the apostle is prophetic. The ruin of the Grecian superstition soon followed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lest what the apostle had seemed to speak before in defamation of wisdom, should reflect upon the gospel, and give some people occasion to justify against it their impious charge of folly, the apostle here something corrects himself, affirming that he and the rest of the apostles spake
wisdom, and what would be so judged by such as were perfect; not absolutely, for so there is no man perfect, but comparatively, that is, persons who have their senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil, Heb 5:14, or such as are of a true, sound judgment, and are able to discern what is true wisdom. To such, saith the apostle,
we speak wisdom; and it needs must be so; for wisdom being a habit directing men to use the best means in order to the best end, the salvation of mens souls being the best end, that doctrine which directs the best means in order to it, must necessarily be wisdom, and the purest and highest wisdom.
Yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought; but, saith he, not what the philosophers, or cunning men, or politicians of the world count wisdom; for all their wisdom is of no significancy at all, in order to the best end, the salvation of mens souls, and it will all vanish, and come to nothing at last.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. Yet the Gospel preaching,so far from being at variance with true “wisdom,” is awisdom infinitely higher than that of the wise of the world.
we speakresuming “we”(preachers, I, Apollos, c.) from “we preach” (1Co1:28), only that here, “we speak” refers to somethingless public (compare 1Co 2:71Co 2:13, “mystery . . .hidden”) than “we preach,” which is public. For”wisdom” here denotes not the whole of Christian doctrine,but its sublimer and deeper principles.
perfectThose maturedin Christian experience and knowledge alone can understand thetrue superiority of the Christian wisdom which Paul preached.Distinguished not only from worldly and natural men,but also from babes, who though “in Christ” retainmuch that is “carnal” (1Co 3:1;1Co 3:2), and cannot thereforeunderstand the deeper truths of Christianity (1Co 14:20;Phi 3:15; Heb 5:14).Paul does not mean by the “mystery” or “hidden wisdom”(1Co 2:7) some hiddentradition distinct from the Gospel (like the Church of Rome’sdisciplina arcani and doctrine of reserve), but the unfoldingof the treasures of knowledge, once hidden in God’s counsels, but nowannounced to all, which would be intelligently comprehended inproportion as the hearer’s inner life became perfectly transformedinto the image of Christ. Compare instances of such “mysteries,”that is, deeper Christian truths, not preached at Paul’s first comingto Corinth, when he confined himself to the fundamental elements (1Co2:2), but now spoken to the “perfect” (1Co 15:51;Rom 11:25; Eph 3:5;Eph 3:6). “Perfect” isused not of absolute perfection, but relatively to “babes,”or those less ripe in Christian growth (compare Phi 3:12;Phi 3:15; 1Jn 2:12-14).”God” (1Co 2:7) isopposed to the world, the apostles to “the princes [great andlearned men] of this world” (1Co2:8; compare 1Co 1:20)[BENGEL].
come to naughtnothingness(1Co 1:28). They are transient,not immortal. Therefore, their wisdom is not real [BENGEL].Rather, translate with ALFORD,”Which are being brought to naught,” namely, byGod’s choosing the “things which are not (the weak anddespised things of the Gospel), to bring to naught (the same verbas here) things that are” (1Co1:28).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Howbeit we speak wisdom,…. Though the wise philosophers among the Gentiles accounted the Gospel foolishness; and though the apostle, by an ironical concession, had called the ministry of it the foolishness of preaching, and the foolishness of God, and had thought best, for wise reasons, to deliver it in a plain and simple manner, without the embellishments of human wisdom; yet he vindicates it from the charge of folly: it was not folly, but wisdom, which he and his fellow ministers preached, and that of the highest kind, as appears from what follows. Though it was not esteemed so by all men, yet
among, or with
them that are perfect; adult, at age, opposed to babes and children; such who have their understandings enlightened by the spirit of wisdom and revelation; who have their senses exercised to discern between divine and human wisdom; and who are perfect in a comparative sense, having more spiritual knowledge and understanding than others; for none, in the present state of things, are absolutely perfect in knowledge; they that know most, know but in part: now to such the Gospel and the doctrines of it appear to be the highest wisdom; for the apostle’s sense is not that he and other Gospel ministers preached the more sublime doctrines of it to a select set of persons that had more judgment and a better understanding of things than others: if this could be thought to be the apostle’s meaning, he might be supposed to allude to a custom among the Jews, not to deliver the sublime things of the law, but to persons so and so qualified.
“Says R. Ame r, they do not deliver the secrets of the law, but to him who has the five things or characters in Isa 3:3”
So they did not suffer the first chapter of Genesis and the visions of Ezekiel to be read until thirty years of age s; and from them the Pythagoreans took their notion of not declaring their mysteries but to , “perfect ones”, the word here used t; but the apostle’s sense is, that to such that were perfect, and even to everyone that had the least degree of spiritual knowledge, the Gospel was wisdom. Some refer this clause not to persons, but things; and so the Arabic version reads it, “we speak wisdom concerning things that are perfect”; as the things of the Gospel are, such as a plenteous redemption, perfect righteousness, full pardon, plenary satisfaction, and complete salvation and happiness:
yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: meaning not the idolatry, superstition, curious and magic arts introduced by demons, which principalities and powers, with all their works, are spoiled and destroyed by Christ; but either the political wisdom and crafty schemes of the civil governors of the world, against Christ and his Gospel, who were by this time most, if not all of them, dead; or the vain philosophy of the wise and learned among the Gentiles, who every day were less and less in vogue, through the quick and powerful spread of the Gospel; or rather the highest pitch of wisdom and knowledge in divine things, which the doctors and Rabbins among the Jews attained to in the age before the Messiah’s coming; called “this world” in distinction from the times of the Messiah, which in Jewish language was, “the world to come”, as Dr. Lightfoot observes; who with all their wisdom were confounded and brought to nought by the superior wisdom of the Gospel.
r T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 13. 1. s Hieron. prefat. in Ezekiel & ad Paulin. Tom. III. fol. 3. 2. t Hierocles in Pythag. Carmin. p. 302.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Discoveries of the Gospel; Spiritual Things Spiritually Discerned. | A. D. 57. |
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
In this part of the chapter the apostle shows them that though he had not come to them with the excellency of human wisdom, with any of the boasted knowledge and literature of the Jews or Greeks, yet he had communicated to them a treasure of the truest and the highest wisdom: We speak wisdom among those who are perfect (v. 6), among those who are well instructed in Christianity, and come to some maturity in the things of God. Those that receive the doctrine as divine, and, having been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, have looked well into it, discover true wisdom in it. They not only understand the plain history of Christ, and him crucified, but discern the deep and admirable designs of the divine wisdom therein. Though what we preach is foolishness to the world, it is wisdom to them. They are made wise by it, and can discern wisdom in it. Note, Those who are wise themselves are the only proper judges of what is wisdom; not indeed the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery (1Co 2:6; 1Co 2:7); not worldly wisdom, but divine; not such as the men of this world could have discovered, nor such as worldly men, under the direction of pride, and passion, and appetite, and worldly interest, and destitute of the Spirit of God, can receive. Note, How different is the judgment of God from that of the world! He seeth not as man seeth. The wisdom he teaches is of a quite different kind from what passes under that notion in the world. It is not the wisdom of politicians, nor philosophers, nor rabbis (see v. 6), not such as they teach nor such as they relish; but the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom of God–what he had a long time kept to himself, and concealed from the world, and the depth of which, now it is revealed, none but himself can fathom. It is the mystery which hath been hid from ages and generations, though now made manifest to the saints (Col. i. 26), hid in a manner entirely from the heathen world, and made mysterious to the Jews, by being wrapped up in dark types and distant prophecies, but revealed and made known to us by the Spirit of God. Note, See the privilege of those who enjoy the gospel revelation: to them types are unveiled, mysteries made plain, prophecies interpreted, and the secret counsels of God published and laid open. The wisdom of God in a mystery is now made manifest to the saints. Now, concerning this wisdom, observe,
I. The rise and origin of it: It was ordained of God, before the world, to our glory, v. 7. It was ordained of God; he had determined long ago to reveal and make it known, from many ages past, from the beginning, nay, from eternity; and that to our glory, the glory of us, either us apostles or us Christians. It was a great honour put upon the apostles, to be entrusted with the revelation of this wisdom. It was a great and honourable privilege for Christians to have this glorious wisdom discovered to them. And the wisdom of God discovered to them. And the wisdom of God discovered in the gospel, the divine wisdom taught by the gospel, prepares for our everlasting glory and happiness in the world to come. The counsels of God concerning our redemption are dated from eternity, and designed for the glory and happiness of the saints. And what deep wisdom was in these counsels! Note, The wisdom of God is both employed and displayed for the honour of the saints–employed from eternity, and displayed in time, to make them glorious both here and hereafter, in time and to eternity. What honour does he put on his saints!
II. The ignorance of the great men of the world about it: Which none of the princes of this world knew (v. 8), the principal men in authority and power, or in wisdom and learning. The Roman governor, and the guides and rulers of the Jewish church and nation, seem to be the persons here chiefly meant. These were the princes of this world, or this age, who, had they known this true and heavenly wisdom, would not have crucified the Lord of glory. This Pilate and the Jewish rulers literally did when our Redeemer was crucified upon the sentence of the one and the clamorous demands of the other. Observe, Jesus Christ is the Lord of Glory, a title much too great for any creature to bear: and the reason why he was hated was because he was not known. Had his crucifiers known him, known who and what he was, they would have withheld their impious hands, and not have taken and slain him. This he pleaded with his Father for their pardon: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke xxiii. 34. Note, There are many things which people would not do if they knew the wisdom of God in the great work of redemption. They act as they do because they are blind or heedless. They know not the truth, or will not attend to it.
III. It is such wisdom as could not have been discovered without a revelation, according to what the prophet Isaiah says (Isa. lxiv. 4), Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that love him–for him that waiteth for him, that waiteth for his mercy, so the LXX. It was a testimony of love to God in the Jewish believers to live in expectation of the accomplishment o evangelical promises. Waiting upon God is an evidence of love to him. Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, Isa. xxv. 9. Observe, There are things which God hath prepared for those that love him, and wait for him. There are such things prepared in a future life for them, things which sense cannot discover, no present information can convey to our ears, nor can yet enter our hearts. Life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. But the apostle speaks here of the subject-matter of the divine revelation under the gospel. These are such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard. Observe, The great truths of the gospel are things lying out of the sphere of human discovery: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard them, nor have they entered into the heart of man. Were they objects of sense, could they be discovered by an eye of reason, and communicated by the ear to the mind, as matters of common human knowledge may, there had been no need of a revelation. But, lying out of the sphere of nature, we cannot discover them but by the light of revelation. And therefore we must take them as they lie in the scriptures, and as God has been pleased to reveal them.
IV. We here see by whom this wisdom is discovered to us: God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit, v. 10. The scripture is given by inspiration of God. Holy men spoke of old as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. i. 21. And the apostles spoke by inspiration of the same Spirit, as he taught them, and gave them utterance. Here is a proof of the divine authority of the holy scriptures. Paul wrote what he taught: and what he taught was revealed of God by his Spirit, that Spirit that searches all things, yea, the deep things of God, and knows the things of God, as the spirit of a man that is in him knows the things of a man, v. 11. A double argument is drawn from these words in proof of the divinity of the Holy Ghost:– 1. Omniscience is attributed to him: He searches all things, even the deep things of God. He has exact knowledge of all things, and enters into the very depths of God, penetrates into his most secret counsels. Now who can have such a thorough knowledge of God but God? 2. This allusion seems to imply that the Holy Spirit is as much in God as a man’s mind is in himself. Now the mind of the man is plainly essential to him. He cannot be without his mind. Now can God be without his Spirit. He is as much and as intimately one with God as the man’s mind is with the man. The man knows his own mind because his mind is one with himself. The Spirit of God knows the things of God because he is one with God. And as no man can come at the knowledge of what is in another man’s mind till he communicates and reveals it, so neither can we know the secret counsels and purposes of God till they are made known to us by his Holy Spirit. We cannot know them at all till he had proposed them objectively (as it is called) in the external revelation; we cannot know or believe them to salvation till he enlightens the faculty, opens the eye of the mind, and gives us such a knowledge and faith of them. And it was by this Spirit that the apostles had received the wisdom of God in a mystery, which they spoke. “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things freely given to us of God (v. 12); not the spirit which is in the wise men of the world (v. 6), nor in the rulers of the world (v. 8), but the Spirit which is of God, or proceedeth from God. We have what we deliver in the name of God by inspiration from him; and it is by his gracious illumination and influence that we know the things freely given to us of God unto salvation”–that is, “the great privileges of the gospel, which are the free gift of God, distributions of mere and rich grace.” Though these things are given to us, and the revelation of this gift is made to us, we cannot know them to any saving purpose till we have the Spirit. The apostles had the revelation of these things from the Spirit of God, and the saving impression of them from the same Spirit.
V. We see here in what manner this wisdom was taught or communicated: Which things we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, v. 13. They had received the wisdom they taught, not from the wise men of the world, but from the Spirit of God. Nor did they put a human dress on it, but plainly declared the doctrine of Christ, in terms also taught them by the Holy Spirit. He not only gave them the knowledge of these things, but gave them utterance. Observe, The truths of God need no garnishing by human skill or eloquence, but look best in the words which the Holy Ghost teaches. The Spirit of God knows much better how to speak of the things of God than the best critics, orators, or philosophers. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual–one part of revelation with another, the revelation of the gospel with that of the Jews, the discoveries of the New Testament with the types and prophecies of the Old. The comparing of matters of revelation with matters of science, things supernatural with things natural and common, is going by a wrong measure. Spiritual things, when brought together, will help to illustrate one another; but, if the principles of human art and science are to be made a test of revelation, we shall certainly judge amiss concerning it, and the things contained in it. Or, adapting spiritual things to spiritual–speaking of spiritual matters, matters of revelation, and the spiritual life, in language that is proper and plain. The language of the Spirit of God is the most proper to convey his meaning.
VI. We have an account how this wisdom is received.
1. The natural man receiveth not the things of God, for they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, v. 14. The natural man, the animal man. Either, (1.) The man under the power of corruption, and never yet illuminated by the Spirit of God, such as Jude calls sensual, not having the Spirit, v. 19. Men unsanctified receive not the things of God. The understanding, through the corruption of nature by the fall, and through the confirmation of this disorder by customary sin, is utterly unapt to receive the rays of divine light; it is prejudiced against them. The truths of God are foolishness to such a mind. The man looks on them as trifling and impertinent things, not worth his minding. The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not, John i. 5. Not that the natural faculty of discerning is lost, but evil inclinations and wicked principles render the man unwilling to enter into the mind of God, in the spiritual matters of his kingdom, and yield to their force and power. It is the quickening beams of the Spirit of truth and holiness that must help the mind to discern their excellency, and to so thorough a conviction of their truth as heartily to receive and embrace them. Thus the natural man, the man destitute of the Spirit of God, cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Or, (2.) The natural man, that is, the wise man of the world (1Co 1:19; 1Co 1:20), the wise man after the flesh, or according to the flesh (v. 26), one who hath the wisdom of the world, man’s wisdom (ch. ii. 4-6), a man, as some of the ancients, that would learn all truth by his own ratiocinations, receive nothing by faith, nor own any need of supernatural assistance. This was very much the character of the pretenders to philosophy and the Grecian learning and wisdom in that day. Such a man receives not the things of the Spirit of God. Revelation is not with him a principle of science; he looks upon it as delirium and dotage, the extravagant thought of some deluded dreamer. It is no way to wisdom among the famous masters of the world; and for that reason he can have no knowledge of things revealed, because they are only spiritually discerned, or made known by the revelation of the Spirit, which is a principle of science or knowledge that he will not admit.
2. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged, or discerned, of no man, v. 15. Either, (1.) He who is sanctified and made spiritually-minded (Rom. viii. 6) judgeth all things, or discerneth all things–he is capable of judging about matters of human wisdom, and has also a relish and savour of divine truths; he sees divine wisdom, and experiences divine power, in gospel revelations and mysteries, which the carnal and unsanctified mind looks upon as weakness and folly, as things destitute of all power and not worthy any regard. It is the sanctified mind that must discern the real beauties of holiness; but, by the refinement of its facilities, they do not lose their power of discerning and judging about common and natural things. The spiritual man may judge of all things, natural and supernatural, human and divine, the deductions of reason and the discoveries of revelation. But he himself is judged or discerned of NO MAN. God’s saints are his hidden ones, Ps. lxxxiii. 3. Their life is hid with Christ in God, Col. iii. 3. The carnal man knows no more of a spiritual man than he does of other spiritual things. He is a stranger to the principles, pleasures, and actings, of the divine life. The spiritual man does not lie open to his observation. Or, (2.) He that is spiritual (who has had divine revelations made to him, receives them as such, and founds his faith and religion upon them) can judge both of common things and things divine; he can discern what is, and what is not, the doctrine of the gospel and of salvation, and whether a man preaches the truths of God or not. He does not lose the power of reasoning, nor renounce the principles of it, by founding his faith and religion on revelation. But he himself is judged of no man–can be judged, so as to be confuted, by no man; nor can any man who is not spiritual, not under a divine afflatus himself (see ch. xiv. 37), or not founding his faith on a divine revelation, discern or judge whether what he speaks be true or divine, or not. In short, he who founds all his knowledge upon principles of science, and the mere light of reason, can never be a judge of the truth or falsehood of what is received by revelation. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him (v. 16), that is, the spiritual man? Who can enter so far into the mind of God as to instruct him who has the Spirit of God, and is under his inspiration? He only is the person to whom God immediately communicates the knowledge of his will. And who can inform or instruct him in the mind of God who is so immediately under the conduct of his own Spirit? Very few have known any thing of the mind of God by a natural power. But, adds the apostle, we have the mind of Christ; and the mind of Christ is the mind of God. He is God, and the principal messenger and prophet of God. And the apostles were empowered by his Spirit to make known his mind to us. And in the holy scriptures the mind of Christ, and the mind of God in Christ, are fully revealed to us. Observe, It is the great privilege of Christians that they have the mind of Christ revealed to them by his Spirit.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Among the perfect ( ). Paul is not here drawing a distinction between exoteric and esoteric wisdom as the Gnostics did for their initiates, but simply to the necessary difference in teaching for babes (3:1) and adults or grown men (common use of for relative perfection, for adults, as is in 1Cor 14:20; Phil 3:15; Eph 4:13; Heb 5:14). Some were simply old babes and unable in spite of their years to digest solid spiritual food, “the ample teaching as to the Person of Christ and the eternal purpose of God. Such ‘wisdom’ we have in the Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians especially, and in a less degree in the Epistle to the Romans. This ‘wisdom’ is discerned in the Gospel of John, as compared with the other Evangelists” (Lightfoot). These imperfect disciples Paul wishes to develop into spiritual maturity.
Of this world ( ). This age, more exactly, as in 1:20. This wisdom does not belong to the passing age of fleeting things, but to the enduring and eternal (Ellicott).
Which are coming to naught ( ). See on 1:28. Present passive participle genitive plural of . The gradual nullification of these “rulers” before the final and certain triumph of the power of Christ in his kingdom.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Wisdom. Emphatic. Lest his depreciation of worldly wisdom should expose him and his companions to the charge of not preaching wisdom at all, he shows that they do preach wisdom, though not of a worldly kind, among matured Christians.
Them that are perfect [ ] . American Rev., them that are full – grown. Paul ‘s term for matured Christians. See Eph 4:13, where a perfect [] man is contrasted with children (nhpioi, ver. 14). So 1Co 14:20 : “In malice children, in understanding men (lit., perfect);” Phi 3:15. “This wisdom is the Christian analogue to philosophy in the ordinary sense of the word” (Meyer), and the perfect to whom he delivered it would recognize it as such.
That come to nought [] . The A. V. states a general proposition, but the Greek present participle a fact in process of accomplishment : which are coming to nought. So Rev.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Howbeit we speak wisdom,” (Greek sophian de laloumen) “but wisdom we speak”. The “we” refers to true believers in general from the Corinth church and their colleague brethren from other churches, but more specifically Paul was asserting that he and his missionary companions spoke with Spiritual wisdom.
2) “Among them that are perfect,” (Greek entois teleiois) “among the perfect or mature ones” those with spiritual comprehension. As the world by wisdom did not comprehend or spiritually discern Jesus, so they rejected Paul and his helpers, Joh 1:5; Joh 1:10.
3) “Yet not the wisdom of this world.” (Greek de ou tou aionos). “Yet not of this age.” They did not speak forth the wisdom of the Rabbis, or the Grecian philosophers, or the laws of the Romans.
4) “Nor of the princes of this world.” (Greek oude ton archonton tou aionos toutou). “Neither of the leaders, rulers, or princes of this age,” such as Herod, Pilate, Felix, or Agrippa. Tradition holds that each came to a fateful end.
5) “That come to nought.” (Greek ton katorgoumenon). “Of the ones being brought to naught.” The rich young ruler “turned and went away sorrowfully” from Jesus, Mat 19:16-22.
Many Bible students believe that it was he who “in hell lifted up his eyes in torments,” the formerly “clothed in purple and fine linen,” robes of royalty, Luk 16:19-24.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. We speak wisdom Lest he should appear to despise wisdom, as unlearned and ignorant men (Act 4:13) condemn learning with a sort of barbarian ferocity, he adds, that he is not devoid of that wisdom, which was worthy of the name, but was esteemed as such by none but competent judges. By those that were perfect, he means not those that had attained a wisdom that was full and complete, but those who possess a sound and unbiased judgment. For תם, which is always rendered in the Septuagint by τελειος means complete (112) He twits, however, in passing, those that had no relish for his preaching, and gives them to understand that it was owing to their own fault: “If my doctrine is disrelished by any of you, those persons give sufficient evidence from that very token, that they possess a depraved and vitiated understanding, inasmuch as it will invariably be acknowledged to be the highest wisdom among men of sound intellect and correct judgment.” While Paul’s preaching was open to the view of all, it was, nevertheless, not always estimated according to its value, and this is the reason why he appeals to sound and unbiased judges, (113) who would declare that doctrine, which the world accounted insipid, to be true wisdom. Meanwhile, by the words we speak, he intimates that he set before them an elegant specimen of admirable wisdom, lest any one should allege that he boasted of a thing unknown.
Yet not the wisdom of this world He again repeats by way of anticipation what he had already conceded — that the gospel was not human wisdom, lest any one should object that there were few supporters of that doctrine; nay more, that it was contemned by all that were most distinguished for intellect. Hence he acknowledges of his own accord what might be brought forward by way of objection, but in such a way as not at all to give up his point.
The princes of this world By the princes of this world he means those that have distinction in the world through means of any endowment, for sometimes there are persons, who, though they are by no means distinguished by acuteness of intellect, are nevertheless held in admiration from the dignity of the station which they hold. That, however, we may not be alarmed by these imposing appearances, the Apostle adds, that they come to nought, or perish. For it were unbefitting, that a thing that is eternal should depend upon the authority of those who are frail, and fading, and cannot give perpetuity even to themselves: “When the kingdom of God is revealed, let the wisdom of this world retire, and what is transient give place to what is eternal; for the princes of this world have their distinction, but it is of such a nature as is in one moment extinguished. What is this in comparison with the heavenly and incorruptible kingdom of God?”
(112) “Thus we read, (Gen 25:27,) that Jacob was איש תם, “a perfect man,” i.e. without any manifest blemish. See also Job 1:1. The corresponding word תמים, is frequently applied to the sacrificial victims, to denote their being without blemish Exo 12:5; Lev 1:3. — Ed
(113) “ Il ne s’en rapporte pas a vn chacvn, mais requiert des luges entiers;” — “He does not submit the case to every one, but appeals to competent judges.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Butlers Comments
SECTION 2
Undiscoverable but Understandable (1Co. 2:6-16)
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But, as it is written,
What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him,
10God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11For what person knows a mans thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.
14 The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1Co. 2:6-8 Perfected: The understanding of this whole chapter hinges upon two major premises: (1) clearly, the antecedent to the repeated pronoun we and us all the way through this chapter is Paul and the other supernaturally endowed apostles, the only persons Christ ever said would be led into all truth (cf. Joh. 16:13); (2) contextually, the subject is divinely revealed truth as opposed to the limits of finite knowledge. The context is not dealing with different levels of understanding or even with ability to comprehend. It is dealing with the impossibility of knowing the mind of God until God decides to reveal His mind to certain individuals so they might pass it on through human language (words). Whatever Paul is saying, it must conform to these two fundamental rules of understanding what someone else has written.
Notice the clear indication that Paul is speaking of the relevational aspect of the apostolic message of the cross by the continuity of the antecedent:
a.
When I came to you . . . (1Co. 2:1)
b.
For I decided to know . . . (1Co. 2:2)
c.
And I was with you . . . (1Co. 2:3)
d.
. . . and my message . . . (1Co. 2:3)
e.
. . . Yet among the mature we do impart . . . (1Co. 2:6)
f.
But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom . . . (1Co. 2:7)
g.
God has revealed to us through the Spirit . . . (1Co. 2:10)
h.
Now we have received. . . . (1Co. 2:12)
i.
. . . that we might understand . . . (1Co. 2:12)
j.
And we impart this in words. . . . (1Co. 2:13)
k.
But we have the mind of Christ (1Co. 2:16)
Pauls shift from the first person to the third person means only that he is including the other apostles as those who have received the mind of Christ by revelationit does not include all Christians.
Who are the mature? The Greek word used in 1Co. 2:6 is teleiois, and is often translated, perfect, or, whole. Lenski says, teleios is the one who has reached the goal. The context invariably determines the goal referred to and the sense in which the term is employed. The present context speaks of only two classes of people: such as accept the gospel in faith and such as spurn the gospel and prefer their own wisdom. No reference has been made to undeveloped Christians.
We believe the context forces us to look back to 1Co. 1:18-25 for the definition of the mature ones. The mature are those who receive the gospel message in honest, virtuous, unbiased and logical minds. They accept the message as the revelation of God on the basis of the evidence presented. The immature are those who are prejudiced and dishonest and who deliberately refuse to acknowledge that there is an Absolute Being existing outside the empirical knowledge of this world who may reveal knowledge man may not otherwise discover by his own human resources.
The immature are:
a.
. . . like children sitting in the market places. . . . (Mat. 11:16-19)
b.
the wise and understanding (Mat. 11:25-30)
c.
. . . those who receive glory from one another . . . (Joh. 5:44)
d.
those in whom the word of Christ finds no place (Joh. 8:37)
e.
those who cannot bear to hear Christs word (Joh. 8:43-47)
f.
those who say, We see . . . (Joh. 9:35-41)
g.
those who love the praise of men more than the praise of God (Joh. 12:37-43)
h.
those who think that the Deity is like gold, or silver. . . . a representation by the art and imagination of man (Act. 17:22-23)
i.
those who claim to be wise and exchange glory of the immortal God for images. . . . who exchange the truth of God for a lie. . . . who do not see fit to acknowledge God (Rom. 1:18-32)
j.
those who refuse to love the truth . . . those who do not believe the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousness (2Th. 2:9-12)
k.
those who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at the truth (2Ti. 3:6-7)
l.
those who deliberately ignore the facts (2Pe. 3:1-7)
The mature are:
a.
those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience (Luk. 8:15)
b.
those who do what is true and come to the light (Joh. 3:21)
c.
those who are babes and are willing to take Christs yoke upon them and learn of him (Mat. 11:25-30)
d.
those who acknowledge they are blind without the apostolic revelation (Joh. 9:39-41)
e.
those willing to be guided by divine revelation (Act. 8:31)
f.
those who accept the apostolic message of the cross as the revelation of God for salvation (1Co. 1:18-25)
g.
those who accept the word of the apostles as the word of God revealed for salvation (1Th. 2:13)
When the gospel message of the cross and the apostolic message explaining the doctrine of the cross (and resurrection) is proclaimed, those with honest and good hearts will accept it as a revelationsomething man could not know without God telling him. The revelation of God concerning eternal life is totally outside the experience of mortal man. It is not a wisdom of this age nor of any of the greatest human minds of this age. All man can know on his own is that in his present existence everything is passing away, even man himself. Man may know from the creation around him that there is an Eternal Deity (cf. Rom. 1:18-22). Man may know from his conscience that he incurs guilt and deserves judgment. But man cannot know from anything within him or around him that God atoned for his guilt in the death of Christ and that salvation may be his by faithful covenant relationship to Christ. That is known only by revelation!
The apostles impart (Gr. laloumen, speak) a secret and hidden wisdom of God. Actually the Greek word translated secret is musterio which would be literally, mystery. A mystery was not something that could not be explained or understood, but something unrevealed and unknown. A mystery, in the New Testament usage of the word, could be known when it was revealed. Pauls use of the word mystery may be seen in Eph. 1:1-23; Col. 1:24-29; Rom. 16:25-27. For man to know the mystery of Gods will for salvation requires only that the apostles (who have the mind of Christ by supernatural gift) reveal it in human language. It does not require some additional illumination or miraculous empowering of our minds to understand it.
God speaks his eternal wisdom (his plan of redemption and salvation) through human messengers, in human language. God is certainly capable of making himself understood in human language. All that is needed for man to understand God is that God, by signs and wonders, delineate and authenticate those who are his chosen messengers, and that man listen with an honest and unbiased mind.
None of the rulers of this world understood this. Actually, the Greek word egnoken may be translated either known or understood. The proper translation, according to the context, would be known, It is something they refused to know because they refused to surrender to the fact that God revealed himself incarnately in Jesus Christ. They did not want to know it. They chose to be ignorant (cf. Luk. 23:34; Joh. 15:21; Act. 3:17; Act. 13:27; Act. 17:30; Eph. 4:18; 1Ti. 1:13). Had they wanted to know this hidden wisdom of God they could have known it because God revealed it in his incarnate Son, Jesus Christ. Many others knew it. Had the rulers been willing to know it, they would have known it and would not have crucified the Lord of glory (cf. Joh. 7:17). T. R. Applebury puts it succinctly: Are we to say that the natural or uninspired man cannot understand the message revealed by the Holy Spirit? Some do take this position. But are we to say that God who created man, an intelligent being capable of communicating his thoughts through language, could not speak to His creatures in a manner so as to be understood? But, of course, man by his own experience and observation could never know Gods mind. The only way he could know it was by the revelation through the apostles and prophets.
1Co. 2:9-11 Private: God predicted his redemptive promises to the human race as far back as the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:15), but the exact manner in which it would be accomplished was kept private in his own mind until he revealed it in Christ and subsequently through the Holy Spirit to the apostles. Until God decided to let it be known, no human being could know it.
1Co. 2:9 does not refer to mans future state in heaven. It refers to the apostolic message of redemption through the vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ. That divine program was not conceived by man. It never occurred to man that God would save him by grace. That is evidenced by all the religions of the world, except Christianity, attempting to attain reconciliation with God through works. Man, in his pride and arrogance, refuses to acknowledge he must be saved by grace. He could never even imagine the way God would accomplish salvation. If God had chosen to keep his redemptive plan privately hidden in his own mind forever, man would never have discovered it with his own finite and limited human knowledge.
