@1Co 2:1-16. PAUL'S SUBJECT OF PREACHING, CHRIST CRUCIFIED, NOT IN WORLDLY, BUT IN HEAVENLY, WISDOM AMONG THE PERFECT.
1. And I--"So I" [CONYBEARE] as one of the "foolish, weak, and
despised" instruments employed by God (@1Co 1:27,28); "glorying in
the Lord," not in man's wisdom (@1Co 1:31). Compare @1Co 1:23,
"We."
when I came--(@Ac 18:1, &c.). Paul might, had he pleased, have
used an ornate style, having studied secular learning at Tarsus of
Cilicia, which STRABO preferred as a school of learning to Athens or
Alexandria; here, doubtless, he read the Cilician Aratus' poems
(which he quotes, @Ac 17:28), and Epimenides (@Tit 1:12), and
MENANDER (@1Co 15:33). Grecian intellectual development was an
important element in preparing the way for the Gospel, but it failed to
regenerate the world, showing that for this a superhuman power is
needed. Hellenistic (Grecizing) Judaism at Tarsus and Alexandria was the
connecting link between the schools of Athens and those of the Rabbis.
No more fitting birthplace could there have been for the apostle of the
Gentiles than Tarsus, free as it was from the warping influences of
Rome, Alexandria, and Athens. He had at the same time
Roman citizenship, which protected him from sudden violence. Again,
he was reared in the Hebrew divine law at Jerusalem. Thus, as the
three elements, Greek cultivation, Roman polity (@Lu 2:1), and
the divine law given to the Jews, combined just at Christ's time, to
prepare the world for the Gospel, so the same three, by God's
marvellous providence, met together in the apostle to the Gentiles
[CONYBEARE and
HOWSON].
testimony of God--"the testimony of Christ" (@1Co 1:6);
therefore Christ is God.
2. The Greek implies, "The only definite thing that I made it my business to know among you, was to know Jesus Christ (His person) and Him crucified (His office)" [ALFORD], not exalted on the earthly throne of David, but executed as the vilest malefactor. The historical fact of Christ's crucifixion had probably been put less prominently forward by the seekers after human wisdom in the Corinthian church, to avoid offending learned heathens and Jews. Christ's person and Christ's office constitute the sum of the Gospel.
3. I--the preacher: as @1Co 2:2 describes the
subject, "Christ crucified," and @1Co 2:4
the mode of preaching: "my
speech . . . not with enticing words," "but in demonstration of the
Spirit."
weakness--personal and bodily (@2Co 10:10 12:7,9 Ga 4:13).
trembling--(compare @Php 2:12). Not personal fear, but a
trembling anxiety to perform a duty; anxious conscientiousness, as
proved by the contrast to "eye service" (@Eph 6:5)
[CONYBEARE and
HOWSON].
4. my speech--in private.
preaching--in public [BENGEL].
ALFORD explains it,
My discourse on doctrines, and my preaching or
announcement of facts.
enticing--rather, "persuasive."
man's wisdom--man's is omitted in the oldest authorities. Still
"wisdom" does refer to "man's" wisdom.
in demonstration of . . . Spirit, &c.--Persuasion is man's means
of moving his fellow man. God's means is demonstration, leaving no
doubt, and inspiring implicit faith, by the powerful working of the
Spirit (then exhibited both outwardly by miracles, and inwardly by
working on the heart, now in the latter and the more important way only,
@Mt 7:29 Ac 6:10 Heb 4:12; compare also @Ro 15:19).
The same simple power accompanies divine truth now, producing certain
persuasion and conversion, when the Spirit demonstrates by it.
5. stand in . . . wisdom of men--rest on it, owe its origin and continuance to it.
