Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 2:8

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it,] they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

8. which none of the princes of this world knew ] These words seem to be written for the instruction of the class of persons who attach importance to the opinions of those high in position and influence the princes, or rather rulers of this world, its statesmen. Such persons, the Apostle points out, are apt, in spite of, or rather in consequence of, their worldly wisdom, to make strange mistakes. The crucifixion of Christ was a memorable instance of the shortsightedness of worldly policy. Not a single calculation of those who compassed the Saviour’s death was destined to be fulfilled. Pilate did not escape the emperor’s displeasure. Caiaphas (St Joh 11:50) did not save Jerusalem. The Scribes and Pharisees did not put down the doctrine of Jesus.

the Lord of glory ] The majesty of the Lord, designedly contrasted, says St Chrysostom, with the ignominy of the Cross. Perhaps there is also an allusion to “our glory” in the last verse, of which He is the source. Cf. St Jas 2:1.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Which none of the princes – None of those rulers who were engaged in the crucifixion of the Messiah, referring both to the Jewish rulers, and the Roman governor.

Knew – They did not perceive or appreciate the excellency of his character, the wisdom of his plan, the glory of his scheme of salvation. Their ignorance arose from not understanding the prophecies, and from an unwillingness to be convinced that Jesus of Nazareth had been truly sent by God. In Act 3:17, Peter says that it was through ignorance that the Jews had put him to death; see the note on this place.

For had they known it – Had they fully understood his character, and seen the wisdom of his plan, and his work, they would not have put him to death; see the note on Act 3:17. Had they seen the hidden wisdom in that plan – had they understood the glory of his real character, the truth respecting his incarnation, and the fact that he was the long expected Messiah of their nation, they would not have put him to death. It is incredible that they would have crucified their Messiah, knowing and believing him to be such. They might have known it but they were unwilling to examine the evidence. They expected a different Messiah, and were unwilling to admit the claims of Jesus of Nazareth. For This ignorance, however, there was no excuse. If they did not have a full knowledge, it was their own fault. Jesus had performed miracles which were a complete attestation to his divine mission Joh 5:36; Joh 10:25; but they closed their eyes on those works, and were unwilling to be convinced – God always gives to people sufficient demonstration of the truth, but they close their eyes, and are unwilling to believe. This is the sole reason why they are not converted to God and saved.

They would not have crucified – It is perfectly manifest that the Jews would not have crucified their own Messiah, knowing him to be such. He was the hope and expectation of their nation. All their desires were centered in him. And to him they looked for deliverance from all their foes.

The Lord of glory – This expression is a Hebraism, and means the glorious Lord; or the Messiah. Expressions like this, where a noun performs the office of an adjective, are common in the Hebrew language – Grotius supposes that the expression is taken from that of the King of glory, in Psa 24:7-9 –

Lift up your heads, O ye gates,

Be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors,

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

Jehovah, strong and mighty.

Jehovah, mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates;

Lift them up, ye everlasting doors;

And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

Jehovah of hosts, he is the King of glory.

God is called the God of glory in Act 7:2 – The fact that this appellation is given to Yahweh in the Old Testament, and to the Lord Jesus in the verse before us, is one of those incidental circumstances which show how the Lord Jesus was estimated by the apostles and how familiarly they applied to him names and titles which belong only to God. The foundation of this appellation is laid in his exalted perfections; and in the honor and majesty which he had with the Father before the world was; Joh 17:1-5.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

1Co 2:8-9

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Spiritual ignorance, evil, flood

I. The cause of immense evil. These princes of the world, through ignorance, crucified the Lord of glory.

1. A greater crime than this was never perpetrated. It involved–

(1) The grossest injustice. He was embodied virtue. His enemies and judges bore testimony to His innocence.

(2) The basest ingratitude. He not only did no evil, but went about doing good.

(3) Most heartless cruelty. They put Him to a death the most ignominious and excruciating that infernal malignity could desire.

(4) Most daring impiety. Whom did they thus treat? The Lord of glory (Psa 24:8). It is impious to trifle with His laws and rebel against His throne, but how much more so to crucify the universal Lawgiver and King!

2. That this ignorance was the cause of this immense evil is evident.

(1) Because it is itself an evil, and like will produce like. There are two things necessary to knowledge–mind and means. When either of these is absent, ignorance is a calamity, but when they are present it is a crime. These princes had both–they were not idiots, and riley had means by which they could know Christ; the Old Testament Scriptures, John the Baptist, Christ Himself. They need not have been ignorant. Their ignorance was a sin, and sin, like virtue, is propagated.

(2) Had it not existed, such an evil could never have been perpetrated.

II. The occasion of immense good. This crucifixion introduced things that eye had never seen, &c., viz., Gods love to the world and His method of saving it; Divine pardon, spiritual purity, immortal hopes. Conclusion: From this subject learn–

1. That the sinner is always engaged in accomplishing that which he never intended. These princes–

(1) Ruined themselves. It brought upon them and their country in this world tremendous judgments–and what in the world to come? Sinner, what are you doing? You are ruining yourself, but you do not intend it; but you are nevertheless doing it in the commission of every sin.

(2) Executed the plan of the great God. Him being delivered, &c. God overrules for good. So now, we have not to determine whether we shall serve God or not; we have to determine how–by our will or against it.

2. Whatever good a man may accomplish contrary to his intention is destitute of all praiseworthiness. What oceans of blessings come to our world through the crucifixion! Yet who can ever praise the crucifiers?

3. That no man should act without an intelligent conception of what he is doing. How many act from prejudice, custom, blind impulse! How few have a right conception of what they are doing! (D. Thomas, D. D.)

Ignorance of the truth

I. Its awful prevalence.

1. It has abounded in all time.

2. Pervades all classes.

II. Its injurious effects.

1. It occasions the worst crimes.

2. It led to the crucifixion of our Lord.

III. Its fatal issue destruction of both body and soul. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The guilt of man in crucifying the Lord of glory.

Consider–

I. The deed.

II. Its aggravation.

1. He was the Lord of glory.

2. Came from glory.

3. Conducts to glory–dwells in glory.

III. Its unmitigated guilt. A sin of ignorance.

1. Not therefore relieved, because the ignorance was wilful.

2. Not inevitable through the purpose of God, because had they known they would not have done it. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

Christ the Lord of glory

I. The essential glory of Christ, which He hath as God from everlasting; which is unspeakable and inconceivable glory (Php 2:6). He has a peerage or equality with His Father in glory (Joh 10:30). And again, All things that the Father hath are Mine(Joh 16:15), the same name, the same nature, the same essential properties, the same will, and the same glory.

II. The mediatorial glory of Christ is exceeding great. This is proper to Him as the Head of the Church, which He hath purchased with His own blood (Php 2:9-10).

1. The fulness of grace inherent in Him. The humanity of Christ is filled with grace, as the sun with light (Joh 1:14), excelling all the saints in spiritual lustre and gracious excellencies.

2. The dignity and authority put upon Him. He is crowned King in Sion; all power in heaven and earth is given unto Him (Mat 28:18), He is a Law-giver to the Church (Jam 4:12).

3. Jesus Christ shall have glory and honour ascribed to Him for evermore by angels and saints, upon the account of His mediatorial work; this some divines call His passive glory, the glory which He is said to receive from His redeemed ones (Rev 5:8-10).

Inferences;

1. How wonderful was the love of Christ, the Lord of Glory, to be so abased and humbled as He was for us vile and sinful dust!

2. How transcendently glorious is the advancement of believers by their union with the Lord of Glory!

3. Is Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory? Then, let no man count himself dishonoured by suffering the vilest indignities for His sake.

4. Is Christ the Lord of Glory? How glorious then shall the saints one day be, when they shall be made like this glorious Lord, and partake of His glory in heaven! (Joh 17:22.)

5. How hath the devil blindfolded and deluded them that are frightened off from Christ by the fears of being dishonoured by Him!

6. If Christ be the Lord of Glory, how careful should all be who profess Him that they do not dishonour Jesus Christ, whose name is called upon by them!

7. What delight should Christians take in their daily converse with Jesus Christ in the way of duty!

8. If Christ be so glorious, how should believers long to be with Him, and behold him in His glory above! (John Flavel.)

Eye hath not seen the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.—

Spiritual blessings

I. Lie beyond the researches of the unregenerate mind. They are–

1. Not seen by the observation of nature, providence, grace.

2. Not heard by the report of the preacher, &c.

3. Not conceived by reason, speculation, inquiry.

II. Are revealed to those who love God.

1. Much depends on the heart.

2. The revelation is glorious.

3. Is effected by the Spirit.

4. Is completed in glory. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The excellency and blessings of the gospel

I. The superlative excellency of the gospel.

1. Its discoveries and blessings far exceed all human knowledge or conception.

(1) Eye hath not seen. And yet by the eye we have surveyed many of the works of God; and if we look upon ourselves, we discover displays of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness. All these are glorious discoveries; but they say not how, when, or why they were formed.

(2) Ear hath not heard. When sight is exhausted, we can still drink in knowledge. But we never heard how the spring of moral conduct might be purified, life and heart made holy, and man be fitted for the society of God. We never heard of such powerful motives as the love of Christ, or such rich blessings as the beatitudes on the mount.

(3) Nor hath entered the heart of man, i.e., man never imagined. Every man carries about with him an ideal world of his own. How often have we attempted to paint to ourselves a character just such as we should approve! But it never entered into the heart of man to conceive of true dignity of character, or of the sources of real happiness as suited to the nature of man.