But God chose to reveal his redemptive program to the whole world through the apostles (us, 1Co. 2:10) through his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, but he is the same person as the Father and the Son. Jesus plainly declared that he and the Holy Spirit were one and the same person (see Joh. 14:15-23). The Holy Spirit of God knows everything God knowseven the deepest recesses of Gods mind and heart. Everything God wanted to be revealed concerning his prepared redemption the Holy Spirit was fully capable of revealing. Therefore, Paul is saying, everything we apostles have declared to you to be Gods redemptive plan is all there is. Men do not need to expect any revelation of Gods redemptive program beyond what the apostles have written! There is no latter day revelation to be expected. Salvation is found by reading, believing and obeying the apostolic doctrinenot in some subjective, extra-Biblical, experience. What the apostles wrote is everything the Spirit searched from the Fathers mindeven the depths.
One person can never know the mind of another person unless that person communicates his mind. Minds really never communicate until they do so by words (language). Events and deeds cannot bring about the personal encounter which the genius of language alone accomplishes. By means of the sense of hearing, as the receiver of verbal communication, one mind can make contact with the mental world of another mind and can be influenced by that inaccessible and mysterious realm of thought. But until one person decides to tell another person what is on his mind, his thoughts are inaccessible to everyone but his own spirit. This is what Paul is saying about Gods mind in 1Co. 2:11. Without the voluntary communication (that is, without revelation) of one persons thoughts to another by words, there is an impenetrable boundary to personal encounter. The mind of a man sitting next to you may be quite inaccessible to you, while at that very moment a friend some thousand miles away may be allowing you, by means of a letter, to learn something of what is beyond this boundary. The act of crossing this boundary (through a revelation in words) is one of the most remarkable phenomena of our experience.
No one but the Spirit of God could know what was on Gods mind. God chose to cross that boundary for man so he gave his Spirit to the apostles who spoke the mind of God in human words.
1Co. 2:12-13 Published: One of the big problems with this Corinthian church had to do with Pauls presentation of the gospel. Apparently, his presentation did not compare favorably with the eloquence of the philosophers and preachers of the pagan mystery cults in cosmopolitan Corinth. Some Christians in the church were probably being tempted to turn away from the gospel and classify it as not divine because it was not colored by the sophistries and verbiage of the silver-tongued orators of Greece. It just did not sound divine. It did not thrill them emotionallyit was not artisticit was not entertaining.
The apostles received the Spirit which is from God so they might know the mind of God and Christ. Christ promised them the Holy Spirit for this purpose (see John, chapters 14, 15, 16 and 17, and Joh. 20:22). They claimed to be speaking by the direct inspiration or revelation of the Holy Spirit (cf. Act. 2:14-21; 1Co. 2:12-13; 2Pe. 1:16-21). Their claims to divine inspiration or revelation were authenticated by the signs and wonders done by their hands (cf. 2Co. 12:12; Heb. 2:1-4). No one but the apostles were promised this revelation of the mind of Christ as his direct agents to communicate it to the rest of mankind. The apostle John makes it clear that whoever listens to the apostles listens to God, and whoever does not listen to the apostles does not listen to God (1Jn. 4:1-6). The only possible way to distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error is to accept the teachings of the apostles as the final and completed teaching from God!
The Bible leaves us in no doubt whatever that the vehicle of revelation is language (words). The construction of the Greek sentence in 1Co. 2:13 emphasizes words as the vehicle of imparting Gods mind to the world. The sentence reads literally, which things we speak, not in teaching of human wisdom words, but in teaching of the Holy Spirit. Paul, in putting words at the end of the phrase, emphasizes that the agency of apostolic revelation is not in emotions, feelings or any other subjective experience, but in human language. Language is versatile. It is unique in the reception and transmission of knowledge. It is the only means which possesses such potentiality. Mystical or subjective communication, in which the intellect is in abeyance and the object of the participant is to merge himself by a non-verbal process in the Godhead, is excluded by a word often on the lips of the writers of the Old Testament. The word is shema, translated to hear, and signifies not only to hear, but to understand and even to obey what is said. There are literally thousands of references in both Old Testament and New Testament representing God as speaking words (cf. Exo. 20:1; Deu. 1:6; Psa. 33:9; Jer. 7:13; Jer. 14:14; Joh. 6:63; Mat. 24:35; Joh. 17:14; Joh. 17:17). Language is the only conceivable means of communicating non-empirical places, things or concepts. It has the ability to cross dimensional limits of time and space and communicate by verbal deputies (figures of speech, analogies, etc.) the non-experienceable.
So the apostles spoke the mind of God and Christ in human words, but not in human teachings. There is a difference in the two! The devil is able to take human words and proclaim demonic teaching (see Jas. 3:13-18). The apostles were taught what was on Gods mind about redemption by the Spirit of God in human language. They, in turn, teach all who will listen to them in human language also. When a man listens to the teaching of the apostles and obeys it, he is being taught by the Holy Spirit of God. If the apostles were led into all truth (see Joh. 16:13) and if the faith is once for all time delivered unto the saints (see Jud. 1:3), then there is nothing more the Holy Spirit intends to say to mankind (this side of heaven) about redemption. The apostles have said it all!
1Co. 2:13 reads literally, . . . with spiritual things, spiritual things comparing . . .The RSV translation which reads, . . . interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit, is not a good translation. Paul is not dealing with those receiving the apostolic messagehe is dealing with those giving the apostolic message. This is Pauls way. of saying here that the apostles spoke the revelation of the Spirit (spiritual things) in terms or words (comparables) which the Spirit directed them to use. In other words, the apostles spoke and wrote the very message, in the very terminology, the Spirit of God desired it to be written. As Peter explained it, men spoke as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit (2Pe. 1:20-21). The Greek word sunkrinontes is translated comparing but means, more precisely, combining, fitly joining together. It means to adapt the language to the subject. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit spoke to the apostles in some unknown tongue or that the Bible is in some heavenly language that cannot be understood by the same rules of human language used in all other communications. It simply means that the Holy Spirit guided the apostles in selecting exactly the right words in the Greek language (for the New Testament) to communicate exactly the mind of God concerning redemption.
1Co. 2:14-16 Privileged: Only the apostles (in the New Testament) were privileged to receive the mind of God through the Holy Spirit. And they received it as a gift from God because no man can know the mind of God unless God decides to give it. The natural man may know Gods mind only if he is borne along by the Spirit (2Pe. 1:20-21) because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man.
The Greek word psychikos is translated unspiritual in the RSV, but means the physical man, i.e., the natural man without the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. The natural man, limited to natural faculties, cannot know the will of God unless it is revealed to him by the Spirit. Gods will for mans salvation must be revealed before any man can know it. This is precisely what Paul has already said; For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what (the revealed message) we (the apostles) preach to save those who believe (1Co. 1:21). It certainly does not mean every human being must have his mind illuminated separately from the apostolic word before he can understand the Bible.
There is no need for extra-Biblical illumination or revelation for man today. As a matter of fact, the New Testament clearly teaches that a cessation of the miraculous gifts of prophecy and discerning prophecy, etc., would come soon after the first generation of Christians passed away (see our comments on I Corinthians, chapters 12, 13, 14).
The Greek words ou dunatai gnonai, in 1Co. 2:14, mean literally that the physical man is not able to know (unless the Spirit of God reveals) the mind of God. Until Gods Spirit reveals Gods mind, the physical man is like a moron (Gr. moria, foolishness)he is unable to know. Gods redemptive work in the world, without the Spirits revelation of Gods mind about redemption, is folly (or moronic) to the physical man. This may be illustrated by all the ancient (and modern) pagan attempts to explain history and nature without the propositional revelation (the Bible) of God. One poet said of history without divine revelation, . . . it is a tale told by idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. . . . Ancient philosophers grew cynical, depressed and despairing when they tried to explain life without a direct, spoken revelation from God.
But with Gods Spirit searching the deep things of Gods mind and revealing them as gifts through the apostles, everything necessary for the redemption and salvation of man becomes discernable. Nothing really makes sense in this world without the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without that, it would all be vanity (see Ecclesiastes). The physical man is not able to discover by investigation (Gr. anakrinetai, discern, critique) the deep things of God because they are discovered (Gr. anakrinetai, discerned) by Gods spirit. 1Co. 2:14-16 and 1Co. 2:11-13 mean exactly the same thing. . . So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we (apostles) have received not the spirit of the world (physical), but the Spirit which is from God, that we (apostles) might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. Paul, in 1Co. 2:14-16, is simply restating what he said in 1Co. 2:11-13.
The Spirit-filled one (Gr. pneumatikos), the apostle (remember the continuity of antecedents) discerns and discriminates what the mind of God is and how God wants it taught, and teaches all things as Gods Spirit chooses to reveal them. The apostles, borne along by the Spirit of God, examined and discerned the deep things of the mind of God and then spoke them in language that could be understood by the human mind.
The Spirit-filled apostles were, in their capacity as revealers of Gods word, not to be judged by any one about the veracity of their message. This would not apply to the actions or life-style of the apostles. But when it came to what they preached, no one could say it was not from God. The apostolic message became the touchstone by which all other preaching was judged. The apostles proved they alone revealed the mind of the Spirit by the miracles they wrought. It was the miraculous baptism in the Holy Spirit that endowed the apostles to determine whether any teaching was from God or not (see 1Jn. 4:1-6). The man of the Spirit, the apostle (not the Christian), was not to be contradicted or disobeyed when he spoke Gods revealed mind. In the first century, before the New Testament revelation reached its completion in written form, only an apostle (or someone upon whom the apostles had laid hands) could judge whether a purported revelation was a God-given revelation or not. Now that we have the completed revelation of God in written form, all truth purporting to be from God is to be tested as to its conformity by the written revelation of the apostles.
In 1Co. 2:16 Paul summarizes this whole discussion of the problem of revelation versus the wisdom of the world. The RSV translates the first sentence, For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? Actually, the word instruct is a translation of the Greek word sumbibase. That is the only place in the New Testament where sumbibase is translated instruct. Everywhere else in the New Testament it is translated knit (see Eph. 4:16; Col. 2:2; Col. 2:19) or proving (see Act. 9:22; Act. 16:10). The word sumbibase really means, to understand or know or conclude so as to be joined together with God. Thus, Paul is saying, We inspired apostles so have the mind of God through the revelation of the Spirit that we are united in Him teaching His will as no uninspired (natural) man could ever do. The second sentence of this verse leaves no doubt that Pauls subject here is divine revelation, not spiritual maturity. The Greek is constructed: hemeis de noun Christou echomen, literally, we indeed, the mind of Christ are having. The syntax puts strong emphasis on we (the apostles). That is the subjectwhat the apostles have as a supernatural gift and not what every Christian has by faith.
Now it should be clear to even the most cursory reader of this letter to the Corinthian church why Paul deals with this subject of apostolic revelation at the very outset of the letter. He must establish beyond contradiction the source of his authority. He is going to have to deal with very sensitive and controversial issues in both the corporate life of the church and the private lives of its members. What he will say must be accepted as direct revelation from the mind of God to the church and not simply human opinion, Divine revelation is the only absolute wisdom, and the deeply spiritual problems besetting the Corinthian church will not be solved with anything less.
APPLICATIONS:
1.
The apostolic message was demonstrated to be the mind of the Holy Spirit. The written apostolic message in the books of the New Testament is as true, as authentic, as powerful now as it was then. It needs no further demonstrations any more than a fact that has been once established in court needs reestablishing (Heb. 2:3-4).
The apostolic message needs to be preached. Edward John Carnell said, If it is true that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save sinners, have we any right to say that we love sinners if we fail to confront them with this truth? And where can we find a divinely validated account of this truth apart from Scripture? In sum, we can express no higher love to lost humanity than to preach the gospel in the precise form in which God has been pleased to reveal it.
2.
If the apostolic message did not need humanly-limited wisdom to make it powerful (relevant) then, it does not need it today. The Gospel is relevant and applicable to all of mans problems today!
In fact, it is the only wisdom that is relevant.
By obeying it we can purify our souls (1Pe. 1:22).
By believing and obeying it we can be born anew (1Pe. 1:23-25).
By knowing and believing it we can know ourselves as God knows us (Heb. 4:11-13).
By knowing, believing and obeying we can have His Spirit living in us (Joh. 14:23; 1Jn. 2:24; 1Jn. 3:24, etc.).
3.
If the mind of God, His wisdom for mans salvation, could not be known by human speculation or human sciences then, it never could.
All human religions which do not depend upon the revealed word of God (specifically the apostolic message in the New Testament alone) are powerless and irrelevant.
All human religions and philosophies which contradict or oppose the revealed apostolic message are in opposition to God, because the apostolic message is all the mind of God which He has chosen to reveal to the world about salvation.
If ever God wanted man to know anything, God had to tell manman could not read Gods mind. That was true in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament covenant.
4.
God chose to tell man what He wanted man to know in words human language. Language (symbols verbalized) makes the communication of minds possible. Without it, communication (at least to the human mind) is impossible. Language makes the imposition of one will upon another possible. Thus, human language makes personal confrontation possible. Without it personal relationships are impossible (cf. Helen Keller).
THE WAY WE HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS THROUGH HIS WORD . . . JUST LIKE WE HAVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER BEINGS!
Of course, Gods personality is divine, and when you let His personality come into yours through His word, you have a Person in you. Words are instruments by which a part of you becomes a resident in me. The Holy Word is an Holy Instrument by which the Holy Spirit becomes a resident in you.
5.
Gods redemptive work in the world without the Spirits revelation (the apostolic message) is folly to the man limited by physical only.
The man who does not believe the Bible is Gods divine revelation has a very limited knowledge of what life is all about. Eating, drinking, relief from all the pain possible, and vainly hoping not to die is about all he sees in life.
Why was I born?
Why do I work?
Why do I get money and spend it?
Why have children?
Why think?
Why help anyone?
Why even live?
This, in fact, is where many people end it all today when they are taught and believe that there is no divinely revealed message from a Heavenly Father.
6.
The apostolic message (the written word of the New Testament) is the final and complete mind of God for mans salvation (cf. 2Ti. 3:16-17). It is all that is needed to make a man of God complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Every preacher, teacher, book, program or lifestyle must be tested by that apostolic revelation. If it does not conform in principle and precept it must not be followed.
APPREHENSIONS:
1.
Why did Paul find it necessary to defend the simplicity of his presentation of Christianity?
2.
Could preachers youve heard use more simplicity?
3.
Did Paul mean to say he did not want people to exercise their minds and think about Christianity? Is there nothing profound about God and Christ?
4.
Did Paul limit his preaching at Corinth to only the details about the crucifixion (Christ and him crucified)? How do you know?
5.
Why cant mankind know the wisdom that comes from God on his own?
6.
Is there anything man can know about God from his environment (the world in which he lives)? (See Rom. 1:18 ff.) What?
7.
Is creation a revelation from God? Does man need the Bible to understand creation? Why?
8.
How would you illustrate that no man can know the mind of God unless God reveals it?
9.
How do we know those to whom God reveals his mind?
10.
Does God continue today to reveal his mind to so-called prophets? How do you know?
11.
Why did God reveal his mind through the apostles in human words?
12.
How are we to understand Gods revelation in human wordswhat rules of interpretation should we use to understand the Bible?
13.
Would it be necessary to use different rules of language to interpret a cookbook than to interpret the Bible?
14.
Is it impossible to understand the Bible unless the Holy Spirit works directly (and extra-Biblically) on each individual to enlighten him?
15.
Is God able to use human language so as to make himself understood by man without extra divine aid? How do you know?
16.
Why would Paul deal with the problem of apostolic revelation at the very beginning of his letter to Corinth?
17.
Is the problem of apostolic revelation a current problem in Christendom today?
18.
Do you believe the New Testament is the final, full and perfect revelation of God to man in all things that pertain to life and godliness?
Appleburys Comments
The Apostles Speak Wisdom (616)
Text
1Co. 2:6-16. We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak Gods wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: 9 but as it is written,
Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not,
And which entered not into the heart of man,
Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. 10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. 12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual words. 14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself if judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But he have the mind of Christ.
Commentary
We.It is important that we keep in mind the antecedent of this pronoun. In 1Co. 2:1-5, it is clear that Paul is speaking of his own preaching as an inspired apostle. Beginning in verse 6, he includes all of the apostles in the statement, We speak wisdom. He does not say we just to avoid the use of the first person singular. Note 2Co. 10:1 where he uses the expression, I Paul myself. In the light of the context and the history of Pentecost (Act. 2:1-47), this could not possibly refer to all Christians. Only the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit on that day. But the people, without miraculous aid, did understand what the Spirit said to them through the apostles. The only illumination they needed to realize that they were sinners of the worst sort was the light that fell on their minds through the inspired message spoken through the apostle. The force of the facts about the life, death and resurrection of Christ led them to cry out, Brethren, what shall we do? It required no operation of the Spirit other than the command issued through the apostles to let them understand that they needed to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins.
Paul, of course, had all the power of the other apostles. It was necessary for him to include all of the apostles in this reference to the manner in which God revealed His wisdom.
Keeping this antecedent in mind will help determine who the natural man is and who is meant by the expression, he that is spiritual. See notes on 1Co. 2:14-15.
wisdom.Once again, Paul points out the contrast between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God revealed by Christ through the inspired apostles. The rulers of this world who crucified the Lord of glory were not acting upon the instruction of the wisdom of God. But on the Day of Pentecost, the three thousand who had been deceived by them reversed the decision they had made when they cried out for Jesus to be crucified, and they got themselves baptized for the remission of their sins (Act. 2:38-39).
It is evident that man could have understood what God had revealed in the Old Testament concerning the Christ. God evidently intended that His revealed wisdom should guide the thinking of men, not some supposed inner direction of the Spirit.
Gods wisdom in a mystery.Mystery in the New Testament refers to that which would have forever remained unknowable if God had not revealed it through the inspired apostles and prophets. But since it has been revealed, we are not to assume that it takes additional illumination or miraculous effort of the Spirit to enable us to understand it. Paul clearly showed the Ephesians that God had made this mystery known through him, and that the Ephesians could know of his understanding when they read what he had written (Eph. 2:1-4).
A few simple rules will help us when we read the Bible: (1) Scripture must be understood in the light of its context. An important illustration of this is found in 1Co. 2:9. Popular interpretation makes this verse refer to heaven, things which God prepared for them that loved him. But the context clearly shows that it has to do with the wonderful things revealed for us in the Bible. Scripture is always more helpful when taken in the sense intended by the inspired writers. Context refers to what goes immediately before and what follows immediately after a particular verse. It also suggests the necessity of keeping the text and its immediate context in line with the whole thought or theme of the book. In studying First Corinthians (or any other book of the Bible) it is well to read the whole book frequently, keeping in mind the progress of thought at all times. Help in doing this will be had by reference to the charts that picture the development of the theme of the book. (2) Some other rules that will help are these: Know who is speaking and to whom the message is spoken. Note carefully the purpose of the statement, the meaning of words, the antecedents of pronouns, and all other grammatical and syntactical matters. (3) A very important rule to remember is this: The New Testament interprets the Old Testament; the epistles, which were written within the framework of the history given in Acts, interprets the gospels; literal language explains the figurative; plain teaching explains the symbolic. (See Carnel, A Case For Orthodox Theology, p. 53; The Westminster Press, Philadelphia.) (4) One who seeks to understand the Bible must determine first what the particular passage says and then what is meant by the statement. After this is done one can make application of the verse to the particular problem at hand. (See Chamberlain, An Exegetical Grammar of the Greek New Testament, p. 5; The Macmillan Company, N. Y., 1941).
know.None of the rulers of the world has known the wisdom of God. 1Co. 2:14 states that the natural man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God. But according to 1Co. 2:12, the inspired apostles did know the things that were graciously given them from God.
The problem involved in these statements hinges on the meaning of the two Greek words which are here translated by the one word know. The first of these words, which Paul uses in connection with the inability of the natural man and the rulers of the world to know the wisdom of God, means to become aware of through experience or observation. It may also mean to understand. In the light of the context, which of the meanings best fits this passage? Are we to say that the natural or uninspired man cannot understand the message revealed by the Holy Spirit? Some do take this position. But are we to say that God who created man, an intelligent being capable of communicating his thoughts through language, could not speak to His creature in a manner so as to be understood? What is the purpose of Gods revealed wisdom if it cannot be understood? But, of course, man by his own experience and observation could never know Gods mind. The only way he could know it was by the revelation through the apostles and prophets. See 2Pe. 1:17-21; Heb. 1:1-2.
The other word which is translated know means to know by mental insight, reflection, or by information being given. The revealed wisdom of God clearly falls into this category. That is why Paul uses this word when he says that the Spirit was given to the apostles that they might know (as a result of information given them by the Holy Spirit) the things that God graciously gave to them.
While it is true that these two words are often used synonymously, it will be enlightening to keep the distinction in mind in studying this chapter. The uninspired man could never have produced the Bible; but an intelligent person can, by using the rules that apply to the understanding and interpretation of all language, understand the Bible.
A good example of the meaning of both of these words is found in Joh. 14:7. Jesus said, If you had known me, ye would have known my Father. The first word for know is the one that means to recognize, to know by experience; the second is the word for know, meaning to know by information given. The distinction does not appear in our English translations, but according to the Greek text, what Jesus said was this: If you had recognized me, you would have known the Father I am revealing to you.
But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God.The spirit of the world is that spirit of the rulers of this age which resulted from ignorance of Gods will. It was the spirit that led them to crucify the Lord of glory. But the Spirit which the inspired apostles had received was the Holy Spirit which Christ promised to them (Act. 1:8) and which they received when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit (Act. 2:1-4). That is why Paul says, we (the inspired apostles) received the Spirit (not spirit) from God in order that we might know (by revelation) the things of God.
The spirit which is from God surely refers to the Holy Spirit. The word should be capitalized when referring to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit which is from God is the same as the Spirit referred to in 1Co. 2:10. There the word is capitalized as it should be.
we speak, not in words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth.We refers to the inspired apostles, not to Christians in general. The apostles did not speak a message taught by human wisdom. It was divinely revealed through the Holy Spirit. See Jas. 3:15-17 for a similar contrast between the reasoning of man and the wisdom from God.
combining spiritual things with spiritual.There are many different interpretations of this statement. The American Standard Version supplies words in italics since it is not in the Greek in this phrase. It is in the immediate context and may be correctly implied in this phrase also. In the footnote, they suggest this possibility: interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men. While there is merit in the reading in the body of the text, there is little merit to the view given by the footnote. Chrystom, who lived in the fourth century, suggest that the spiritual things revealed through the apostles are combined with the spiritual things already revealed through the testimonies, types, and demonstrations of the Old Testament. He points out that we are utterly dependent on revelation to understand Gods mysteries. It is easy to see that Paul in this very chapter combines the revelation given by him with that which had been written. See 1Co. 2:9. Those who hold to the verbal inspiration theory will find little support in the Greek text of this verse. It does, however, clearly support the view of revelation through the inspired apostles.
Now the natural man.Traditional theology makes it difficult for some to see what Paul is saying here. It is contended that no unsaved man can understand the deep things of the Word of God, and that even dedicated scholars are unable to use the Word successfully without illumination of the mind provided miraculously by the Holy Spirit. (See Wuest, The Practical Use of the Greek New Testament, p. 149; Moody Press, Chicago). If this is true, how can the believer be saved through the message of the cross which Paul preached? (1Co. 1:21) While the natural man can not know the mysteries of Gods wisdom by his own reasoning, he can understand the word revealed by the inspired apostles. It would be foolishness indeed if none but the inspired could understand the message after it had been revealed. If it takes miraculous illumination on the part of man to understand the Bible, then the Bible itself is superfluous.
The word translated natural man refers to man as an earthly being limited in his knowledge to what he can know by his own mental powers. It contemplates man as an earthly creature without miraculous powers given through the Holy Spirit. It is man by himself without the aid of divine revelation.
The context makes it clear that the natural man is the same as the rulers of this world mentioned in 1Co. 2:6, that is, man to whom the mysteries of God had not been revealed. The natural man is contrasted with the one that is spiritual. The one who is spiritual is the inspired apostle or prophet. The natural man, then, is the uninspired man.
It should be remembered that while in chapter 2 the contrast is between natural and spiritual, in chapter 3 it is between carnal and spiritual. In chapter 2 the inspired apostle is contrasted with the natural man such as the rulers of this age. In chapter 3, however, the contrast is between the one who is undeveloped in Christian character and what they should have been as ones whose lives were dominated by the message revealed through the Holy Spirit. In this connection see Gal. 5:16-24 where the thought of being led by what is spirit is contrasted with what is flesh. The works of the flesh are contrasted with the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of the spirit is the Christian character of the one who permits his spirit to respond to the teaching of the Holy Spirit through the Word.
foolishness to him.See 1Co. 1:25. Foolish things have no meaning. Likewise, the mysteries of God before they were revealed to man had no meaning to him.
he cannot know them.Paul has explained in 1Co. 2:11-12 that no man can know what is in the mind of another except, of course, as it is told to him. So man cannot know what is in the mind of God except through the revelation by the Spirit through the apostles and prophets.
spiritually judged.The word judged in this verse means to sift, examine, investigate. This particular Greek word translated judge in our Bible is found in the following verses of First Corinthians: 1Co. 2:14-15; 1Co. 4:3-4; 1Co. 9:3; 1Co. 10:25; 1Co. 10:27; 1Co. 14:24. It will be rewarding to read these in the light of the above definition.
The word is often used to describe a preliminary examination or investigation before a decision is rendered. Such investigations may have to do with (1) sifting evidence to be presented at a trial, or (2) investigating the qualifications of one who is to be a witness or who is to sit as judge. It is the word used to describe Pilates preliminary investigation of charges against Jesus before he pronounced Him innocent. It is used to denote the action of the inspired apostle who by the Holy Spirit investigated the deep things of God and then spoke in language that could be understood by their hearers.
he himself is judged of no man.Since the word judge is used with reference to the investigation of ones qualifications for a task, it is appropriate to say of the one who is spiritual that he is judged of no man. Of course, God passed on the qualifications of His apostles. The Corinthians were not qualified to pass on Pauls fitness to be an apostle, for only the Lord could do that (1Co. 4:3-4).
The spiritual one is judged by no man. The context makes it clear that this is the inspired apostle, but this does not mean that the apostles were above criticism for mistakes in personal conduct, Peters action at Antioch for which he was rebuked by Paul answers this objection (Gal. 2:11-12). Paul does not say that the world cannot judge the actions of a Christian. Jesus said that men were to see their good works and glorify the Father in heaven (Mat. 5:16). The investigation, however, of the fitness of one to be an apostle of Christ is not the right of any man; only the Lord can do this (1Co. 4:3-4). Thus the inspired apostle, by the power of the Holy Spirit, investigates the deep things of God before he speaks them in Spirit-taught words, but no man passes on his qualifications to be an apostle.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord?This is the same word for know as in 1Co. 2:14. The question is: Who, by his own reasoning power and without revelation from God, has known the mind of the Lord? This is the same thing that was said of the natural man and the rulers of this world. No man could know the mind of the Lord apart from His revealed message. This same thing was made clear in 1Co. 2:10-13 which deal with the revelation of Gods message through the inspired apostles.
But we have the mind of Christ.We has the same antecedent throughout this section (1Co. 2:6-16). It cannot refer to all Christians; context requires us to relate it to the inspired apostles and prophets. They had the mind of Christ because the Holy Spirit revealed it to them (see 1Co. 2:10 and 1Co. 2:12). How thankful we should be that God created us with a mind capable of reading and understanding the message revealed through the inspired apostles of Christ.
Summary
Chapter two continues the contrast of worldly wisdom and the word of the cross. It presents Pauls own explanation of the nature of his preaching in Corinth. He came to Corinth just after his experience in preaching Jesus and the resurrection in Athens. Although Corinth was a city of the worldly wise, he was determined to do exactly what he had been doing from the moment of his conversion: preach Christ and Him crucified. This is what he did at Damascus, at Athens, at Corinth, and ultimately at Rome, for even there he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
The Greeks loved to indulge in long and involved argumentation, not so much with a view to discovering truth as with a display of oratorical skill that enabled them to win the argument. Paul, however, was not concerned with their methods; he was convinced that he had the revealed truth of the gospel and was content to preach that alone. He freely recognized his own weakness and depended on God for the revealed wisdom he preached. Like a slave who feared to disobey his master, Paul preached the word of the cross with fear and trembling lest he fail to do so in a manner pleasing to his Lord. His message was not in persuasive words of the wisdom of man, but in the truth of the gospel which was supported by the divine approval of the miracles that accompanied the preaching of the apostles. Thus the faith of the Corinthians had a solid foundation in the revealed wisdom of God rather than a sandy foundation of human speculation.
Lest some might be led to assume that the message of the cross was inferior to worldly wisdom, Paul explained that it was wisdom among the mature, implying a state of arrested mental development on the part of those who followed the wisdom of that age. No one who has followed the cogent reasoning of Paul in his epistles can doubt the validity of his claim. The conduct of the rulers of the world and the quotations from the Scriptures prove his statement. The mysteries of God which were hidden through the ages would have remained hidden forever if God had not chosen to reveal them through the inspired apostles and prophets. Just as one man can not know the mind of another except he be told, so man cannot know the mind of God except through the revelation God made by the Holy Spirit. The apostles spoke the truth of the gospel in clear and understandable language. The salvation of the sinner depends on his believing that message.
The rules of interpreting all language apply to the Bible also. Man does not need to have some miraculous illumination of his mind by the Holy Spirit to read and understand the Bible any more than a book of history. God created man with a mind which is capable of understanding and responding to His directives for life here and hereafter as they are given in the Bible. While there are things in the Bible that will challenge the greatest of minds, it is evident that it can be understood and followed as easily as Adam understood what God told him to do in the Garden. We cannot safely claim that the sin of Adam so corrupted the mind of man that he cannot understand and obey the truth God revealed in the Bible.
What then is the natural man? Pauls own example of what he meant by this phrase is the reference to the rulers of the world who crucified the Lord of glory. They had no means of knowing about Gods wisdom until it has been revealed by the inspired servants of God. Natural man is simply man left to himself without the benefit of inspired revelation to direct his way of life. The natural man is contrasted with the inspired apostles. God selected them. No man passed on their qualifications to be apostles of Christ. And because they were the inspired apostles of Christ, Paul could say we have the mind of Christ.
In this way Paul led to the subject matter of the third chapter. He is now ready to rebuke them for failure to heed what he had taught them; the result of that failure was the sin of division.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(6) Howbeit we speak wisdom.Nevertheless, there is a wisdom in the gospel. The assertion is in the Greek a more striking contrast to 1Co. 2:4 than appears in the English. In the original (1Co. 2:4) the word is wisdom, and not mans wisdom, as in the English. Thus the statement here is a verbal contradiction of that in 1Co. 2:4. In using the plural we, St. Paul implies that he did not stand alone among the Apostles in the method of his teaching.
Them that are perfecti.e., those who are grown up, and not babes (1Co. 3:1; see also 1Co. 14:20). The wisdom of the gospel is that deep spiritual truth which only those whose spiritual natures have been trained and cultivated were capable of understanding. This wisdom, however, the Apostle had not taught the Corinthians; he had only taught them the alphabet of Christianity, for they were still but babesthey were still only fleshly (1Co. 3:3). That the Apostle himself not only grasped the higher truths which he designates the wisdom of the gospel, but taught them gladly when there were hearers capable of appreciating them, is evident from many passages in the Epistles to the Romans, Colossians, and Ephesians, where he unfolds the mysteries of the gospel. (See Rom. 11:25; Rom. 16:25.)
