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1 Coríntios 2

Kenneth Wuest · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - for, after weighing the issues, I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and this very One as crucified. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - But we speak God’s wisdom in the form of a mystery long hidden but now revealed and understandable, that wisdom which has been kept secret which God foreordained before the ages with a view to our glory, (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God—[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to lift us into the glory of His presence].

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - which wisdom not one of the rulers of this age has known in an experiential way, for had they known it, in that case they would not have crucified the Lord of the glory. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest adds - This brings us to the doctrine of verbal inspiration which Paul states in verse thirteen. After the Bible writers had been given the truth by means of the act of the Holy Spirit in uncovering it to them, the apostle says that they were not left to themselves to make a record of it. It is one thing to know a certain fact. It is quite another to find the exact words which will give someone else an adequate understanding of that fact. And right here is where the need of verbal inspiration comes in. Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Related Resources: Inspiration of the Bible - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Inspiration of Scripture - Holman Bible Dictionary Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (with Exposition) The Witness of Scripture to its Inspiration - Alan M. Stibbs not in words taught by human wisdom - Arnold sees the WE here as "we apostles." First, Paul makes a negative statement, stating that the words which the Bible writers used were not dictated by their (the writers of Scripture) human reason or wisdom.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - And as for myself, having come to you, brethren, I came, not having my message dominated by a transcendent rhetorical display or by philosophical subtlety when I was announcing to you the testimony of God, (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - AS FOR myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom;

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - And as for myself, when I faced you, I fell into a state of weakness and fear and much trembling. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling after I had come] among you.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - And my message and my preaching were not couched in specious words of philosophy but were dependent for their efficacy upon a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them]

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - in order that your faith should not be resting in human philosophy but in God’s power. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - There is a wisdom, however, which we are in the habit of speaking among those who are spiritually mature, but not a wisdom of this present age or even a wisdom of the rulers of this age who are in the process of being liquidated. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), we do impart a [higher] wisdom (the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden); but it is indeed not a wisdom of this present age or of this world nor of the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - But even as it stands written, The things which eye did not see nor ear hear and which did not arise within an individual’s heart, so many things as God prepared for those who love Him, (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. God has prepared for those who love him." NLT 1 Corinthians 2:9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." ESV 1 Corinthians 2:9 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"-- NIV 1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- GNT 1 Corinthians 2:9 ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται, Ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. KJV 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:9 but, according as it hath been written, 'What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him -- ' ASV 1 Corinthians 2:9 but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind-- God prepared this for those who love Him. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." NRS 1 Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- NAB 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him," NJB 1 Corinthians 2:9 but it is as scripture says: What no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of man cannot visualise; all that God has prepared for those who love him; GWN 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as Scripture says: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him." eye: Isa 64:4 Joh 3:16 1Pe 1:12 the things: Ps 31:19 Mt 20:23 25:34 Heb 11:16 those: Ro 8:28 Jas 1:12 2:5 1Jn 4:19 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Isaiah 64:4 For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. But - Term of contrast. He has just stated the unregenerate did not understand God's wisdom. It was (and still is) a mystery to them. But God has revealed the "mystery" to believers, those who love Him. Just as it is written - Written is grapho in the perfect tense which means it was written in the past and stands written, written and applicable for every age, yea, for all time. The text is quoted as proof of the fact that the mysteries of redeeming mercy are not apprehended by natural wisdom but are revealed supernaturally. Hodge makes an interesting point that "The formula as it is written is never used by the apostles except in citing the canonical books of the Old Testament; so it cannot be claimed that Paul intended to quote either some book now lost or some apocryphal writing." There is disagreement as to where this is quoted from in the OT - Robertson suggests "It is likely that Paul here combines freely Isa. 64:4, 65:17, 52:15 in a sort of catena or free chain of quotations as he does in Ro 3:10–18."