2. The peculiar excellency of this gospel will appear from–

(1) The sublime and interesting truth which it discovers. Briefly, the design of the gospel is to raise man from the ruin of the fall–to wash him from sin–to adorn him with righteousness–to inspire him with sublimity of thought and holiness of affection–to lead him in all the paths of obedience, and finally to exalt him to the society of angels and fellowship with God. But who could have barely thought of such a purpose? Who could have admitted the possibility of the fact? The Divine Being was under no obligations to redeem man. All the motive is revealed to us in the gospel, and is to be found in His own unfathomable love. God so loved the world, &c. And who would ever have conceived of such a simple plan of communicating such blessings! Believe on the Lord, &c.

(2) The pure and intense happiness it imparts. Even the speculative knowledge of these truths raises man in the scale of intelligence. But the gospel does more. The gospel calms the tumult of passion, reconciles man to God, and makes him to be at peace with himself. Now, eye hath not seen, &c. Some have had every advantage and opportunity of knowing this subject, but they are still natural men. They cannot conceive how a man can know his sins forgiven, nor of the joy and peace in believing. The natural man doth not comprehend these things; and even believers do not form conceptions sufficiently noble.

(3) The happy and glorious prospects which it unfolds. Philosophy never found out a remedy for the fear of death. It points to a few instances of apparent calmness and confidence. But it never fully met the evil. Death, to it, has ever been dissembled. But Christianity reveals the immediate consequences of death, and then supplants the fear of death. Where will philosophy show anything like the death of Stephen? And how is this to be explained? (Act 7:55.) And all in whom is the spirit of Stephen have the like glorious prospects. But what are they? Nay, Eye hath not seen, &c. The grandest description is, that it is beyond all description. If we cannot know all that God has prepared for us here, how can we conceive of the joys of heaven? (Joh 3:12.) We walk by faith, and not by sight! We could not possibly understand it; we have no powers of perception suited to such knowledge. Eye hath not seen so glorious a body as that of the Transfiguration, the model of ours; or so glorious a city as that great city, the holy Jerusalem, &c. Ear never heard strains so melting as those John heard–the voice of harpers harping with their harps. It never entered into the heart of man, the pure and unsullied bliss of the redeemed (Rev 7:15-17).

II. The characters for whom these blessings are prepared. For them that love Him. Consider the love of God as–

1. A necessary principle. Mere admiration will not suffice. The infidel may admire the character of the Creator as impressed upon His works, and be without even a desire to enjoy these blessings. Nor will a mere transient impression of the passions be sufficient, such as is frequently felt whilst contemplating gospel truths, even as a matter of speculation. A consideration of the love of God, the sufferings of Christ, &c., produces no permanent effect, but is obliterated by the next consideration. Now this love of God is necessary. Without holiness no man shall see Him. Holiness is the image of God, and God is love. These things are prepared only for them that keep His commandments, &c. But the whole law is comprised in this, Thou shalt love, &c. Hence, this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. It is only the love of God that gives us the true knowledge of Him. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. This love of God is essential to our enjoying God. No man can enjoy what he hates.

2. A Divine principle. No man loves God by nature. Nothing less than Divine love can conquer this enmity of the human heart. A manifested principle. The love of God is the love of holiness, for God is holy. And if we love God we shall keep His commandments. This love cannot possibly exist without influencing the practice, and thus manifesting itself. (F. A. West.)

The gospel a revelation

The things are the gospel in the wealth of its blessings, not only for another world, but also for this. The eye has seen much, the ear has heard much more than the eye has seen, the heart pictures creations more wonderful still; but such truths as the gospel declares belong to a higher world; they are the fruit of Gods hidden wisdom, His deepest thought. They are thus of necessity a mystery to man. It never entered the heart of man that these things would come–

I. From the source they did–from God. Mans ideas of God, apart from revelation, sprang rather from his own heart than from the teaching of nature, and therefore to imagine our salvation would flow from the source it did was impossible. After man sinned he changed God into his own image and likeness. The gods of the heathen consequently were perfectly destitute of those properties from which the gospel blessings could flow. They were destitute of holiness–heathenism has its heroes, but it has no saints. They were destitute of love, and were notorious for their cruelty and their lack of tenderness.

II. In the way they did. As the heavens are higher than the earth, &c. The way God took to save the world–by the incarnation and death of Immanuel–was so strange, that no one could imagine or dared imagine it but Himself. Not only is it so great that man could not in his own strength discover it, but so great that, after being revealed, it baffles man to comprehend it. The gospel is so Divine a conception that it dazzles the wise of this world into blindness. Gods smallest thoughts, His thoughts in nature, perplex man. What then about the thought He conceived in the silence and solitude of eternity?

III. To the degree they did. Paul considered the fact that Christ was preached to the Gentiles a sufficiently great mystery to be put side by side with the Incarnation. Sin makes man selfish. The Romans deemed all others enemies, to be vanquished and made slaves; and once made slaves, they were of less value in their eyes than the beasts which perish. The Greeks judged all others barbarians, who ought to be robbed and slain. The Jews likewise were animated by the spirit of exclusiveness–they deemed all others unclean and worthless. Though our advantages are numerous and important, yet this truth is not properly understood by many in our day. All are not willing, even in this age, that the dew of Gods blessing should fall outside their little garden. The old objections are being revived, that to attempt to evangelise the heathen is sheer waste. Such blind fatuity! The man who would try to stop the clouds to rain and the sun to shine outside the fences of his tiny farm would be looked upon as a lunatic. But his conduct were wisdom itself compared with that of those who in the vanity of their speculations would leave certain races outside the pale of civilisation and salvation. Gods provision for the world is worthy of the high source whence it emanated, and the strange instrumentality whereby it was brought about, at once worthy of the infinite love and the precious sacrifice. To provide for only one nation would not be worthy of Him. Indeed, to provide sparingly for even the whole world would not be according to His custom–plenteousness characterises all His acts. With such fulness of grace in store, no one, be he who and where he may, need be lost. (W. Morris.)

Gods revelation of heaven

Note–

I. The inability of the lower parts of human nature–the natural man–to apprehend the higher truths.

1. Eternal truth is not perceived through sensation or science. Eye hath not seen.

(1) There is a life of mere sensation.

(a) The highest pleasure of sensation comes through the eye. The Corinthians could appreciate this. Theirs was the land of beauty. They read the apostles letter, surrounded by the purest conceptions of Art. Let us not depreciate what God has given. There is a joy in contemplating the manifold forms in which the All Beautiful has concealed His essence. It is a pure delight to see.

(b) But the eye can only reach the finite beautiful. It does not scan the King in His beauty, nor the land that is very far off. And the visible is perishable beauty–not the eternal loveliness for which our spirits pant. Therefore Christ came not in the glory of form; He had no form nor comeliness, &c.; there was no beauty that they should desire Him. The eye did not behold, even in Christ, the things which God had prepared.

(c) This is an eternal truth. This verse is quoted as if the things prepared meant heaven. But the world of which Paul speaks God hath revealed, only not to eye nor ear. In heaven this shall be as true as now. The pure in heart will see God, but never with the eye; only in the same way, but in a different degree, that they see Him now.

(2) Again, no scientific analysis can discover the truths of God. Science proceeds upon observation. Experiment is the test of truth. Now, you cannot, by searching, find out the Almighty to perfection, nor a single one of the blessed truths He has to communicate.

1. It is in vain that we ransack the world for probable evidences of God, and idle to look into the materialism of man for the revelation of his immortality; or to examine the morbid anatomy of the body to find the rule of right. If a man go to the eternal world with convictions of eternity, the resurrection, God, already in his spirit, he will find abundant corroborations of that which he already believes. But if Gods existence be not thrilling every fibre of his heart, if the immortal be not already in him as the proof of the resurrection, if the law of duty be not stamped upon his soul as an eternal truth, science will never reveal these, the physician comes away from the laboratory an infidel. Eye hath not seen the truths which are clear enough to love and to the spirit.

2. Eternal truth is not reached by hearsay–Ear hath not heard.

(1) No revelation can be adequately given by the address of man to man. For all such revelation must be made through words, the mere coins of intellectual exchange. There is as little resemblance between the coin and the bread it purchases, as between the word and the thing it stands for. Looking at the coin, the form of the loaf does not suggest itself. Listening to the word, you do not perceive the idea for which it stands, unless you are already in possession of it. Speak of ice to an inhabitant of the torrid zone, the word does not give him an idea, or if it does, it must be a false one. Talk of blueness to one who cannot distinguish colours, what can your most eloquent description present to him resembling the truth of your sensation? Similarly in matters spiritual, no verbal revelation can give a single simple idea. For instance, what means justice to the unjust, or purity to the licentious? What does infinitude mean to a being who has never stirred beyond a cell? Talk of God to a thousand ears, each has his own different conception. The sensual man hears of God, and understands one thing. The pure man hears and conceives another thing.

(2) See what a hearsay religion is. There are men who believe on authority. Their minister believes all this Christianity true; therefore so do they. He calls this doctrine essential; they echo it. They have heard with the hearing of the ear that God is love, that the ways of holiness are ways of pleasantness. But the Corinthian philosophers heard Paul; the Pharisees heard Christ. How much did the ear convey? He alone believes truth who feels it. He alone has a religion whose soul knows by experience that to serve God and know Him is the richest treasure.

3. Truth is not discoverable by the heart–neither have entered into the heart of man the power of imagining, and the power of loving.