Yet not.Better, a wisdom, however, not of this world.
That come to nought.Better, which are being brought to nought, the reference here being, not to the inherent transitoriness of human wisdom and teachers, but to the fact that they are being brought to nought by Gods rejection of them, and His choice of the weak things as the means of spreading the gospel (1Co. 1:28).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Howbeit Notwithstanding all this depreciation of sophia.
Perfect Not to the carnal or babes, (1Co 3:1,) but to the adult, (for such is the meaning of the word perfect) in Christ, and who are, therefore, called spiritual, 1Co 2:15, and who have attained a higher Christian life. The carnal, 1Co 3:3, are under influence of evil passions, 1Co 3:4, are to be rebuked for sin, 1Co 3:17, and threatened with judgment, 1Co 4:21. See note on 1Co 3:1. The privileges of the perfect are now described, 9-16.
Princes nought Notes on 1Co 1:26-28.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are perfect. But a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world which are coming to nought. But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds to our glory, which none of the rulers of this world knew, for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.’
Having spoken of foolishness he now wants to correct any misapprehension. It is not really foolishness that they are speaking, it merely appears like that to unbelievers. It is in fact great wisdom. Those who have received understanding, who have received perfection in Christ (1Co 1:10; Php 3:15; 2Ti 3:17; Heb 10:14), recognise and admire its wisdom.
Here the idea of being ‘perfect’ is of having been made ‘perfect’ in mind in Christ, having fully accepted the word of the cross, and having thus taken up the right mind set in the Spirit. Having received enlightenment and understanding from God Himself they have ‘perfect’ understanding. It is to have matured into adulthood as no longer children under the Law, but as adult sons through the Spirit of adoption so that we receive the Spirit of His Son whereby we cry ‘Abba, Father’ (Gal 4:4-6).
As with many other Christianised words it has a past, a present and a future reference. Jesus’ hearers would become ‘perfect’ by taking up the same attitude towards others as God had, that is, by yielding their wills to the will of God, taking up His mind set as demonstrated through what He revealed Himself to be (Mat 5:48). For the rich young ruler to become ‘perfect’ he had to yield his will to God by yielding his riches and taking up the right mind set towards his riches (Mat 19:21). To be ‘perfect’ (men and not children) in understanding is to have the right mind set in order to be ready to receive spiritual truth (1Co 14:20). It is the Spirit Who makes ‘perfect’, giving the right mind set, and nothing else is therefore required (Gal 3:3). To press on towards the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus indicates the ‘perfect’ man (Php 3:15), the one with the right mind set towards God. Thus to be perfect is to have a right mind and heart set towards the will of God, which comes about through the working of God’s Spirit, so that Christians, who initially receive this mind set at conversion, are called on to reveal it in their lives, and to maintain it. That it also has a continuing present and future significance, is revealed in Eph 4:12-13.
But the wisdom that is appreciated by having the spiritual mind set does not gain the appreciation of ‘the world’. It contradicts all that the world believes about the innate goodness of man. It is a wisdom which the world’s rulers (‘not many noble are called’ – 1Co 1:26) do not appreciate. They scorn it. They reject it. It does not agree with their view of things, or with their view of how things should be. It would interfere with their future intentions, and their desire to keep control of the world by their own methods. It is rather a wisdom that reveals what God has foreordained, from the beginning of time, a wisdom that brings about potential of the salvation of the world (Joh 3:16; 1Jn 4:14) through the death of His Son, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:3-10).
‘We do speak wisdom.’ That is, Apollos, Peter and himself (1Co 1:12), along with all like-minded preachers.
‘Among those who are perfect.’ The word rendered ‘perfect’ means ‘full and complete’, ‘having full measure’, ‘fully developed’. They are those who have become true sons and have received the right mind set through the Spirit. They have received true wisdom. Thus it means those whose understanding is enlightened (Eph 1:18), because they have fully grasped the truth of the message and have fully understood its implications. They have received a full measure of God’s wisdom, and recognise the wisdom of the word of the cross. They have become knowledgeable in Christ. They have received the Spirit which has made them complete in Him.
‘Yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, those who are coming to nought.’ The world does not see it as wisdom. It goes against all that they hold dear, it contradicts their own self-righteousness. It calls on them to behave in a way in which they do not want to behave. It calls on them to deny themselves and to take up their cross and follow Him. It calls for genuine humility. And this goes against all that they are.
Nor do the world’s rulers see it as wisdom. They have demonstrated this in that they actually carried out the crucifixion of the Lord of glory. They did not want someone who got in the way of how they saw things. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, all had their own reasons for getting rid of Jesus. They followed different aspects of man’s wisdom, both Jewish and ‘Greek’, but their ends were the same. This last fact confirms that the ‘rulers of this world’ are not to be seen as spiritual forces but as human beings (although we may see spiritual forces as at work behind them). So again we are reminded that the wise of the world, and the powerful of the world, have rejected this wisdom, which has on the whole only been received by those who are foolish and weak, those who are base and despised (1Co 1:27-28), for the powerful do not want to humble themselves as sinners.
‘Those who are coming to nought.’ That is, those who are to be made ineffective, powerless, who are to pass away, who are to be brought to an end, who are doomed to perish. In other words their wisdom will cease in contrast with the expansion of the everlasting wisdom. Their power will fail in contrast with the eternal power at work through the Spirit. Their authority will collapse as God’s authority and Kingly Rule expand. For they themselves will come to nothing.
‘But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, even that which has been hidden.’ We declare something which, in the wisdom of God, has been hidden, a mystery which is now a revealed mystery to those who have come to understanding, who have thereby become ‘perfect’, something hidden in the foreknowledge of God but now made known. God’s secret is now laid bare to His own. The Old Testament had built up to the coming of Christ, it had revealed what God was going to do quite clearly to those with eyes to see it, and yet the way of His coming and what He did in His coming has taken all by surprise. Although it was there to see, none saw it. To His own it has now been made clear. To all others it is still a mystery.
‘Which God foreordained before the ages (worlds) unto our glory.’ It is a wisdom revealed in the plan and purpose of God, foreordained before time began. And that wisdom is made up of all that is contained in the word of the cross and of the crucified and risen Christ, spoken by God, issued forth from God, and brought to fruition when the hour had come, so that all who responded in faith and trust might be saved. And God purposed it from the beginning that through it ‘we’ might receive ‘glory’ through being in Christ, a glory which is both present and future. The idea of glory includes future splendour, both literal and moral (2Co 3:18), and honour (1Co 15:43) and is meanwhile descriptive of the joy and rapture that fills the hearts of His people (1Pe 1:8) and of the power that rests on them through the Spirit of God (1Pe 4:14).
For the amazing thing is that it is God’s gracious purpose for His people, that they may receive glory, as is constantly emphasised. Being declared righteous by faith we ‘rejoice in hope of the glory of God’ (Rom 5:2), for the body at the resurrection, sown in dishonour, will be ‘raised in glory’ (1Co 15:43), when He comes in His glory (Mat 24:30; Mar 13:26; Luk 21:27), for when Christ Who is our life is revealed and made known, we also will be revealed with Him in glory (Col 3:4).
Further, the ministration of the Spirit, the ministration of righteousness, is with glory (2Co 3:8-9), so that as we behold (or reflect) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, even though the mirror reveals it but dimly (1Co 13:12), we are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2Co 3:18), and our light affliction, which is for a moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory (2Co 4:17), so that we know that we will receive a crown of glory that is unfading (1Pe 5:4).
Thus our being ‘called’ through the Gospel will result in our ‘obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (2Th 2:14). For the elect are to ‘obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory’ (2Ti 2:10), and God has called us into His own kingdom and glory (1Th 2:12; 1Pe 5:10), and is bringing many sons to glory (Heb 2:10). Note here that the calling of the elect by God is through the Gospel, through the word of the cross (1Co 1:17-18), and results in glory. So the glory that His people are destined to is very real.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Gospel itself true wisdom:
v. 6. Howbeit, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught;
v. 7. but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory,
v. 8. which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.
v. 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. The apostle had said that his Gospel is foolishness according to the standard of this world, but all the while he makes it felt that it is wisdom, God’s wisdom: Yet wisdom it is that we speak of among the full-grown, among the mature, that are qualified to understand it, the believers. Let other people decry and condemn the preaching of the Cross as unreasonable, utter nonsense, those whose hearts and minds the Spirit has prepared through faith are able to comprehend its unspeakable wisdom. But it is not a wisdom of this transitory world nor of the rulers of this world that pass away. The wisdom of the Gospel has nothing in common with the results of philosophic study and research, as they are so widely heralded. All the greatness of man’s intellectual achievements will share the fate of the secular rulers of this world: they will vanish, their wisdom and power will come to naught. It is rather so that we, Paul and all true preachers of the Gospel, speak the wisdom of God in a mystery; the message of God is a divine secret which only the Spirit of God can reveal, Eph 3:3, which remains hidden and incomprehensible for human reason until God opens up its glories and its power. It is this wisdom which God predetermined before the ages, before the foundation of the world and the beginning of time unto our glory. The entire plan of salvation was determined upon by God from eternity, and its final aim and object, as put into execution by Jesus Christ, is the final glory which shall be revealed to the believers in heaven. Of that glory we have a foretaste and guarantee in the blessings of the Gospel at the present time.
The Gospel-message with all its glorious benefits is intended for all men without exception, but it is realized only in the believers, as Paul shows by the contrast: Which wisdom none of the rulers of this present, transitory world knew; for if they had known it, if they had a proper understanding and conception of its glories, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. If the leaders of the Jews and Pilate had any inkling of the Gospel-truth, of the message of salvation as it was embodied in Jesus Christ; if they had understood and realized the object of His work; if they had been conscious of the splendor clothing the Lord Jesus as He stood before them, then they would not have condemned Him to death on the cross. Note that the appellation “Lord of Glory” is here applied to Christ according to His human nature. “Therefore the Son of God truly suffered for us, however, according to the property of His human nature, which He assumed into the unity of His divine person and made His own, that He might be able to suffer and be our High Priest for our reconciliation with God. ” “Therefore that God was crucified and died who became man; not the separate God, but the God united with the humanity; not according to His deity, but according to the human nature which He assumed.”
The fact that this wisdom of the Gospel is absolutely beyond the comprehension and understanding of natural man, no matter what learning he has acquired, no matter what position he holds, is substantiated by a passage from the Old Testament: What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not come into the heart of man, that God has prepared for them that love Him, Isa 64:4. The passage is taken from the Advent call and Messianic prophecy which attempts to picture the inexpressible glory of the promised salvation. No man’s senses can conceive of, no man’s mind and heart can comprehend, the glory, the unspeakable bliss which is contained in the proclamation of redemption as it is revealed to those whose heart has received the gift of faith and is turned toward God in fervent love. It is a magnificence of blessing, undreamed of in former ages, unknown to all men by nature, which comes all prepared to the believers. Salvation is not completed by the faith of man, but its wonderful assurances are appropriated. “Not as though we had loved God before did God in His eternal wisdom of love prepare salvation for us, but because He out of pure grace has prepared that of which our reason has no conception or faintest intimation, therefore His love toward us through the evangelical call has kindled love in our believing hearts, and as such that love Him in the obedience of His Word has He revealed Himself and His gifts, the full preparation of our heritage, to us through His Spirit.”
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
1Co 2:6. Howbeit, we speak wisdom, &c. The next argument the Apostle uses, to shew them that they had no reason to glory in their teachers, is, that the knowledge of the Gospel, was not attainable by our natural parts, however they were improved byart and philosophy, but was wholly owing to revelation, 1Co 2:6-16. Perfect, in this verse, is the same with spiritual, 1Co 2:15.One that is so perfectly well apprized of the divine nature and original of the Christianreligion, that he sees and acknowledges it to be all a pure revelation from God, and not in the least the product of human discovery, parts, or learning; and so, deriving it wholly from what God hath taught by his Spirit in the sacred Scriptures, allows not the least part of it to be ascribed to the skill or abilities of men. Thus perfect is opposed to carnal, ch. 1Co 3:1; 1Co 3:3 that is, such babesinChristianity,suchweakandmistakenChristians,thattheythoughtthe Gospel was to be managed as human arts and sciences among men of the world, and that those were better instructed and more in the right, who followed this master, or teacher, rather than another; and thus, glorying in being the disciples, one of Paul, another of Apollos, fell into divisions and parties about it, and vaunted one over another: whereas, in the school of Christ, all was to be built on the authority of God alone, and the revelation of his Spirit in the sacred Scriptures. Some render the clause, Howbeit, we teach wisdom in things most excellent. See Ezr 2:63. By the wisdom of this world, is meant the knowledge, arts, and sciences attainable by man’s natural parts and faculties; such as man’s wit could find out, cultivate, and improve, and such as the princes of this world approve, encourage, and endeavour to propagate. Though by , may here be understood the princes or great men of this world, in the ordinary sense of these words, says Mr. Locke; yet he that well considers 1Co 1:28 of the foregoing chapter, and 1Co 2:8 of this chapter, may find reason to think, that the Apostle here principally designs the rulers and great men of the Jewish nation. If it be objected, that there is little ground to think that St. Paul, by the wisdom he disowns, should mean that of his own nation, which the Greeks of Corinth (whom he was writing to) had little acquaintance with, and had very little esteem for,I reply, that to understand this right, and the pertinency of it, we must remember, that the great design of St. Paul in writing to the Corinthians was, to take them off from therespect and esteem, that many of them had for a false apostle who was got in among them, and had there raised a faction against St. Paul. This pretended apostle, it is plain from 2Co 11:22 was a Jew, and, as it seems, 2Co 5:16-17, valued himself upon that account, and possibly boasted himself to be a man of note, either by birth, or alliance, or place, or learning among the people, who counted themselves the holy and illuminated people of God; and therefore to have a right to sway among those new heathen converts. To obviate this claim of his to any authority, St. Paul here tells the Corinthians, that the wisdom and learning of the Jewish nation led them not into the knowledge of the wisdom of God, that is to say, the Gospel revealed in the Old Testament; evident in this, that it was their rulers and rabbies who, stiffly adhering to the notions and prejudices of their nation, had crucified Jesus the Lord of glory, and were now themselves, with their state and religion, upon the point of being swept away and abolished. It is to the same purpose that, 2Co 4:16-18 he tells the Corinthians, that he knows no man after the flesh; that is to say, that he acknowledges no dignity of birth, or descent; or outward national privileges. “The old things of the Jewish constitution are past and gone; whoever is in Christ, and entered into his kingdom, is in a new creation, wherein, all things are new, all things are from God; no right, no claim or preference derived to any one from any former institution; but every one’s dignity consists solely in this, that God hath reconciled him to himself, not imputing his former trespasses to him.” which we translate this world, seems to me to signify commonly, if not constantly, in the New Testament, that state which, during the Mosaical constitution, men, either Jews or Gentiles, were in, as contradistinguished to the evangelical state or constitution; which is commonly called ‘ , , The world to come.Who come to nought, means, who are vanishing. If the wisdom of this world, and of the princes of this world, is to be understood of the wisdom and learning of the world in general, as contradistinguished to the doctrine of the Gospel, then the words are added, to shew what folly it is for them to glory as they do in their teachers, when all that worldly wisdom and learning, and the great men the supporters of it, would quickly be gone; whereas all true and lasting glory came only from Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. But if these words are to be understood of the Jews, as seems most consonant both to the main design of the Epistle, and to St. Paul’s expressions here, then his telling them that the princes of the Jewish nation are brought to nought, is to take them off from glorying in their Judaizing false apostle; since the authority of the rulers of that nation in matters of religion was now at an end, and they with all their pretences, and their very constitution itself, were upon the point of being abolished and swept away, for having rejected and crucified the Lord of glory. See Locke.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Co 2:6 . Wisdom, nevertheless (unphilosophical as my discourse among you was), we deliver among the perfect .
] we speak it out , hold it not back. That the plural does not refer to Paul alone (so usually ), but to the apostolic teachers in general , is clear from the in 1Co 3:1 , which introduces the particular application of the plural statement here.
means nothing else than in, surrounded by, among, coram ; corresponds to the with the dative in 1Co 3:1 . We must therefore reject not only the rendering for the perfect (Flatt, with older expositors), which is in itself linguistically untenable (for even in such passages as those cited by Bernhardy, p. 212, the local force of should be retained), but also the explanation: according to the judgment of the perfect (Grotius, Tittmann, de Spir. Dei mysterior. div. interprete , Lips. 1814, in the Syn. N. T. p. 285), which would have to be referred, with Billroth, to the conception of among , since the corresponding usage of , , in the sense, according to my or thy view , applies exclusively to these particular phrases (Bernhardy, p. 211).
The (comp on Eph 4:13 ), who stand in contrast to the , are those who have penetrated beyond the position of beginners in Christian saving knowledge to the higher sphere of thorough and comprehensive insight . The , which is delivered to these, is the Christian analogue to philosophy in the ordinary sense of the word, the higher religious wisdom of Christianity , the presentation of which (1Co 12:8 ) is not yet appropriate for the beginners in the faith (1Co 3:1-2 ). The form of this instruction was that of spiritual discourse (1Co 2:13 ) framed under the influence of the holy , but independent of the teachings of philosophic rhetoric; and its matter was the future relations of the Messianic kingdom (1Co 2:9 ; 1Co 2:12 ) in their connection with the divine counsel of redemption and its fulfilment in Christ, the (Mat 13:11 ), that, which no eye hath seen, etc. Comp Bab. Sanhedr. f. xcix. 1 : “Quod ad mundum futurum: oculus non vidit, O Deus, praeter te.” The definitions now given [350] respecting the are the only ones that neither go beyond the text, nor are in the least degree arbitrary, while they comprehend also the doctrine of the as regards its Messianic final destination, Rom 8 , that highest analogue to the philosophy of nature. It may be gathered, however, with certainty from 1Co 3:1-2 , that we are not to think here of any disciplina arcani . With the main point in our view as a whole, namely, that denotes that higher religious wisdom, and those already trained in Christian knowledge, grown up, as it were, to manhood,
Erasmus, Castalio, Estius, Bengel, Semler, Stolz, as well as Pott, Usteri, Schrader, Rckert, de Wette, Osiander, Ewald, Neander, Maier, Hofmann, accord. Chrysostom, however, Theophylact, Theodoret, Luther, Calvin, Beza, Grotius, Rosenmller, and others, including Tittmann, Flatt, Billroth, and Olshausen, understand by the the Christians generally, or the true Christians, to whom the apostle’s doctrine ( , , , Chrysostom), appeared as wisdom , not as folly. “Ea dicimus quae plena esse sapientiae judicabunt veri ac probi Christiani,” Grotius. But 1Co 3:2 is decisive against this view; for there denotes the instruction of beginners as distinguished from the ( ). Comp the appropriate remarks of Castalio on this passage.
. . .] wisdom, however, which does not belong to this age ( , as in Rom 3:22 ; Rom 9:30 ; Gal 2:2 ; Phi 2:8 ), which is not, like the Jewish and Hellenic philosophy, the product and intellectual property of the pre-Messianic age. Comp 1Co 1:20 . , , Theophylact.
] also (in particular) not.
. . .] These are the rulers generally (comp Act 13:27 ), the dominant powers ( proceres ) of the pre-Messianic time among Jews and Gentiles . But to say that Paul’s meaning is that he does not teach politics (Grotius), is to limit his words in a way foreign to the connection; he affirms generally that the in question is a wisdom to which holders of temporal power are strangers. Comp 1Co 2:8 . It is a mistake to explain the . . . . as referring either to influential philosophers and men of learning [355] (Theodoret, Theophylact, and others, including Pott; comp Neander: “the intellectual rulers of the ancient world”), or to the demons , connecting it with 2Co 4:4 , Joh 12:31 (Marcion, Origen, some writers referred to by Chrysostom and Theophylact, also Ambrosiaster, Estius, Bertholdt), both of these interpretations being incompatible with the words, and forbidden by 1Co 2:8 ; or lastly, to the Jewish archontes alone (Cameron, Hammond, Vorstius, Lightfoot, Locke, Stolz, Rosenmller), which is contrary to the general character of the expression, and not required by 1Co 2:8 (see on 1Co 2:8 ).
.] which are done away with, i.e. cease to subsist ( 1Co 1:28 , 1Co 15:24 ; 2Th 2:8 ; 2Ti 1:10 ; Heb 2:14 ), namely, when Christ returning establishes His kingdom . Comp Revelation 16-19. This reference is implied in the context by the emphatic repetition of . The expedient of explaining it into: “Whose power and influence are broken and brought to nought by the gospel ,” Billroth (comp Flatt and Rckert), rationalizes the apostle’s conception, and does not even accord with history.
The present participle, as in 1Co 1:18 . Comp 2Co 3:7 .
[350] Comp. Rckert, who, as respects the matter, is of opinion that it includes the higher views regarding the divine plan of the world in relation to the development of the kingdom of God, and especially to the providential government of the Jewish people; regarding the import of the divine ordinances and appointments before Christ, for example, of the law in reference to the highest end contemplated the kingdom of God; regarding the way and manner in which the death and resurrection of Christ bear upon the salvation of the world; as well as regarding the changes yet in the womb of the future, and, in particular, the events which are linked with the second coming of the Lord. Similarly, and still more in detail, Estius. According to de Wette, portions of this wisdom are to be found in the Epistle to the Romans , in the discussions on justification, on the contrast between Christ and Adam, and on predestination; in the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians , in the indications there given as to the divine plan of redemption and the person of Christ; in our Epistle, chap. 15; views of the same kind in Hebrews 7-10, comp. 1Co 4:11 ff. Osiander makes this to consist in the deeper dogmatic development of the gospel as regards its historical foundations and its eternal consequences reaching on to the consummation of the kingdom of God. Comp. Ewald, p. 139, according to whom its contents turn upon the gospel as the centre and cardinal point of all divine-human history, and for that very reason touch all the problems both of history as a whole, and of the creation. Hofmann rightly includes also the final glory of believers.
[355] These are not even included (in opposition to Chrysostom and others, including Osiander), although the may have accepted their wisdom, played the part of patrons to them, etc.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
1Co 2:6-16 . Wisdom, however, we deliver among the perfect; but it is a higher wisdom revealed to us by the Spirit, which therefore only those filled with the Spirit, and not the sensuous, apprehend .
Paul having, in 1Co 1:17-31 , justified the simple and non-philosophical method of proclaiming the gospel from the nature of its contents, and having now, in 1Co 2:1-5 , applied this to himself and his own preaching among the Corinthians, there might be attributed to him the view that what the preachers of the gospel set forth was no at all, a supposition which, in writing to the Corinthians above all, he could not safely leave uncontradicted. He now shows, accordingly, that among ripened Christians there is certainly a delivered, but not a philosophy in the common, worldly sense, etc.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
III.THE GOSPEL, WHICH ABJURES HUMAN WISDOM, HAS NEVERTHELESS A WISDOM OF ITS OWN
2:616
6Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom [a wisdom not] of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: 7But we speak the wisdom of God [Gods wisdom]5 in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which6 God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us7 by his8 Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth () the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth []9 no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost [the Spirit]10 teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned [judged of]. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth11 [of] all things12, yet he himself is judged of [by] no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.13
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
[In this section we have the other side of the matter under discussion. In view of Pauls repudiation of wisdom, it might be inferred by the Corinthians that Christianity was a narrow, partial, one-sided religion, suited only to one particular portion of human nature; that while it professed to be the friend of true piety and sound morals, it was at the same time a foe to science and free thought; yea, that it stood in entire antagonism to that which both universal opinion and the declarations of the Old Testament esteemed more precious than rubies, and was the ally of ignorance and barbarism. Such inferences it was important to obviate for the credit of Christianity, and in the interest of truth. Hence the Apostle goes on to state that the Gospel, which ignored human wisdom, and in some of its aspects carried the appearance of folly, did not abjure all pretense to wisdom, nor put contempt on the human intellect. He shows furthermore that while he deemed it expedient to confine himself when with the Corinthians to simple preaching, there was a sermonizing which went beyond this, and before fit audience could expatiate largely on the deep things of God].
1Co 2:6. Wisdom however we do speak.[The here as is in the E. V. is to be taken as strongly antithetic]. the higher religious wisdom of Christianity. By this we are to understand not what merely concerns the form of discourse, such as an inspired way of speaking; nor yet what concerns its subject matter, such as the future relations and events of the Kingdom of the Messiah, to which the immediate context is said to point. (Meyer). The correct view has been given by Osiander, and Bengel says: Wisdom here denotes not all Christian doctrine, but its sublime and secret principles (capita sublimia et arcana); he also puts to speak, in antithesis with to preach, making the former to mean private instruction and the latter public speaking. But his interpretation of the word wisdom is too atomistic, and of the word speak too restricted. There is no reference here to any system of secret doctrine. [What he does mean will be more fully considered hereafter, when all the characteristics given of it have been surveyed]. But traces of this true wisdom are to be seen in several of Pauls Epistles, especially in those to the Romans, Ephesians and Colossians, also in 1 Corinthians 15. Its foundation is Christ (1:30; comp. Col 2:3).among them that are perfect, the audience for this wisdom. The perfect stand opposed to the beginners, the babes in Christ (3:1), and are identical with the spiritual. He means that what he had not been able to deliver to the Corinthians in the immaturity of their Christian life, because they could not as yet apprehend it, he did announce among those of riper Christian experience. Thus we see that wisdom is the same as that which he calls meat (3:2) as contrasted with milk. The same antithesis appears in 14:20; Eph 4:13 ff.; Heb 5:11-14. To the Corinthians, as they were, he could only communicate what was suited to their yet weak powers of apprehension, viz., the great facts of redemption, with their immediate practical consequences, with their christological presuppositions and their theological foundations. And this was done in the simple form of preaching, or of bare statement that the things were so, or had been so, or would be so as declared, accompanied by Scripture proofs, such as are found in the book of Acts, and with applications to the inner and outward life of the hearers. But where, on the other hand, a greater maturity of Christian life and a capacity for the deeper comprehension of truth existed, there he was able to set all this forth in their fundamental proofs and in their intimate connections. There he was able to unfold the whole Divine economy in accordance with its eternal principles and its progress through time and its fixed laws and in relation to its final consummation, so that that which Grecian wisdom was in search of within its own sphere was actually attained in a way that was incomparably higher and Divine, and better fitted to satisfy the deepest needs of a thoughtful spirit.
The interpretation we have here given, which would seem to be decisively confirmed by what follows, is opposed by another on the ground, 1, that it is one entirely foreign to the Apostle, since he nowhere in his Epistle contemplated the perfect as his readers (but how of Php 3:15 : Let us therefore as many as be perfect, etc)? 2, that it is in contradiction with 1Co 2:2, (where, however, he is only speaking of the first proclamation of the Gospel); and the sense given is this: that the simple, scandalizing doctrine of Christ crucified contains in itself the profoundest wisdom, encloses a Divine mystery which is intelligible only to the perfect. But this explanation, which is conveyed also in Luthers translation, 1, has no sure grammatical support, since the preposition carries the idea of in the judgment of, only when the persons are mentioned, who appear to decide a ease by their own opinions (comp. Passow Wrterbuch, 1:2, p. 910), and especially in connection with, such verbs as denote to be and to appear; 2, it does not correspond with usage elsewhere to understand the perfect to mean true Christians who seek true wisdom in Christ, or as Calvin does: those who possess a sound and unbiased judgment.[The view just given is in the main that which is advocated by Calvin, Olsh. and Hodge, who in favor of it argues, 1. that those who regarded Pauls doctrine as foolishness were not the babes in Christ, but the unrenewed, the wise of this world; consequently those to whom it was wisdom were not advanced Christians, but believers as such. Throughout the whole context the opposition is between the called, or converted, and the unconverted, and not between one class of believers and another class. 2. If the perfect here means advanced Christians, as distinguished from babes in Christ, then the wisdom which Paul preached was not the Gospel as such, but its higher doctrines. But this cannot be, because it is the doctrine of the cross, of Christ crucified, which he declares to be the power of God and the wisdom of God, 1:24. And the description given in the following part of this chapter of the wisdom here intended, refers not to the higher doctrine of the Gospel, but to the Gospel itself. The contrast is between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God, and not between the rudiment and the higher doctrines of the Gospel. Besides, what are these higher doctrines which Paul preached only to the elite of the Church? No one knows. Some say one thing and some another. But there are no higher doctrines than those taught in this Epistle and in those to the Romans and Ephesians, all addressed to the mass of the people. The New Testament makes no distinction between ( and ) higher and lower doctrines. It does indeed speak of a distinction between milk and strong meat, but that is a distinction, not between kinds of doctrine, but between one mode of instruction and another. In catechisms designed for children the Church pours out all the treasures of her knowledge, but in the form of milk, i.e., in a form adapted to the weakest capacities. For all these reasons, we conclude that by the perfect the Apostle means the competent, the people of God as distinguished from the men of the world; and by wisdom, not any higher doctrines, but the simple Gospel, which is the wisdom of God as distinguished from the wisdom of men. The argument is not convincing. It seems obvious on the very face of his exposition, that the Apostle is here making a distinction between that simple preaching of Gospel facts which he had been adhering to among the Corinthians, and what he calls wisdom which he had thus far held in reserve at Corinth by reason of the incapacity of the converts there to apprehend it. And surely the distinction is one which is practically observed by all preachers. There is a Christianity embodied in facts which a child may learn and profit by; and there is a philosophy of Christianity, a system of doctrine, a theology, which is dispensed only to those of mature intellect and experience. And so far from admitting the custom of the Church in teaching children the Assemblys Catechism, which surely cannot be called milk, as a valid argument in support of the exposition, it may be a question whether the custom itself does not fall under condemnation through the Apostles argument. The contrast is indeed between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God; but there is also another contrast indicated by the however with which the verse is introduceda contrast between and , preaching and wisdom]. Accordingly we hold to the first exposition as the only one well established: In order to obviate all misapprehension of his language, Paul here asserts that the Gospel does include in itself the true wisdom. It is altogether foreign to his intent to set up an opposition here between reason and revelation. On the contrary he here distinctly expresses the validity of a demand for a science that is to be unfolded out of Christianity; a science which must be the sole, true and all-satisfying science. Neander.but a wisdom not of this world.He here distinguishes that profounder development of the fulness of Christian truth designated as wisdom from all that which passes for such in the world without. It was not anything which sprang up in the natural progress of the race, either before or apart from Christ. The as in Rom 3:22. Like the German aber, it is used in particular when something is annexed in illustration as the complement of a sentence. Thai by this world, he does not mean simply the great mass of mankind, the commonality only, but has in mind especially its leaders as those to whom this Christian wisdom was utterly foreign, is shown in the added wordsnor of the prince of this world.Does he mean by this the demons mentioned in Eph 6:12, as ? Hardly with this sense appears only in the Sing, Joh 12:31; Eph 2:2. And in any ease these are not intended in 1Co 2:8. According to Bengel the expression embraces the leaders both of the Jews and of the Greeks. Not simply influential, learned men, philosophers; also not merely the members of the Jewish Sanhedrim, but all those of high station in general, the multitude of those who bear sway either by their authority or by the respect which they command. These are described as persons who come to naught.That is, they are bereft of all authority and consideration in the kingdom of God, in the world to come. He is not speaking here of their being overcome by the higher wisdom and power of Christianity, but of the utter destruction of their importance as leaders in that higher economy, at the institution of which everything which springs out of this lower order of things is done away, however respectable it may appear.