6, 7. Yet the Gospel preaching, so far from being at variance with
true "wisdom," is a wisdom infinitely higher than that of the wise of
the world.
we speak--resuming "we" (preachers, I, Apollos, &c.). from "we
preach" (@1Co 1:28), only that here, "we speak" refers to something
less public (compare @1Co 2:7,13, "mystery . . . hidden") than "we
preach," which is public. For "wisdom" here denotes not the whole of
Christian doctrine, but its sublimer and deeper principles.
perfect--Those matured in Christian experience and knowledge alone
can understand the true superiority of the Christian wisdom which Paul
preached. Distinguished not only from worldly and natural men,
but also from babes, who though "in Christ" retain much that is
"carnal" (@1Co 3:1,2), and cannot therefore understand the deeper
truths of Christianity (@1Co 14:20 Php 3:15 Heb 5:14). Paul does not
mean by the "mystery" or "hidden wisdom" (@1Co 2:7) some
hidden tradition distinct from the Gospel (like the Church of Rome's
disciplina arcani and doctrine of reserve), but the unfolding of
the treasures of knowledge, once hidden in God's counsels, but now
announced to all, which would be intelligently comprehended in
proportion as the hearer's inner life became perfectly transformed into
the image of Christ. Compare instances of such "mysteries," that is,
deeper Christian truths, not preached at Paul's first coming to Corinth,
when he confined himself to the fundamental elements (@1Co 2:2), but
now spoken to the "perfect" (@1Co 15:51 Ro 11:25 Eph 3:5,6). "Perfect"
is used not of absolute perfection, but relatively to "babes," or
those less ripe in Christian growth (compare @Php 3:12,15, with
@1Jo 2:12-14). "God"
(@1Co 2:7) is opposed to the world, the
apostles to "the princes [great and learned men] of this world"
(@1Co 2:8; compare @1Co 1:20) [BENGEL].
come to naught--nothingness (@1Co 1:28). They are transient, not
immortal. Therefore, their wisdom is not real [BENGEL]. Rather,
translate with ALFORD, "Which are being brought to naught," namely,
by God's choosing the "things which are not (the
weak and despised things of the Gospel), to bring to naught
(the same verb as here) things that are" (@1Co 1:28).
7. wisdom of God--emphatically contrasted with the wisdom
of men and
of this world (@1Co 2:5,6).
in a mystery--connected in construction with "we speak": We speak as
dealing with a mystery; that is not something to be kept hidden, but
what heretofore was so, but is now revealed. Whereas the pagan
mysteries were revealed only to a chosen few, the Gospel mysteries were
made known to all who would obey the truth. "If our Gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost" (@2Co 4:3),
"whom the God of
this world hath blinded." Ordinarily we use "mystery" in reference
to those from whom the knowledge is withheld; the apostles, in
reference to those to whom it is revealed [WHATELY].
It is hidden
before it is brought forward, and when it is brought forward it still
remains hidden to those that are imperfect [BENGEL].
ordained--literally, "foreordained" (compare @1Co 2:9), "prepared
for them that love Him."
before the world--rather, "before the ages" (of time), that is,
from eternity. This infinitely antedates worldly wisdom in antiquity. It
was before not only the wisdom of the world, but eternally before the
world itself and its ages.
to our glory--ours both now and hereafter, from "the Lord of glory"
(@1Co 2:8), who brings to naught "the princes of this world."
8. Which--wisdom. The strongest proof of the natural man's destitution
of heavenly wisdom.
crucified . . . Lord of glory--implying the inseparable connection of
Christ's humanity and His divinity. The Lord of glory (which He had in
His own right before the world was, @Joh 17:4,24) was crucified.
9. But--(it has happened) as it is written.
Eye hath not seen, &c.--ALFORD translates, "The things which eye saw
not . . . the things which God prepared . . . to us God revealed through
His Spirit." Thus, however, the "but" of @1Co 2:10 is ignored.