(1) It is a grand thing when thought bursts into flame, or when a great law of the universe reveals itself to the mind of genius, or when the truths of human nature shape themselves forth in the creative fancies of the poet. But the most ethereal creations of fancy were shaped by a mind that could read the life of Christ, and then blaspheme the Adorable. Some of the truest and deepest utterances ever spoken came from one whose life was from first to last selfish. The highest astronomer of this age refused to recognise the Cause of causes. The mighty heart of genius had failed to reach the things which God imparts to a humble spirit.

(2) The heart of man has the power of affection. The highest moment known on earth by the merely natural, is that in which the mysterious union of heart with heart is felt. Yet this attains not to the things prepared by God. Human love is but the faint type of that surpassing blessedness which belongs to those who love God.

II. The nature and laws of revelation.

1. Revelation is made by a Spirit to a spirit. Christ is the voice of God without the man–the Spirit is the voice of God within. The highest revelation is not made by Christ, for He said, The Spirit shall take of Mine and shall show it unto you. And therefore it is written here–The Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now the Spirit of God lies touching, as it were, the soul of man. They mingle. The spiritual in man, by which he might become a recipient of God, may be dulled, deadened, by a life of sense, but in this world never lost. All that is wanted is to become conscious of the nearness of God. God has placed men here to feel after Him if haply they may find Him, albeit He be not far from any one of them.

2. The condition upon which this revelation is made to men is love. These things are prepared for them that love Him, or revealed to those who have the mind of Christ.

(1) Love to man may mean love to his person, or it may mean simply pity. Love to God can only mean love to His character: e.g., God is purity. And to be pure in thought and look is to love God. God is love–and to love men till private attachments have expanded into a philanthropy which embraces all, is to love God. God is truth. To be true–to hate every form of falsehood–to live a brave, true, real life–that is to love God. God is infinite–and to love the boundless, reaching on from grace to grace, and rising upwards ever to see the ideal still above us, aiming insatiably to be perfect even as the Father is perfect–that is love to God.

(2) This love is manifested in obedience.

(a) He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me, &c. We remember the Roman commander who forbade an engagement with the enemy, and the transgressor was his own son. He accepted the challenge of the leader of the other host, slew, spoiled him, and then in triumph carried the spoils to his fathers tent. But the Roman father refused to recognise the instinct which prompted this as deserving of the name of love–disobedience contradicted it and deserved death: weak sentiment, what was it worth? So with God–strong feelings, warm expressions, varied internal experience coexisting with disobedience, God counts not as love.

(b) To love, adoring and obedient, God reveals His truth. As in the natural, so in the spiritual world. By compliance with the laws of the universe we put ourselves in possession of its blessings. Obey the laws of health and you obtain health. Arm yourselves with the laws of nature, and you may call down the lightning from the sky. In the same way there are laws in the world of Spirit, by compliance with which Gods Spirit comes into the soul with all its revelations. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.

(c) These laws are universal and invariable. There is no favourite child of nature who may hold the fire-ball in the hollow of his hand and trifle with it without being burnt; there is no selected child of grace who can live an irregular life without unrest; or be proud, and at the same time have peace; or indolent, and receive fresh inspiration; or remain unloving and cold, and yet see and hear and feel the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him. And if obedience were entire and love were perfect, then would the revelation of the Spirit to the soul of man be perfect too. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)

Heaven

Every prophet who has stood upon the borders of a new dispensation might have uttered these words. Abraham might have looked forward to the Mosaic dispensation, &c., and have turned to his brethren who lived in the patriarchal age, and said, Eye hath not seen, &c. At the close of the Levitical dispensation the prophets might have thus spoken of the coming glories. And now we stand on the borders of a new era. But persons are curious to know what kind of dispensation the millennial one is to be. Will the temple be erected in Jerusalem? Will the Jews be positively restored to their own land? &c. We cannot answer. Eye hath not seen, &c. And this brings us to make the application of the subject to heaven itself.

I. What heaves is not.

1. It is not a heaven of the senses.

(1) Eye hath not seen it. What glorious things the eye hath seen! Have we not seen the gaudy pageantry of pomp crowding the gay streets? We hear of the magnificence of the old Persian princes, of palaces covered with gold and silver, and floors inlaid with jewels; but we cannot thence gather a thought of heaven, for eye hath not seen it. We have thought, however, when we have come to the works of God, surely we can get some glimpse of what heaven is here. By night we have turned our eye up to the stars, and we have said, If this earth has such a glorious covering, what must that of heaven be? At another time we have seen some glorious landscape, and said, Surely these grandeurs must be something like heaven. It was all a mistake–Eye hath not seen it.

(2) The ear hath not heard it. Have we not sometimes heard the sweet voice of the messenger of God when he has by the Spirit spoken to our souls! We knew something of heaven then, we thought. We have heard music, whether poured from the lungs of man–that noblest instrument in the world–or from some manufacture of harmony, and we have thought, This is what John meant by the voice like many waters, and the voice of harpers harping with their harps. But we made a mistake. Ear hath not heard it.

(3) Others look upon it as a place where they shall be free from bodily pain, and where they will eat to the full and be satisfied. What a mistake! We can get no conceptions of heaven through the senses; they must always come through the Spirit.

2. It is not a heaven of the imagination. Poets let their imaginations fly with loosened wings, or the preacher weaves the filigree work of fancy, and you say, It is sweet to hear that man speak; he made me think I was there. But imagination, when it is most sublime, and freest from the dust of earth, and kept steady by the most extreme caution, cannot picture heaven. It hath not entered the heart of man, &c. Your imaginary heaven you will find by and by to be all a mistake.

3. It is not a heaven of the intellect. Men describe heaven as a place where we shall know all things, and their grandest idea is that they shall discover all secrets there. But It hath not entered into the heart of man.

II. He hath revealed it unto us by His spirit. This means that it was revealed unto the apostles by the Spirit, so that they wrote something of it in the Holy Word. We think also that it means that every believer has glimpses of heaven by the influence of the Spirit. A Christian gets a gaze of what heaven is–

1. When in the midst of trials and troubles he is able to cast all his care upon the Lord, because He careth for him. Heaven is something like that–a place of holy calm and trust.

2. In the season of quiet contemplation, for the joys of heaven are akin to the joys of contemplation.

3. At the Lords table. You get so near the Cross there that your sight becomes clearer, and the air brighter, and you see more of heaven there than anywhere else.

4. When we assemble in our meetings for prayer.

5. In extraordinary closet seasons. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Heaven

The city of Corinth has been called the Paris of antiquity. Indeed, for splendour, the world holds no such wonder to-day. The commerce of all nations passed through her ports; the mirth of all people sported in her Isthmian games, and the beauty of all lands walked her porticos, and threw itself on the altar of her stupendous dissipations. Column and statue and temple bewildered the beholder. And the best music from the best instruments in the world resounded in her theatres. It was not to rustics who had never seen or heard anything grand that Paul uttered this text, and it was a bold thing for him to stand there amid all that and say, All this is nothing; eye hath not seen, &c. We can in this world get no idea of–

I. The health of heaven. When you were a child you had never felt sorrow or sickness. Perhaps later you felt a glow in your cheek, and a spring in your step, and an exuberance of spirits, and a clearness of eye, that made you thank God you were permitted to live. You thought that you knew what it was to be well, but the most elastic and robust health of earth, compared with that of heaven, is nothing but sickness and emaciation. Look at that soul standing before the throne. On earth she was a life-long invalid. See her step now, and hear her voice now. Health in all the pulses! Health of vision; health of spirits; immortal health. No racking cough, no consuming fevers, no exhausting pains, no hospitals of wounded men. That child that died in the agonies of croup, hear her voice now ringing in the anthem. That old man that went bowed down with the infirmities of age, see him walk now with the step of an immortal athlete–for ever young again. To have neither ache, nor pain, nor weakness, nor fatigue. Eye hath not seen it–ear hath not heard it.

II. The splendour of heaven. John tries to describe it, and as we look through his telescope we see a blaze of jewellery, a mountain of light, a cataract of colour, a sea of glass, and a city like the sun. John bids us look again, and we see thrones; thrones of the prophets, patriarchs, angels, apostles, martyrs, throne of Jesus–throne of God. John bids us look again, and we see the great procession of the redeemed passing. Eye hath not seen it, ear hath not heard it. Skim from the summer waters the brightest sparkles, and you will get no idea of the sheen of the everlasting sea. Pile up the splendours of earthly cities and they would not make a stepping-stone by which you might mount to the city of God. Every house is a palace. Every step a triumph. Every meal is a banquet. Every day is a jubilee, every hour a rapture, and every moment an ecstasy.

III. The re-unions of heaven. If you have ever been across the seas, and met a friend in some strange city, you remember how your blood thrilled, and how glad you were to see him. What then will be our joy to meet in the bright city of the sun those from whom we have long been separated. In this world we only meet to part. It is good-bye, good-bye. But not so in heaven. Welcomes in the air, at the gates, at the house of many mansions–but no good-bye.

IV. The song of heaven. There is nothing more inspiriting to me than a whole congregation lifted up on the wave of holy melody. But, my friends, if music on earth is so sweet what will it be in heaven! They all know the tune there. All the best singers of all the ages will join it–choirs of white-robed children! choirs of patriarchs! choirs of apostles! Harpers with their harps. David of the harp will be there. Gabriel of the trumpet will be there. (T. De Witt Talmage, D. D.)

The things which God has prepared

I. Their nature.

1. The mysteries of the gospel salvation.

2. Extending into the eternal future.

II. Their transcendent value.

1. Worthy of God.

2. Surpassing all human comprehension.

III. Their participation–depends on love to God. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The things prepared and their enjoyment

I. The things prepared. Suggesting–

1. The Divine forethought, and the infinite fulness and carefulness of Gods love for His children. Remember:

(1) How the world was prepared before man came upon it.