1Co 2:7. Now comes the positive part of the description, which is introduced by an emphatic repetition.But we speak Gods wisdom, i.e., a wisdom which He has, and which He has imparted to us.in a mystery.It is doubtful with what this should be connected. Certainly not with the following participle, hidden, which would be hardly grammatical and also tautological, but rather either with we speak or with wisdom. The first is to be preferred, because in connecting it with wisdom the article in the Greek should be put before it for the sake of distinctness; and then the sense would be: we speak the wisdom of God as a mystery, i.e., as something which does not proceed from the human understanding, but from the Divine revelation.Neander. Or handling it as a mystery.Meyer. Not however in the sense of any esoteric communications analagous to the Grecian mysteries to which neither here nor yet in the expression perfect (=initiated) is any allusion to be sought. But does not the explanatory participle following, viz., the hidden, which certainly relates to wisdom, require us to connect the words in a mystery with wisdom? The article after the anarthrous is neither necessary nor admissible if we translate it: a wisdom consisting in mystery [although, as Meyer says, its omission would be at the cost of perspicuity. Paul would, in that case, have expressed himself ambiguously which he might easily have avoided by the use of the article. But, it may be asked, whether it is not quite in the Apostles style to put nouns in relation through a preposition in this way? Is not the exactly analogous with in 1:30. What is meant by speaking a thing in a mystery, we cannot comprehend, unless it is speaking it secretly or in a dark and obscure manner. Such must be the meaning of the term when made to qualify a verb. But certainly this was not what Paul intended to say, nor is it in accordance with the use of the term in the N. T. Here mystery denotes not a quality or condition of obscurity but a fact or truth which is made known by revelation. Hence it would exactly express the very thing in which Pauls mission consisted, and instead of being connected with speak seems to us most naturally associated by the preposition in with wisdom. This view would seem to follow from Klings definition of the word mystery.] This in the N. T., and especially in Pauls phraseology denotes something unknown to manshut out from his comprehension, and which is made known only through Divine revelation. It is used in particular of the Divine purpose of redemption, especially in respect to the participation of the Gentiles in the salvation wrought by Christ (Eph 3:3 ff.; Col 1:26 ff.) of the final restoration of Israel (Rom 11:24), and of the physical change which is to take place at the resurrection (1Co 15:51).the hidden means either that which was concealed or is concealed. It is the first, when a statement is added of the thing having been made known as in Rom 16:25; Eph 3:9; Col 1:28. But it is the second, when it is meant, that the thing in question is withdrawn from human knowledge. In our passage, where the fact of concealment is first enlarged upon (1Co 2:8), and then afterwards a revelation to the elect of God is spoken of in contrast with a concealment from others, the latter meaning is to be preferred.which God ordained.This expression shows still more conclusively that wisdom is to be understood in an objective sense, not of the knowledge of the enlightened and of the doctrine flowing from it as such, but of its subject matter, that which elsewhere is called a mystery; the Divine plan of salvation itself, in reference to the wisdom revealed therein; or we may say, the work of redemption including in itself its chief end and the sure means of accomplishing it.before the ages.He here goes back to the original ground of this redemptive scheme in the eternal purpose of God formed before the world was (comp. Rom 8:29 ff; and Eph 1:5). The supplying of to make known, or to reveal, for the purpose of filling out a supposed elipsis, is not necessary. On the expression, before the ages, compare the similar expressions in (Rom 16:25; Eph 1:4; Eph 3:9-10; Col 1:26; 2Ti 1:9). God determined on redemption before creation, i.e., already at the very foundation of creation there existed a Divine purpose to establish a kingdom of God in the world and therefore He made it. Neander.unto our glory.From the eternal ground of salvation he here turns to its final end, which also stretches forward into eternity. The glory he here speaks of is not the glory of the Church of the New Testament as compared with the Old, but as everywhere with Paul, when discoursing of believers, it denotes their full restoration to the Divine image. It is the state of redemption completed, wherein the spiritual life shines out in the effulgence of an incorruptible state. (Comp. Rom 5:2; Rom 8:18; Rom 8:21; Rom 9:23; Col 1:27; Col 3:4; 1Th 2:12; 2Ti 2:10.) What is said in 2Co 3:18 does not justify us in including here that inward glorifying of the soul which is involved in our regeneration, and which takes place in this life. If, with Meyer, we interpret the wisdom of God to mean His spiritual philosophy which He has revealed to His ministers, then we must understand this clause thus: which God has fore-ordained so that it should redound to our glory. This glory, which stands in contrast with the utter evanishment of this worlds princes, is supposed by some to be that destined to be revealed at the coming of Christ in which Christians are to be partakers through that Divine wisdom. But is this thought Pauline? It may be doubtful. Unquestionably, however, this thought is, that Gods eternal purpose, which comprises His plan of salvation, or in other words His wisdom, which proposes salvation for its object and devises the best means for its accomplishment, has for its final end our glorification. (Com. Rom 8:29 ff.)
1Co 2:8, Shows more fully how thoroughly hidden this wisdom waswhich none of the princes of this world (or age) knew.[The relative which is taken by Billroth and Stanley and others to refer to glory. That which belonged to eternity and was before the ages, was not likely to be known to those who lived in time or in this age, and this is still further justified by supposing an allusion to this in the expression Lord of glory.] But we are neither compelled nor justified in adopting this construction. The main thought of the passage is Gods wisdom, and it is to this that the relatives refer both in this and in the previous verse. What the Apostle here brings to view is the concealment in which Gods wisdom was kept, by showing how entirely it remained unknown and unsuspected by even the leaders of this world, who were deemed persons of keen insight and took the management of affairs, and the argument for this was,they would not otherwise have crucified the Lord of glory.For it was through Him that this Divine wisdom, which devised the plan of salvation and aimed at the glorification of believers, was made known and carried out. And this, it were fair to suppose, they would not have done could they have seen the fulness of Divine wisdom and power which shone in him and which was flowing out upon others. Paul here contemplates those who directly took part in the crucifixion as the representatives of that worldly spirit which was exhibited in the Greek philosophy. They acted in the name and in the entire spirit of the ancient world.Neander. The Lord of glory.So also in Jam 2:1. This expression is not to be taken as equivalent to glorious Lord, but, as in the analogous expressions, Father of glory (Eph 1:17); The God of glory (Act 7:2), The Lord is the possessor of glory. The genitive case used here in the Greek is the genitive of possession. Lord of glory is a title of Divinity. It means possessor of Divine excellence. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory (Psa 24:10; Act 7:2; Jam 2:1; Eph 1:17). The person crucified, therefore, was a Divine person. Hence the deed was evidence of inconceivable blindness and wickedness. It was one that could only have been done through ignorance. And now, brethren, said the Apostle Peter to the Jews, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers, Act 3:17. The fact, that the princes of this world were so blind as not to see that Christ was the Lord of glory, Paul cites as proof of their ignorance of the wisdom of God. Had they known the one, they would have known the other. This passage illustrates a very important principle or usage of Scripture. We see that the person of Christ may be designated from his Divine nature, when what is affirmed of Him is true only of his human nature. The Lord of glory was crucified; the Son of God was born of a woman; He who was equal with God humbled Himself to be obedient unto death. In like manner we speak of the birth or death of a man without meaning that the soul is born or dies, and the Scriptures speak of the birth and death of the Son of God without meaning that the Divine nature is subject to these changes. It is also plain that to predicate ignorance, subjection, suffering, death, or any other limitation of the Son of God, is no more inconsistent with the Divinity of the person so designated, than to predicate birth and death of a man is inconsistent with the immateriality and immortality of the human soul. Whatever is true either of the soul or body may be predicated of a man as a person, and whatever is true of either the Divine or human nature of Christ may be predicated of Christ as a person. We need not hesitate therefore to say with Paul, the Lord of glory was crucified; or even in accordance with the received text in Act 20:28, God purchased the Church with His blood. The person who died was truly God, although the Divine nature no more died than the soul of man does when the breath leaves his body.Hodge]
1Co 2:9. Confirmatory citation.But, as it has been written, what things eye hath not seen, and ear hath not beard, and into the heart of man have not entered, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.[We have here given a literal translation of this passage as nearly as possible in the order of the Greek text]. The first point to be considered here is the connection both logical and grammatical. This has been attempted in various ways. One is, by supplying a supposed ellipsis after but, either by inserting the words it has happened, be as to make it read, but it has happened as is written (Bengel); in which case a demonstrative clause would have been required after the relative clause; or by inserting we speak, taken from 1Co 2:7. It would be more correct, however, without supplying any thing, to go back directly to 1Co 2:7, and connect there, and to find in 1Co 2:9 an expansion and enhancement of what is said in 1Co 2:8. which none of the princes knew, so that instead of being translated but might be rendered yea, rather. [This rendering is adopted by Stanley], The reading would then be, we speak Gods wisdom, which none of the princes knew, yea, which no eye hath seen. In this case the clause, for if they had known they would not have crucified, etc. would be taken as a sort of parenthesis, in order to facilitate the connection with what precedes. We would then connect 1Co 2:10, but God hath revealed them to us directly with the previons words, what things he hath prepared, inserting only a comma after him. In this case, only, the repetition of the name God would appear strange, and would have to be regarded as done for the sake of emphasis. If this does not suit, then we may either assume an anacoluthon, so that in this break the sentence would seem to lose itself in mystery and distance inaudible (so de Wette and Osi.), or we may find the sentence completed in 1Co 2:10, the proper antecedent being introduced with , but, as in 1Co 1:23, to signify the antithesis there to 1Co 2:8. It would then read but what eye hath not seen, etc.; these, on the contrary, God hath revealed to us (so Meyer and Alford).Since the last mentioned mode of connection seems forced, and the reason assigned for the anacoluthon is not very clear, we prefer to assume a climax as above stated, introduced by yea, rather, without joining 1Co 2:10 directly to the preceding clause. [Hodge prefers the anacoluthon, and very justly Bays, in reference to this citation and to that in 1Co 1:31, in quoting the Old Testament the Apostle frequently cites the words as they stand, without so modifying them as to make them grammatically cohere with the context.].There is yet another difficulty to be considered. Whence is the citation taken? Since no passage in the Old Testament is found exactly corresponding to it, the patristic expositors supposed that the words were taken, either from some Old Testament Scripture now entirely lost, or from some apocryphal prophecy; and Z. Chrys. asserts that he had read these words in the apocalypse of Esaias. Grotius, however, supposes that they were taken from the writings of the Rabbis who had preserved them out of an old tradition. But in opposition to these opinions it must be regarded as settled that Paul uses the formula as it is written only in introducing citations from the Old Testament. Accordingly Meyer has adopted the solution that Paul quoted an apocryphal passage under the idea that the words were in the Old Testament. But before we resort to any such explanation, it is to be seen whether the dissimilarity between our passage and the Old Testament texts in question is so great, as to prevent us from supposing that he quoted freely here, as he has also done elsewhere, and as other New Testament writers have also occasionally done. Certainly Paul could hardly have had in mind Isa 52:15. For that which hath not been told them should they see, and that which they had not heard, should they consider; nor yet 65:17; For behold I create new heavens, and a new earth, and the former should not be remembered nor come into mind, unless perhaps the last clause, in the ring of the expression. But he may have had in mind Isa 64:4, according to the original text: For since the world have men not heard, nor perceived, nor hath an eye seen, O God, besides Thee; he will do it for him who waits upon Him14here there is a transition from the second person to the third, as is frequently the case in prophetic dictionsince the formula, as it is written, admits of a free quotation, and Paul is not always precise in adhering to the words (1:19, 31; 14:21; Rom 9:33). We therefore unhesitatingly accord with Osiander in maintaining a reference here to Isa 64:4. The sense common to both passages is, that God has prepared for His people who wait for Him, things far exceeding all human experince or observation. Heb. lit. to come upon the heart, to become a matter of experience and thought.In the word, prepare we have the carrying out of the fore-ordination mentioned in 1Co 2:7.But what does the Apostle mean by the things prepared? Meyer says the salvation of the Messianic kingdom (comp. Mat 25:34.) Very well, but not simply in its future glories. What is intended is the whole work of redemption in all its essential particulars, from the foundation laid for it in Christ, on unto its final consummation. They are the benefits never before known or imagined, and far transcending all conception and surmise which are contained in Gods revelation, and the glory aimed at and procured by it. They are the gracious gifts and disclosures of blessedness, an insight into which, and an enjoyment of which are afforded us even here in faith, whose full fruition is reserved for a higher world. Osiander. That deliverance from exile to which the passage in Isaiah primarily refers, is in truth only a faint image of that which is to be considered as the literal fulfilment of all such expression (comp. also Mat 13:17).
1Co 2:10-12. The revelation of this wisdom and its means.But to us God bath revealed them through His Spirit.To us, that is, Paul himself and his fellow-Apostles; for of Christians in general he is not speaking. See 1Co 2:6; 1Co 2:16also 3:1. [So Hodge; Stanley, however, says believers generally, but with a special reference to himself]. The communication here is not of an external, but of an internal sort. (Comp. the expression, to reveal in me, Gal 1:15). This is clear also from the agency employed. This agency is the Spirit, who executes Gods purposes of redemption and is the means of enlightening them in the knowledge of their nature. He does this work so far as He is freely given of God, 1Co 2:12. The possibility of this revelation by the Spirit is shown in the following wordsfor the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.The Spirit here is evidently, by reason of the connection, the same as His Spirit in the previous clause. Only there He is introduced as proceeding outwards and working ad extra, but here and in what follows as imminent or existing within the Godhead. An analogous expression occurs respecting the Son of God in Joh 1:18, where the phrase who is in the bosom of the Father corresponds with the Spirit searcheth all things, etc.; and the word declare with hath revealed by His Spirit. The ability to make known the thoughts of God unto the Apostles is here grounded upon the knowledge the Spirit has of these things in their inmost source and profoundest depths. This is expressed by : lit. to explore, to search through and through; but here, and wherever else it is used of Divine knowledge, it denotes the result of that exploring, i.e. a complete and thorough knowledge (comp. 139:1; Rom 8:27= of Act 1:24; Act 15:8 and Rev 2:23. Chrys. .) : inmost recesses of God, the otherwise unexplorable depths where His thoughts and volitions have free play, the hidden mystery of His personality which correspond to those mysteries of His kingdom and of all His works and ways which the Spirit reveals. The image is drawn from the sea, whose depths are supposed to be unfathomable and bottomless. (Psa 36:7; Psa 92:6; Job 11:8). Meyer says: The entire abounding fulness which God has in Himself, every thing which goes to make up His being, His attributes, thoughts, plans, decrees. (Not the latter exclusively). See also the phrase depths of Satan, Rev 2:24. That such must be the office of the Spirit, and of Him alone, is now illustrated by an analogy.
1Co 2:11. For who of men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God no one knoweth save the Spirit of God.The logic is this: The Spirit and only He can know the depths of God. For as the spirit of man which is in him can alone know what is of him, so only the Spirit of God can know what is of God. The Apostle puts the first member of the comparison in the form of a question. Who of men knoweth, etc.? Here the gen., , of men, is not superfluous. The ignorance here implied is not an absolute one, inasmuch as God is to be excepted from it (Osi.); or, we may say, it carries a prominent emphasis: no man knows what is of man (Meyer) not : the things of a man in general; not his depths. According to the context, the things alluded to must be limited to those of his inner life, his secret thoughts and purposes. The spirit of man is the breath of God in him, the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of his belly (Pro 20:27), the inner eye or light (Mat 6:23), that whereby he becomes evident to himself, recognizes his own distinct individuality, is conscious of himself, and of his thoughts and acts as belonging to himself, the Divine image in man, the principle of his personality. (See Delitzsch, Bibl. Psychologie, S. 116 ff.; Beck, Bibl. Seelenlehre, S. 947). By the words which is in him, the spirit, as the principle of self-consciousness, is distinguished from the spirit in others, as the principle of objective knowledge. A like additional qualification to the Spirit of God would be out of place, either because God is absolutely one, or because His Spirit is also dispensed to others, as seen in the next verse: which is from God (Meyer). De Wette says: Paul conceives of the Spirit not as being in God, as though He were the principle of Gods self-consciousness; but he very wisely says merely the Spirit of God in order that he might thus hold the way open for saying afterwards the Spirit from God. The substance of the comparison is this: as the knowledge of the inward man is possible only through self-consciousness, so is the knowledge of God possible only through the consciousness of God obtained by means of the Holy Spirit. De Wette, however, overlooks an important element in the Apostles course of thought, in that the Apostle makes the immanent beholding of the depths of God on the part of the Spirit the ground of his function as a revealer. But the Spirit of God (in accordance with the analogy of the human spirit which is derived from Him and is his image) is the principle of the Divine self-knowledge, the ground of Gods life as a self-conscious existencethat whereby God is personal life, is the One who is eternally and absolutely cognizant of Himself in all His thoughts, volitions and decrees, in His doing and working,the One who is revealed unto Himself and then reveals Him abroad to othersthe One who sees through Himself and also shines through the human spirit and so qualifies it for looking into the work of God. [The analogies of Scripture, however, are not to be pressed beyond the point they are intended to illustrate. The point here is the knowledge of the Spirit. He knows what is in God as we know what is in ourselves. It is not to be inferred from this that the Spirit of God bears in other points the same relation to God that our spirits do to us. Hodge.] Having thus shown the ability of the Spirit to reveal the things of God, he reaffirms and corroborates the declaration of 1Co 2:10.Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God.The expression is antithetic. But what are we to understand by the spirit of the world? Certainly not any mental peculiarity; as most imagine, (Beza: ingenium humanum, [Barnes and others]: doctrina humana; [de Wette and Stanley: spirit of human wisdom; Hodge: a paraphrase for human reason]), since the thing contrasted with it cannot be explained in this manner. Neither can it be construed ironically, as denoting an utter want of that which is spiritual, or that show of spirit which the world calls spirit (see Osi.), nor yet as the finite spirit, in so far as it sets up independently for itself (Billroth). But it means that principle which controls the world in its thought and volition, and which is elsewhere termed the prince of this world (Joh 12:31); also the god of this world (comp. Eph 2:2; Eph 6:11 ff.; 1Jn 4:3; 1Jn 5:19), Meyer says: The diabolic spirit under whose control the world is held, and which profane humanity possesses. Osiander discovers in it a demonic element, blending in with, however, and manifesting itself in connection with splendid natural powersa principle of selfish curiosity which excites and stimulates the mental faculties to knowledge, but does not overcome their weakness, and which, while alienated from God, ever remains involved, not merely in weakness and ignorance, but also in perverseness and error.butInasmuch as he is treating no more of operations imminent in the Godhead, but of acts of external revelation, the subject in contrast is denominatedthe Spirit which is from God.He brings to view the spirit as having been already bestowed. Neander. This spirit, coming as it does from God, and the bestowment of which conditions the knowledge of Divine things, and which belongs only to the children of God (comp. Rom 5:5; Rom 8:9 ff; Romans 14 ff.; Joh 15:26), is to be entirely distinguished from the spirit of man which belongs to us as men, and makes us akin to God (Act 17:29), and which constitutes our personality (1Co 2:11), and which is the immediate organ of the Spirit of God, needing, however to be renewed, and, because of its weakness, requiring to be strengthened. (Eph 4:23; Rom 7:22 ff.; 1Th 5:23; comp. Mat 2:15-16). The object of the bestowment of the Spirit isthat we might know the things which are freely given to us by God.These things are the same as those spoken of in 1Co 2:9 as having been prepared for us (comp. 1:30; Rom 8:24; Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9). , (from as Rom 8:32)=gifts of free grace. By these are meant the blessings of Gods kingdom which Christians already possess in faith and hope, but which they will enjoy in full perfection when the kingdom of God has been set up in glory. [Hodge very singularly says: not so. The connection is with 1Co 2:10, and the subject is the wisdom of God, the Gospel as distinguished from the wisdom of this world. But what are the topics of this Gospel but the spiritual blessings here seen and known in part, but afterwards to be known as we also are known? A distinction here is untenable]. The persons to whom they are given () are Christians generally, as must appear from the very nature of the case [and the knowledge they obtain is the assurance of confidence. Calvin. Those who receive the Spirit not only have a clear apprehension of the blessings God hath provided, but discern them as freely given unto them. This must be so, as knowledge in the Scriptures is one with experience. There is no real perception without possession].
1Co 2:13. Having indicated the source of Gospel-wisdom, Paul proceeds to show how he proclaimed it, taking up the thought of 1Co 2:4.Which things we also speak.That the speaking here is directly connected with the fact of having received of the spirit from the purpose of knowing and declaring, and proceeds from it, and is of a sort corresponding to the nature of the objects received, is shown by word, : also. How he spake is exhibited antithetically.Not in words taught of human wisdom, The Gen. here is governed not by but by . (Comp. taught of God, Joh 6:45). [Most of the older English versions and Calvin construe the other way. Wiclif: not in wise wordes of mannes wisdom. Tyndale: not in the connyuge wordes of mannes wysdome. Rheims: not in learned wordes of humane wisedom. Cranmer and Geneva translate very nearly as the authorized version]. He means not in an artificial style of discourse, fashioned after the rules of scholastic rhetoric and dialetics, but in those taught of Spirit. without the article as in 1Co 2:4, because it is to be taken qualitatively as denoting a principle higher than that of human wisdom. We are not here to suppose that any actual dictation of the language is intended, but only an operation of the Spirit upon the mind, which strongly pervades and controls even the speech and modes of exhibition: in short a simple discourse which proceeds directly from a heart possessed by the Spirit of God. [Hodge says: This is verbal inspiration, or the doctrine that the writers of the Scriptures were controlled by the Spirit of God in the choice of the words which they employed in communicating divine truth. This has been stigmatized as the mechanical theory of inspiration. It is objected to this, that it leaves the diversity of style which marks the different portions of the Bible, unaccounted for. But if God can control the thoughts of a man without making him a machine, why not also his language?rendering every writer infallible in the use of his characteristic style? If the language of the Bible be not inspired, then we have the truth communicated through the discoloring and distorting medium of human imperfection. Pauls direct assertion is that the words he used were taught by the Holy Ghost. Wordsworth adds: Here is a sufficient reply to the assertions of those who allege that the inspiration vouchsafed to St. Paul was limited to a general perception of divine truth and that he was left himself without divine guidance as to the form in which that truth was to be expressed. A caution also is thus supplied against the notion that there are verbal inaccuracies, and blemishes, and defects in St. Pauls representations of the supernatural truths which he was commissioned to deliver. Comp. Hooker, II. 8:6, and Serm. 5:4; also Routh, Relequi Sacr, Vol. V. pp. 336341]. This is clear from the explanatory clause [which we renderCombining spiritual things with spiritual.] . The interpretation of this depends on the explanation we give to . This signifies originally, to combine together with judicious selection, then to unite in general, to join, the opposite of ; with this then comes the idea to hold together, i. e., by way of comparison (2Co 10:12), [this is the meaning adopted in the E. V.]; out of this there follows the idea of measuring, estimating according to something; and then of interpreting or expounding, as it is used in Gen 40:8 and Dan 5:12 in reference to dreams, in which cases the signification to judge must be referred back to the idea of holding together the various elements of the process so as to get a proper view of them. At any rate there is nothing in these last passages to justify our taking the word in the text to mean unqualifiedly to explain [as Stanley does] whether we take as Masculine [rendering as Bengel, Rckert, Stanley: to spiritual men] (which is by no means required by the 1Co 2:14, since a new paragraph opens there), or as Neuter; rendering it by spiritual things, meaning thereby either the Old Testament types used to explain the New Testament (as Chrysostom and others), or the testimonies of the Prophets, which, being inspired by the Spirit, are the fit illustrations of the things which Christ has revealed, by His Spirit (as Grotius and others), both which ideas are remote from the connection, or with spiritual words (as Elsner and others). [Wordsworth interprets this clause comprehensively. Blending spiritual things with spiritual, i.e., not adulterating them with foreign admixtures (2Co 2:17; 1Pe 2:2) also combining. for the purpose of comparing and explaining, e.g., the things of the New Testament by the Old Testament, or one spiritual truth by another]. Nor yet do we agree with Neanders view, that which has been communicated to us by the Divine Spirit we explain in a form which is suited to that communication. The only correct interpretation is to take in its original import, and as Neuter, and to render as above, carrying the meaning: uniting the spiritual matters which are the subject of our discourse ( 1Co 2:12) with words and forms that are taught of the Spirit. So Castalio, Calvin, Osiander, Meyer. [Hodge and Barnes]. Thus understood the clause serves to illustrate still further the suitableness of the style of discourse just before advocated, and as Osiander rightly observes, contains no tautology, since rather the thought is here stated in the form of a fundamental principle, and is taken up and set forth with stronger emphasis.15
1Co 2:14. [Explains the reason why this higher spiritual wisdom is not indiscriminately imparted, but spoken only to the perfect. It is seen in the incapacity of multitudes to apprehend it, and to discern the Divine impress it bears both on its contents and style of delivery. It is an inability arising from their essential character, which is as opposed to the Gospel as it is in every respect harmoniously consistent with itself.].But the natural (or psychical16) man. . Here we have the character described. Luther explains it thus: the natural man is one who, though he stands apart from grace, is still endowed to the fullest degree with understanding, sense, capacity and art. He is the opposite of the spiritual man, see Jud 1:19. , lit.: psychical, not having the spirit. : Psyche, soul, Latin, anima, is the intermediate between spirit, and body (1Th 5:23). It is the personal life of the individual (Ichleben) arising from the entrance of the spirit into the earthly organ of the body as its breath of life, in which personal life the spiritual and the sensuous elements are combined, the one entering into the other. The spiritual element, by becoming psychical or natural, forms a power of consciousness and volition, sinks into the life of sensation and impulse and embodies itself in the man and becomes organic. The sensuous element on the other hand (which taken out of the world of sense the soul fills with its life of sensation and impulse), being possessed by the spiritual power, becomes itself spiritualized in conscious self-directed activity and made capable of intelligent knowledge and volition. By reason of this its double nature, the soul becomes dependent on springs of life that belong as well to the world of sense as to the spiritual world. But, with particular individuals, the soul exercises a free choice in regard to the degree and order in which from time to time these influences from above and below shall be appropriated and employed. It depends on its pleasure whether it shall isolate itself, and, with this, sever its own spiritual part from the Divine life of the Spirit, or whether it shall receive this life into itself. Now in separating from the life of the spirit, man, as a natural or psychical creature, gets divested of his spiritual character and becomes fleshly. There is, indeed, in him still a spiritual element but then it no longer rules as a controlling principle, regulating his impulses and desires. On the contrary, being in subjection to the soul (), the spirit becomes more and more subservient to the souls perverse and carnal tendencies, from whence there springs deceit, falsehood, defilement in spirit, through contact with corresponding evil, and also that earthly and worldly wisdom spoken of in Jam 3:15. The soul, in itself robbed of the spiritual element, as a personal life (as spirit), is also unable to work out the spiritual things into a clear, intelligent apprehension by a free conscious effort of its own. Hence the mere soul-man, in other words the psychical or natural man, has neither inclination nor eye for the spiritual. He is closed up against all higher wisdom as if it were but folly. (Comp. Beck, Bibl. Seelenlehre, 14 ff, 33 ff; Lehrwiss, 207 and 213. From all this it will be seen that the translation sensuous, sinnlich, is not exhaustive. With this there is included also the idea of the selfish. Besides, both the intellectual and ethical aspects are also to be taken into account. See Osiander, de Wette, Meyer17.The ethical side of the psychical man, viz., his disinclination towards the higher sphere of life, appears in what is affirmed of him.receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.For here is not=to understand, which thought is afterwards expressed by but it means: to accept, to receive, as always in the N. T. (Luk 8:13; Act 8:13; Act 11:1; Act 17:11; 1Th 1:6; 1Th 2:13, etc.). = Act 13:46. He will not accept them, although they are offered.Bengel. The phrase, the things of the Spirit of God, combines what was distinguished in 1Co 2:13, the Divinely spiritual both in form and substance. The reason of this rejection is explained,because they are foolishness unto him.Whereas, adds Bengel, he is seeking after wisdom. And these things seem foolish, because they conflict with his narrow, foregone conclusions and prejudices.and he is not able to know them.This clause is either to be joined to the previous one, as assigning an additional reason for the natural mans not receiving spiritual things, q. d., he considers it absurd, without being able to understand it (Meyer, [Alford, Stanley, Tischendorf]); or to be taken as parallel to the clause, he receiveth it not, and expressing the intellectual side of the case in an independent manner, so that the following words stand related to it alone ([Calvin, Hodge, Barnes, and others, in accordance with 1 e. v.]). The first is the more correct. The natural man contemns spiritual things through prejudice and lack of apprehension,because they are spiritually judged of.The reason here assigned bears upon both the previous clauses which together explain why the Gospel is rejected. It appears all foolish and incomprehensible, alike from the fact that it requires to be looked at in a way for which the natural man in unfitted. , to judge of, as in 4:3; 9:3; 14:24. It denotes the result of investigation and proof, which it primarily in fact signifies (Act 17:11; Act 4:9; Act 12:19.) : spiritually (i.e.) either by the spirit of man (not soul: ) quickened and filled by the Spirit of God, or in a spiritual manner, so that the Holy Spirit, whose are the things to be judged of, both as to form and substance, directs likewise in the judgment of them by His illuminating grace. In either case, the sense is essentially the same, although the latter comports better with the use of the word spirit in the context. [While it is the office of the Spirit to take of the things of Christ and show them unto us, it is His also to purge the mental vision so that it can see the objects presented, for the eye of the natural man is blinded by the god of this world, and to him, however presented, the Gospel is hidden. Hence the manifestation towards the man must be supplemented by a change in him, rendering him spiritually minded, and so producing a congeniality between the perceiver and the thing perceived.]
1Co 2:15. Presents a contrast.But the spiritual man. i.e. he who, in conformity with the image of God (Col 3:10), has been renewed to an existence in the Spirit, Who, in turn lives in him as his life and to a constant exercise of his power in the strength of the Spirit; in other words, he who has the Spirit as rule, guidance and might (Beck, Seelenl. S. 35 ff.);judgeth of all the things [see Crit. obs.] all the things. By these we are to understand in accordance with the context, at least for the most part, or preeminently the things of the Spirit which the natural man is not in a condition to judge of. This reference is indicated yet more distinctly by the article : the [if genuine]. Besides the saying of Beck (Lehrwiss S. 210) here holds good. Only by being made spiritual is a man capacitated for the apprehension of spiritual objects. Such as God and Divine things, and only by the energy thus obtained is he able critically to test, and spiritually to govern all the remaining portion of his being as something inferior and subservient to the Spirit. So also Meyer (ed. 3) [only giving the passage a much broader scope, since he refers the all things not simply to those of the Spirit, but includes under it all objects which come within the sphere of his judgment]. On all this can the spiritual man pass a correct estimate by means of a judgment enlightened and controlled by the Holy Ghost. [In illustration of this, Meyer alludes to instances of Pauls nice spiritual discrimination, exhibited in matters not belonging to doctrine, and under the most varied conditions, e. g. in his wise improvement of circumstances amid persecutions and prosecutions, and during his last voyage, etc.; also in his judgments respecting marriage cases, judicial causes, slavery, and the like; in all which he understood how to place every thing under the level of a higher spiritual point of view with wonderful clearness, certainty and impartiality; also in his estimate of different personages, etc. But it may be fairly questioned whether Meyer does not here go beyond the proper scope of the passage. The object in view throughout the whole of it is a Divinely revealed spiritual wisdom, which transcended the apprehension of the natural man; and it is not easy to see how affairs altogether prudential could be brought into the account]. The acceptation of as Acc. Sing. Masc. is against the previous context (see Meyer).But he himself is judged of by no man.The previous clause leads us to supply here, who is not spiritual. For such as these the position of the spiritual man is too high. They cannot comprehend the inner life, or pronounce suitable judgment upon it. Undoubtedly Paul said this with special allusion to such in the Corinthian Church as took the liberty of criticising him. Neander. Of course what is affirmed in this verse of the spiritual in general, must in particular cases be limited according to the measure and degree of perfection attained in the spiritual life (comp. Calvin and Osiander). One proof of the sense perverting exegesis of the Romish Church may be seen in their reference of this passage to the hierarchy and its judicial office in doubtful questions (Corn. a Lapide, Estius).