Rather construe, as ESTIUS, "('We speak,' supplied from @1Co 2:8),
things which eye saw not (heretofore), . . . things which God
prepared . . . But God revealed them to us," &c. The quotation is not a
verbatim one, but an inspired exposition of the "wisdom" (@1Co 2:6,
from @Isa 64:4). The exceptive words, "O God, beside
(that is, except) Thee," are not quoted directly, but are virtually expressed in
the exposition of them (@1Co 2:10), "None but thou, O God, seest
these mysteries, and God hath revealed them to us by His Spirit."
entered--literally, "come up into the heart." A Hebraism (compare,
@Jer 3:16, Margin). In @Isa 64:4 it is
"Prepared (literally, 'will do')
for him that waiteth for Him"; here, "for them that love
Him." For Isaiah spake to them who waited for Messiah's appearance
as future; Paul, to them who love Him as having actually appeared
(@1Jo 4:19); compare @1Co 2:12, "the things that are freely given
to us of God"
10. revealed . . . by . . . Spirit--The inspiration of thoughts (so far
as truth essential to salvation is concerned) makes the Christian
(@1Co 3:16 12:3 Mt 16:17 Joh 16:13 1Jo 2:20,27); that of words,
the PROPHET (@2Sa 23:1,2 1Ki 13:1,5),
"by the word of the Lord"
(@1Co 2:13 Joh 20:30,31 2Pe 1:21). The secrets of revelation are
secret to some, not because those who know them will not reveal them
(for indeed, the very notion of revelation implies an unveiling of
what had been veiled), but because those to whom they are announced have
not the will or power to comprehend them. Hence the Spirit-taught alone
know these secrets (@Ps 25:14 Pr 3:32 Joh 7:17 15:15).
unto us--the "perfect" or fully matured in Christian experience
(@1Co 2:6). Intelligent men may understand the outline of doctrines;
but without the Holy Spirit's revelation to the heart, these will be to
them a mere outline--a skeleton, correct perhaps, but wanting life
[WHATLEY, Cautions for the Times, 14], (@Lu 10:21).
the Spirit searcheth--working in us and with our spirits (compare
@Ro 8:16,26,27).
The Old Testament shows us God (the Father) for us.
The Gospels, God (the Son) with us. The Acts and Epistles, God (the Holy
Ghost) in us [MONOD], (@Ga 3:14).
deep things of God--(@Ps 92:5). His divine nature, attributes,
and counsels. The Spirit delights to explore the infinite depths of His
own divine mind, and then reveal them to us, according as we are capable
of understanding them (@De 29:29). This proves the personality and
Godhead of the Holy Ghost. Godhead cannot be separated from the Spirit
of God, as manhood cannot be separated from the Spirit of man
[BENGEL].
11. what man, &c.--literally, "who of men knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of that man?"
things of God knoweth no man--rather, "none knoweth," not angel or
man. This proves the impossibility of any knowing the things of God,
save by the Spirit of God (who alone knows them, since even in the case
of man, so infinitely inferior in mind to God, none of his fellow men,
but his own spirit alone knows the things hidden within him).
12. we . . . received, not . . . spirit of . . . world--the personal
evil "spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"
(@Eph 2:2). This spirit is natural in the unregenerate, and needs not
to be received.
Spirit which is of God--that is, which comes from God. We have received
it only by the gift of God, whose Spirit it is, whereas our own spirit
is the spirit that is in us men (@1Co 2:11).
that we might know . . . things . . . freely given
. . . of God--present experimental knowledge, to our unspeakable comfort, of His deep
mysteries of wisdom, and of our future possession of the good "things
which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (@1Co 2:9).
13. also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but
we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (@1Co 2:12).
which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit"
simply, without "Holy."
comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the
Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel
which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely
illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old
Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated,
"comparing" (@2Co 10:12). WAHL (Key of the New Testament)
translates, "explaining (as the Greek is translated,
@Ge 40:8, the Septuagint)
to spiritual (that is, Spirit-taught) men, spiritual
things (the things which we ourselves are taught by the Spirit)."