(2) How God prepared a body in which Christ should be one with us, die to be our Saviour, and ascend to hold the sceptre of the universe.

(3) How Christ reminded His disciples that the dignities of the kingdom were only for those for whom it is prepared of the Father.

(4) How He went to prepare a place for us, and sent the Spirit to prepare us for the place.

2. The Divine treasury. The figure suggests a vast building over whose portals we read, Ask and it shall be given, &c.

a building divided into so many stores of Divine love. Let us open their doors.

(1) One contains the purposes of the Divine love, delivering mercy, sustaining grace–purposes that no need can exhaust, no opposition thwart, no eternity unfold.

(2) Another promises Divinely–

(a) Simple, little children can understand them.

(b) Profound, angels cannot fathom them.

(c) Certain, for heaven and earth shall pass away, &c.

(d) Sweet and rich, sweeter than a honeycomb, and more precious than gold.

(3) Divine provisions the mercy-seat where we obtain grace to help; the Cross, its cleansing fount, infinite ransom, Divine righteousness; the Lords Table.

(4) The fulness that is treasured up in Christ–fulness of grace to pardon, of merit to atone, of strength to sustain, of glory to reward.

(5) Things prepared in the ministry of the Holy Spirit–regeneration, comfort, sanctification.

(6) Glories that await us hereafter–the crown of triumph, the harp of praise, the mansion of repose and blessing, the living fountain of joy.

II. The revelation of the Spirit in which these things are made manifest to us.

1. Striking thought! God takes men into His confidence about matters that human reason could never fathom. It was so with Abraham. Shall I hide, &c. Amos declares that the Lord will hide nothing, but will reveal His secret unto His servants. In proportion to our intimacy with God the Divine purposes will be made plain to us. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. The disciples pleaded with John, who reclined on his Masters bosom, to ask Him a secret which they did not venture to ask themselves. He lived so much nearer to Christ, and therefore had more of His secret. We deprive ourselves of unspeakable blessings in regard to Gods dealings in providence from our failure to recognise Gods hand in every gift. And Gods children should feel that in regard to the mysteries of the world around they shall have light resting on their path, and truth revealed by the indwelling Spirit which enables them to trust where others cannot. The man that is nearest the sun will have most of light, and the man who lives nearest the throne will have deeper draughts of the water of life that proceeds therefrom.

2. As to the revelation by the Spirit of Divine things, take the case of Simeon, unto whom it had been revealed by the Holy Ghost that he should not die until he had seen the Christ. How long he waited for the consolation of Israel! But at last it came. So God may have revealed to you in His Word and by His Spirit truths that have yet to come in their Divine significance and power. Wait patiently; Gods time is always the best. Take the case of Peter who, when all were dumb before Whom say ye that I am? received at once a revelation that Jesus was the Christ, &c. You may say We are not Simeons or Peters. No; but remember how Christ thanked God that the things withheld from the wise and prudent were revealed unto babes, i.e., babes in spiritual experience. But even to your children, who shall say at how early an age God, by His Spirit, shall reveal the truth? Remember Samuel.

III. The condition essential to the reception of the blessing. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us there is the origin of all Christian love. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is the next step. Then we are the children of God, and the Spirit beareth witness with our spirits, &c. Then the circle is complete. And the Divine love thus enjoyed must manifest itself in self-sacrificing love to men. (J. P. Chown.)

The things prepared for a prepared people

The apostle here is quoting from Isa 64:4, and only intends to give the general sense of the passage. Both passages are generally used as referring to the heavenly state, but we can only apply them thus by accommodation. Yet this is a legitimate application. For if the text is true of our imperfect condition of privilege in this life, much more will it be true as applied to that perfection of bliss that awaits us in the life to come. You cannot judge of the real merits of a story till you see how it ends. You cannot decide about the value of a casket till it is opened and you see the jewels which it enshrines. You cannot pronounce on a campaign till you see what fruits result from its hard-fought battlefields. And so, in estimating the real worth of redemption, we can only form an approximate judgment of it in this life. There are three points of view from which we may contemplate our portion for the future, as set before us in the text.

I. The plain and positive view. Things prepared.

1. Things plural–not one element of joy, but many. It is a caricature of heaven when psalm-singing is represented as its chief occupation. A wonderful variety marks the imagery of the Bible as to the heavenly state–a city that hath foundations, the marriage supper of the Lamb, being present with Christ, and beholding His glory, is being made like Him, &c. These varied expressions suggest that our heaven will be a condition of being in which the mind, with its large desires, its deathless cravings, and the soul, with all the warmth of its affections and sympathies, will find the fullest scope for their development. As the vine puts forth its tendrils, and finds something to cling to for its support and growth; so, doubtless, will all the innocent tastes and longings of our renewed nature find in the heavenly state that which answers to their wants, prepared, as a trellis, to which they may cling, and in clinging to which they will find their delight.

2. And these are not things thrown together at haphazard. They are prepared things. How eloquent all nature is as to the teachings of this word! Note the wonderful care with which God has prepared for the wants of every tree, animal, bird, and fish; yea, for every worm; just that which will best meet its wants and minister to its comfort. Then, when we think of the souls God has redeemed at the price of His Sons death, to whom His love has flowed out in a deeper channel than to any other of His creatures, whom He deigns to say that they are to be His portion; when we think of the things prepared for them in their final home, what shall we say? How shall we put limits to the extent to which His power, wisdom, and goodness will go in seeking to promote their happiness?

II. A negative or comparative view. Heavens happiness is such as eye hath not seen, &c., or to which all the eye hath seen, &c., bears no proportion.

1. It is clearly the inferential teaching of the text, that the things prepared exceed in glory all that we are familiar with in this outer creation.

(1) And the eye sees wondrous beauty as it ranges through the world of nature. But there is no comparison between what the eye sees here and the things prepared for Gods people in the future.

(2) And then the ear opens an avenue to another world of enjoyment peculiarly its own. Yet the highest rapture of the most gifted musician through the organ of hearing bears no comparison to the joy the redeemed will experience in the things which God has prepared for them.

(3) And then the imagination has a wondrous power to call into existence worlds of beauty and loveliness all its own. But when you put these things together–all that the eye can see, &c., of that which is beautiful or grand–they will be infinitely surpassed by the things prepared by God as the future portion of His people.

2. And there is something very sweet in the thought of this instituted connection, between these glories spread over the face of nature and that blessed home which Jesus is preparing for us. It shows how God means that the one should remind us of the other. The Jewish Rabbis inform us that when Joseph had gathered much corn in Egypt he threw the chaff into the Nile, that so flowing down to the neighbouring cities, and nations more remote, it might bear witness to them of the store of good things garnered up in the treasure cities of Egypt. And so God, to make us know what glory there is in heaven, has thrown some husks to us here, that we might draw out our inferences. If we find so much of glory spread over earthly things, what may we expect to find in those that are heavenly? If He give us so much in the land of our pilgrimage, what will He not give us in our own country? If He can lavish so much on His enemies what will He not reserve for His friends?

III. The personal view. For them that love Him. These things are designed for a prepared people. The preparation on the one side is just as necessary as that on the other. What is the use of preparing a feast unless you know that the guests those who are to be admitted to it can see; of preparing a grand concert unless will have appetites; of arranging the paintings of a splendid gallery unless the audience can hear? The glorious things of the future are prepared for a people who love God. The planting of this love in the heart is the great personal preparation for heaven that we need. The necessity for this is absolute. Except a man be born again, He., he cannot see the kingdom of God. These two things–love to God, and a new birth–always go together. (Richard Newton, D. D.)

Love

is the eye that sees, the ear that hears, the heart that realises the things of God (cf. 1Co 13:8; 1Co 13:12; Eph 3:18)

. (Principal Edwards.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew] Here it is evident that this world refers to the Jewish state, and to the degree of knowledge in that state: and the rulers, the priests, rabbins, c., who were principally concerned in the crucifixion of our Lord.

The Lord of glory.] Or the glorious Lord, infinitely transcending all the rulers of the universe whose is eternal glory; who gave that glorious Gospel in which his followers may glory, as it affords them such cause of triumph as the heathens had not, who gloried in their philosophers. Here is a teacher who is come from God; who has taught the most glorious truths which it is possible for the soul of man to conceive; and has promised to lead all the followers of his crucified Master to that state of glory which is ineffable and eternal.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Which none of the princes of this world knew; which Divine wisdom neither Caiaphas, nor Pontius Pilate, nor any considerable number of the rulers of this age, whether amongst the Jews or amongst the heathens, understood, though they heard of it.