1Co 2:16. Proof of the foregoing.For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?The question is taken from Isa 40:13; according to the LXX, with the omission of the words and who hath become his counsellor, which come in between the words Lord and that. The mind of the Lord is here identical with the mind of Christ in the following clause. We might, indeed, on looking at the passage in Isaiah, refer it to God; but since the words are introduced freely without a formula of citation, there is no necessity for this, and the identification of them with the mind of Christ, is more in accordance with the course of thought. The , mind, is the spirit as the source of thoughts, counsels, plans. The spirit, not however, as shut up within itself, but, so far as what is contained therein, is imparted and operates abroad. Hence it is not absolutely the same as spirit (as Billroth and Neander). [This is rather the substratum of the ,mind, and which being imparted to the man, makes his mind one with the mind of Christ. Meyer]. = [Buttmann, 143, I., or Khner 334, 2]. , to bring together, metaphorically, to put ones self to rights, to make oneself intelligible; and hence transitively, to prove, to instruct; elsewhere, with , in the Hellenic idiom, also with a personal object; io teach some one. [This use of the word, Alford says belongs to the lxx; in the New Testament it means to conclude, to prove, to confirm]. The object in this case is not any spiritual truth, but the Lord,but we have the mind of Christ.[We, the Apostles, himself included, and in the view of his issue with the Church, perhaps emphasized. Of course other spiritual persons are not excluded, but they are not now brought into the account]. Hence, , not=perspectum habemus. The word denotes that inward possession which is founded upon communion with Christ, upon having put on Christ (Gal 3:27).The thought now brought out is this, the judgment of the spiritual man on the part of him who is not spiritual, would require such a knowledge of the mind of the Lord as would qualify a person to instruct the Lord Himself, since the persons who are to be judged are such as have the mind of Christ, inasmuch as His Spirit dwelling in them, and directing their thought, fashions them to His mind, and identifies their thinking with His thinking. [Syllogistically stated, the argument would stand thus: no one can instruct the Lord. We have the mind of the Lord. Therefore no one can instruct and judge us. Hodge.]
[Obs. We are now prepared to consider what this wisdom is, that is spoken of in this passage, according to the characteristics given by the Apostle. 1. It is a system of objective truth analogous to that taught by the Greek philosophers, and destined to supplant it: the true sent to supersede the false. 2. It is one that can be advantageously taught only to persons who by a practical faith in the rudimental facts of Christianity, have made some advances in the Divine life. 3. It is a wisdom beyond the reach of human reason or conjecture to discovera veritable mystery preserved in Gods keeping until He should choose to make it known. 4. It is one which has been revealed By the Holy Spirit out of the depths of the Godhead; hence 5. It must comprise such things as are found there, and carry the mark of the Divine personality, viz.: the nature, attributes, and constitution of the Divine Being, His plans and purposes as Creator, His laws as the Supreme Ruler, His aims and methods, and decrees, and works as Redeemer; all these more particularly as bearing upon man, and shedding light upon his condition and destiny. And these are truths both ontological and ethical; truths for the intellect and moral sense at once; truths spiritual and eternal in their highest and broadest sense. 6. The forms in which this wisdom is communicated, are also Divinely cast. They are they the words and illustrations suggested to the minds of the Apostles by the Holy Ghost, who inspired them, and which must ever constitute the best statements of this wisdom. It is a wisdom whose truth and excellence are not directly obvious to the natural man. In order to discern intuitively its force and beauty, and to perceive its Divine character, there is required the spiritual eye that is conformed to the light of the glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ, and can by direct vision recognize its truth and heavenly source.]
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
[1. There is and must be a Divine philosophy in Christianity. The historical facts on which the Gospel rests embody living and eternal truths, which it is the life and joy of the spiritual man to contemplate and explore. In Jesus, the Son of man, there is incarnated the Word of God the Logos, from whom emanate all those Divine archetypal ideas which inform and regulate the whole created universe. By Him all things consist. His province it is also, as the Son of God, the Fathers express image, to reveal that Father in the glory of His perfections, in His laws, purposes and workings, and thus to exhibit the principles on which the world is governed. Moreover, as the Son of Man, it is His office to show what man properly is in his true ideal, and what are the problems of his destiny. Still further, as the Son of God and the Son of man combined to constitute the mediatorial King, He becomes the centre of all human history, the Head of that kingdom with reference to which all things in the world are controlled and governed. Christianity, therefore, carries in itself the substance of all sound theology, and anthropology, and ethics, and historical science. Jesus Himself being the absolute Truth and Life, in Him there must be hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and these treasures it will be the province of an enlightened intelligence to explore, and bring forth, and make known to the apprehension of mankind as that which is alone worthy of study and fitted to nourish alike the mind and heart. Thus it will be found in the end that the researches of right reason are directly in the line of faiths leadingthat the scheme of Christianity as set forth in the doctrines of the Gospel is in accordance with true scienceyea, its very substanceand that religion passes out of the ken of reason only when the eye of reason has reached its horizon, and that faith is but its continuation, revealing to the devout worshipper the things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive].
[2. This Divine philosophy is distinctly apprehended only by a renewed sanctified intelligence. Here life and light coincide. We believe in order that we may understand, and experience becomes the only fit guide and teacher. Sin and the remains of sin prove a disqualification for knowledge and beget folly. Hence it is that the communication of this Divine wisdom is suited only to such as have made attainments in piety, and must be measured out in proportion to their attainments by a wise economy. Christ being our light, so far as He is our life, it must follow] that with the unfolding of this new life in us, and to the degree in which the principle of this life, even the Divine Spirit, mortifies the works of the flesh and breaks down our narrow-minded selfishness, and clears our intelligence of all prejudices, and emancipates us from human authorities, and from our self-complacency, and from our delight in whatsoever flatters and pleases self, will this Divine, wisdom dawn with ever-growing clearness upon our apprehensions, and our understanding of Gods thoughts and ways become enlarged, and our susceptibility for still further disclosures be increased. If on the awakened conscience of the sinner there arises at the start the light of Gods pardoning and restoring grace beaming from the person of Christ evidently crucified before his eyes, and under its radiance he sees the follies of the past and the obligations of the future, and learns his indebtedness to redeeming love, and experiences its saving and gladdening influences, and feels in himself the quickening of a new and higher principle with all its uplifting powers and emotions, then in all this there will be laid the foundation of a knowledge of Christ, and what He is, and what is the nature of the life that proceeds from Him, to which each days experience and reflection will constantly contribute. As his piety matures, the more he will come to understand something of the riches that are to be found in Christof His relations to the Godhead as the Eternal and Only-Begotten of the Fatherof His relations to humanity as its Prince and Headof the atonement founded upon the intimate union of His two naturesof the method and means by which His redeeming work was begun and is carried on and will be perfected at lastof the operations of the Holy Spirit in the instrumentalities of the Gospelof the gifts of graceof the foundation and increase of the Churchof Gods superintendence over the race in guiding it to a participation in the blessings of his salvationof the way in which these things condition each other, and how they all come to rest upon the decree of the all-wise and merciful God which infinitely exceeds all human imaginings, and to the realization of which the whole history of the race in all its main branches, both before and after Christ, must tendof the manner in which God will consummate His redeeming work, both in its direct progress and in its remoter connection with what precedes, and in its resemblances to the work of creation (1 Corinthians 15), and finally of the immanent relations of the Godhead which lie at the foundation of this whole process. These are some of the truths which will gradually unfold their glorious meanings upon the mind of the growing Christian, making his path shine brighter and brighter until the perfect day. Mere beginners cannot be expected to comprehend them. They transcend the apprehension even of the most distinguished sages of the world, and range beyond the scope of mans natural experience and observationyea, beyond the flights of human imagination and hope. But to the sincere believer they are made known with ever greater clearness through the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
3. The office of the Holy Spirit as the revealer rests upon essential distinctions in the being of God. His external operations and His indwelling in the hearts of men are owing to an earlier and independent existence in the Godhead, by virtue of which. He is called the Spirit of God in a manner analogous to the spirit of man which is in man. Hence he must be supposed to exist in God not merely as a power or an attribute, but as an essential life-factor in the Divine nature, maintaining at the same time that independence which is already seen to follow from His independent activity abroad, and from the perfection of the Divine nature. He is Gods proper self, as certainly as mans spirit is his own self; yet not however the entire God, just as the spirit of man is not the entire man. More exactly defined in the light of 1Co 2:11, He is God as looking through and recognizing Himself, even as we may define the Logos to be God imaging and expressing Himself objectively. And if the Divine fiat which creates life abroad is, when contemplated inwardly as the Logos, a self-subsistent and creative Life, so is the Divine cognition which illuminates and creates truth abroadwhen contemplated inwardly as Spirit, an independent and creative truth or light. Gods being and begetting as Spirit, i.e., the Spirit in God and the Spirit from God, is Truthis the Light and the Father of Lights. On the ground of these essential distinctions within the being of God, there is ascribed to the Spirit in 1Co 2:10 a vision and a knowledge, which not only penetrates all Gods works in their profoundest depths, and comprises in its scope all creaturely perception and all the mysteries of the kingdom of God (1Co 2:9), but also comprehends the inmost secrets of the Divine personality and most hidden attributes of Gods own self. And precisely because He is this inwardly illuminated inmost self of God, and the all-penetrating vision of God, is He the Truth. Spirit is God (Joh 4:24) as being a personality which is in itself invisible, but which is conscious of itself in the whole circumference of its being and which thoroughly discerns and reveals every thing external to itself. And the Lord is that Spirit, in so far as He taketh away the veil from the heart and discloses His glory unto the believer, from one degree of splendor unto another, until the fulness of His light shines upon them (2Co 3:17 ff; cf. 2Co 4:6). Accordingly inasmuch as God is throughout transparent to Himself, and manifest in His own peculiar and hidden self, shining through every thing, and glorifying all who are devoted to Him in Himself, He is Light in Himself, Light through Himself on all abroad, and Light to Himself. This is the inward significance of the Divine Spirit, and such is He in godlike self-subsistence as the living and creative truth, etc. (Beck, Lehre., S. 103 ff.).
4. While the psychical () man imprisoned: as he is in his own natural selfishness, living and moving ever outside of the sphere of Gods enlightening Spirit, has no sense to receive the Divine spiritual communications so that they all appear to him irrational and absurd, the spiritual () man, who has received the Spirit of God and is controlled by him, carries in himself a standard for determining that which is of the Spirit; so that he is able to estimate it, both according to its substance and its form of expression, and is therefore qualified to judge of everything which comes within his sphere, by this the highest measure of all true worth. But he himself is exalted above the judgment of the unspiritual. Persons of this sort are capable of comprehending or instructing him so far as he is governed in his conduct by the Divine spirit, about as little as they are in condition to know the mind of Christ, which the spiritual man hath, and so to instruct Christ Himself. But the spiritual man judgeth of all things, because he hath received the anointing of the Holy One, even Christ, and knoweth all things (1Jn 2:21-22). These are they who are taught of God. (, Joh 6:45.) This exalted state is maintained in the same manner in which it is won, in true, humble self-denial, in poverty of spirit, in steadfast, determined mortification of all selfish desires and unrestrained devotion to do what is good and wise, and in that simple-hearted abandonment which allows the Spirit of God to work in the heart, to will and to do of his own good pleasure. So far as these qualities fail, and self is suffered to hold sway, the man is betrayed into spiritual pride and into gross errors which arise from commingling and confounding what is human with what is Divine.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
1. Rieger: The great distinction between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God.1. a. The former changes its opinions and principles well nigh faster than its fashions. b. It is ambitious to give the tone to that which shall be esteemed proper and conducive to the public good, and to fill every sphere with its own taste and judgment so as to be in favor with the princes of this world. c. But, alas! those to whom it so devotes itself soon fade and pass away but too apparently. The greater part of them outlive their own credit for wisdom, and a false garnish of their youth is soon succeeded by the lustrelessness of an old age which is all the more wretched from the contrast. 2. a. The hidden wisdom of God emerges out of eternity, and is on this account liable to no change. b. Its benefits also stretch onward into eternity, and when the work of redemption shall be completed it will be found in glory long after the fashion of this world has utterly vanished. c. Its instruction flows with such purity that only those who lay the foundation for it in the fear of God are introduced therein, step by step, along the path of obedience. d. Against its demands the heart of man is so apt to be hardened that it is a rare thing for one of the princes of this world to attain unto the knowledge of it (1Co 2:6-8).
2. The mystery of the Divine wisdom.What is here held up to faith transcends the sight and hearing, the knowledge and understanding of men (e. g.) the manifestation of the Son of God in this world, the mysteries of the kingdom of leaven declared by Him, His sufferings, death, and resurrection, the setting up of His Church through the power of the Holy Spirit dispensed in such lowly vessels, the ways and judgments of God with His people on earth hitherto and the numerous humiliations of the cross which yet issue in the clearer victory of the truth. Nothing of all this could have entered the heart of man, had it not been first declared by the Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, and afterwards more fully disclosed by the Spirit (1Co 2:9).
3. The revelation through the Spirit of God.1. Its indispensableness to the knowledge of God, because God is alone, and is known only to Himself, therefore less capable of being searched out than men are by each other, since they possess a common nature. 2. Its sufficiency; what the Spirit searches out and can consequently impart is perfectly substantiated, since He as certainly belongs to the being of God as our spirit belongs to our human nature, and knows every thing respecting God with as much certainty as our consciousness reports to us what is in us. 3. Its contents and operation; what God has in mercy ordained respecting us, the reason why He has made us His children, and what He prepared for us for all eternity, this we learn from the Spirit of God. He teaches it; He awakens also our desires for it; He works faith in us, and He establishes and quiets the heart in this knowledge (1Co 2:10-12).
4. The preaching that is acceptable to God.a. Is one that follows the lead of the Spirit, and b. It is attainable by the diligent perusal of the words of the Apostle, learned from the Holy Ghost, by inquiring into their meaning, and also by submitting our hearts and minds to the discipline and guidance of the Spirit. In other respects at the same time we are not to omit reflection upon the suitable construction of the discourse and the right use of all human aids, yet aiming, however, always to keep aloof from all that is purely our own, or is prized by the world, or is extravagant in diction, and to bring forth whatever is impressive and soberly considered, according as the Spirit of God has expressed it to us in the Scriptures. c. But even for this reason, can the true preacher not expect to please every person; for in preaching spiritual doctrines he is obliged to direct his attention largely to the spiritually-minded, who are assisted in the apprehension of his message by the help of the Spirit working in them also (1Co 2:13).
5. The natural man neither receives nor apprehends what the Holy Spirit teaches in the Gospel.Such is every person who rests in his own natural powers and has not bowed his heart to the influences of the Holy Ghost, since in his love of self he trusts too much to his own understanding, whose insight and evidence he over-values, and is thereby betrayed into an aversion to Divine things. But such corruption is not simply a bondage to carnal lusts. It is also a wisdom that is after the flesh (1Co 2:12-13); and the words of human wisdom excite an opposition to the doctrines taught by the Spirit, as well as to the simplicity of preaching. But this has its degrees: a, strong prejudice even to the avowed rejection of Divine truths; b, neglect of spiritual things; so as not to deem it worth while to lay aside prejudices and candidly to confer with any one in reference to them; c, assent to the truth, but without any strong faith wrought by the Spirit of God to the entire change of mind, hence accompanied still by hostility to the light, and by an incapacity to judge spiritual things spiritually.
6. The spiritual man: a, his ability to judge; b, his elevation above the judgment of others.a, He who has been brought by the Spirit of God to the knowledge, faith and obedience of the truth, and daily learns, under Divine tuition, the things which are given us of God, judges everything which is presented to him appertaining to the knowledge and service of God, not indeed with entire infallibility, yet according to correct grounds, b, But in this he is neither subject to the judgment of any man, nor bound to allow himself to be governed by it. For with the force of the declaration, Who has known the mind of the Lord? but we have the mind of Christ, he can swing himself clear of all human judgments and repose in that which Christ has revealed. But it must be remembered, that in order to be able properly to boast that we have the mind of Christ there must be in us daily communion with the word of God, an entire indifference to human glory, fervency in prayer, and a patient love towards others. O God, teach me by thy Spirit, for thus it is I live.
7. Starke:The longer and more truly a Christian serves God, the more spiritual wisdom he obtains (1Co 2:6). Christ and everything that is in and with Him, is an incomprehensible mystery; fail but to explore it, and thou art but a fool; but believe what is revealed to thee of it, and it is enough for thy salvation (1Co 2:7). Wonder not that the greatest in the world, the most gifted, the wisest, do not only not accept Christ, but on the contrary altogether torture and crucify Him. They understand no better, and think themselves able by means of their reason to comprehend the faith and religion of Christ, just as they do everything else (1Co 2:8). The. royal dignity of the children of God is shown in the fact, that they perceive and spiritually judge all things, especially the internal state of the godless, while they themselves are wholly unknown to the latter; and hence it is that they will one day become, as it were, occupants of the great judgment seat as Christs associate judges in the worlds assize (Lg.). Oh, how unqualified is the unconverted teacher for the office of the Spirit, especially for judging correctly of the true state of the souls of his hearers (Lange), (1Co 2:15). The mind of Christ is the mind of the Father and of the Holy Ghost, and it is revealed in the Scriptures. Whoever then wishes to know the mind of Christ need not climb on high and seek it from far (Rom 10:7), but let him hold fast to the revealed word. There he will learn what God means and what he intends to do with us (1Co 2:16).
8. Hedinger:Listen how a man ought to preach: Not in the stilted phraseology of romance, nor in the use of wretched wit; but he should utter the mysteries of God in the form of sound words (1Ti 6:3), and as the Holy Ghost lays them to the heart and brings them to the tongue of His faithful servants (Mat 10:20). (1Co 2:13).Is he that judges unregenerate? What better is he than a blind man undertaking to judge of colors? Is he regenerate? Then he has a mind akin to that he judges. And although opinions in reference to topics that are aside from Christ, the foundation (3:11), may be divided, yet will he pass no judgment on these contrary to love and mildness, much less set himself up to be the lord and judge of anothers faith, in an arrogant, unbecoming manner (1Co 2:15).
9. Gossner:It is not well to communicate everything to all. There are truths which can fitly be expressed only in certain circumstances and in certain degrees (1Co 2:6). Only to those who have come to the just consideration of their sin and misery will the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, become the foundation and centre from which everything proceeds and to which everything returns (1Co 2:7-8). Best of all is it to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving and for every breath a song, until all come together at last, and we can praise our Redeemer for everything with one accord in the right place and in society of the right persons (1Co 2:9). A glance into the deep things of God might awaken in us proud thoughts, as if it were possible for us to scan the Divine Majesty. But within this depth there is nothing else to be discovered but infinite love; that love whereby God condescended so low and stooped to commune with wicked, fallen, degraded humanity. These are the deepest depths and the most indescribable mysteries of the Godhead. This is what the natural man cannot understandthat God should make Himself so small. A glance into this mystery therefore does not elate, but it humbles (1Co 2:10). As we are obliged to learn man through men, so can we learn God only through God, or through His Spirit (1Co 2:11). The spirit of the world is at bottom the evil spirit, Satan, the god of this world, who has his seat in the hearts of the children of disobedience, and rules the world from thence. He must be expelled by the Spirit of God. He who has this Divine Spirit knows out of his own experience and inward observation what is given to him of God. He believes not at random, but what he believes that he knows, possesses, and enjoys (1Co 2:12). If a preacher surrenders his whole heart and mind and conduct to God, he will become so possessed by the Holy Ghost that it will be obvious to all that the Spirit speaks through him (1Co 2:13). There are honorable people with whom we can converse on many truths of Christianity, such as the omnipresence of God, etc., and they will hear and understand gladly. But as soon as we speak a word concerning the Saviour and His meritorious sufferings and death, then they say: Ah, that I dont understand; that is too high for me. This doctrine does not suit one who has, not the Holy Spirit. To the old man in us it is only foolishness (1Co 2:14). If we have the mind of Christ, think as He thinks, will as He wills, put all matters before us as He puts them, then will it be granted us to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God (1Co 2:16).
9. Heubner:The man who is enlightened by the Spirit is able to estimate and judge all things, even the moral worth of the principles and acts of the unconverted, and the vanity of the earthly mind with its pursuits, because he knows what sin is from his own experience, and has torn himself loose from it, and because in the knowledge of the will of God, the absolute Good, he has a standard to measure everything else according to its real value (1Co 2:15).
10. On 1Co 2:10-12. Schleier. Serm. 5th coll. Vol. 2d. From what the Apostle has said of the inmost nature and origin of the Spirit of God, it follows 1. that the operations of the Spirit are unique in their kind; 2. that every thing which comes to us from the Spirit is perfectly certain and reliable; 3. that it is amply sufficient for all our spiritual needs. On 1. To all other matters the world arouses us by means of our common understanding; but to search the deep things of God, and to cry Abba Father, this is vouchsafed to us only by the Spirit when He descends into our spirits. On 2. Since the knowledge imparted by the Spirit, respecting what is in God is as eternal and unchanging as the Spirit of God Himself, the conviction thus obtained that God is Love becomes also the deepest and most reliable truth of our existence, etc. On 3. There is nothing wanting to our most blessed communion with God,if only the Holy Spirit reveal to us the love of God as the innermost depth of his nature,if only we are made to see that benevolent purpose of God, which has been actuating his paternal heart towards the race from the beginning,if only it become evident to us that all the wounds of our nature may be healed through the fulness of the Godhead which dwells in Christ as He has become partaker of our nature,and if only through Him the Spirit of God, who is poured out upon all who believe in Christ as a quickening and strengthening power, glorifies the Saviour in their view and causes them to realize the presence of Christ in Him.
11. [We must be cautious not to pervert these statements into arguments for the disparagement of human reason and learning in the matters of religion. See this point argued in extenso by Richard Hooker (III. 8:411). So Wordsworth].
12. [Tholuck: 1Co 2:6-13. Apostolic Preaching. I. Its sourcederived: a. not from the teaching of men, but b. from the revelation of the Divine Spirit. II. Its form: a. not a demonstration of the human understanding, but a witness of the Divine Spirit; b. not the product of an acquired eloquence, but the offspring of a Divine necessity. 1Co 2:12-14. Apostolic preaching. I. It proceeds out of the Spirit of God in the preacher. II. It addresses itself to the Spirit of God in the hearer.R. South. 1Co 2:7. Christianity mysterious,18 and the wisdom of God in making it so. I. The Gospel is the wisdom of God. II. It is this wisdom in a mystery. The reasons of the mystery; a. the nature and quality of the things treated of, being surpassingly great, spiritual and strange; b. the ends designed with relation to their influence on the mind in impressing with awe and reverence, and humbling pride, and engaging our closer search, and reserving fuller knowledge as a source of blessedness hereafter. Inferences: 1. The reasonableness of relying on the judgment of the Church and on spiritual teachers. The unreasonableness of making intelligibleness the measure of faith. 3. The vanity and presumption of pretending to clear up all mysteries in religion.J. Spencer: 1Co 2:7. Wisdom of God in mystery.19 I. The matter of mysteriousness which the Apostle had in mind. Christ slain for us. II. This mysteriousness is wisdom, as being what might be expected in accordance with other mysteries, such as: a. Sin: b. Incarnation; c. Christs person and history; d. The mode of Gods treatment of Christ; e. The mode of the believers restoration to God.J. Barrow: 1Co 2:6. The Excellency of the Christian Religion as suited for the perfect: 1, in the character it gives of God; 2, in the description it gives of man; 3, in the rule it prescribes; 4, in the service it appoints; 5, in the living example it affords; 6, in the solid grounds it gives us to build on; 7, in the help it affords; 8, in the way it satisfies conscience; 9, in the simplicity of its communication.F. W. Robertson: 1Co 2:9-10. Gods Revelation of heaven. I. Inability of the lower parts of human nature, the natural man, to apprehend the higher truth: a. Eye hath not seennot by sensation; b. Ear hath not heardnot by hearing; c. Neither have entered the heartnot by imagination or affection. II. The Nature and Laws of Revelation: a, by a Spirit to a spirit; b, on the condition of Love.N. Emmons: 1Co 2:12. The peculiar spirit of Christians. II. Describe the Spirit. II. Show the peculiar knowledge it gives.
Footnotes:
[5]1Co 2:7.[ so in all the best authorities, A. B. C. D. E. F. Cod. Sin., instead of . The emphasis being on Then come together, forming one complex idea.]
[6]1Co 2:9. is better than [the former, as it is found in A, B. C., Meyer, Stanley and Lach. prefer. But the Text. Rec. is supported by D. E. F. G. Cod. Sin. and is adhered to by Words, and Alf.]
[7]1Co 2:10.[The proper order, supported by all the best authorities, is . The emphasis is on the first words. To us, however, hath God revealed them.]
[8]1Co 2:10.Many good authorities omit his. The omission is more explicable on the ground of what follows ( ) than the omission of . [Yet it is omitted by A. B. C. Cod. Sin., doubted by Alf., rejected by Stanley.]
[9]1Co 2:11.Instead of So the best MSS. and editions. [There is a difference between the two words and . The former simply means knoweth; the latter to know by acquisition. Words. Yet we hare in 3:20 .]
[10]1Co 2:13. holy, is not well attested. A Gloss. [Omitted by A. B. C. D1. F. G. Cod. Sin. and rejected by Words., Alf., Meyer.]
[11]1Co 2:15. after is not original: has been inserted on account of the in the following clause [yet it is found in B. D. B. J. Cod. Sin., and is retained by Words., De Wette.]
[12]1Co 2:15. before is well supported. The omission is probably to be explained from the fact that some thought it necessary to take as accusative masc. in antithesis to . (Some have it .) [ is not found in B. D. E. J. Cod. Sin.]
[13]Lach. instead of reads . This is neither paramountly supported nor internally probable. [So also Stanley; but Meyer, Alf., Words., sustained by A. C. Cod. Sin, adhere to the received text. Meyer regards it as a mechanical repetition of above.]
[14]The margin of the E. V. renders the last part of this verse, neither hath seen a God besides Thee, that doeth so for him, etc. This version is given by Ewald, de Wette, and Lowth. It is found also in the lxx. Luthers version, following the Vulgate, gives it as in the English text. Unquestionably the former are correct in putting God in the accusative case. It is also noteworthy that the clause nor perceived by the ear, is not in the LXX, and Lowth thinks either that this passage has been corrupted by the Jews, or that Paul quotes from some apocryhal book, either The Ascension of Esaias, or The Apocalypse of Elias, in both of which the passage is found as cited by Paul. It will be seen, likewise, that this clause is omitted by Paul, and that he has inserted another phrase insteadNeither have entered into the heart of man; ; and these words are so similar to found in the lxx. Isa 65:17, that one can hardly avoid the belief that the two passages were blended together in the Apostles mind, and were freely quoted to suit his case.]
[15]The view given, but not advocated by Bengel and Stanley, seems deserving of more attention than Kling has bestowed upon it, and may fairly dispute the ground with that he has given. , whatever may be its classical meaning, is used in the LXX. in six places at least, with the unquestioned signification of: to explain, to make that which was mysteriously hinted in visions clear to ordinary minds. This was what Joseph did to the chief butler and chief baker, and to Pharaoh, and what Daniel did to Belshazzar. And Paul is here speaking of dealing with things of like nature, i.e., supernaturally revealed, which eye had not seen, etc. And what more natural than for him to use in precisely the same sense as in the former cases. The allusion is almost palpable. Rendering the word then explaining, the train of thought requires that we take as Dative Mas: to spiritual persons. Here, then, we see the Apostle reverting back to the thought with which the paragraph opens, that of speaking wisdom among the perfect. The spiritual things here are the contents of this wisdom, the perfect are the spiritual. And thus we have a hinge on which the course of thought passes easily over into what follows, and the of 1Co 2:14 has its natural antithetic force. Explaining spiritual things to the spiritual, but the natural man, etc. This, it is interesting to note, is the first construction given of this passage in an English version. Wiclif renders: Maken a liknesse of spiritual things to goostli men, for a besteli man persuyued not through thingis, etc. Here, however, we have a new meaning to , equivalent to: making spiritual things match with spiritual men. And is this the meaning of the Rhemish version: comparing spiritual things to the spiritual? This evidently is a literal transferring of the Vulgate comparantes, which is derived from compare, and has for its first meaning to match to pair. Calvin has still another interpretation: adapting spiritual words to spiritual things, which Beza snbstantially adopts. Here there is simply an inversion of ideas.]
[16]It is to be regretted that there are no adjectives in English which distinctly preserve the important distinctions observed in Scripture between body, soul, and spirit. Much obscurity oftentimes arises in consequence, and we fail to perceive the profound philosophy which underlies Pauls doctrine. The adjective corresponding to the noun soul our translators render natural. This is not a bad translation if we bear in mind the equivocal use of the word nature: that it either may mean, the course of things as they are, or the course of things as they ought to be, and that it is in the former sense the text takes it.]
[17]See also Owen, vol. iii. p. 257, where, basing his exposition on 1Co 15:44, he says: The (i.e.) the natural man, is one that bath all that is or can be derived from the first Adam, one endowed with a rational soul and who hath the use and exercise of nil his rational faculties. He takes strong ground against those who tell us that by this natural man is intended a man given up to his pleasures and guided by his brutish affections and no other. See his citations from Augustine and Chrysostom to the same effect. A profound analysis of this important subject, in all its connections, is given also in Mller on Sin, vol. i. p. 457, vol. ii. p. 367. Calvin: The natural man (i.e.) not merely the man of gross passions, but whoever is taught only by his own faculties. And Bengel quotes Ephraim Cyrus: The Apostle calls men who live according to nature natural, , those who live contrary to nature, carnal, ; but those are spiritual, , who even change their nature after the spirit. An able disquisition on the Tripartite Nature of Man, in all its bearings on Christian doctrine has lately been issued by Rev. J. B. Heard, of England.]
[18][An evident misapprehension of the word mystery, as used in the text.]
[19]A mistake, as above.]
Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange
DISCOURSE: 1936
WISDOM OF THE GOSPEL
1Co 2:6. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect.