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - for to us God the Father revealed them through the intermediate agency of His Spirit. For the Spirit is constantly exploring all things, even the deep things of God. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny]. NLT 1 Corinthians 2:10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. ESV 1 Corinthians 2:10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. GNT 1 Corinthians 2:10 ἡμῖν δὲ ἀπεκάλυψεν ὁ θεὸς διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα πάντα ἐραυνᾷ, καὶ τὰ βάθη τοῦ θεοῦ. KJV 1 Corinthians 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:10 but to us did God reveal them through His Spirit, for the Spirit all things doth search, even the depths of God, ASV 1 Corinthians 2:10 But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:10 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. NRS 1 Corinthians 2:10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. NAB 1 Corinthians 2:10 this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. NJB 1 Corinthians 2:10 to us, though, God has given revelation through the Spirit, for the Spirit explores the depths of everything, even the depths of God. GWN 1 Corinthians 2:10 God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God. God: 1Co 14:30 Am 3:7 Mt 11:25-27 13:11 16:17 Lu 2:26 10:21 Eph 3:3,5 1Pe 1:12 Rev 1:1 through: Isa 48:16 59:21 Joh 14:26 16:13 1Jn 2:20,27 the Spirit: 1Co 2:11 12:8-11 Ro 8:26,27 the depths: Job 12:22 Ps 92:5,6 Da 2:22 Ro 11:33-36 Reciprocal:, Job 11:7 - Canst Job 32:8 - the inspiration Isaiah 54:13 - all Isaiah 64:4 - have not Daniel 2:19 - was Daniel 12:10 - but the wise Matthew 13:44 - like 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit 2 Corinthians 10:14 - we stretch not Galatians 1:11 - that Ephesians 1:9 - made Ephesians 1:17 - revelation 1 Thessalonians 4:8 - who Revelation 2:7 - let him) 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY, HIDDEN WISDOM NOTE: For more in depth commentary especially word studies click 1 Corinthians 2:10 In 1Cor 2:10-16 Paul gives special attention to the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing (and illumining) the wisdom of God (1Cor 1:21, 24, 30, 2:6-8 especially wisdom centered on Christ and "Christ crucified" = 1 Cor 1:23, 2:2). In the preceding passage 1Cor 2:9 Paul quoted from Isaiah 64:4 "For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him." Paul's point in using this quotation is to support his declaration in 1 Cor 2:8 that the "rulers of this age" (= "natural" men as Paul explains in 1Cor 2:14) had no (spiritual) understanding of God's glorious work of redemption accomplished when the "Lord of glory" was crucified like a common criminal (cp Lk 23:34+ where Jesus declared "they do not know what they are doing"). The rulers entirely missed the spiritual significance of Christ's death on the Cross (cp 1 Cor 1:18+), as would all men (including Paul) had not the Spirit opened the eyes of our heart to the truth! We are all debtors to mercy alone (Play this great old hymn - A Debtor to Mercy) A debtor to mercy alone Of covenant mercy I sing I come with Your righteousness on My humble offering to bring The judgments of Your holy law With me can have nothing to do My Savior’s obedience and blood Hide all my transgressions From view David