For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; for if they had so known it, as to have believed and been persuaded of it, they would never have nailed to the cross that person, who was the Head and Fountain of it, and the Lord of glory; both with respect to his Divine nature, as to which he was God blessed for ever, and also as Mediator, being the Author of glory to those who believe. Nor would this ignorance at all excuse their crucifying of Christ, because it was not invincible, they had means sufficient by which they might have come to the knowledge of him, and have understood what he was; so as their ignorance was affected and voluntary.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

8. Whichwisdom. The strongestproof of the natural man’s destitution of heavenly wisdom.

crucified . . . Lord ofgloryimplying the inseparable connection of Christ’s humanityand His divinity. The Lord of glory (which He had in His own rightbefore the world was, Joh 17:4;Joh 17:24) was crucified.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Which none of the princes of this world knew,…. Meaning not the devils, as some have thought, who had they known what God designed to do by the death of Christ, would never have been concerned in bringing it about; nor so much the political governors of the Roman empire, particularly in Judea, as Herod and Pontius Pilate, who also were entirely ignorant of it; but rather the ecclesiastical rulers of the Jewish church state, called , “this world”, in distinction from , “the world to come”, or times of the Messiah; see Heb 2:5 such as the priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, the Rabbins and learned doctors. These knew nothing of the wisdom of the Gospel, or the wise counsels of God concerning salvation by Christ; they knew not the Messiah when he came, nor the prophecies concerning him; the Jews and their rulers did what they did through ignorance, and fulfilled those things they knew nothing of; see Ac 3:17.

for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. They would have received him, believed in him, and not put him to death: a very great character is here given of Christ, “the Lord of glory”, or the glorious Jehovah; reference seems to be had to Ps 24:7 where he is called, “the King of glory”, and is an argument of his true and proper deity: he is so called because possessed of all glorious perfections, and is the brightness of his Father’s glory; the same honour and glory are due to him as to the Father; and the same ascriptions of glory are made to him by angels and men. This is an instance of what the ancients call a communication of idioms or properties, whereby that which belongs to one nature in Christ, is predicated of his person, as denominated from the other: thus here the crucifixion of him, which properly belongs to his human nature, and that to his body only, is spoken of his person, and that as denominated from his divine nature, “the Lord of glory”; and he being so, this rendered his crucifixion, sufferings, and death, in human nature, efficacious to answer all the purposes for which they were endured.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Knoweth (). Has known, has discerned, perfect active indicative of . They have shown amazing ignorance of God’s wisdom.

For had they known it ( ). Condition of the second class, determined as unfulfilled, with aorist active indicative in both condition () and conclusion with ( ). Peter in the great sermon at Pentecost commented on the “ignorance” ( ) of the Jews in crucifying Christ (Ac 3:17) as the only hope for repentance on their part (Ac 3:19).

The Lord of glory ( ). Genitive case , means characterized by glory, “bringing out the contrast between the indignity of the Cross (Heb 12:2) and the majesty of the Victim (Luke 22:69; Luke 23:43)” (Robertson and Plummer). See Jas 2:1; Acts 7:2; Eph 1:17; Heb 9:5.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Lord of glory. The Lord whose attribute is glory. Compare Psa 29:1; Act 7:2; Eph 1:17; Jas 2:1.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “Which none of the princes of this world knew.” (Greek hen oudeis ton archonton tou aionos toutou egnoken) “Which (mystery) not one of the leaders, rulers, or princes of this age has known or comprehended.” None recognized Jesus Christ either as the Son of God, as redeemer, or as the founder of the church, and her program of worship and work, Luk 19:10; Luk 22:30; Joh 18:36; Mat 16:18-19.

2) “For had they known it.” (Greek ei gar egnosan) “For if they had recognized”. (Jesus and His church as the composite mystery formerly veiled from the wisdom of this world.)

3) “They would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.” (Greek ouk anton kurion tes dokses estaurosan). The crucifixion of the Lord of Glory was initiated and effected after the order of the worldly wisdom of rulers, leaders, or princes of this world or sinful age.

Had this worldly wisdom, so esteemed of men, been genuine, it would not have incited men to kill the Prince of Glory, Jesus Christ, and seek to destroy His church. He was hounded by men seeking to kill Him from Herod’s reign of His early childhood, from His early ministry in Nazareth when they sought to throw Him from an high cliff, all the way to Calvary. (Mat 2:14-23; Luk 4:16; Luk 4:28-30; Joh 8:37-40; Act 2:36-37; Act 7:51-53). Concerning the church see also Mat 16:18-19; Mat 28:18-20; Act 8:1; Php_3:6; 1Ti 3:15; Act 26:9-11; Eph 3:21.

While our Lord was on the earth, in human wisdom, men neither received Him nor His church, and none still receives Him or His church today except by His Word and His Spirit Joh 6:37; Joh 6:44; Rom 8:9.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

8. None of the princes of this world knew If you supply the words by their own discernment, the statement would not be more applicable to them than to the generality of mankind, and the very lowest of the people; for what are the attainments of all of us as to this matter, from the greatest to the least? Only we may perhaps say, that princes, rather than others, are charged with blindness and ignorance — for this reason, that they alone appear in the view of the word clear-sighted and wise. At the same time I should prefer to understand the expression in a more simple way, agreeably to the common usage of Scripture, which is wont to speak in terms of universality of those things that, happen επι το πολυ, that is commonly, and also to make a negative statement in terms of universality, as to those things that happen only ἐπι ἔλαττον, that is very seldom In this sense there were nothing inconsistent with this statement, though there were found a few men of distinction, and elevated above others in point of dignity, who were at the same time endowed with the pure knowledge of God.

For had they known The wisdom of God shone forth clearly in Christ, and yet there the princes did not perceive it; for those who took the lead in the crucifixion of Christ were on the one hand the chief men of the Jews, high in credit for holiness and wisdom; and on the other hand Pilate and the Roman empire. In this we have a most distinct proof of the utter blindness of all that are wise only according to the flesh. This argument of the Apostle, however, might appear to be weak. “What! do we not every day see persons who, with deliberate malice, fight against the truth of God, as to which they are not ignorant; nay, even if a rebellion so manifest were not to be seen by us with our eyes, what else is the sin against the Holy Ghost than a willful obstinacy against God, when a man knowingly and willingly does not merely oppose his word, but even fights against it. It is on this account, too, that Christ declares that the Pharisees, and others of that description, knew him, (Joh 7:28,) while he deprives them of all pretext of ignorance, and accuses them of impious cruelty in persecuting him, the faithful servant of the Father, for no other reason but that they hated the truth.”

I answer that there are two kinds of ignorance. The one arises from inconsiderate zeal, not expressly rejecting what is good, but from having an impression that it is evil. No one, it is true, sins in ignorance in such a way as not to be chargeable meanwhile in the sight of God with an evil conscience, there being always a mixture of hypocrisy, or pride, or contempt; but at the same time judgment, and all intelligence in the mind of man, are sometimes so effectually choked, that nothing but bare ignorance is to be seen by others, or even by the individual himself. Such was Paul before he was enlightened; for the reason why he hated Christ and was hostile to his doctrine was, that he was through ignorance hurried away with a preposterous zeal for the law. (116) Yet he was not devoid of hypocrisy, nor exempt from pride, so as to be free from blame in the sight of God, but those vices were so completely covered over with ignorance and blindness as not to be perceived or felt even by himself.

The other kind of ignorance has more of the appearance of insanity and derangement, than of mere ignorance; for those that of their own accord rise up against God, are like persons in a frenzy, who, seeing, see not. (Mat 13:13.) It must be looked upon, indeed, as a settled point, that infidelity is always blind; but the difference lies here, that in some cases malice is covered over with blindness to such a degree that the individual, through a kind of stupidity, is without any perception of his own wickedness. This is the case with those who, with a good intention, as they speak, or in other words, a foolish imagination, impose upon themselves. In some cases malice has the ascendancy in such a manner, that in spite of the checks of conscience, the individual rushes forward into wickedness of this sort with a kind of madness. (117) Hence it is not to be wondered, if Paul declares that the princes of this world would not have crucified Christ, had they known the wisdom of God. For the Pharisees and Scribes did not know Christ’s doctrine to be true, so as not to be bewildered in their mind, and wander on in their own darkness.

(116) “ Vne zele de la loy desordonne et real regle;” — “An inordinate and ill regulated zeal for the law.”

(117) The distinction drawn by Calvin is illustrated by a statement of Solomon in Pro 21:27. “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. ” בזמה — “with a wicked design.” — Ed

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(8) They would not have crucified.The conduct of the princes and rulers of this world, alike Jewish and Gentile, illustrates and proves the previous assertion (Joh. 8:19; Joh. 19:9).

Lord of glory.In striking contrast to the ignominy of the crucifixion.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

8. Had they known it How far they were ignorant, and how far their ignorance was an excuse, is discussed in note on Luk 23:34.

Lord of glory An epithet too lofty for a mere man.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘Which none of the rulers of this world know, for if they had known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.’

This refers back in his mind to both ‘wisdom’ and ‘glory’. They did not know the wisdom of God, and thus they did not recognise the glory which came in the Lord Jesus, the glory of Christ. He was in the world as God’s word and God’s light, and the world did not know Him (Joh 1:9). Though they considered themselves wise and were themselves arrayed in splendour and glory, the rulers’ foolishness was revealed in their crucifying the One Who was made to us the wisdom of God (1Co 1:30) and is ‘the Lord of glory’, a glory more long lasting and greater far than theirs, and a glory which He provides for His own.

Their mind set was such that they were oblivious both to God’s wisdom and the glory revealed in Christ. This is clear from the fact that in their extreme folly they crucified the Lord of glory, they sought to destroy the true glory. Nothing could reveal what they were better than that. And why did they do this? Because they were without the Spirit of God.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Co 2:8. They would not have crucified The force of the original is, They would not by any means. Compare Luk 23:34. St. Paul, in the close of the foregoing verse, opposes the true glory of a Christian, to the glorying which was among the Corinthians in the eloquence, learning, or any other quality of their factious leaders: for, in all his expressions, he has an eye on his main purpose; as if he should have said, “Why do you make divisions, by glorying as you do, in your different teachers? The glory to which God hath ordained us Christian teachers and professors, is, to be expounders, preachers, and believers of those revealed truths and purposes of God, which, though contained in the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament, were not comparatively understood in former ages. This is all the glory that belongs to us, the disciples of Christ, who is the Lord of all power and glory, and herein has given us what far excels that, whereof Jews or Gentiles had any expectations from what they gloried in.” See the next verse. Thus St. Paul takes away all matter of glorying from the false Apostle, and his factious followers among the Corinthians. See Locke and 2Co 3:6-11.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

1Co 2:8 . ] Parallel with the preceding , and referring to (Calvin, Grotius, and most commentators, including Flatt, Rckert, de Wette, Osiander, Hofmann), not to . (Tertullian, contra Marc. v. 6, Camerarius, Pott, Billroth, Maier); for the essential point in the whole context is the non-recognition of that wisdom . [366]

. . [367] ] parenthetical proof from fact for what has been just asserted; for the in 1Co 2:9 refers to . The crucifixion of Christ , seeing that it was effected by Jewish and heathen rulers together, is here considered as the act of the . . . collectively .