THESE words appear, at first sight, to have an air of conceit and arrogance: and, if uttered by an uninspired man in reference to lucubrations of his own, they might perhaps be not unjustly condemned, as betraying in the speaker, and generating in the hearers, the unhallowed feelings of pride and self-sufficiency. But, as spoken by the holy Apostle, they are open to no such unfavourable construction. If we were to understand by them, that the Apostle held one doctrine amongst those who were initiated into the secrets of his mind, and another amongst his less-instructed disciples, we could by no means justify him in such a conduct; for he would then resemble those philosophers of old, who, in private, exposed the fallacy of popular errors, which in their public discourses they upheld and sanctioned. This the Apostle never did. If he brought some things to the view of his more enlightened followers, which he forbore to state to others, it was not from any doubt of the truth of the sentiments which he concealed, or from any fear of incurring the displeasure of men by the promulgation of them; but only from a condescension to the weakness of those whose organs of vision were not capable of sustaining the flood of light which he was able to pour upon them. From such motives he certainly did, on many occasions, withhold truths from those who were unable to bear them, and content himself with administering milk to those who were incapable of digesting strong meat [Note: 1Co 3:1-2. Heb 5:11-14.]. But this is not the import of the passage before us. The simple meaning of it is, that whilst the great subject of his ministrations was by many of his hearers regarded as foolishness, it was, in the eyes of those who properly understood it, wisdom.
His words will naturally lead me to shew,
I.
What the true character of the Gospel is
The Gospel which the Apostle preached was, salvation through a crucified Redeemer: I determined, says he, to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Now this, whatever an ignorant and ungodly world may say of it, is wisdom.
It is indeed a hidden wisdom
[It was hid from all eternity in the bosom of the Father: nor had the first Archangel any conception of it, till it was revealed to man in Paradise: and all the knowledge which is at this very hour possessed by the Principalities and Powers of heaven respecting it, is derived to them through the progressive revelation made of it to the Church by the Prophets and Apostles of succeeding ages [Note: Eph 3:9-10.]. Even under the Mosaic dispensation it was for the most part hidden: because the types and ceremonies, by which it was adumbrated, cast so thick a veil over it, that it could scarcely be discerned at all; and the very prophets who foretold it were unable to unravel the mysteries which they proclaimed to us [Note: 1Pe 1:10-12.]. The things which it unfolds to our view are perfectly different from any thing that ever entered into the minds of uninspired men [Note: ver. 9.]: and at this moment are they hidden from the wise and prudent, even whilst they are revealed unto babes [Note: Mat 11:25-26.].]
But in it is contained the manifold wisdom of God [Note: Noteb.]
[It was ordained of God before the world, for our glory, even for the salvation of our souls. And in this great mystery [Note: ver. 7. with 1Ti 3:16.] we may behold his inventive wisdom, his administrative wisdom, his effective wisdom.
No finite intelligence could have conceived such a plan of rescuing from perdition our fallen race, without dishonouring that law which we had violated, and suspending the sentence which justice had denounced. He alone, whose understanding is unsearchable, was capable of devising a plan whereby the offence might be punished, and the offender saved.
But how shall this plan be executed? If it be not made known, none can avail themselves of it: and if it be known, it can never be carried into effect: for who would ever dare to lay his hands upon his incarnate God, and inflict on him the things which he was doomed to bear? The Apostle himself tells us, that if the princes of this world had known what they were doing, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory [Note: ver. 8.]. And, now that the plan is executed, how shall the benefits of it be so imparted, that, whilst no room is left for any man to glory, the sovereignty of God shall not supersede, or in any degree interfere with, the free agency of man? Who but God could divine this?
Again: shall any thing be left to chance? Shall it be uncertain whether, after all, Gods ends shall be attained? No: man shall have the benefit; and God the glory. God will give a people to his Son, whom he shall have for an inheritance [Note: Psa 2:8.]. A seed shall serve him [Note: Psa 22:30.]: and, however far off they may be, God will apprehend them, and bring them to his Son [Note: Joh 6:37.], and keep them unto the end, and perfect in them the good work he has begun [Note: Php 1:6.]. Of those whom from eternity he has given to his Son, not one shall be lost [Note: Joh 18:9.], not one be ever plucked out of his hands [Note: Joh 10:28-29.]. At the same time, all his own perfections shall be glorified; justice in punishing the offence, and mercy in pardoning the offender: yea, mercy shall be the more magnified, because it is exercised in away of justice; and justice, because it is honoured in a way of mercy.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out [Note: Rom 11:33.]! This indeed may be said in reference to any single part of his plan: and, if so, how much more in reference to the whole stupendous mystery, in all its branches! Verily, in the mystery of redemption, as viewed in all its parts, there are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [Note: Col 2:3.]; insomuch that, though they shall be progressively unfolding to all eternity, they shall never be fully seen, never adequately comprehended.]
Such, then, being the true character of the Gospel, we proceed to shew,
II.
Whence it is that the godly alone view it in its true light
The persons here called perfect, are the same as in the foregoing chapter are called the saved [Note: 1Co 1:18.], and the called [Note: 1Co 1:24.]. As for absolute perfection, there is no such thing to be found in any child of man [Note: Php 3:12.]. But persons are sometimes called perfect, as having grown from children to mans estate [Note: See 1Co 14:20 and Heb 5:14. both of them in the Greek.]; and sometimes as being truly upright in opposition to the unbelieving and ungodly world [Note: Job 1:1. Mat 19:21. Php 3:15.]. It is in this latter sense that the term perfect is used in our text. These persons, though they be only babes, behold a wisdom in the Gospel; though doubtless their insight into the glory and excellency of the Gospel is deep in proportion to the attainments they have made in the Divine life.
Now these persons alone behold the wisdom of the Gospel,
1.
Because they alone feel their need of the salvation revealed in it
[Others know not their lost estate: they see no such evil in sin, but that it may be atoned for by some little act of penance, and be counterbalanced by a few self-righteous and formal services. What then can they want of such a provision as the Gospel has made for their reconciliation with God? What need have they, that Almighty God should become incarnate, and offer himself a sacrifice for their sins? What need have they to plead the merits of a dying Saviour, when their own will suffice? What need have they that the Holy Ghost should come down and dwell in their hearts, when they have a sufficiency of strength within themselves for every service which they are called to perform? But the man who knows how low he has fallen, and how utterly impossible it is that he should ever reconcile himself to God, or attain by any obedience of his own a righteousness in which he may stand before God, will be filled with amazement at the revelation which is made in the Gospel, and at the stupendous mystery there contained: in whatever light it be viewed by others, it will in his eyes be the power of God, and the wisdom of God [Note: 1Co 1:23-24.].]
2.
Because they alone seek to be instructed in it
[Others lean to their own understanding; and, being wise in their own conceits, they are taken by God in their own craftiness [Note: 1Co 1:19; 1Co 3:19.]. Not so the humble inquirer. To him is imparted a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Gods dear Son; so that the eyes of his understanding are opened [Note: Eph 1:18-19.]; and he is enabled to discern with clearness and certainty the things which are freely given to him of God [Note: ver. 12.]. By this divine Agent he is led to view the deep things of God [Note: ver. 10.]; and to comprehend, in a measure, the depth and height and length and breadth of that love of Christ, which, in its full extent, is utterly incomprehensible [Note: Eph 3:18-19.].]
3.
Because they alone are willing to embrace its self-denying doctrines
[Others are offended at the humiliation it requires: nor can they endure to renounce the world, and to live only for God and for eternity. In justification of themselves, therefore, they deride what they choose not to embrace [Note: See, and mark particularly in this view, Luk 16:14.]. But the man whose heart is right with God wishes to be humbled in the very dust as a hell-deserving sinner, and delights in receiving every thing out of the fulness that is treasured up for him in Christ. Could he have the desire of his soul, he would be holy as God himself is holy, and perfect as his Father which is in heaven is perfect. Hence, when he finds in the Gospel every thing that he stands in need of, wisdom for the ignorant, righteousness for the guilty, sanctification for the polluted, and redemption for the enslaved, he cannot but adore the wisdom that has ordained so mysterious, so effectual, a salvation.]
4.
Because these alone give themselves up to the contemplation of it
[Others let slip all that they hear, having no wish to treasure it up in their minds. But the truly upright lay up the word in their hearts, (even as Mary did the words of her youthful Son;) yea, and meditate upon it day and night. They resemble in this respect the holy angels, who are represented as bending down upon the ark, and inspecting with all possible care the law contained in it [Note: 1Pe 1:12.]. No wonder they are instructed; no wonder the veil is taken from their hearts: for God has said, Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord.
Hence, then, we see the grounds on which the perfect man admires as wisdom what all the world besides regard as folly. Being enabled by God to discern its suitableness, and to experience its sufficiency, he glories in it as the perfection of wisdom, and as a comprehensive summary of all that is good and great.]
Now, as in the text are mentioned the speaker and the hearersthe one delivering with confidence, and the others receiving with submission, the dictates of inspirationI will, in conclusion, address myself,
1.
To those whose office it is, or may hereafter be, to preach the Gospel
[The Apostle, knowing the Gospel to be the very wisdom of God himself, was extremely careful to deliver it with the utmost simplicity. He was able to preach it with wisdom of words, and to set it forth with all the powers of language, if he had been so inclined: but he would not do so, lest he should make the cross of Christ of none effect [Note: 1Co 1:17.]. He appeals to the Corinthians themselves, that he had come to them not with excellency of speech or of human wisdom [Note: ver. 1, 4.]; being anxious that their faith should stand, not in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God [Note: ver. 5, 13.]. Now, in this he has set us an example which we ought carefully to follow. We greatly err, if we hope by any meretricious ornaments to embellish the Gospel of Christ. That appears most beautiful, when it is exhibited most simply in its own native form. The whole world would in vain attempt to add any thing to light: and equally vain will be any endeavour to exalt the Gospel by the gaudy trappings of rhetorical expressions. It is by the plain exhibition of a crucified Saviour that God will work. On the wisdom of the wise he will pour contempt: but by the foolishness of preaching, that is, by such preaching as the wise of this world account foolishness, he will save them that believe. Let ministers then learn from hence how to preach the Gospel, remembering that the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men [Note: 1Co 1:25.]. We may by our additions weaken the Gospel of Christ; but we can never strengthen its efficacy by any thing that we can add. It is in itself the rod of Gods strength: and, if we wield it faithfully, all the powers of darkness shall fall before it.]
2.
To those who hear the Gospel
[You must seek to attain simplicity of mind, even the simplicity of little children. If you would be wise, you must become fools that you may be wise [Note: 1Co 3:18.]. It is the truth of God that you are to regard, and not the human eloquence with which it maybe proclaimed. You must hear the word, not as the word of man, but of God. You must hear it as Gods word to your own selves in particular; and must receive it with meekness, as an engrafted word, able to save your souls [Note: Jam 1:21.]. Let this thought be duly impressed upon your minds, and it will operate powerfully to counteract that sad propensity which is in us to set up one preacher above another, because of his peculiar gifts and talents. For what is any man, but a mere instrument of God, whereby God himself was pleased to work upon you [Note: 1Co 3:5.]? Whether it was Paul who planted, or Apollos who watered, it was God alone who gave the increase: and therefore neither Paul nor Apollos should be any thing in your estimation, (except as you may love them for their works sake,) but God who gave the increase. The praise and glory should be His alone [Note: 1Co 3:6-7.].
On the other hand, neither should you despise the word, because it is delivered in weakness. God is often pleased to magnify his own strength in the weakness of his instruments [Note: 2Co 12:9.]. He has put his treasure into earthen vessels for this very end [Note: 2Co 4:7.]: and, if you will look to him for his blessing on the word, he will ordain strength in the mouths of babes and sucklings [Note: Psa 8:2.], and enrich you by those who are the poorest in themselves [Note: 2Co 6:10.].
Only seek to behold and to admire the wisdom of God in his Gospel; and you shall find it to be the power of God to the salvation of your souls [Note: Rom 1:16.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
(6) Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: (7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (9) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
The Apostle here enters upon the subject of the divine wisdom, in the ordination of the Church, which, while the way-faring man, when taught of the Lord, hath such an apprehension of, as is sufficient to make him wise unto salvation, and that he shall not err therein, becomes a subject of such impenetrable mystery, to the wise and prudent of this world, as they are called, that the highest human intellect, untaught of God, can never attain unto it. And this becomes a decided proof of the necessity of divine teaching, and, it was this, which the Lord Jesus thanked the Father for, in the days of his flesh, because he had hid those things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes, Mat 11:25-26 . See also Isa 35:8 .
As this wisdom, which Paul professed to speak of, was known and understood by those that are perfect, though none of the princes of this world knew it; and yet Paul calls it the wisdom of God in a mystery and the hidden wisdom: it will be highly proper for the Reader to enquire, what apprehension he hath concerning it; that he may, among other marks of examination in relation to himself, try his faith by this standard also, whether it be founded in the wisdom of men, or in the power of God.
That everything relating to the Being, and Perfections of God, must necessarily be matter of mystery to his creatures; and that no apprehensions whatever can be obtained of Him, but by such revelations as He is mercifully pleased to make of himself; is too obvious to need being insisted upon. But that in those revelations, which, in his infinite condescension, the Lord hath made of Himself, the wisdom of human intellect shall not of itself be able to apprehend, while humbler capacities, enlightened by the Spirit, shall understand; makes the subject, what Paul calls hidden wisdom, yet more mysterious. The whole, of what relates to the Church, both in the choice of the Church, the being, and blessedness of the Church, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the World, and everything connected with the present time-state of the Church, as well as that glory which is to follow; all forms a subject of mystery. But, when it be considered, that what is apprehended of those sublime things, can, at the best, be only such as our present unripe faculties are capable of receiving; the only astonishment is, that we know so much as we do know, under divine teaching, and not that we know no more. In a world like the present, and in a fallen state, such as man by nature is in; we can know nothing, but what is given us of God. The mystery of the divine nature, existing in a threefold character of Persons; is the first, and deepest of all mysteries. And it is no further revealed to us, than as an article of faith. To explain in us, the mode of this existence is not done in all the Holy Scripture. Perhaps it is impossible. Neither is it necessary. It demands our faith on the authority of God. It forbids our reasoning upon. Very attempt of this sort is answered in he words of Scripture : Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? Job 11:7 . But thus far we learn, that as the word of God, reveals God, as existing in a threefold character of Persons, and in numberless parts of the sacred word, the actions of each glorious Person are given, and with a plainness and precision which abundantly prove, both their personality, and Godhead: the man which doth not acknowledge this fundamental article of all faith, that Jehovah exists in a threefold character of Persons, and thereby different from all his creatures; doth not, in fact, acknowledge the Being of God, according to Scripture at all. He virtually denies there is a God, when he acknowledgeth not the Scripture revelation of God: and whatever wisdom he professeth to have, it corresponds but to that, which Paul here speaks of: the wisdom of this world and of the princes of this world, which come to nought.
But it is not the mere lip-confession, or tacit acknowledgment of this fundamental truth, which constitutes, what Paul calls, the wisdom among them that are perfect. A man may be led to agree to a truth, and yet have no life-enjoyment of that truth. But the soul taught of God, hath a saving knowledge, and acquaintance with God; that is to say, the mind is led to apprehend, that those glorious Persons of the Godhead have revealed themselves, and do reveal themselves to the Church, in their several office-characters, and relations, different from what they do unto the World; and the child of God is brought into some acquaintance with those blessed manifestations. This is what Paul refers to, when he saith, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; that is, among them which are Christ’s, and who are made perfect in Christ Jesus, Col 1:28 . And wisdom indeed it is, and truly called the wisdom of God in a mystery; when a child of God is savingly made acquainted with it; to discover, the whole Persons of the Godhead engaged in it, to make the Church everlastingly blessed, and happy, in Christ: that while hidden from the wise, and learned, in worldly wisdom, the humble are taught, that God ordained it before the world, unto our glory!
Reader! it will be your mercy, and mine, to have a clear apprehension, under divine teaching, of these precious things. And, since there is such a striking distinction, as the Apostle states there is its this Chapter, between the attainments of nature, and grace; between worldly wisdom, and that which is from above; between the natural man, and the spiritual; it must be of infinite importance, to ascertain the difference, and to know the things which (he saith) are freely given unto us of God.
In prosecuting this enquiry, I need not go over a large field, on a point already known and understood; that by the new birth, or regeneration of the soul, a total change is wrought on the renewed mind. I shall for once, consider this as granted; and that, what the Apostle saith elsewhere, my Reader is already convinced of. For if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, and behold all things are become new, 2Co 5:17 . But while this great truth is, and must be, most fully allowed, by every regenerated child of God, it is not so well understood, as the importance of the subject renders it necessary, that this new creature is wholly in the spirit, and not in the body. It is our spiritual part, which at regeneration is awakened, and brought forth into life, from the death of sin; and not our bodily part. The natural man, as Paul here calls our bodies, is not renewed, neither made capable of receiving the things of the Spirit of God, more than before. This is a grand point, to be well and thoroughly understood, by the renewed man, And there is another like it, namely, that while the gracious act, wrought by God the Holy Ghost, in regeneration, is confined wholly to the spiritual part of every child of God, and leaves the body, for the present life, in the same state as before, of an unrenewed nature; this one act of God the Spirit is a perfect and complete act, and makes the spirit of the happy receiver of this unspeakable mercy, as holy as it will ever be, in time, or eternity. When this blessed work of regeneration is wrought, it imparts all that is essential to life and holiness, in Christ. The act is but once done, and it is compleatly done. There can be no defect in it, for it is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. All that are regenerated are alike regenerated: similar to the analogy in nature. Infants, when born in nature, and born perfect in all their parts, are born no more. And the child in grace hath no after addition to its Being. The spiritual life, into which it is brought, can receive no after being, or addition. Growth in grace, there will be, as there is a growth in nature; but the life itself, the spiritual being, and the well-being, deriving, as it doth its whole, from such a source as God the Holy Ghost, is but once done, and done forever.
Reader! will you allow me to call your attention, somewhat more particularly, to this subject. The very interesting nature of it, will I hope, plead for the indulgence. Perhaps you may not have been accustomed to consider it, in this light. Sure I am, it is truly scriptural. And, if you will grant me the moment’s patience, and attention; I shall hope, under the Lord’s teaching, to prove it so. And perhaps you will be the more inclined to grant me this favor, when I add, that I am the more earnest to state it as it appears to me in this scriptural light, because I am inclined to think, that it is to our ignorance in this matter, concerning the work of regeneration, on what part it is wrought, and from whence alone we look for the blessed effects of it, that so many errors abound in the Church; and of consequence, so many of God’s children go in leanness, and mourning of soul, all their days.
Let me begin with first stating, what the Holy Scripture sets forth, of the blessed work of God the Son in regeneration. And this I venture to believe, is uniformly said to be wholly wrought upon the spirit. When our Lord described the gracious act of the new birth, in his conversation with Nicodemus the Jew, the Lord Jesus clearly defined, that it was wholly spiritual, when he said : that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit, Joh 3:6 . And, agreeably to the same distinction of properties, the new birth is said by the Holy Ghost, to be witnessed to the spirit, not to the body. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Rom 8:16 ; 2Co 1:22 ; Gal 4:6 . And we are repeatedly told, that the carnal mind, and the natural man, and the body flesh, and the like; are not subject to the law of God; neither indeed can be. See Rom 8:5 and chapter.
I am well aware, it hath been supposed by some, yea, perhaps by far the greater part of Commentators, that; when the Holy Ghost, by the Apostle, is thus speaking of the inability of the natural man to receive the things of God, and that the carnal mind is enmity against God; the Lord is supposed to allude to his Church and people, during the time of their unregeneracy. But here is the mistake. The natural man, the body of sin and death, is, and must be unavoidably, the same in nature, after a work of grace hath passed upon the soul, as before. It is wholly nature, wholly the same mass, of flesh and blood. If the body was made holy, as the soul is, by regeneration, it would be no longer liable to corruption, whereas, the hourly tendencies of the body, by reason of sin, is to its original dust. Hence, in distinction to this, when the Apostle Peter is relating to the Church, the blessedness of their being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, he adds, which liveth and abideth forever, 2Pe 1:21 . Had the Apostle considered the body of believers included in this new birth of the soul; the body, no more than the soul, would any longer be the subject of corruption. And Paul, in confirmation of the same, more than twenty years after his regeneration, speaking of himself, and his body of sin and death, which he carried about with him, and in which he said dwelt no good thing; declared, that he was carnal, and sold under sin, Rom 7:14 . I venture to conclude, in what I am sure every child of God in their experience, as well as Paul, cannot but join issue; that in the blessed act of regeneration, it is the spiritual part that is renewed, and not the carnal. While God the Holy Ghost quickens the soul, which was before dead in trespasses and sins; the body, still remains, in the unrenewed state of fallen nature. Grace works not upon the old man, while the new man after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Not an atom of the body is sanctified; and not an atom of the soul, left unholy. Blessed be God! the hour is hastening, when this mass of sin and corruption; which now interrupts the soul, will interrupt her no more. To the grave it is daily going. And there, (saith the soul in her best hours,) let it go. From thence, it will arise, by the power of the Lord Jesus, to whom, notwithstanding all its unworthiness; it is united 🙂 a glorified body, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish, Eph 5:27 ; Phi 3:21 .
But, with respect to the spiritual part of a child of God, when, by the act of regeneration, God the Holy Ghost quickens it into life; here, the gracious act is perfect, complete, performed but once, and that once forever. Very blessedly the Holy Ghost hath taught the Church, by his servants the Apostles, the foundation on which this doctrine rests; namely, in that, by this quickening of the soul into spiritual life, by his sovereign power, the soul is made a partaker of the divine nature, and can die no more. And you, (saith Paul,) being dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, Col 2:13 . Mark the expression: quickened together with him. And Peter in like terms. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life, and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory, and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption, that is in the world through lust, 2Pe 1:3-4 . These are most unanswerable, and decided proofs; in point. The soul, by the gracious act of regeneration, is declared to be quickened together with Him, namely, Christ consequently, hath spiritual life in Christ, and can die no more: for Jesus hath said, because I live, ye shall live also, Joh 14:19 ; Col 3:3-4 . And this divine power, hath given all things that pertain to life, and godliness. Consequently spiritual life, and eternal life, with all their preliminaries; grace here, and glory forever. And, being made partakers of the divine nature, the soul can be no longer liable to any future death, being by this one act quickened, which before was dead, in trespasses and sins; and the nature which communicates this life, being divine. Hence, this blessed act of regeneration, brings, with it, eternal life, holiness, and glory. It contains the whole work of God the Holy Ghost, upon the soul. And all, the after acts, in which God the Spirit draws forth the soul into sweet fellowship, and communion with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, are but the blessed effects of this first cause, when bringing the soul, from death, to life; and from the power of sin and Satan, unto the living God.
And, Reader! do but add this one thought to the subject, and see, what a beautiful, harmony, and consistency, there is, in this one act of God the Holy Ghost, by regeneration, to the one act, of God the Father, in election, and the one act, of God the Son, in union and redemption. Are we not taught, to look up, with equal reverence, obedience, love, adoration, and praise, to the Holy Three In One, which bear record in heaven, as the united source, and joint cause, of all our being, well-being, and blessedness? both not this homage become suitable and proper in us, not only on account of their perfect equality, in all their nature and essence, as Jehovah; but also as Manifesting their covenant characters and offices towards us, as the Church in Christ? Say then, is it not blessed, yea, very blessed, to contemplate God our Father, manifesting his love, in electing, choosing, and naming the Church, in every individual instance of the Church; accepting, blessing, and making the whole everlastingly happy, in Christ: and this act but once done, for it is eternally done, when done by an unchangeable God, and must remain forever? Eph 1:4 . And in like manner, is it not equally blessed, yea, very blessed, to contemplate God the Son, manifesting his love also, in betrothing his Church to him forever; and as this union could be but one act, and when wrought, never to be undone: so in redeeming his Church from the fall, in this time-state of her existence, by that one offering of himself once offered, he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified? Hos 2:19-20 ; Isa 54:5 . And, if these sovereign acts in God the Father, and God the Son, were but once wrought; wherefore should it be thought less powerful, less important, or less gracious, that God the Holy Ghost, in regeneration, should do the same? Why should he not, by one act, communicate all that pertaineth to life, and godliness, in making as holy, and as everlastingly happy, as can be, in time or in eternity, the spirits of those, whom God the Father hath once given, and God the Son hath once betrothed to himself, and redeemed once for all by his blood?
I have been the more particular in stating, according to my views of the subject, the true Scriptural sense of it, because, for the want of a right apprehension therein, I am persuaded, (as I said before,) many there are, of God’s dear children, who go in leanness of soul, and mourning, all their days. And, while they are on the look out, for greater holiness in themselves, it is impossible to be otherwise. They are prompted to this expectation, partly by the remains of unhumbled pride in themselves; and partly from the mistaken views of others, who teach (what they themselves, if they knew better the plague of their own hearts, would confess they never found) a progressive holiness in the divine life. Whereas the great act of faith, and the going forth of the soul, when regenerated by the Holy Ghost, is upon the Person, and blood, and righteousness of Christ. The child of God finds his joy in Christ, not in himself, or his sweetest enjoyments. He doth not live upon his attainments, but upon Christ’s complete justifying salvation: not upon what he feels, but upon what Christ is: not from a work done in him, but upon the work of Christ done for him. He doth not, like the spider, spin a web out of his own bowels to hang upon; but hangs all the glory upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He enters into a full apprehension, of that sweet, and precious Scripture, that Christ is made of God unto him, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that all his glorying may be in the Lord. It will be a subject of much thanksgiving to the Lord, if these views be sanctified to any of the Lord’s little ones, so as to endear Christ, and comfort his people; that all those blessed effects may follow, which the Apostle hath so fully opened in this Chapter, and which arise from divine: teaching, When we can say, as he did : but we have the mind of Christ.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
Ver. 6. Wisdom among the perfect ] Or those that are grown to maturity. Some think the apostle horroweth this term from the pagans’ superstition, who admitted none to their most secret ceremonies, but only persons well prepared and purified for many years.
Yet not the wisdom, &c. ] Which is like the labour of moles, that dig dexterously underground, but are blind above ground, and never open their eyes, saith Pliny, till pangs of death are upon them. Cry we after Christ, as the blind man in the gospel did, who when he was asked, What wouldst thou have? “Lord,” saith he, “that mine eyes may be opened.” Philosophers observe, that lumen est vehiculum influentiae; light begets the flower in the field, the pearl in the sea, the precious stone in the earth; so the foundation of all renovation is illumination. O cry aloud to the Father of lights, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2Co 4:6 . This will hold out, when the wisdom of this world and the philosophorum facile principes “come to nought.”
That come to nought ] That are tumbled into hell with all their learning ( nos cum doctrinis nostris, &c. Aug.), which doth but light them into utter darkness.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
6 16. ] Yet the Apostles spoke wisdom among the perfect, but of a kind higher than the wisdom of this world; a wisdom revealed from God by the Spirit, only intelligible by the spiritual man, and not by the unspiritual ( ). The Apostle rejects the imputation, that the Gospel and its preaching is inconsistent with wisdom , rightly understood: nay, shews that the wisdom of the Gospel is of a far higher order than that of the wise in this world, and far above their comprehension.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
6. ] contrasts with the foregoing.
.] viz. ‘ we Apostles :’ not ‘ I Paul ,’ though he often uses the plur. with this meaning: for, ch. 1Co 3:1 , he resumes , .
. ] among the perfect , when discoursing to those who are not babes in Christ, but of sufficient maturity to have their senses exercised ( Heb 4:14 ) so as to discern good and evil. That this is the right interpretation the whole following context shews, and especially ch. 1Co 3:1-2 , where a difference is laid down between the milk administered to babes , and the strong meat to men . The difference is in the matter of the teaching itself : there is a lower, and there is a higher teaching. So Erasm., Estius, Bengel, Rckert, Meyer, De Wette, al. On the other hand, Chrys., Theodoret, Theophyl., Calv., Grot., Olsh., al., understand the difference to be merely in the estimate formed of the same teaching according as men were spiritual or unspiritual, interpreting . , ‘ in the estimation of the perfect,’ which is philologically allowable, but plainly irreconcileable with the whole apologetic course of the chapter, and most of all with the . . . of ch. 1Co 3:1 , where he asserts that he did not speak this wisdom to the Corinthians.
We are then brought to the enquiry, what was this ? “Meyer limits it too narrowly to consideration of the future kingdom of Christ . Rckert adds to this, the higher views of the divine ordering of the world with respect to the unfolding of God’s kingdom, of the meaning of the preparatory dispensations before Christ, e.g. the law, of the manner in which the death and resurrection of Christ promoted the salvation of mankind. According to 1Co 2:12 , the knowledge of the blessings of salvation, of the glory which accompanies the kingdom of God, belongs to this higher species of teaching. Examples of it are found in the Epistle to the Romans, in the setting forth of the doctrine of justification, of the contrast between Christ and Adam, of predestination (compare , Rom 11:25 ), and in the Epistles to the Eph. and Col. (where . often occurs) in the declarations respecting the divine plan of Redemption and the Person of Christ: nay, in our Epistle, ch. 15. Of the same kind are the considerations treated cf. Heb 4:11 ff.” De Wette.
But a wisdom not of this world , not, as E. V., “not the wisdom of this world ,” which loses the peculiar force of the negative: so in Rom 3:21-22 , we have . . See instances of the usage in note there.
The are parallel with the , , , of ch. 1Co 1:26 , and are connected with them expressly by the , referring to , ch. 1Co 1:28 . They comprehend all in estimation and power , Jewish or Gentile. , , , , . . , . .
Chrys. Hom. vii. p. 50.
.] who are (being) brought to nought , viz. by God making choice of the weak and despised, and passing over them, ch. 1Co 1:28 ; not said of their transitoriness generally , as Chrys., Theophyl., Rckert, nor of their power being annihilated at the coming of Christ (Grot., Meyer, al.), nor as Olsh., of their having indeed crucified Christ , but of their being by His Resurrection and the increase of His Church .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Co 2:6-9 . 7. THE GOSPEL CONSIDERED AS WISDOM. So far Paul has been maintaining that his message is a “folly,” with which “wisdom of word” is out of keeping; yet all the while he makes it felt that it is wisdom in the truest sense “ God’s wisdom,” convicting in its turn the world of folly. If relatively the Gospel is not wisdom, absolutely it is so, to persons qualified to understand it . This P. now proceeds to show (1Co 2:6 to 1Co 3:2 : cf. Introd. to Div. II.). The message of the cross is wisdom to the right people ( 7), qualified to comprehend it ( 8).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
1Co 2:6 . . . .: “(there is) a wisdom, however, (that) we speak amongst the full-grown”. The anarthrous, predicative asserts that to be “wisdom” which in ironical deference to the world has been styled “folly” (1Co 1:21 ff.). , the mature, the initiates (opp [329] to , , 1Co 3:1 , 1Co 14:20 ; see parls.) = in contrast with the relatively (1Co 3:1 ; cf. note on , 1Co 2:7 ). “The curtain must be lifted with a caution measured by the spiritual intelligence of the spectators, ” (Ev [330] ). This the Cor [331] had by no means reached; hence they failed to see where the real wisdom of the Gospel lay, and estimated its ministers by worldly standards. signifies not to , nor in relation to , but amongst the qualified hearers in such a circle P. freely expounded deeper truths. ( cf. 1Co 2:7 ; 1Co 2:13 ), to utter, speak out: P. uses the pl [332] not thinking of Sosthenes in particular (1Co 1:1 ), but of his fellow-preachers generally, including Apollos (1Co 1:23 , and 1Co 15:11 , etc. 1Co 3:6 , 1Co 4:6 ).