Spirit-taught men alone can comprehend spiritual truths. This accords
with @1Co 2:6,9,10,14,15 1Co 3:1. ALFORD translates, "Putting
together (combining) spirituals with spirituals"; that is, attaching
spiritual words to spiritual things, which we should not do, if
we were to use words of worldly wisdom to expound spiritual things (so
@1Co 2:1,4 1Pe 4:11). Perhaps the generality of the neuters is
designed to comprehend these several notions by implication. Comparing,
or combining, spirituals with spirituals; implying both that spiritual
things are only suited to spiritual persons (so "things" comprehended
persons, @1Co 1:27), and also that spiritual truths can only be
combined with spiritual (not worldly-wise) words; and lastly, spirituals
of the Old and New Testaments can only be understood by mutual
comparison or combination, not by combination with worldly "wisdom," or
natural perceptions (@1Co 1:21,22 2:1,4-9; compare @Ps 119:18).
14. natural man--literally, "a man of animal soul." As contrasted with
the spiritual man, he is governed by the animal soul, which overbears
his spirit, which latter is without the Spirit of God (@Jude 1:19).
So the animal (English Version, "natural") body, or body led by
the lower animal nature (including both the mere human fallen reason and
heart), is contrasted with the Spirit-quickened body
(@1Co 15:44-46). The carnal man
(the man led by bodily appetites,
and also by a self-exalting spirit, estranged from the divine life) is
closely akin; so too the "earthly." "Devilish," or "demon-like"; "led by
an evil spirit," is the awful character of such a one, in its worst type
(@Jas 3:15).
receiveth not--though they are offered to him, and are "worthy of
being received by all men" (@1Ti 1:15).
they are foolishness unto him--whereas he seeks "wisdom"
(@1Co 1:22).
neither can he--Not only does he not, but he cannot know them,
and therefore has no wish to "receive" them (@Ro 8:7).
15. He that is spiritual--literally, "the spiritual (man)." In
@1Co 2:14, it is "A [not 'the,' as English Version]
natural man." The spiritual is the man distinguished above his
fellow men, as he in whom the Spirit rules. In the unregenerate, the
spirit which ought to be the organ of the Holy Spirit (and which is so
in the regenerate), is overridden by the animal soul, and is in
abeyance, so that such a one is never called "spiritual."
judgeth all things--and persons, by their true standard (compare
@1Co 6:2-4 1Jo 4:1), in so far as he is spiritual. "Discerneth . . .
is discerned," would better accord with the translation of the same
Greek (@1Co 2:14). Otherwise for "discerned," in @1Co 2:14,
translate, "judged of," to accord with the translation, "judgeth . . . is
judged" in this fifteenth verse. He has a practical insight into the
verities of the Gospel, though he is not infallible on all theoretical
points. If an individual may have the Spirit without being infallible,
why may not the Church have the Spirit, and yet not be infallible (a
refutation of the plea of Rome for the Church's infallibility, from
@Mt 28:20 Joh 16:13)? As the believer and the Church have the Spirit,
and are yet not therefore impeccable, so he and the Church have the
Spirit, and yet are not infallible or impeccable. He and the Church are
both infallible and impeccable, only in proportion to the degree in
which they are led by the Spirit. The Spirit leads into all truth and
holiness; but His influence on believers and on the Church is as yet
partial. Jesus alone, who had the Spirit without measure (@Joh 3:34),
is both infallible and impeccable. Scripture, because it was written by
men, who while writing were infallibly inspired, is unmixed truth
(@Pr 28:5 1Jo 2:27).
16. For--proof of @1Co 2:15, that the spiritual man "is judged of
no man." In order to judge the spiritual man, the ordinary man must
"know the mind of the Lord." But "who of ordinary men knows" that?
that he may instruct him--that is, so as to be able to set Him right
as His counsellor (quoted from @Isa 40:13,14). So the
Septuagint translates the Greek verb, which means to "prove," in @Ac 9:22.
Natural men who judge spiritual men, living according to the mind of God
("We have the mind of Christ"), are virtually wishing to instruct God,
and bring Him to another mind, as counsellors setting to right their
king.
we have the mind of Christ--in our degree of capability to apprehend
it. @Isa 40:13,14 refers to JEHOVAH: therefore, as it is applied here
to Christ, He is Jehovah.