] Christ is the Lord , and, inasmuch as His qualitative characteristic condition is that of the divine glory in heaven, from which He came and to which He has returned (Joh 17:5 ; Luk 24:26 ; Phi 3:20 f.; Col 3:1-4 , al [368] ), the Lord of glory . Comp Jas 2:1 . In a precisely analogous way God is called, in Eph 1:17 , . Comp Act 7:2 ; Psa 24:7 ; Heb 9:5 . In all these passages the expression of the adjectival notion by the genitive has rhetorical emphasis. Comp Hermann, a [372] Viger. p. 887. This designation of Christ, however, is purposely chosen by way of antithesis to ; for , Chrysostom. Had the known that , then they would also have known Christ as what He is, the , and would have received and honoured instead of shamefully crucifying Him. But what was to them wisdom was simply nothing more than selfish worldly prudence and spiritual foolishness; in accordance with it Annas and Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod, acted. Comp., generally, Luk 23:34 ; Act 3:17 .

[366] The simple uniform continuation of the discourse by has a solemn emphasis here, as in Act 4:10 , and especially often in the Epistle to the Ephesians. All the less reason is there for taking it, with Hofmann, as equivalent in this verse to (Buttmann, neut. Gr. p. 243 [E. T. 282]), and as introducing a new principal sentence. The asyndetic similar co-ordination of several relative clauses is, from Homer onward (see Ameis on the Odyss. xxiii. 299, append. ), a very common usage in the classics also.

[367] . . . .

[368] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[372] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 1938
IGNORANCE OF THE GOSPEL, FATAL

1Co 2:8. Had they known if, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.

IT has been supposed, that there is such a transcendent excellence in virtue, that if it were embodied upon earth, it would be universally revered and honoured. But virtue has been embodied in the person of Gods only dear Son; and yet, instead of receiving from man all the homage which might have been expected, it has been treated with all possible indignity, even to the extinction of the person in whom it was found. But in the assumption that all men would honour it, it is taken for granted that all would be able to appreciate its excellence: whereas men, with jaundiced eyes, see every thing with an unfavourable tint upon it; and, consequently err exceedingly in their judgment respecting it. Through this unhappy bias, men put evil for good, and good for evil; darkness for light, and light for darkness; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. No wonder, therefore, if their aversion to what is really excellent rises in proportion to its exalted qualities, and their opposition to it be found to correspond with their judgment. We have the authority of an Apostle for saying that this was the real cause of the indignities offered to our incarnate God. Had men been able to form a correct estimate of his character, they could not have treated them as they did: had they fully understood the errand of love on which he came, and the purposes of grace which he was destined to accomplish, they could not have raised their hands against him: it would have been impossible for persons comprehending the great mystery which he came to consummate, so to act: no; if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.
In speaking of the ignorance of mankind, and especially their ignorance of true religion, I will endeavour to shew,

I.

Its extensive prevalence

It prevailed to an awful degree in the apostolic age
[Respecting the way which God had devised for the salvation of a ruined world, the wisest philosophers had not the slightest notion. Nor had the governors of the Jewish people any just conceptions respecting it. Though they had the Scripture in their hands, and the great mystery of godliness was shadowed forth in all their sacrifices, yet could they not comprehend the purposes of God which were revealed to them. They had the moral law, but knew not its spirituality and extent: they had the ceremonial law, but knew not its typical import: they had the prophecies, but knew not in what way they were to be accomplished. They saw a Messiah promised, but they altogether mistook the nature of the kingdom which he was to establish in the world.]
It prevails also, nearly to the same extent, at this time
[The princes of this world, though born in Christian lands, know, for the most part, but little of Christianity: nay more; the very rulers of the Church itself are far from having that insight into the hidden mysteries of our religion which their general information might give one reason to suppose. As far as a knowledge of the languages in which the Scriptures were written, and a critical skill in interpreting them, and an extensive acquaintance with ecclesiastical history, will qualify men for the sacred office, there may be no cause for complaint: but, if we inquire into mens knowledge of the hidden wisdom of God in the great mystery of redemption, it is lamentable to think how few there are who manifest an acquaintance with it; such an acquaintance, I mean, as has a transforming efficacy on their souls. We see somewhat of the feelings which are generated by a knowledge of this mystery in heaven: we behold, also, the effects produced by it upon the Apostles and martyrs upon earth: but where do we see these feelings excited, and these effects produced, in any considerable degree, in the princes of this world amongst ourselves? I mean not to speak disrespectfully of any, or to judge uncharitably of any: but I simply ask, whether, in the public ministrations of men, or in their printed addresses, or in their conversation with each other, there be such a preponderance given to this great mystery as might be expected, or such as would infallibly be given, if its excellence and importance were duly appreciated? Of the secret transactions of men, and the intercourse which may take place between God and their souls, I presume not to speak. I speak only of what is manifested in open act: and of mens knowledge of this mystery, as tried by that standard, I am constrained to say, it is very partial and confined. Nor need I bring any other proof of my assertion than this, that, wherever this mystery is fully opened, and the different parts of it are inculcated with the energy which its importance demands, the doctrine draws attention as a novelty; and excites odium, as differing from the common standard of the established ministrations. But could this be, if the mystery of the Gospel were so generally known, and its truths so faithfully promulgated, as some would assert? A taper would attract no notice by day; but it is seen at a great distance at night, by reason of the surrounding darkness: and, for the same reason, even a very slender exhibition of the Gospel, which would have passed unnoticed in the apostolic age, now calls forth adoring gratitude on the part of some, and provokes inveterate hostility on the part of others;a sure proof, that such exhibitions are not so common amongst us as they ought to be.]
To shew how great an evil this ignorance of the Gospel is, I will proceed to mark,

II.

Its injurious tendency

In the Jews, it led to nothing less than the crucifixion of the Lord of Glory
[Both Jews and Gentiles concurred in this act. They did not merely refuse to become the disciples of Jesus, but reviled him, and treated him with all imaginable indignities, and at last put him to death, even the accursed death of the cross. And to what but ignorance can we refer it? Can we conceive, that if they had really known Jesus to be the Lord of Glory, they would have dared to treat him thus? Methinks, if love to him for his condescension and grace had not restrained them, a fear of his displeasure must have disarmed their malice. It would have been impossible for them to proceed to such extremities, if they had had any just conception of his person and character, his work and office.]
In a similar way it operates on us also
[It is obvious that men of all ranks and orders live in a neglect of Christ and his salvation, and seek their happiness rather in the things of time and sense But could it be so, if they really knew what a glorious Saviour he is? Could they think so little of all the wonders of his love, if they had any just comprehension of them in their minds? By our treatment of him, we do, in fact, crucify him afresh, and put him to an open shame. I ask, Could we do this, if we knew him to be indeed the Lord of glory, who had divested himself of all his glory for us, and become a man for us, and died upon the cross for us, and to be carrying on his work in heaven for us, and coming again to make us partakers of his glory for evermore? Bad as human nature is, it could not withstand such a miracle of love as this: it must lay down its weapons of rebellion at the sight of this: at the sight of this it would feel a constraining influence to live to Him who has so loved us and given himself for us. From our first inquiry, Who art thou, Lord? another would instantly succeed, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do [Note: Act 9:5-6.]? and a life of entire devotedness to his service must of necessity ensue.]

Can we wonder then at,

III.

Its fatal issue

It was, to the Jews who continued impenitent, of the most fatal consequence
[Doubtless their ignorance did in some respects extenuate, but it could by no means excuse, their guilt. The Apostle apologizes for them; saying, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers: but yet he adds, Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out [Note: Act 3:17; Act 3:19.]; evidently importing, that without repentance, and thorough conversion to God, they must eternally perish. And St. Paul, whilst he speaks of having obtained mercy, because he did it ignorantly in unbelief, still calls himself a blasphemer, and injurious, and a persecutor, and the very chief of sinners, yea, as the greatest miracle of mercy, a monument of mercy to the whole world [Note: 1Ti 1:13; 1Ti 1:15-16.]. In the Old Testament, God had declared by the prophets that he would not regard ignorance as any excuse for their iniquities: They are a people of no understanding: therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them, and He that formed them will shew them no favour [Note: Isa 27:11.]. And again, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [Note: Hos 4:6.]. And under the New Testament, it is even made a matter of appeal to us: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation [Note: Heb 2:3.]? And again, If judgment begin at the house of God, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear [Note: 1Pe 4:17-18.]? Verily no candid person can doubt what the event was to the unbelieving Jews.]