[329] opposite, opposition.
[330] T. S. Evans in Speaker’s Commentary .
[331] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.
[332] plural.
The “wisdom” uttered in such company is defined first negatively: “but a wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, that are being brought to nought”. For , see note to 1Co 1:20 ; it connotes the transitory nature of the world-powers (1Co 1:19 ; 1Co 1:28 ; cf. 1Co 7:31 , 2Co 4:18 ; also 1Jn 2:17 , 1Pe 1:24 ff.). The . were taken by Marcion, Or [333] , and other ancients, to be the angelic, or demonic (Satanic), rulers of the nations sc. the “princes” of Daniel 10-12, and Jewish angelology, the . of Eph 6:12 ( cf. 2Co 4:4 , Eph 2:2 , Joh 12:31 ; Joh 14:30 ; Joh 16:11 where is applied to Satan ; also Gal 3:19 , Act 7:53 , touching the office of angels in the Lawgiving): so Sm [334] , after F. C. Baur “the angels who preside over the various departments of the world, the Law in particular, but possess no perfect insight into the counsels of God, and lose their dominion from which they take their name of (= ) with the end of the world (1Co 15:24 )”; see also, at length, Everling, Die Paulin. Angelologie u. Dmonologie , pp. 11 ff. But these super-terrestrial potentates could not, without explanation, be charged with the crucifixion of Christ (1Co 2:8 ); on the other hand, 1Co 1:27 ff. shows P. to be thinking in this connexion of human powers. Unless otherwise defined, denotes “the rulers” of common speech, those, e.g. , of Rom 13:3 , Luk 23:35 . On , see note to 1Co 1:17 ( ), 1Co 1:28 , 1Co 15:24 , and other parls. The Jewish rulers, whose overthrow is certain and near (1Th 2:16 , Rom 9:22 ; Rom 9:11 ), are aimed at, as being primarily answerable for the death of Jesus ( cf. Act 13:27 f.); but P. foresaw the supersession of all existing world-powers by the Messianic kingdom (1Co 15:24 ; cf. Rom 11:15 , Act 17:7 ); the pr [335] ptp [336] , perhaps, implies a “gradual nullification of their potency brought about by the Gospel” (El [337] ). P. cannot have meant by the leaders of thought (as Thd [338] , Thp [339] , Neander suppose, because of the association with ); he held a broad, practical conception of wisdom (sagacity) as shown in power; the secular rulers, wise in their own way but not in God’s, must come to nought. Statecraft, equally with philosophy, failed when tested by the cross.
[333] Origen.
[334] P. Schmiedel, in Handcommentar zum N.T. (1893).
[335] present tense.
[336] participle
[337] C. J. Ellicott’s St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians .
[338] Theodoret, Greek Commentator.
[339] Theophylact, Greek Commentator.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1Co 2:6-13
6Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
1Co 2:6 “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature” Paul may
1. be using sarcasm here relating to the Corinthians’ overemphasis on human wisdom and their view of their own “maturity” (cf. George E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, pp. 383-385)
2. this may relate to the baby believers of 1Co 3:1-4 which Paul relates to the worldly factious spirit in the church
3. In Eph 4:13 this very term, teleios, describes mature believers as over against children (i.e., literally “infants” Eph 4:14). Notice also 1Co 14:20; Php 3:15 and Heb 5:14
See how the word is used in Hebrews from the Special Topic below.
SPECIAL TOPIC: END OR FULL (TELOS)
“a wisdom, however, not of this age” This is Paul asserting the Jewish interbiblical concept of two ages: the current evil age, dominated by fallen humanity, and the age of righteousness to come, dominated by the Messiah. Human earthly wisdom is basically presuppositional and changes from culture to culture and period to period. See Special Topic on the concept of the two Jewish ages at 1Co 1:20.
“nor of the rulers of this age” It is possible that this phrase refers to angelic ranks or Gnostic aeons (cf. Rom 8:38-39; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12; Col 1:16; Col 2:10; Col 2:15, BAGD, p. 114, #3; F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 90). It seems more in line with this context to interpret these as human leaders (cf. 1Co 2:8; Act 3:17; Rom 13:1-2; see Grant Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral, pp. 82-83). It is so hard to know if Paul is speaking purely of human logic or the demonic activity behind human logic; both are present. Humans are influenced because of their fallenness (cf. Rom 12:2; Gal 1:14; Eph 2:2), but they are also influenced by the presence of supernatural evil (i.e., angelic and demonic, cf. 2Co 4:4; Daniel 10).
NASB”who are passing away”
NKJV”who are coming to nothing”
NRSV”who are doomed to perish”
TEV”powers that are losing their power”
NJB”who will not last long now”
This is a present passive participle of the term which means “to be made inoperative” (cf. 1Co 1:28; Rom 6:6). Paul uses this term twenty-seven times. If this refers to human authorities, they will die. If this refers to angelic authorities, this age will pass away into the new age of righteousness. See Special Topic: Null and Void (Katarge) at 1Co 1:28.
1Co 2:7 “but” This is a strong adversative “alla.” Paul’s wisdom and power were from God.
“God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom” This wisdom is from God (i.e., Theos is fronted, or placed first, in the Greek text for emphasis); this is hidden wisdom (i.e., perfect passive participle, cf. Eph 3:9); this mystery has now been clearly manifested in Christ (cf. Rom 16:25; Eph 3:3-5; Col 1:26). This uncovered secret (i.e., the gospel) emphasizes God’s revelation versus human discovery (cf. Rom 16:25-26; Eph 1:9-10; Eph 3:3-5; Col 1:26; Col 2:2-3). The most comprehensive definition of this mystery is that Jew and Gentile are united in one new people of God (i.e., the church, cf. Eph 2:11 to Eph 3:13). See Special Topic: Mystery at 1Co 2:1.
NASB”which God predestined”
NKJV”which God ordained”
NRSV”which God decreed”
TEV”which he had already chosen”
NJB”which God predestined”
Even before creation God already had His plan of redemption (cf. Mat 25:34; Joh 17:24; Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:20; Rev 13:8 and also Act 2:13; Act 3:18; Act 4:28; Act 13:29). The term translated here “predestine” is a compound of the preposition “before” and “to set bounds” (cf. Act 4:28; Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:5; Eph 1:11).
The definitive passages on predestination in the NT are Rom 8:28-30; Romans 9; and Eph 1:3-14. These texts obviously stress that God is sovereign. He is in total control of all things, including human history. There is a preset divine redemption plan being worked out in time. However, this plan is not arbitrary or selective. It is based not only on God’s sovereignty and foreknowledge, but also on His unchanging character of love, mercy, and undeserved grace.
We must be careful of our western (American) individualism or our evangelical zeal coloring this wonderful truth. We must also guard against being polarized into the historical, theological conflicts between Augustine versus Pelegius or Calvinism versus Arminianism.
Predestination is not a doctrine meant to limit God’s love, grace, and mercy, nor to exclude some from the gospel. It is meant to strengthen believers by molding their worldview. God’s love is for all mankind (cf. 1Ti 2:4; 2Pe 3:9). God is in control of all things. Who or what can separate us from Him (cf. Rom 8:31-39)? Predestination forms one of two ways to view life. God views all history as present; humans are time-bound. Our perspective and mental abilities are limited. There is no contradiction between God’s sovereignty and mankind’s free will. It is a covenantal structure. This is another example of biblical truth given in paradoxical, dialectical, tension-filled pairs. Biblical doctrines are presented from different perspectives. They often appear paradoxical. The truth is a balance between the seemingly opposite pairs. We must not remove the tension by choosing one of the truths. We must not isolate any biblical truth into a compartment by itself.
It is also important to add that the goal of election is not only heaven when we die, but Christlikeness now (cf. Eph 1:4; Eph 2:10)! We were chosen to be “holy and blameless.” God chooses to change us so that others may see the change and respond by faith to God in Christ. Predestination is not a personal privilege, but a covenantal responsibility! We are saved to serve!
“before the ages” The phrase “before the ages” is an OT idiom referring to eternity past. It corresponds to the Hebrew term ‘olam, which can mean eternity, past or future. It can also denote a limited period of time. It must be translated in context. Its translation is related to its object (i.e., God, OT covenant promises, earthly life, the wicked, etc.).
This is also true for the NT Greek translations ain, ainios, eis ton aina, which follow the Septuagint’s translation of ‘olam. God is eternal, but physical things (i.e., the heavens and earth) will pass away (cf. 2Pe 3:10). As with all words, but especially ‘olam and ain, the context is crucial and determines the translation.
For interesting discussions of “eternality” see Robert B. Girdlestone’s Synonyms of the Old Testament, pp. 312-319 and F. F. Bruce’s, Answers to Questions, pp. 202-203.
SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER (‘OLAM)
“to our glory” See Special Topic below.
SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA)
1Co 2:8 “if” A. T. Robertson, in Word Pictures in the New Testament, p. 85, calls this a second class conditional sentence called “contrary to fact.” A false statement is made to highlight a false conclusion, “If the rulers of this age had understood (i.e., perfect active indicative), which they did not, then they would not have crucified (i.e., aorist active indicative) the Lord of glory, which they did.”
“the Lord of glory” This phrase is used of YHWH in Act 7:2; Eph 1:17 and probably is an allusion to Exo 24:16. A similar phrase is used of Jesus in Jas 2:1. This is another example of NT authors using a title of YHWH for Jesus and, thereby, asserting His equality with YHWH (cf. 2Co 4:6).
SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY
1Co 2:9 “it is written” This is a Hebrew idiom (i.e., perfect passive indicative) for introducing an OT quote. Clement of Rome (i.e., The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians XXXIV), writing in A.D. 95, says it is a quote from the Septuagint of Isa 64:4 or possibly combined with Isa 65:17 (cf. Isa 52:15 and Jer 3:16). Origen and Jerome thought Paul was quoting from a noncanonical book called Apocalypse of Elijah, which has almost completely been lost. The truth is that this quote/allusion fits no known OT text (the same is true of Mat 2:23; Joh 7:38; Jas 4:5).
God has acted in ways that human beings could not ever have imagined (cf. Isa 55:8-9), but now through the gospel and the Spirit they can by faith! What a wonderful promise!
“heart” See Special Topic at 1Co 14:25.
1Co 2:10 “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit” The Father, through the Spirit, has unveiled (i.e., apokalupt, aorist active indicative) this hidden mystery in Christ. All wisdom is in Christ (cf. 1Co 1:18-25; 1Co 1:30).
Notice the Triune God in 1Co 2:8-10 : the crucified Lord of glory (i.e., Jesus), God (i.e., the Father), and the Spirit.
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY
“for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God” The emphasis here is on the full personality of the Spirit (cf. Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30). The Spirit is our only means of knowing God (cf. Rom 8:26-27; Rom 11:33-36). This is the continuing emphasis of the entire context that human means are unable to know God or the things (i.e., plans) of God. “Deep” is a metaphor of that which is (1) profound as opposed to shallow or (2) hidden beyond mankind’s reach or discovery. The Spirit’s work is crucial in conviction, salvation, and Christlike living (cf. Joh 16:7-14).
The phrase “the deep things of God” (NKJV) may have been a catchphrase of one the factions at Corinth. The deep things of God are available to all who exercise faith in Christ. There are no hidden secrets anymore. The gospel is revealed to all who will receive. There are no “deeper things,” no elitism, no exclusivism!
This wonderful assurance of God’s provision and care was exploited by later Gnostics, who claimed it as a proof-text for special knowledge (e.g., the non-canonical and Gnostic book of Ascension of Isaiah).
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT
1Co 2:11-12 This is an example of the previously stated truth. Notice the first and third uses of “spirit” in this verse have a little “s,” while the second use of “Spirit” has a capital “S.” In the Greek text there is no way to distinguish capitals, therefore, this is the interpretation of the translators. A capital “S” would refer to the Holy Spirit and a small “s” to the human spirit (cf. 1Co 6:18; Rom 8:16; 2Co 2:13; 2Co 7:13; 2Co 12:18; Gal 6:18; Php 4:23). This may be an allusion to Pro 20:27.
1Co 2:12 “the spirit of the world” This is another connotation of the term kosmos (i.e., world, see Special Topic at 1Co 3:21-22), human society organized and functioning without God (so common in John’s writings). Today we would call it “atheistic humanism” (cf. 1Co 2:6). It is also called “spirit of slavery” in Rom 8:15.
“that we may know the things freely given to us by God” Believers can understand the gospel of Christ and their blessings in Him only through the Holy Spirit.
It is certainly true that in their fallen and temporal state even believers cannot fully, exhaustively know God, but can know and understand everything needed for salvation and godly living through the revelation of the Father, the person and work of the Son, and the illumination of the Spirit. Because we cannot know everything is no excuse not to embrace the clear truths of the Bible and walk in them.
It is also crucial that believers acknowledge that God’s wisdom has been “freely given” (cf. Rom 8:32). It is a gift of God which He desires to give to all humans made in His image (cf. Gen 1:26-27), but now through rebellion are estranged from Him (i.e., Genesis 3). God’s wisdom is not the result of human intelligence, social standing, or ingenuity, but the revelation of God’s love and mercy through Christ’s work and the Spirit’s agency. Since Christ, ignorance is willful! The Holy Spirit brings light, truth, and salvation. The spirit of this world brings darkness, deception, and death.
1Co 2:13 “which things we also speak” It is crucial that believers share these God-given truths. They are life and light to a lost and dying world, a loved world which has been redeemed if only they will receive God’s Son, God’s truth! Revelation is primarily redemptive (cf. 2Ti 2:15) and then transformational (cf. 2Ti 3:16-17).
NASB”in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words”
NKJV”which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual”
NRSV”taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual”
TEV”we do not speak in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit”
NJB”in terms learnt from the Spirit, fitting spiritual language to spiritual things”
This is a very ambiguous phrase for several reasons. Before attempting to sort this out, remember the larger context is the key and not ambiguous details of Greek grammar or philology. The larger context relates to the mature believers (cf. 1Co 2:6). It contrasts human wisdom and knowledge with God’s wisdom, which is Christ, and God’s knowledge, which is expressed in the gospel. This is the main truth of chapters 1 and 2.
The Holy Spirit is an indispensable channel of communication (cf. Joh 16:8-14). He reveals spiritual truths to those who have trusted Christ and received the indwelling Spirit. In some ways Paul’s discussion here is similar to Jesus’ parable of the sower or soils (cf. Matthew 13). The gospel message is understood and responded to by receptive hearers, but rejected by unresponsive hearers.
The term pneumatikois can be neuter (i.e., spiritual things) or masculine (i.e., spiritual people). Another group of hearers is mentioned in the next verse, psuchikos (i.e., the natural or lost person). It is probable that the term in 1Co 2:13 refers to spiritual people. This same group is previously mentioned in 1Co 2:6 (i.e., teleiois, the mature or equipped believers) as well as 1Co 2:15 (i.e., where they are called pneumaikos). There seem to be three groups of people referred to in this context.
1. lost people
2. saved, but immature believers
3. mature believers
There is often no visible difference between # 1 and #2.
If so, then how does the Spirit communicate spiritual truths? The present active participle, sunkrinontes, is used in the Septuagint for interpreting dreams (cf. Gen 40:8; Gen 40:16; Gen 40:22; Gen 41:12; Gen 41:15; Jdg 7:15; Dan 5:12; Dan 7:15-16). However, this same Greek word in used only here and in 2Co 10:12 in the NT having its normal sense of “comparing.” Exactly how the Spirit communicates spiritual truth to spiritual people is ambiguous and because of that we should not become dogmatic or rigid on how to interpret this text. The great truth is that the Holy God seeks and accomplishes communication with fallen humanity (cf. 1Co 2:12). God is speaking, are we listening?
There is an interesting article on “Revelation and Scripture” in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 1, pp. 461-462. Here is but one paragraph.
“For the NT writers, revelation concerns truth. Truth is a function of language. In this way revelation and Scripture are inextricably joined in NT theology. Event and interpretation go together. The NT revelation as it concerns Jesus Christ involves not merely abstract and timeless ethical truths, or the subjective experiences of the disciples, but it has to do with events that are concrete, particular, and actual. The apostolic statement and interpretation of the events is the truth of the matter. The writers intend to convey to the reader what is actually the case-that is, to state what was going on in the things that were happening. Whatever charge may be made against the NT writers as to their religious beliefs, we much recognize that they claim to give us divine revelation expressed in human language (1Co 2:13).”
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Howbeit = But.
speak. App-121.
them, &c. = the perfect. Greek. teleios. App-125.
world = age. App-129.
nor. Greek. oude.
princes = rulers.
come to nought = are being brought to nought. Greek. katargeo. See 1Co 1:28.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
6-16.] Yet the Apostles spoke wisdom among the perfect, but of a kind higher than the wisdom of this world; a wisdom revealed from God by the Spirit, only intelligible by the spiritual man, and not by the unspiritual (). The Apostle rejects the imputation, that the Gospel and its preaching is inconsistent with wisdom, rightly understood: nay, shews that the wisdom of the Gospel is of a far higher order than that of the wise in this world, and far above their comprehension.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Co 2:6. , but we speak wisdom) He returns, as it were after a parenthesis, to what he had slightly mentioned at 1Co 1:23-25 : we speak, contains by implication an epanalepsis[19] of the words, we preach [ch. 1Co 1:23]; but we speak refers to something secret, as appears from comparing 1Co 2:7; 1Co 2:13; we preach, to something public; for wisdom here denotes not the whole of the Christian doctrine, but its sublime and secret leading principles. There is also an antithesis of the past tense, 1Co 2:1, etc. [came-determined, etc.], and of the present in this passage [we speak].- ) in the case of [penes perfectos; as far as concerns] them that are perfect, at Corinth or elsewhere. Construe with, we speak. The knowledge of God and Christ is the highest knowledge. Comp. , 1Co 14:11 [ ,-a barbarian, unto me] Php 1:30.[20] Not only worldly and natural men are opposed to the perfect, even to the end of the chapter, but also carnal men and babes, ch. 3 at the beginning; Heb 5:14; Heb 5:13.–, not-nor) God is opposed to the world, 1Co 2:7; the apostles, to the princes of the world, 1Co 2:8, etc.-, of the princes) 1Co 1:20. Paul uses a word of wide signification, in which he comprehends men of rank both among the Jews and Greeks.- , who come to nought) 1Co 1:19; 1Co 1:28. This epithet applies to the princes of the world, and to the world itself; whence it is evident, that the wisdom of the world is not true, because it does not lead men to immortality.
[19] See App. Where the same word or words are in the beginning of a preceding member, and in the end of a following member; thus marking a parenthesis; as here, from 1Co 1:23-25, to 1Co 2:6.
[20] The same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me, . So here, we speak in the case of the perfect.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 2:6
1Co 2:6
We speak wisdom, however, among them that are full-grown:-Paul had been disavowing that he had spoken after the wisdom of the world; and now avows that what he had spoken was according to the wisdom of the full grown-those filled with the wisdom of God. [The full grown are those who have advanced beyond the position of beginners in the Christian life into the higher sphere of thorough and comprehensive insight into its duties, privileges, and blessings. While admitting their knowledge (1Co 1:5), he appeals to their contentions (1Co 3:1), in proof that they were still babes in Christ, and therefore not prepared for solid food which is for full-grown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil (Heb 5:14). Jesus himself teaches the principle of adaptation to the various stages in the Christian life, when he said to his sorrowing disciples: I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. (Joh 16:12).]
yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world,-In this he keeps before them that what the world calls wisdom is foolishness with God and his servants.
who are coming to naught;-They must fall and their wisdom perish.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Gods Wisdom Spiritually Revealed
1Co 2:6-16
The perfect are those who are full grown and matured in Christian experience. They need strong meat. For them there are blessed unveilings of the secret things of God, such as the profoundest thinkers of this world have never reached. The words in 1Co 2:9 must not be applied to heaven alone; in their first intention they belong to us in this mortal life. The human eye that has seen the fairest of earths things, and the ear that has heard the sweetest strains of human melody, have never experienced the depths of enjoyment of those who have found the love of God in Christ. They who know Christ should not be content with the mere rudiments of the gospel, but should follow on to know those deeper things which evade men who are merely clever, but are revealed to those who are really good.
There are two types of men. There is the spiritual man, whose spirit is the temple and dwelling-place of the Spirit of God. He knows the thoughts of God, because he has a living union with the eternal Mind. And there is the natural man, possessing merely the intellect and conscience of ordinary humanity.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
perfect
i.e. full grown. (See Scofield “Mat 5:48”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
them: 1Co 14:20,*Gr: Job 1:1, Psa 37:37, Mat 5:48, Mat 19:21, 2Co 13:11, Eph 4:11-13, Phi 3:12-15, Col 4:12, Heb 5:14, Jam 3:2, 1Pe 5:10
not: 1Co 2:1, 1Co 2:13, 1Co 1:18, 1Co 1:19, Luk 16:8, 2Co 1:12, 2Co 4:4, Eph 2:2, Jam 3:15
of the: 1Co 2:8, Job 12:19, Job 12:21, Psa 2:1-6, Isa 19:11-13, Isa 40:23, Act 4:25-28
come: 1Co 1:28, Psa 33:10
Reciprocal: Job 28:20 – General Psa 146:4 – his thoughts Pro 2:7 – layeth Pro 8:6 – for Jer 3:15 – which shall Amo 5:5 – come Mat 11:25 – because Mat 23:34 – and wise Luk 10:21 – thou hast Joh 11:49 – Ye 1Co 2:12 – not 1Co 3:1 – as unto spiritual 1Co 3:19 – the wisdom 1Co 4:19 – but 1Co 12:8 – is given Eph 3:4 – ye may Phi 3:15 – as Col 1:28 – in all Col 2:3 – In whom 1Ti 6:20 – oppositions 2Ti 2:15 – rightly Jam 1:4 – perfect and Jam 3:17 – the wisdom
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 2:6. The notes at chapter 1:18 should be consulted again. Perfect is used in the same sense as called in chapter 1:24. Those who accept the Gospel from the heart will see in it a genuine wisdom that is beyond all comparison with that of the world. Princes of this world means the leaders among the philosophers of Greece.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 2:6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect. This is a favourite Pauline word, having one well-defined sense, with only varying shades according to the subject treated of. With reference to Christs work, it denotes its completion by His death (Heb 2:10; Heb 5:10); with regard to the believers standing before God in virtue of that completed work, it expresses his perfect acceptance (Heb 10:14, compared with 1Co 9:9 and 1Co 10:1); and in relation to his stage of advancement in the Christian life, it means his full apprehension of gospel truththat of full-grown men as contrasted with the immaturity of the babes in Christ (chap. 1Co 3:1-2; Heb 5:12-14). This last is clearly the sense here. For only when this stage is reachedwhen the gospel scheme can be grasped as a whole, and be surveyed all roundcan the wisdom there is in it be fully discovered.
Yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world,the rulers of its thought even more than of its power, Greek and Jew alike,that are coming to nought,through the silently but surely undermining power of the Gospel.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle here proceeds in discoursing to the Corinthins of the excellency of his ministry amongst them, to obviate the contempt which some might cast upon it for want of human eloquence, sublimity of learning, and accurateness of speech; as if the apostle had said, “Though the wise men of the world account me a fool, and my preaching foolishness, yet I speak the highest wisdom among them that are perfect, or fully instructed in the principles of the Christian faith.” Although the discourses of the ablest ministers of the gospel seem jujune and dry to carnal hearts, yet they have an excellency of wisdom and depth of judgment in them, which spiritual and judicious Christians do own and acknowledge.
Here observe, 1. The title which the apostle gives to the gospel of Christ, which he preached: he styles it the wisdom of God, the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world was;–the wisdom of God, because it makes men truly wise, wise to salvation, directing us to use the best means in order to the best and highest end; and the hidden mysterious wisdom of God, because it lay hid in the secret counsels of God from all eternity, and afterwards lay hid under the Jewish types, but is now revealed by the ministry of Christ and his holy apostles; revealed in due time to our glory, that is, to be the means of our happiness and glory. The gracious purpose and design of God in the recovery of a lost world to happiness and glory, by the death and sufferings of his dear and only Son, was so mysterious and surprising, that it could never have entered the thoughts of men or angels, had not God himself discovered it by the revelation of the gospel.
Observe, 2. The comparison which the apostle makes betwixt the wisdom of the gospel and the wisdom of this world: The wisdom of this world, and of the princes of this world, comes to nought.
By the wisdom of the world, understand the wisdom of the heathen Gentile world, the learning of their admired philosphers, all which comes to nought: that is, it is of no signficancy at all in order to the best and highest end, the salvation of the soul.
Christianity or the knowledge of the gospel, is the best knowledge of the truest and highest wisdom; ’tis the best knowledge, because it contains the knowledge of God and our duty, which is the most excellent, the most useful knowledge; and it is the truest wisdom, because it is to be wise for ourselves, and to be wise as to our chief interest; it propounds to us the noblest end, to wit, the glory of God, and our soul’s salvation; and it directs us to use the best, the surest, and wisest means, for the certain obtaining of that end.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
The Spirit Reveals God’s Wisdom
Paul indicated he was ready to speak with wisdom from God if his listeners were ready to hear it. However, he would not speak with a worldly wisdom, which would have resulted in giving them nothing. Instead, he was prepared to speak with the wisdom which was from God. McGarvey shows that Paul on several occasions spoke of the gospel as a mystery ( Rom 16:25 ; Eph 3:4-9 ; Col 1:26 ; 1Ti 3:16 ). It took wisdom from above to make known God’s plan of salvation which had long been hidden, but was revealed in Christ. McGarvey goes on to show that it continued to be a mystery to those who, out of their wickedness, refused to hear ( 1Co 2:6-7 ; Mat 11:25 ; Mat 13:10-13 ).
The “rulers of this world” had proven they were ignorant, in respect to this mystery, when they crucified our Lord. Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” ( Luk 23:34 ). Paul cited Isa 64:4 to show man did not understand God’s plan of salvation. It took the revealing work of the Holy Spirit for men to come to an understanding of God’s mystery. Man, through his wisdom, could not have discovered the truth. Specifically, God’s inspired spokesmen were the ones through whom the Spirit made the mystery known. Through them, for the first time, God perfectly made known the plans he had kept in his heart since before creation ( 1Co 2:8-10 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
1Co 2:6-8. Howbeit, we speak wisdom Yea, the truest and most excellent wisdom: for the subject matter of our preaching is the most wise contrivance and counsel of God concerning the salvation of mankind by Christ crucified, which will be acknowledged to be the highest wisdom, though not by learned philosophers, yet by humble, sincere, and well- instructed Christians. Such are here meant by them that are perfect That is, perfectly enlightened by the Word and Spirit of God, and renewed by his grace, so as to have attained to a maturity of Christian knowledge and experience: being no longer children, but men in understanding, (1Co 14:20,) having arrived at spiritual manhood, called, Eph 4:13, the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. See also Heb 5:14; Heb 6:1, where , perfect, is taken in the same sense, and is rendered, of full age, and signifies those who no longer need to be fed with milk, being able to digest strong meat, having, by reason of use, or habit, their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. What the apostle here calls wisdom, includes, as Macknight justly observes, the doctrine concerning the person and offices of Christ, treated of in his epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians; the justification of sinners by faith counted to them for righteousness, explained in his epistle to the Romans; the rejection and resumption of the Jews, foretold in the same epistle; the coming and destruction of the man of sin, foretold 2 Thessalonians 2.; the priesthood, sacrifice, and intercession of Christ, explained in his epistle to the Hebrews; and the resurrection of the dead, foretold in this epistle: in short, the whole doctrine of the gospel, taken complexly. Yet not the wisdom of this world The wisdom admired and taught by the men of this world, such as that which teaches men how to manage their temporal affairs properly, in order to their living comfortable lives upon earth, and the various branches of human learning. Nor of the princes Or rulers; of this world The wisdom admired and sought by the great politicians of the age, whether Jews or Gentiles; that come to naught Both they, and their wisdom, and the world itself. But Being taught of God to despise the transient vanities which delude the generality of mankind; we speak the wisdom of God Infinitely more worthy, surely, of the attentive consideration and regard of all rational and immortal beings, than the short-lived wisdom of this world: in a mystery Such as no creature could discover without supernatural revelation, Eph 3:9-10, and which was especially kept secret from the wise and learned of the world, 1Co 2:8 : even the hidden wisdom Hidden formerly under holy mysteries and Jewish types, and but darkly revealed to and by the prophets; and altogether unknown to the heathen: which God ordained before the world Purposed from everlasting to reveal in the gospel; unto our glory To bring us to glory by the saving knowledge of it: glory arising from the glory of our Lord, and then to be revealed when all worldly glory vanishes. So far is this wisdom from coming to naught, like worldly wisdom! Which none of the princes of this world knew Whether Jewish or heathen; for had they known it Had they understood this wisdom, and known that the only way to attain happiness was to receive in faith, love, and new obedience, Jesus of Nazareth, as the true Messiah and only Saviour, and the great truths of his everlasting gospel; surely they would not have crucified Punished as a slave; the Lord of glory The glorious Head of his church and of the world, the final Judge of men and angels, and the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him, Heb 5:9. The giving Christ this august title, peculiar to Deity, plainly shows him to be, in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit, the true God. Thus the Father is styled, the Father of glory, Eph 1:17, and the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of glory, 1Pe 4:14. The application of this title to all the three, shows that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are the God of glory, as the only true God is called, Psa 29:3, Act 7:2.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vers. 6b-9.
The apostle describes wisdom, of which he speaks from the viewpoint of its superhuman origin (1Co 2:6-7), then from that of its impenetrable obscurity to the natural understanding (1Co 2:8-9).
And first, its origin, what it is not (1Co 2:6 b), and what it is (1Co 2:7).
This wisdom is not a conception due to the mind of the world, nor even to the genius of its most illustrious representatives. The indicates the resumption of the idea of , which is about to be developed; comp. the , Rom 6:22.
On , see on 1Co 1:20.
The , princes of this world, are not, as has been thought by Origen, Ambrosiaster, Bertholdt, the demons. Some have alleged the Johannine expression and Eph 6:12. But how could Paul say of the demons, in 1Co 2:8, that if they had known Jesus Christ, they would not have crucified Him? Precisely the opposite would be the case. It is equally mistaken to think with others, of the Greek philosophers, who could not be accused of having crucified the Lord (1Co 2:8). Paul rather means those who in his time directed the national mind of Israel, those who were the authorities in the Sanhedrim, and perhaps, also, of the Jewish and Gentile representatives of political power in Israel, such as Herod and Pilate. These representatives of human intelligence and politics took part directly or remotely in the execution of the Divine plan, without even suspecting it. And so its growing accomplishment goes to make them disappear. The present participle , who are abolished, is connected by Meyer with the near date of the Parousia, and by Rckert with God’s unchangeable decree. It seems to me that it is simpler to regard it as indicating the actual fact: in proportion as the power of the gospel increases on the earth, the representatives of human wisdom lose their dominion, which will end by escaping from their hands altogether.
