Paul's Humble Preaching
Study note
Paul reminds the Corinthians that he came to them without impressive rhetoric or philosophical sophistication. He was weak, fearful, and trembling, deliberately avoiding persuasive human wisdom so that their faith would rest on the power of God rather than on any human speaker's skill. This personal example directly counters the Corinthians' tendency to elevate certain leaders based on eloquence.
1 When I first came to you, friends, I did not show up with impressive speeches or deep philosophy to tell you about God. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 I made up my mind. The only thing I would talk about was Jesus Christ and the fact that he died on a cross. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 I appeared feeling weak, scared, and shaking with nerves. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 When I spoke and preached, I did not try to win you over with clever human arguments. Instead, the Spirit arrived with power, and that was my proof. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 I did it that way on purpose, so your faith would not be built on how smart people are, but on how powerful God is. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
God's Hidden Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit
Study note
Paul explains that he does speak wisdom among the spiritually mature, but it is not the wisdom of this age or its rulers. It is God's secret wisdom, hidden before the ages and ordained for the glory of believers. The rulers of this age, had they understood it, would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Quoting Isaiah, Paul declares that no eye, ear, or mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed these things through his Spirit.
6 Now, when we are with believers who have grown up in their faith, we do share wisdom. But it is not the wisdom this world offers. It is not from the leaders of this world, who are on their way out. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 We share God's secret wisdom that was hidden away. God planned it before time began, and he planned it for our glory. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Not a single ruler of this world figured it out. If they had, they never would have crucified the glorious Lord. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 The scriptures say, 'No eye has ever seen it. No ear has ever heard it. No mind has ever dreamed up the things God has ready for those who love him.' But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God let us in on the secret through his Spirit. The Spirit digs deep into everything, even the deepest parts of who God is. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
The Spirit Searches All Things
Study note
Paul draws a parallel: just as only a person's own spirit knows their inner thoughts, only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. Believers have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit from God, enabling them to understand the gifts God has freely given. The natural person cannot accept spiritual truths because they are spiritually discerned. Paul concludes with the remarkable claim that believers have the mind of Christ, a gift that transcends all human philosophical inquiry.
11 Think about it: only your own spirit truly knows what is going on inside you. In the same way, only God's Spirit truly knows what is going on inside God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 We did not receive the spirit that runs this world. We received the Spirit who comes from God, so we could understand the incredible things God has freely given us. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 When we talk about these things, we do not use words from human cleverness. We use words the Holy Spirit teaches us. We explain spiritual things with Spirit-given words. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 Someone who does not have the Spirit cannot take in the things that come from God's Spirit. Those things sound like nonsense to them. They cannot make sense of them, because you need the Spirit to understand them. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But someone who has the Spirit can see the truth about everything. And no one without the Spirit can rightly judge that person. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 The scriptures ask, 'Who could possibly know what the Lord is thinking well enough to give him advice?' But we have been given the mind of Christ. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.