And will it not have the same issue with respect to us?
[The greater our advantages are above the Jews, the greater is our guilt in neglecting to improve them. It is generally imagined, indeed, that those who commit no sin to lower them in the estimation of their fellow-creatures, are happy when they die: and to intimate a doubt of this would be deemed very uncharitable. But none, except they be converted, can ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. True indeed it is, that men ignorant of the Gospel, and of the wonders of love and mercy contained in it, are confident, in their own minds, that they have nothing to fear: and hence they continue in the broad road that leadeth to destruction, without ever thinking of their impending fate, till they drop into perdition. A fact which a pious writer records, as seen by himself, will well illustrate this. A flock of sheep being frightened on a bridge at the time of a high flood, one of them leaped over the side: all, one after another, followed its example, each supposing that those which had preceded him were safe and happy: but all, to their cost, found out their error when it was too late: for all were immersed in the flood, and perished in the waters. This gives us an exact picture of what is passing all around us. And it is abundantly confirmed in Holy Writ. In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man, who had no flagrant sin laid to his charge, supposed himself sure of happiness in death; just as his five surviving brethren did, whilst walking in his steps: but from the depths of hell we hear him crying for a drop of water, to cool his tongue; and entreating, that a messenger might be sent from heaven to warn his brethren of their danger: and, as this request could not be complied with, we have reason to suppose that they also, however confident of their safety, became partakers of his awful doom. And would not many, who are gone before, be glad to send such messengers to us? Yes, I doubt not but that thousands and millions of them would be coming from heaven, if they were allowed to perform that friendly office for our self-deceiving race: for, whatever we may think to the contrary, that very Jesus, whom we slight, will ere long be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power [Note: 2Th 1:7-9.].]

To improve this subject, I would entreat you to consider,
1.

What use you should make of your present opportunities

[You have the Lord of glory set before you, and all the mysteries of redeeming love unfolded to you. Yes, I can appeal to God, that I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. I pray you, then, continue not ignorant of this great mystery; for it is the wisdom of God, and the power of God to salvation to all those who receive it. I need not say, in this place [Note: The University of Cambridge.], how eagerly knowledge is sought, in the hopes of promoting mens future advancement in life: and shall that knowledge be neglected which has so intimate a connexion with your happiness through eternity? I mean not to detract from the importance of human sciences: but I must say, that, when weighed against the knowledge of this mystery, all earthly knowledge is but as the dust upon the balance: for St. Paul, whose judgment in that particular we cannot doubt, counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. Though you possess ever so small a portion of the one, you may be happy: but without the other you can never be happy, in time or in eternity. I must say, then, to every one amongst you, Seek the knowledge of this mystery: seek to comprehend the height and depth, and length and breadth of the love of Christ contained in it. So shall it be progressively opened to your view, and your souls be filled with all the fulness of God.]

2.

What zeal you should manifest for the glory of your Lord

[Did those who knew him not, crucify him? and shall not those who know him, honour and exalt his name? Should you forbear to do so, the very stones would cry out against you. Let an ungodly world complain of you: let them call your zeal enthusiasm, and your love hypocrisy; but be not ye deterred from duty by all the clamour that can be raised against you. You well know what efforts Pilate made to save Jesus from the fury of his persecutors: yet did his entreaties only increase their thirst for his blood. Learn ye of them, and shew the same pertinacity in his righteous cause; yea, rather, Jet your knowledge operate more forcibly than their ignorant animosity: and as they accounted nothing too much to inflict upon him, account ye nothing too great to do or suffer for the honour of his name.]

3.

How well you may be reconciled to sufferings for his sake

[He has ordained, that all his followers shall have a cross to bear. But shall you account it hard when it is laid upon you? Was he, the Lord of Glory, crucified for you; and will you not bear a cross for him? It is not without reason that he bids you, under such circumstances, to rejoice and leap for joy: for you are partakers of his sufferings, and rendered conformable to him; and your reward in heaven is proportionably augmented by it. Be not, then, either afraid or ashamed of the cross for his sake; but glory in it, and bear it after him with joy; and rejoice that you are counted worthy to bear it for his sake. You may suppose that you may disarm the malice of the world by the blamelessness of your conduct. But the more you resemble Christ in your conduct, the more will you he called to suffer for his sake. Open as his character and dispositions were, men knew him not. Nor do they know you [Note: 1Jn 3:1-2.]. Your conduct is as incomprehensible to the ungodly world as Christs was. They cannot conceive why you should separate so entirely from their ways, or give yourselves up so entirely to God. If they knew all your views, motives, principles, and habits, they would not so despise you. But, as all that our blessed Lord said or did was perverted, and made an occasion of evil, so must you expect all manner of evil to be spoken against you falsely for his sake. But let it not grieve you to be so treated: for the servant cannot expect to be above his Lord. Be contented to suffer with him here; and be assured that you shall reign with him in glory for ever and ever.]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it , they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Ver. 8. Which none of the princes ] He calleth the Pharisees and philosophers princes, for their learning, as being himself a scholar. Only he might well have said of them, as Cicero of others in another case, Mihi quidem nulli satis eruditi videntur, quibus nostra sunt ignota, I cannot take them for scholars that partake not of our learning. (Cicero de Poetis Latinis. )

None of the princes of this world knew ] Because their learning hung in their light. So it fared with Ulpian the chief lawyer, Galen the chief physician, Porphyry the chiefest Aristotelian, and Plotinus the chief Platonist, who were professed enemies to Christ and his truth. So were Libanius and Lucian, the chief scholars of their time. None miscarry oftener than men of greatest parts. None are so deep in hell as those that are most knowing. They see no more into the mystery of Christ than illiterate men do into the profound points of astronomy. As a man may look on a trade and never see the mystery of it; or he may look on the letter, and never understand the sense; so here.

For had they known it, &c. ] It was ignorance then that crucified Christ, Act 3:17 . And St Paul thanks his ignorance for his persecuting and blaspheming, 1Ti 1:15 ; “The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty,” Psa 74:20 . And they proceed from evil to evil, because they know not me, saith the Lord, Jer 9:3 . Surely as toads and serpents grow in dark and dirty cellars, so doth all sin and wickedness in an ignorant and blind soul. The Platonist held, that men sin only by ignorance. And Omnis peccans est ignorans, saith Aristotle. In blind ale houses is abundance of disorder, &c.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

8. ] is in apposition with the former , and does not refer to , as Tert [1] contra Marc [2] 1Co 2:6 , vol. ii. p. 483, “subjicit de gloria nostra, quod eam nemo ex principibus hujus vi scierit ,” for this would be departing from the whole sense of the context, which is, that the wisdom of God was hidden from men.

[1] Tertullian , 200

[2] Marcus Monachus, 390

. . . ., is a proof from experience , that the rulers of this world, of whom the Jewish rulers were a representative sample, were ignorant of the wisdom of God. Had they known it, they would not have put to a disgraceful death ( , Chrys.) Him who was the Lord of glory (reff.), i.e. who possesses in his own right glory eternal, see Joh 17:5 ; Joh 17:24 .

These words are not a parenthesis, but continue the sense of the foregoing, completing the proof of man’s ignorance of God’s wisdom; even this world’s rulers know it not, as they have shewn: how much less then the rest.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

1Co 2:8 . . . .: “which (wisdom) none of the rulers of this age has perceived” all blind to the significance of the rise of Christianity. , a pf., approaching the pr [351] sense ( novi ) which f1 had reached, but implying, as that does not, a process has come to know, won the knowledge of . . . ., repeated with emphasis from 1Co 2:6 sc. “the rulers of this (great) age,” of the world in its length of history and fulness of experience (see 1Co 10:11 , and note; cf. Eph 1:10 ; Eph 3:5 , Rom 16:25 f.). The leaders of the time showed themselves miserably ignorant of God’s plans and ways in dealing with the world they ruled; “for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory”. The Lord of glory is He in whom “our glory” (1Co 2:7 ) has its manifestation and guarantee first in His earthly, then in His heavenly estate ( cf. 1Co 15:43 ; 1Co 15:49 ). , gen [352] of characterising quality ( cf. Eph 1:17 , Act 7:2 ). This glory of the Son of God the disciples saw (Joh 1:14 ); of it believers now partake (Rom 8:29 f.), and will partake in full hereafter (2Co 3:18 , Phi 3:21 , etc.), when it culminates in a universal dominion (1Co 15:23-29 , Phi 2:9 ff., Heb 1 ). Paul’s view of Christ always shone with “the glory of that light” in which he first saw Him on the road to Damascus (Act 22:11 ). Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Pilate and the Roman court ( cf. Act 13:27 f., 1Ti 6:13 ) saw nothing of the splendour clothing the Lord Jesus as He stood before them; so knowing, they could not have crucified Him. The expression is no syn [353] for Christ’s Godhead; it signifies the entire grandeur of the incarnate Lord, whom the world’s wise and great sentenced to the cross. Their ignorance was a partial excuse (see Luk 23:34 , Act 13:27 ); but it was guilty, like that of Rom 1:18 f. The crucifiers fairly represented worldly governments. Mark the paradox, resembling Peter’s in Act 3:15 : “ Crux servorum supplicium eo Dominum glori affecerunt” (Bg [354] ). The levity of philosophers in rejecting the cross of Christ was only surpassed by the stupidity of politicians in inflicting it; in both acts the wise of the age proved themselves fools, and God thereby brought them to ruin (1Co 1:28 ). For , stating a hypothesis contrary to past fact (the modus tollens of logic), see Bn [355] 248; and cf. 1Co 11:31 .

[351] present tense.

[352] genitive case.

[353] synonym, synonymous.

