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Overview
1st Corinthians 2: The Spiritual Man Discerns The Things Of The Spirit!
In this chapter, Paul focused on the nature and source of his teachings, emphasizing the role of the Holy Spirit in understanding the wisdom of God.
He discussed the limitations of human wisdom and how spiritual wisdom went beyond it.
Bible Study/Commentary & Verses
Verses 1-5: Paul's Proclamation
Paul began this chapter by talking about his own preaching when he had first come to Corinth.
He emphasized that he did not use eloquent wisdom or speech but focused on proclaiming the testimony of God and the crucified Christ.
Paul's aim was to allow the Corinthians' faith to rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
Verses 6-10: The Wisdom from God
Paul distinguished between the worldly wisdom he had earlier dismissed and the true wisdom from God that he and other apostles spoke among the mature.
This wisdom, hidden in mystery, God decreed before the ages for our glory.
This wisdom was not known by the rulers of that age, who, in their ignorance, crucified the Lord of glory.
But, as it was written in the scriptures, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him."
Verses 11-16: The Role of the Spirit
Paul concludes this chapter by discussing the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in understanding God's wisdom.
Just as no one comprehends the thoughts of a person except their own spirit, similarly no one can comprehend God's thoughts except the Spirit of God.
He emphasizes that they have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit from God, so that they might understand the gifts bestowed on them by God.
These spiritual truths are spiritually discerned.
Those without the Spirit, the "natural person," do not accept these truths, for they are folly to them.
But the one who is spiritual can judge all things.
Paul ends this chapter stating, "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?"
But we, he asserts, have the mind of Christ.
Overall Summary.
In 1st Corinthians Chapter 2, Paul focused on the preaching of Christ crucified, highlighting the essential message of the gospel and its power to transform lives.
He emphasized that his approach to preaching in Corinth was not based on human wisdom or persuasive words but on the demonstration of the Spirit's power.
Paul then delved into the concept of wisdom, distinguishing between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God.
He emphasized that God's wisdom was revealed through the Holy Spirit, and it was by the Spirit that believers gained spiritual discernment and the mind of Christ.
This chapter reminded the Corinthians of the need to prioritize the wisdom of God over worldly wisdom and to rely on the guidance of the Spirit in their lives and decision-making.
1 Corinthians 2
Proclaiming Christ Crucified
2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Wisdom from the Spirit
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Q&A
1 Corinthians 2:1
Q1: How did Paul come to the Corinthians?
A1: And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
1 Corinthians 2:2
Q2: What did Paul determine to know among the Corinthians?
A2: For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:3
Q3: In what manner did Paul come to the Corinthians?
A3: And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling.
1 Corinthians 2:4
Q4: How did Paul's speech and message stand?
A4: And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
1 Corinthians 2:5
Q5: What did Paul want the Corinthians' faith to rest on?
A5: So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:6
Q6: What wisdom does Paul speak among the mature?
A6: Yet among the mature, we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
1 Corinthians 2:7
Q7: What hidden wisdom did God decree before the ages?
A7: But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
1 Corinthians 2:8
Q8: Who did not understand this wisdom?
A8: None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1 Corinthians 2:9
Q9: What is said about what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined?
A9: But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him."
1 Corinthians 2:10
Q10: What does the Spirit search?
A10: These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
1 Corinthians 2:11
Q11: What do people understand except the Spirit of God?
A11: For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12
Q12: What have believers received?
A12: Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:13
Q13: How does Paul impart this in words taught by the Spirit?
A13: And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:14
Q14: What does the natural person not accept?
A14: The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:15
Q15: Who is able to judge all things?
A15: The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
1 Corinthians 2:16
Q16: What do believers have that enables them to understand the mind of Christ?
A16: "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
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