In the following verse the apostle indicates the true origin of evangelical wisdom.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
We [as an inspired apostle] speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought [Paul here begins to correct the impression which his semi-ironical language about the foolishness of God might have made, and proceeds to show that the gospel is the highest wisdom–a wisdom which he had not yet been able to impart to the Corinthians because it could only be comprehended by mature Christians, and so was above the receptive powers of the Corinthians who as yet were mere babes in Christ (1Co 3:1). But if the Corinthians who were developing in spiritual manhood could not receive this heavenly wisdom, much less could the world-rulers who were moving backward, crab-fashion, into nothingness, in accordance with the plan of God outlined in the last section. Thus the apostle reveals the startling fact that progression in philosophical and political worldliness is retrogression as to the kingdom of God, so that the Corinthians in seeking to better their religious condition by bringing these worldly elements into the church, were not only retarding their spiritual growth, but were actually associating themselves with those who were shrinking and shriveling toward the vanishing point]:
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
6. We speak wisdom among the perfect. Perfect is from the Latin per, complete, and facio, make. Hence it simply means made complete, i. e., Christ has done a complete work in you. What is the work of Christ?
He came to destroy the works of the devil (1Jn 3:8).
All sin is the work of the devil. Therefore He came to destroy all sin. Since He is omnipotent, He is certainly abundantly able to do it. When that work is done in your heart, then you are what the Bible calls a perfect Christian. Perhaps you are but a babe in Christ, and have much to learn before you progress into spiritual adult age. And not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are destined to come to naught. This belongs to the Satanic ages of the world, which began with the Fall and will wind up with the Tribulation.
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit (Dan 7:9).
In this and many other prophecies in the Old and New Testaments we see a corroboration of the Pauline prediction in this verse, setting forth the fact that the dominion of the worlds rulers, both political and ecclesiastical, is simply conterminous with Satans reign upon the earth. He is the god of this world (2Co 4:4), ruling it through his human subordinates. When he is cast out (Revelation 20) all of his Myrmidons will go out simultaneously with the toppling and falling of all human thrones, amid the awful retributive judgments of the Ancient of days, who will come down in the great Tribulation, shaking every usurper from His throne (Act 2:35), and thus preparing all the world for the coronation of His Son, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
1Co 2:6-16. Yet there Is a Christian Wisdom Revealed by Gods Spirit.Yet there is a true wisdom of which the Christian teachers speak to those who are mature; not a wisdom of this world or of the angels who are its rulers and are coming to nought, but Gods wisdom in a mystery now disclosed, a hidden wisdom predestined before time to secure our perfection; not known to the world-rulers, who otherwise would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. By rulers of the world Paul means angels, the principalities and powers, the elements of the world (Gal 4:3; Gal 4:9, Col 2:8). The identification with the Roman governor and the Jewish high priest, still held by some scholars, does not suit the words who are coming to nought, nor the present tense knoweth, nor the immediate context. Paul is speaking here of a wisdom which he proclaims only to the fully initiated, a hidden wisdom preordained before time. How should Pilate and Caiaphas be acquainted with this? Angels have superhuman knowledge, therefore their ignorance cannot be taken for granted; it is natural that Paul should explicitly affirm it, and it is implied in Eph 3:10, 1Pe 1:12. It is a mistake to think of these angels as evil, nor are they necessarily hostile, they act in ignorance rather than from malice. The old order, especially the Law (Acts 7, Galatians 3, Hebrews 2, and Col. generally), was under their control; and the death which Christ bore as the Laws penalty was naturally inflicted by the angels who gave and administered the Law. An angel has no meaning apart from his function; the angels of the Law cannot transcend the legal point of view. The wisdom of which Paul is speaking is that set forth in 1Co 2:9, the secrets of the future, especially the glory foreordained for Christians. Had these angels known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of that glory. Paul can hardly mean the mystery of redemption, for he is speaking of teaching reserved for those who are sufficiently developed to receive it. Our knowledge of it has been communicated through the Holy Spirit (1Co 2:10). Paul may have specially in mind the ecstatic conditions in which he was borne away into the third heaven (2Co 12:2-4). While he heard there unutterable things, he would also probably suppose himself to have gained an insight into heavenly mysteries such as could be revealed to those ripe enough to receive it. Ezekiel describes his trance condition by saying that he was in the spirit (Eze 37:1), and similarly John in Rev 1:10; Rev 4:2. It is true that the revelations given by the prophets in the Christian assemblies were considered to come from the Spirit. Yet Paul can hardly be thinking of these, for they were uttered indiscriminately in the congregation; whereas Paul is speaking of a wisdom communicated only to initiates. Even if the phraseology is borrowed from the mysteries, we must not suppose that there was an esoteric Christianity disclosed only to those who were actually initiated into Christian mysteries. Paul means that he fits his teaching to the capacity of his hearers. If they quarrel with the simplicity of his preaching, it is simple because they cannot assimilate anything more advanced. When they become more mature, he can impart a more advanced doctrine. Thus Paul humiliates the conceit of the church, which prided itself on its knowledge. He proceeds (1Co 2:10 b) to explain how it is that the Spirit can reveal. He thoroughly explores all things, fathoms even the depths of Gods being and purpose. And He alone can reveal the mind of God, since He alone can know it. Just as the spirit of each man is alone able to know the thoughts and emotions within him, so only the Spirit of God can know Gods innermost experiences. It is this all-searching Spirit, Paul continues, that we have received. True, the fact of inspiration does not determine its quality; an evil spirit might invade the personality, the spiritual gifts include the discrimination of spirits, and possibly such utterances as Jesus Anathema! might be heard in the Christian assemblies (1Co 12:3*). But such an evil spirit is not the source of our knowledge as to the glories prepared by God for us. And this Spirit-given knowledge is not merely possessed, it is uttered in Spirit-given words, the speaker combining spiritual truth with spiritual expression. But spiritual things can be imparted only to those who are fit to receive them. Man, as he is by nature, cannot accept them; he looks on them as folly, nor has he the capacity to apprehend them because they respond only to spiritual tests which he is unable to apply. But the spiritual man tests everything, for the spiritual is the highest realm and commands those beneath; whereas the natural man has no competence to estimate the spiritual, he lives on a lower plane. No one, Scripture says (Isa 40:13), has apprehended the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him. And since by union with Him we have His mind, we are equally beyond human judgment.
1Co 2:9. The source of the quotation is very uncertain. If from the OT (as the formula of citation suggests), it is from Isa 64:4 combined with Isa 65:17. The points of contact are so slight that no confidence can be felt in this derivation. If the source is not the OT, Paul has quoted another work under a misapprehension. Origen attributes it to the Secrets of Elijah the Prophet, but the relation is more probably to be reversed.
1Co 2:13. The last clause is difficult. RV gives no relevant sense. Interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men (mg.) is philologically questionable. The most probable view is that adopted above. Bousset thinks the reference is to speaking with tongues, the heavenly truth being uttered in the heavenly language. But speech in a tongue was unintelligible apart from an interpreter, whereas Paul implies that the language will be understood and the truth accepted by any who are spiritual, few of whom might have the gift of interpretation. Besides, the words would be intelligible even to the natural man, the reason why he does not welcome them is not their unintelligibility but their foolishness.
1Co 2:14. natural (psuchikos); we have no strict equivalent in English; natural perhaps gives the right suggestion as well as anything.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Verse 6
The meaning is, that, though he had presented only the simplest elements of Christianity to the people of Corinth, in, first planting the gospel among them, still there were higher truths revealed which he was accustomed to present to those who had made more advanced attainments in religious knowledge.–Nor of the princes of this world; that is, not the wisdom held in estimation by the princes of this world. By the princes of this world may, very probably, be intended the leading influences and authorities by which the sentiment of the world is governed.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
SECTION 4 PAUL PREACHES WISDOM TO MATURE CHRISTIANS: BUT HIS READERS ARE NOT SUCH CH. 2:6-3:4
Wisdom, however, we do speak, among them that are full grown; but wisdom not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nought.* (*Or, being made of no effect.) But we speak God’s wisdom, in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God foreordained before the ages for our glory; which not one of the rulers of this age knows, (for, if they had known it, not the Lord of the glory would they have crucified,) but, according as it is written, Things which Eye has not seen and Ear has not heard and into man’s heart have not gone up, so many things as God has prepared for those that love Him. (Isa 64:4.) But to us God has revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows, of men, the things of the man except the spirit of the man which is in him? In this way also the things of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. But we, not the spirit of the world did we receive but the Spirit which is from God, that we may know the things which by God have been graciously given to us. Which things we also speak, not in taught words of human wisdom, but in taught words of the Spirit to spiritual things joining spiritual things.
But a soul-governed man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. for they are foolishness to him,; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (Or, examined, examines.) But the spiritual man discernst all things: but himself is by no one discerned. (Or, examined, examines.) For who has learnt the mind of the Lord, and will instruct Him? And, as for us, we have the mind of Christ.
And I, brothers, I could not (Or, have not been able to speak.) speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of the flesh, as to babes in Christ. Milk I gave you to drink, not solid food. for not yet were you strong enough. No, not yet even now are you strong enough. For you are still fleshly. For where there is among you emulation and strife, are you not fleshly and walk as men? For when one says, I am a follower of Paul, another, I of Apollos, are you not men?
Although the Gospel does not claim acceptance because it imparts wisdom, yet, to mature Christians, it imparts the highest wisdom, 1Co 2:6-9; a wisdom revealed to Paul and his colleagues by the Spirit, 1Co 2:10-13; and therefore incomprehensible to men possessing only natural intelligence, 1Co 2:14-16; to men such as the conduct of Paul’s readers proves them to be, 1Co 3:1-4.
Fuente: Beet’s Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament
2:6 {4} Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are {e} perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the {f} princes of this world, that come to nought:
(4) Another argument taken from the nature of the thing, that is, of the Gospel, which is true wisdom, but known only to those who are desirous of perfection: and it is unsavoury to those who otherwise excel in the world, but yet vainly and frailly.
(e) They are called perfect here, not who had already gotten perfection, but those who are striving for it, as in Php 3:15 : so that perfect is contrasted with weak.
(f) Those that are wiser, richer, or mightier than other men are.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
3. The Spirit’s ministry of revealing God’s Wisdom 2:6-16
Paul’s reference to the Holy Spirit’s power (1Co 2:4-5) led him to elaborate on the Spirit’s ministry in enlightening the minds of believers and unbelievers alike. The Corinthians needed to view ministry differently. The key to this change would be the Holy Spirit’s illumination of their thinking. People who are pursuing true wisdom (sophia) cannot perceive it except as the Holy Spirit enlightens them.
Paul constructed his argument in this section with three contrasts that overlap slightly. The first contrast is between those who receive God’s wisdom and those who do not (1Co 2:6-10 a), and the second one is the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world (1Co 2:10-13). The third contrast is the "natural" person and the "spiritual" person (1Co 2:14-16). [Note: Carson, pp. 46, 52, 56.]
"Paul is not here rebuilding what he has just torn down. He is retooling their understanding of the Spirit and spirituality, in order that they might perceive the truth of what he has been arguing to this point.
"While it is true that much of the language of this paragraph is not common to Paul, the explanation of this phenomenon is, as before, to be found in his using their language but filling it with his own content and thus refuting them. The theology, however, is his own, and it differs radically from theirs. . . . Paul’s concern throughout is to get the Corinthians to understand who they are-in terms of the cross-and to stop acting as non-Spirit people." [Note: Fee, The First . . ., p. 100.]
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Even though Paul’s preaching of the gospel was simple and clear, there was a depth to his message that he did not want the Corinthians to overlook. Immature Christians cannot understand the real depths of the gospel fully. Later Paul would say the Corinthians were not mature (1Co 3:1-3).
Paul could have been using the word "mature" as synonymous with "Christian." He may have selected the word "mature" because the Corinthians apparently loved to apply it to themselves.
"All Christians are ’mature’ in the sense that they have come to terms with the message of the cross, while all others, by definition, have not." [Note: Carson, p. 47.]
However, Paul later distinguished the natural person, the spiritual person, and the carnal person (1Co 2:14 to 1Co 3:4). Consequently by spiritual he probably meant one who has followed God’s Spirit for some time, not just one who has His Spirit (cf. Heb 6:1).
The deep things of God require a type of wisdom that is different from secular wisdom. Presently those who control the climate of public opinion dominate secular wisdom. These rulers are those individuals who set the standard of what people who disregard God’s revelation consider as true (cf. 1Co 1:20; 1Co 1:26), particularly those who were responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion (1Co 2:8). However these people are on the way out because the popular perception of what is true changes and because Christ will end their rule eventually (1Co 15:24-25; Col 2:15).
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Chapter 5
DIVINE WISDOM
IN the preceding paragraph Paul has explained why he had proclaimed the bare facts regarding Christ and His crucifixion and trusted to the Cross itself to impress the Corinthians and lead them to God, and why he had resisted the temptation to appeal to the Corinthian taste for rhetoric and philosophy by exhibiting Christianity as a philosophy. He believed that where conversion was the object of preaching no method could compare in efficiency with the simple presentation of the Cross. But sometimes he found himself in circumstances in which conversion could not be his object. He was occasionally called, as preachers in our own day are regularly called, to preach to those who were already Christians. And he tells us that in these circumstances, speaking “among the perfect,” or in presence of fairly mature Christians, he made no scruple of unfolding the “wisdom” or philosophy of Christs truth. To expound the deeper truths revealed by Christ was useless or even hurtful to mere “babes” in Christ or to those who as yet were not even born again; but to the adolescent and to those who might lay claim to have attained some firm manhood of Christian character, he was forward to teach all he himself knew. These words, “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect,” he makes the text of the following paragraph, in which he proceeds to explain (1) what the wisdom is; (2) how he speaks it; (3) to whom he speaks it.
I. First, the wisdom which he speaks among the perfect, though eminently deserving of the name, is not on a level with human philosophies, nor is it of a similar origin. It is not just one more added to human searches after truth. The princes of this world, its men of light and leading, have had their own theories of God and man, and yet have really “come to nought.” The incompetence of the men and theories that actually control human affairs is put beyond a doubt by the crucifixion of Christ. In the person of Christ the glory of God was manifested as a glory, in which man was to partake; had there been diffused among men any true perception of the real nature of God, the Crucifixion would have been an impossibility. The fact that Gods incarnate glory was crucified is a demonstration of the insufficiency of all previous teaching regarding God. But the wisdom taught by Paul is not just one theory more, devised by the speculative ingenuity of man; it is a disclosure made by God of knowledge unattainable by human endeavour. The three great sources of human knowledge-seeing, hearing, and thought-alike fail here. “Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, it has not entered into the heart of man to conceive,” this wisdom. Hitherto it has been a mystery, a thing hidden; now God has Himself revealed it.
What the contents of this wisdom are, we can readily perceive from such specimens of it as Paul gives us in his Epistle to the Ephesians and elsewhere. It is a declaration of the Divine purpose towards man, or of “the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Paul delighted to expatiate on the far-reaching results of Christs death, the illustrations it gives of the nature of God and of righteousness, its place as the grand moral centre, holding together and reconciling all things. He delights to show the superiority of the Gospel to the Law and to build up a philosophy of history which sheds light on the entire plan of Gods training of men. The purpose of God and its fulfilment by the death of Christ he is never weary of contemplating, nor of showing how out of destitution, and disease, and war, and ignorance, and moral ruin, and what seemed a mere wreck of a world there were to be brought by this one healing element the restoration of man to God and to one another, fellowship with God and peace on earth, in short a kingdom of God among men. He clearly saw how through all that had previously happened on earth, and through all that men had thought, preparation had been made for the fulfilment of this gracious purpose of God. These were “the deep things of God” which caused him to see how different was the wisdom of God from the wisdom of men.
This “wisdom” which Paul taught has had a larger and more influential place in mens minds than any other system of human thought. Christendom, has seen Christ through Pauls eyes. He interpreted Christianity to the world, and made men aware of what had been and was in their midst. Men of the largest faculty, such as Augustine and Luther, have been unable to find a religion in Christ until they entered His school by Pauls door. Stumbling at one or two Jewish peculiarities which attach to Pauls theology, some modern critics assure us that, “after having been for three hundred years”-and they might have said for fifteen hundred years-“the Christian doctor par excellence, Paul is now coming to an end of his reign.” Matthew Arnold, with truer discernment, if not on sounder grounds, predicts that “the doctrine of Paul will arise out of the tomb where for centuries it has lain buried. It will edify the Church of the future. It will have the consent of happier generations, the applause of less superstitious ages. All will be too little to pay half the debt which the Church of God owes to this least of the Apostles, who was not fit to be called an Apostle, because he persecuted the Church of God.”
We may find in Pauls writings arguments which, however convincing to the Jew, are not convincing to us; we may prefer his experimental and ethical to his doctrinal teaching; some estimable people can only accept him when they have purged him of his Calvinism; others shut their eyes to this or that which seems to them a blot in his writings; but the, fact remains that it is to this man we owe our Christianity. It was he who disengaged from the dying body of Judaism the newborn religion and held it aloft in the eye of the world as the true heir to universal empire. It was he whose piercing intellect and keen moral discernment penetrated to the very heart of this new thing, and saw in it a force to conquer the world and to rid men of all bondage and evil of every kind. It was he who applied to the whole range of human life and duty the inexhaustible ethical force which lay in Christ, and thus lifted at one effort the heathen world to a new level of morality. He was the first to show the superiority of love to law, and to point out how God trusted to love, and to summon men to meet the trust God thus reposed in them. We cannot measure Pauls greatness, because the light he has himself shed has made it impossible for us to put ourselves back in imagination into the darkness through which he had to find his way. We can but dimly measure the strength that was required to grasp as he grasped the significance of Gods manifestation in the flesh.
Paul then used two methods of teaching. In addressing those who had yet to be won to Christ, he used the foolishness of preaching, and presented to them the Cross of Christ. In addressing those who had already owned the power of the Cross and made some growth in Christian knowledge and character, he enlarged upon the significance of the Cross and the light it threw on all moral relations, on God and on man. And even in this department of his work he disclaims any desire to propagate a philosophy of his own. The system of truth he proclaims to the Christian people is not of his own devising. It is not in virtue of his own speculative ability he has discovered it. It is not one of the wisdoms of this world, having its origin in the brain of an ingenious theorist. On the contrary, it has its origin in God, and partakes therefore of the truth and stability attaching to the thoughts of God.
II. But if it be undiscoverable by man, how does Paul come to know it? To the Corinthian intelligence there seemed but these three ways of learning anything: seeing, hearing, or thinking; and if Gods wisdom was attainable by none of these, how was it reached? Paul proceeds to show how he was enabled to “speak” this wisdom. He does this in vers. 10-13 {1Co 2:10-13}, in which his chief affirmations are that the Spirit of God alone knows the mind of God, that this Spirit has been given to him to reveal to him Gods mind and to enable him to divulge that mind to others in suitable words.
1. The Spirit of God alone knows the mind of God and searches its deep things, just as none but the spirit of man which is in him knows the things of man. “There is in every man a life hidden from all eyes, a world of impressions, anxieties, aspirations, and struggles, of which he alone, in so far as he is a spirit-that is to say, a conscious and personal being-gives account to himself. This inner world is unknown to others, except in so far as he reveals it to them by speech.” And if we are baffled often and deceived regarding human character and find ourselves unable to penetrate to the “deep things” of man, to his inmost thoughts and motives, much more is it true that “the deep things” of God are wholly beyond our ken and are only known by the Spirit of God which is in Him. A vague and uncertain guess, possibly not altogether wrong, probably altogether wrong, is all we can attain to.
2. And still more certainly true is this of Gods purposes. Even though you flatter yourself you know a mans nature, you cannot certainly predict his intentions. You cannot anticipate the thoughts of an able man whom you see designing a machine, or planning a building, or conceiving a literary work; you cannot say in what form a vindictive man will wreak his vengeance; nor can you penetrate through the abstracted look of the charitable and read the precise form his bounty will take. Every great work even of man comes upon us by surprise; the various inventions that facilitate business, the new poems, the new books, the new works of art, have never been conceived before. They were hidden mysteries until the originating mind disclosed them. And much more were Gods intentions and His method of accomplishing inconceivable by any but Himself. What Gods purpose was in creating man, what He designed to accomplish through the death of Christ, what was to be the outcome of all human life, and temptation, and struggle-these things were Gods secret, known only to the Spirit of God that was in Him.
3. This Spirit, Paul declares, was given to him, and revealed to him Gods purposes, “the things which are freely given to us of God.” He had received “not the spirit of the world,” which would have enabled him only to theorise, and speculate, and create another “wisdom of this world”; but he had received “the Spirit which is of God,” and this Spirit had revealed to him “the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
We may think of revelation either as the act of God or as it is received by man. God reveals Himself in all He does, as man discloses his character in all he does. With Gods first act therefore in the remotest past revelation began. As yet there was none to receive the knowledge of God, but God showed His nature and His purpose as soon as He began to do anything. And this revelation of Himself has continued ever since. In the world around us and the earth on which we live God reveals Himself; “the things which are made,” as Paul says, “give us clearly to see and understand the invisible things of God, His unseen nature, from the creation of the world.” Still more fully is Gods nature revealed in man: in conscience, distinguishing between right and wrong; in the spirit craving fellowship with the Eternal. In the history of nations, and especially in the history of that nation which founded itself upon its idea of God, He revealed Himself. By guiding it, by delivering it from Egypt, by punishing it, God made Himself known to Israel. And at length in Jesus Christ God gave the fullest possible manifestation of Himself. The veil was entirely lifted, and God came as much as possible into free intercourse with His creatures. He nut Himself within reach of our knowledge.
But it was not enough that God be revealed objectively in Christ; there must also be a subjective revelation within the soul of the beholder. It was not enough that God be manifested in the flesh and men be allowed to draw such inferences as they could from that manifestation; but, in addition to this, God gave His Spirit to Paul and others that they might see the full significance of that manifestation. It was quite possible for men to be witnesses of the objective revelation without understanding it. The open eye is needed as well as outward light. And Paul everywhere insists upon this: that he had received his knowledge of Divine truth by revelation, not by the mere exercise of his own unaided thought, but by a spiritual enlightenment through the gift of Gods Spirit.
The presence of Gods Spirit in any man can of course only be verified by the results. Gods Spirit working in and by means of mans nature cannot be known in separation from the mans spirit and the work done in that spirit. This inward revelation which Paul refers to is accomplished by the action of the Divine Spirit on the human faculties, quickening and elevating these faculties. The revelation or new knowledge acquired by Paul was given by God, but at the same time was acquired by Pauls own faculties, so that it remained with him always, just as the knowledge we naturally acquire remains with us and can be freely used by us. An inward revelation can come to a man only in the form of impressions, convictions, thoughts arising in his own mind. Paul knew that his knowledge was a revelation of God, not by the suddenness with which it was imparted, not by supernatural appearances accompanying it, not by any sense or consciousness of another Spirit working with his own, but by the results. It is always the substance or content of any revelation which proves its origin. Paul knew he had the mind of Christ because he found that he could understand Christs words and work, could perfectly sympathise with His aims and look at things from Christs point of view.
In their humility, many persons shrink from making this affirmation here made by Paul; they cannot ever unhesitatingly affirm that the Spirit of God is given them or that they have the mind of Christ. Such persons should recognise that it was the very humility of Paul which enabled him so confidently to affirm these things of himself. He knew that the knowledge of Christs purposes he had and the sympathy with them were the evidence of Gods Spirit working in him. He knew that without Gods Spirit he himself could never have had these thoughts. And it is-when we recognise our own insufficiency most that we are readiest to confess the presence of Gods Spirit.
4. But Paul makes a further affirmation. Not only is the knowledge he has of Divine things a revelation made by Gods Spirit to him, but the words in which he declares this revelation to others are taught him by the same Spirit: “which things we also speak, not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The meaning of these last words is doubtful. They either mean “fitting spiritual words to spiritual truths,” or “applying spiritual truths to spiritual people.” The sense of the passage is not materially altered whichever meaning is adopted. Paul distinctly affirms that as his knowledge is gained by Gods revealing it to him, so his utterance of this knowledge is by the inspiration of God. The spirit of the world produces its philosophies and clothes them in appropriate language. The philosophies with which the Corinthians were familiar taught how the world was made and what mans nature is, and they did so in language full of technicalities and adorned with rhetorical devices. Paul disclaimed this; both his knowledge and the form in which he taught it were dictated, not by the Spirit of this world, but by the Spirit of God. The same truths which Paul declared might have been declared in better Greek than he used, and they might have been embellished with illustrative matter and references to their own authors. This style of presenting Divine truth may have been urged upon Paul by some of his Corinthian hearers as far more likely to find entrance into the Greek mind. But Paul refused to allow his style to be formed by human wisdom and the literary methods of secular authors, and thought it more suitable to proclaim spiritual truth in spiritual language and in words which were taught him by the Holy Ghost.
This statement of Paul may be construed into a guarantee of the general accuracy of his teaching; but it was not intended to be that. Paul did not express himself in this way in order to convince men of his accuracy, still less to convince them that every word he uttered was infallibly correct; what he intended was to justify his use of a certain kind of language and a certain style of teaching. The spirit of this world adopts one method of insinuating knowledge into the mind; the Spirit of God uses another method. It is the latter Paul adopts. That is what he means to say, and it is obvious from this statement of his we can gather nothing regarding verbal inspiration or the infallibility of every word he spoke.
It might indeed seem a very simple and sound argument were we to say that Paul affirms that the words in which he embodies his teaching are taught him by the Holy Ghost, and that therefore there can be no error in them. But to interpret the words of any writer with no regard to his intention in writing them is voluntarily to blind ourselves to their true meaning. And Pauls intention in this passage is to contrast two methods of teaching, two styles of language, the worldly or secular and the spiritual, and to affirm that the style which he adopted was that which the Holy Ghost taught him. An artist whose work was criticised might defend himself by saying, “I have been trained in the Impressionist school,” or “I use the principles taught me by Ruskin,” or “I am a pupil of this or the other great teacher”; but these replies, while quite relevant as a defence and explanation of the particular style of painting he has adopted, are not intended to identify the work of the scholar with that of the master, or to insinuate that the master is responsible for all the pupil does. Similarly Pauls reply is relevant as an explanation of his reason for refusing to use the methods of professional rhetoricians in teaching his spiritual truths. “Spiritual modes of presenting truth and an avoidance of rhetorical artifice and embellishment accord better with what I have to say.” Whoever gathers from this that every individual word Paul spoke or wrote is absolutely the best does so at his own risk and without Pauls authority. Certainly it was not Pauls intention to make any such statement. And it is quite as dangerous to put too much into Pauls words as to put too little.
III. Having shown that the wisdom he teaches is spiritual, and that his method of teaching it is spiritual, he proceeds finally to show that it can be taught only to spiritual persons. “The spiritual man judgeth all things”; he can discern whether he is “among the perfect” or among the carnal, whether he may speak wisdom or must confine himself to elementary truth. But, on the other hand, he himself cannot be judged by the carnal man. It is in vain that rudimentary believers find fault with Pauls method of teaching; they cannot judge him, because they cannot understand the mind of the Lord which guides him. It would have served no purpose to teach spiritual wisdom in Corinth, for the members of that Church were as yet only babes in Christ, carnal and not spiritual. Their carnality was proved by their factiousness. They were still governed by the passions which rule the natural man. And therefore Paul fed them with milk, and not with strong meat; with the simple and affecting Gospel of the Cross, and not with those high and far-reaching deductions from it which he divulged among prepared and sympathetic spirits.
In the distinctions of men into natural, carnal, and spiritual Paul here shows how untrammelled he was by theological technicalities, and how straight he looked at facts. He does not divide men summarily into believers and unbelievers, classing all believers as spiritual, all unbelievers as carnal. He does not unchurch all who are not spiritual. He may be disappointed that certain members of the Church are carnal and are very slow in growing up to the maturity of Christian manhood, but he does not deny such carnal persons a place in the Church. He gives them time. He does not flatter them or deceive them as to their condition. He neither counts them as perfect nor repudiates them as unregenerate. He allows they are born again; but as the babe is apparently a mere animal, exhibiting no qualities of mind or heart, but only animal instincts, and yet by care and suitable nourishment develops into adult man, so the Christian babe may as yet be carnal, with very little to differentiate him from the natural man, yet the germ of the spiritual Christian may be there, and with care and suitable nourishment will grow.
The confidence which Paul here expresses regarding his superiority to the judgment of carnal men is a superiority inseparable from knowledge in any department. Truth carries with it always a self-evidencing power, and whoever attains a clear perception of truth in any branch of knowledge is aware that it is the truth he has attained. When the mind has been long puzzling over a difficulty and at last sees the solution, it is as if the sun had risen. The mind is at once convinced.
No one had ever greater right than Paul to say, “I have the mind of Christ.” Every day of his life said the same thing. He at once entered into Christs mind and more than any other man carried it out. It was by his moral sympathy with Christs aims that he entered so completely into the knowledge of His person and work. He lived his way into the truth. And all our best knowledge is reached in the same way. The truths we see most clearly and have deepest assurance of are those which our own experience has taught us. Spiritual truth is of a kind which only spiritual men can understand.
Spiritual men are those who can say, with Paul, “We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” What mens eyes need especially to be opened to is the bounty of God and the consequent wealth and hopefulness of human life, Pauls wondering delight in Gods grace and loving adaptation of Himself to human needs continually finds utterance in his writings. His own sense of unworthiness magnified the forgiving mercy of God. He rejoiced in a Divine love which was passing knowledge, but which he knew could be relied upon to the utmost. The vision of this love opened to his hope a vista of happiness. There is a natural joy in living that all men can understand. This life in many ways appeals to our thirst for happiness, and often it seems as if we needed nothing more. But, in one way or other, most of us learn that what is naturally presented to us in this world is not enough, indeed only brings in the long run anxiety and grief. And then it is that, by Gods grace, men come to find that this life is but a small lagoon leading to, and fed by, the boundless ocean of Gods love beyond. They learn that there is a hope that cannot be blighted, a joy that is uninterrupted, a fulness of life that meets and satisfies every instinct, and affection, and purpose. They begin to see the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him, the things that are freely given to us of God “freely given,” given without desert of ours, given to make us happy, given by a love that must find expression.
But to know and appreciate the things which are freely given to us of God a man must have the Spirit of God. For Gods gifts are spiritual; they attach to character, to what is eternally ours. They cannot be received by those who refuse the severity of Gods training and are not alive to the reality of spiritual growth, of passing from a carnal to a spiritual manhood. The path to these eternal, all-satisfying joys may be hard; Christs path was not easy, and they who follow Him must in one form or other have their faith in the unseen tested. They must really, and not only in word, pass from dependence on this present world to dependence on God; they must somehow come to believe that underneath and in all we here see and experience lies Gods unalterable, unmingled love, that ultimately it is this they have to do with, this that explains all.
How soon do men think they have exhausted the one inexhaustible, the love and resources of God; how quickly do men weary of life, and think they have seen all and know all; how ready are men to conclude that for them existence is a failure and can yield no perfect joy, while as yet they know as little of the things God has prepared for them that love Him as the new-born babe knows of the fife and experiences that lie before it. You have but touched the hem of His garment; what must it be to be clasped to His heart? Happy they to whom the darkness of this world reveals the boundless distances of the starry heaven, and who find that the blows which have shattered their earthly happiness have merely broken the shell which confined their true life and have given them entrance into a world infinite and eternal.