[354] Bengel’s Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[355] E. Burton’s Syntax of the Moods and Tenses in the N.T. (1894).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

none. Greek. oudeis.

knew. App-132.

had they = if (Greek. ei. App-118. a) they had.

the Lord. App-98.

of glory. Compare Act 7:2. Eph 1:17. Col 1:27. Heb 1:3. Jam 2:1.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

8.] is in apposition with the former , and does not refer to , as Tert[1] contra Marc[2] 1Co 2:6, vol. ii. p. 483,-subjicit de gloria nostra, quod eam nemo ex principibus hujus vi scierit , for this would be departing from the whole sense of the context, which is, that the wisdom of God was hidden from men.

[1] Tertullian, 200

[2] Marcus Monachus, 390

. …, is a proof from experience, that the rulers of this world, of whom the Jewish rulers were a representative sample, were ignorant of the wisdom of God. Had they known it, they would not have put to a disgraceful death ( , Chrys.) Him who was the Lord of glory (reff.),-i.e. who possesses in his own right glory eternal, see Joh 17:5; Joh 17:24.

These words are not a parenthesis, but continue the sense of the foregoing, completing the proof of mans ignorance of Gods wisdom;-even this worlds rulers know it not, as they have shewn: how much less then the rest.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

1Co 2:8. , which) a reference to wisdom.- -, none of the princes-knew) none, almost none, nay, none at all, as [qu] a prince. The antithesis to this predicate is in the but 1Co 2:9; to the subject, in the but 1Co 2:10.- , the Lord) who surpasses all princes.-) The cross, the punishment of slaves. It was with this the Lord of glory was slain.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

1Co 2:8

1Co 2:8

which none of the rulers of this world hath known:-The reference is to the Jewish and Roman rulers who engaged in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It was the world in its princes who rejected the Savior.

for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:-Had they known and understood this mystery, they would not have committed the awful deed.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

none: 1Co 2:6, 1Co 1:26-28, Mat 11:25, Joh 7:48

for: Luk 23:34, Joh 3:19-21, Joh 8:19, Joh 9:39-41, Joh 12:40-43, Joh 15:22-25, Joh 16:3, Act 3:17, Act 13:27, 2Co 3:14, 1Ti 1:13

the Lord: Psa 24:7-10, Act 3:16, Act 3:17, Act 7:2, Jam 2:1

Reciprocal: Job 32:9 – Great Joh 1:10 – knew Joh 4:1 – the Lord Joh 15:21 – because Joh 16:14 – for Eph 1:17 – the Father

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Co 2:8. None of the princes of this world knew because it had not been revealed. Those who crucified Christ did not realize he was the Lord of glory (Luk 23:34).

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

1Co 2:8. which (wisdom) none of the princes of this world knoweth: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (as He is also called in Jas 2:1)inflicting hereby (exclaims Bengel) on the Lord of glory the punishment of slaves!

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

That is, which divine neither Caiphas, nor Herod, nor Pontius Pilate, nor any of the Jewish or Gentile rulers, did understand.

Where note, The apostle calls the learned rabbis, the admired philosophers among the heathen, the celebrated doctors among the Jews, princes: but presently adds a diminutive term, which darkens all their glory: he styles them the princes of this world, utterly unacquainted with the wisdom of the other world.

Observe farther, What a clear and full proof the apostle gives of their ignorance of this divine wisdom which the gospel reveals: had they known it, that is, practically known it, so as to believe it, to be influenced and persuaded by it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Note here, 1. A royal title given to Christ, The Lord of glory.

There belongs to him, (1.) An essential glory as God, which is unspeakable, yea, inconceivable, He thought it no robbery to be equal with God, that is, to have a peerage or equality with his Father in glory.

(2.) A mediatorial glory as head of the church, which consists in that fullness of grace which is inherent in him, and in that dignity and authority which is put upon him.

(3.) A passive glory, (as some divines call it,) of a glory which shall to all eternity be given to him by his redeemed ones, by saints and angels, upon the account of his mediatorial work: Worthy is the Lamb to receive glory, and honour, and worship, Rev 5:12 for he hath redeemed us, &c.

Note, 2. The indignity offered to this glorious person: They crucified him, they nailed him to an ignominious cross, and put him to death, as the vilest criminal, as the greatest malefactor.

Note, 3. The cause of this indignity, and that was, ignorance; had they known, they would not have crucified, that is, had the princes of this world known, either who Christ was, or the work which he came about, they would not have crucified him, but adored him.

But was their ignorance of Christ a sufficient excuse for crucifying him. In no wise, because it was not an invincible, but a willful ignorance: they had sufficient means of instruction, by which they might have come to the knowledge of him, and of their duty to him; but they closed their eyes, and would not see.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Vv. 8: which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

The idea of wisdom being that which dominates the entire passage, the pronoun , which, should not be made relative to the word , glory, which expresses only a secondary idea, but to the phrase , wisdom of God. What proves this wisdom to be a conception superior to all human thought, is the fact that when it was realized in an individual person, the princes of human thought did not discern it; these princes are those spoken of in 1Co 2:6. They had no perception of the glorious destination which God has assigned to humanity, and hence they rejected and crucified Him, who first realized it in His person. The apostle characterizes Jesus Christ as the Lord of glory. This title is in keeping with the term , glory, by which he has defined the end of the Divine decree. Glory is the lustre shed by the Divine perfections. This lustre is one day to shine in man, and Jesus Christ, as the first, has realized in Himself that splendour which He is to communicate to all believers. If the representatives of Jewish wisdom and Roman power had understood the higher glory which Jesus was bringing to them, they would undoubtedly have sacrificed that which they possessed. But as they did not discern the former, they chose at any price to maintain their earthly power, and they sought to destroy Him at whose feet they should have abdicated; comp. the parable of the husbandman and the deliberation of the Sanhedrim, Joh 11:47. There is an intentional antithesis between the term crucified, which indicates the lowest degree of humiliation and suffering, and the title Lord of glory. To this proof from fact, the apostle adds the Scriptural demonstration, 1Co 2:9.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory [their conduct proved their ignorance even as Jesus asserted– Luk 23:34]:

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

8. Which no one of the princes of this age knew: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. I doubt not but Caiaphas, the high priest of Jerusalem, and the Sanhedrin over whom he presided, in the full approval of their consciences, assigned the death-warrant of Jesus Christ, believing it to be their duty and that God was pleased with their decision. The devil had so succeeded in blinding their eyes that they could not see the Christ of God in Jesus of Nazareth. They could only see in him a disturber of the Church, a blasphemer and a traitor. What was the solution? The devil had achieved a complete victory over them, so thoroughly deceiving them that they were actually worshipping him for the God of Israel, faithfully doing his diabolical will, believing that they were doing the will of Jehovah. Has not the world since the Fall, when Satans reign superseded the Eden theocracy, been uniformly characterized by that very state of things? Two hundred millions of martyrs have sealed their fate with their blood, every one being put to death under charges of heresy. The leading men of the popular church, as in the case of Christ, became their murderers, and of course killed them in all good conscience, as the preachers killed Jesus, all under the charge of heresy. It is true they were all heretics for a heretic is one who separates, and these martyrs had all separated themselves from the church authorities, whether Jewish, Paganistic, Moslem or Roman Catholic, and these authorities had them put to death. But we know the solution of the whole matter. These great preachers, standing at the head and claiming the right to rule the church, were actually dominated by the devil, deceiving them, passing himself on them for God, and getting them to worship him and do his cruel will, believing that they were doing the will of their loving heavenly Father. When I was in St. Peters Cathedral in Rome, I saw the bronze statue of St. Dominique, and an infuriated dog standing by him holding in his mouth a bundle of fagots. That angry dog represents the rage of this saint (really a devil), and the bundle of fagots was to burn the heretics, i. e., the martyrs. This saint was canonized for his authorship of the Inquisition. We must not think the world has changed, neither has the devil nor sin. The persecutors of Gods saints in all ages have been so blinded by Satan as to think that Gods people are the devils people, while they themselves are the very people whom they think they are persecuting. There is no remedy for this state of things. Spirituality can see carnality, but carnality can not see spirituality.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Verse 8

Known it; that is, the gospel,–the truth that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior of men.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

2:8 {7} Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the {h} Lord of glory.

(7) He takes away another objection: why then, how comes it to pass that this wisdom was so rejected by men of the highest authority, that they crucified Christ himself? Paul answers: because they did not know Christ such as he was.

(h) That mighty God, full of true majesty and glory: now this place has in it a most evident proof of the divinity of Christ, and of the joining of the two natures in one in him, which has this in it, that which is proper to the manhood alone is confirmed of the Godhead joined with the manhood. This type of speech is called, by the old fathers, a making common of things belonging to someone with another to whom they do not belong.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The rulers of this age are probably the intellectual trend-setters Paul mentioned above (1Co 2:7). Those responsible for the death of Christ were members of this group (cf. Act 3:17-18; Act 4:25-28). If they had understood the central place that Jesus Christ occupied in God’s plan, they would not have crucified Him, thus assuring their own doom (cf. Luk 23:34).

"The key [to this section of Paul’s argument] is 1Co 2:8. The rulers of this age (whether understood as political and religious figures or as apocalyptic powers) demonstrated their ignorance of divine wisdom when they crucified the Lord of glory. The very mention of the crucifixion shows the argument very much in continuity with the preceding section and reminds us that the wisdom of God, which is incomprehensible to the world, is nothing other than the word of the cross (1Co 1:23-24)." [Note: Cousar, "Expository Articles . . ", p. 171.]

The phrase "Lord of glory" implies the divine fullness. It also ties in with the saints’ glory (1Co 2:7). It is through union with Him that we will experience glory.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)