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest explains that in 1Cor 2:10-16 "Paul proceeds to describe the three successive steps in the transmission of truth from the heart of God to the heart of man. These are, revelation, the act of God the Holy Spirit imparting to the Bible writers (THUS WE/US REFERS TO APOSTLES), truth incapable of being discovered by man’s unaided reason (1Cor 2:10–12): inspiration, the act of God the Holy Spirit enabling the Bible writers (THUS WE/US REFERS TO APOSTLES) to write down in God-chosen words, infallibly, the truth revealed (1Cor 2:13): and illumination, the act of God the Holy Spirit enabling believers to understand the truth given by revelation and written down by inspiration (1Cor 2:14–16). (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3) Believer's Study Bible comment on 1 Cor 2:13 - Paul claims that his very words are inspired. Hence, inspiration is "verbal," extending to the very words chosen by the authors of Scripture under the direction of the Holy Spirit. This is not a "mechanical dictation" theory, nor does it nullify the personality of the author involved. On the other hand, Paul's affirmation does guarantee that when the Bible is heard, God is heard. Henry Morris (Defender's Study Bible) comment on 1 Cor 2:13 - Paul thus claims that his teachings are not really his, but God's, for their very words are taught by the Holy Spirit. This is a clear claim to divine verbal inspiration of Paul's own epistles. Leake - I(1Cor 2:12-13) asks "Who are the “WE” here? True that all believers have received the Spirit of God - secondarily Paul has all believers in mind; but primarily here it is the apostles and prophets of the NT - they are the ones directly receiving revelation directly from Spirit of God and commissioned to pass it along to others; writing it down in Scripture. Mark Taylor (New American Commentary) mentions both possible interpretations - If the “US” is parallel with “WE” in 1 Cor 2:6, then the more specific reference may be to the apostles and prophets. If “US” refers back to the more immediate “those who love him” in 1 Cor 2:9, then all believers are in view rather than an inner circle in the early church. The contrast is not so much between “us” and “them” as it is why they cannot know and we can....(COMMENTING ON 2:12) The “WE” in 2:12 is parallel to the plural “US” in 2:10 and either refers to all believers or to a more specific group such as the apostles and prophets as the means of God’s revelation by the Spirit Stephen Olford has an interesting thought on whether Paul is describing inspiration of Scripture in 1 Cor 2:13 writing "These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (v. 13). We now reach a point in Paul’s argument where we need to follow him very closely. Verse 13 is often used as a proof text by proponents of verbal inspiration—a doctrine that is biblical. But Paul says here, “we … speak” not “we … write.” Thus he is referring to interpretation rather than inspiration. (Anointed Expository Preaching) (Ed: He makes a valid point as he simply lets the text say what it says and does not seek to interpret it as is commonly done. I admit that it is difficult to refute his observation. But this passage has been used by so many scholars and expositors to describe inspiration that it would be difficult to change that "traditional" interpretation by many writers." My suggestion is Be a Berean - Acts 17:11+!) For to us God revealed (apokalupto) them through the Spirit - Amplified = "God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit" Through the Spirit (dia tou pneumatos) refers in context to the Holy Spirit, the Agent of God's revelation. Notice that while this is the first mention of the Holy Spirit in this letter, Paul now proceeds to mention Him six times in this section (1Cor 2:10-16 = 1Cor 2:10-twice and once in each of the following verses - 1Cor 2:11, 12, 13, 14). John Phillips on why the things "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, " (1 Cor 2:9) had to be revealed to us - Man has truly extraordinary intellectual powers. He has explored the secrets of the atom and learned much about the marvels and mysteries of space. He has split the atom, explored the genetic structure of living things, and put men on the moon. There seems nothing man cannot do when it comes to science, technology, and engineering. However, God is not to be discovered by gazing into a microscope or a telescope. We can see His fingerprints everywhere in creation, but we can never know Him, His mind, His heart, His will, apart from divine revelation. The great truths revealed in the Bible never could have been thought out by the mind of man. (Exploring 1 Corinthians) What does "them" refer to in context? Paul has described "things" no eye has seen, no ear has heard and now he says God has revealed "them" to us. What we as believers know about God, Jesus and the Gospel is not because we figured it out, but it was because God has chosen to reveal it to us. Otherwise we would be like the rest of the world and not understand these "things which eye has not seen, etc". All praise, glory and honor to the Most High God for opening our eyes and ears and mind to understand these eternal truths, which recalls John Newton's famous words... Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,| That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see. Morris makes a good point in like of their division and factions - "That it is revealed takes away all suggestion of superiority. There can be no feeling of pride when it is clear that all is of God. Believers can claim no special skill or insight, only that God has revealed truth to them." (1 Corinthians: Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) While there is no longer any new revelation, the selfsame Spirit gives illumination to all believers, and without His illumination we cannot understand the Word. As the Psalmist writes "The unfolding (opening, unveiling giving understanding of something otherwise difficult) of Thy words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple." (Ps 119:130+) In fact, it is always a good practice before we open the Word, to go to God asking Him to open our heart to receive the Word, praying "Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Thy law." (Ps 119:18+). THOUGHT - Do you remember (sadly I often forget!) to ask God's Spirit to open your "spiritual eyes" before you open His Word? (cf Lk 24:45+) Related Resource: Illumination of the Bible Charles Hodge - What was undiscoverable by human reason, God has revealed by his Spirit. Unto us, i.e. unto those to whom this revelation, was made, viz. "the holy apostles and prophets," Ephesians 3:5. This revelation was made by the Spirit, for He alone is competent to make it; for He alone searches the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2 - Hodge's Commentary) For the Spirit searches (is constantly exploring) all things,Not "some" but "all" emphasizing the Spirit's omniscience. To what THINGS does this refer? Paul has just described "THINGS which eye has not seen..." (1 Cor 2:9). It follows that the Spirit searches those THINGS and then Paul adds these are the deep things of God.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - For who is there of men who knows the things of the individual person except the [human] spirit of that aforementioned individual person which is in him? In the same manner also the things of God no one has known except the Spirit of God. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. NET 1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man except the man's spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. NLT 1 Corinthians 2:11 No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. ESV 1 Corinthians 2:11 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. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. GNT 1 Corinthians 2:11 τίς γὰρ οἶδεν ἀνθρώπων τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ; οὕτως καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐδεὶς ἔγνωκεν εἰ μὴ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ. KJV 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:11 for who of men hath known the things of the man, except the spirit of the man that is in him? so also the things of God no one hath known, except the Spirit of God. ASV 1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. NRS 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God. NAB 1 Corinthians 2:11 Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. NJB 1 Corinthians 2:11 After all, is there anyone who knows the qualities of anyone except his own spirit, within him; and in the same way, nobody knows the qualities of God except the Spirit of God. GWN 1 Corinthians 2:11 After all, who knows everything about a person except that person's own spirit? In the same way, no one has known everything about God except God's Spirit. what: Pr 14:10 20:5,27 Jer 17:9 even: 1Co 2:10 Ro 11:33,34 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE SPIRIT, THE REVEALER OF GOD'S WISDOM NOTE: For the more in depth comments click 1 Corinthians 2:11 For (gar) - There are 5 "for's" or terms of explanation in 1Cor 2:10-16, providing ample opportunity to practice interrogating this strategic preposition. I have taught this principle to a number of believers and they have repeatedly testified that it has literally changed the way they read God's Word. Why? Because there are so many occurrences of for from Genesis to Revelation (over 9000! Most but not all represent terms of explanation) and the Spirit is always ready and willing to lead us into all truth as we take time to meditate (also see Primer on Biblical Meditation) on His inspired Word (Do you believe Psalm 1:2-3- see exposition)! Before you read on, what is Paul explaining? Expositor's explains that "The gar (“for”) here points to an illustration that will show that the spiritual wisdom and truths of God can be understood only through the Holy Spirit, just as human wisdom needs the human spirit to understand it. The conclusion is that only the Holy Spirit can reveal God’s wisdom and truth to man." David

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest explains that "The word “spirit” in the Greek refers here to the rational spirit, the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills, and decides. Again, the word “man” in the phrase, “except the spirit of man,” is preceded by the article. The Greek article originally came from the demonstrative pronoun, and it retains much of the demonstrative’s force of pointing out. Therefore, we translate, “For who is there of men who knows the things of the (individual) man except the spirit of (that) man which is in him.” Only the individual knows what is in his heart of hearts. To his fellow-man he is inscrutable. Just so, Paul says, logic will lead us to the conclusion that if a man is inscrutable to his fellow-man, so God must be inscrutable to man. And just as only the individual person knows what is in his own heart, so only God knows what is in His own heart. Therefore, if man finds it impossible through scientific investigation and human reason to discover the inner secrets of his fellow-man, it is clear that he cannot find out the mind of God by the same methods. The only way in which a person can come to know the inner heart-life of another person is to have that person uncover the secrets of his inner life to him. It likewise follows that the only way in which a person can know the mind of God is to have God uncover His thoughts to man. Thus Paul has demonstrated to these Greeks the absolute need of a revelation from God if we are to know what is in His heart. The first step therefore, in the transmission of truth from the heart of God to the heart of the believer is revelation, the act of God the Holy Spirit uncovering the things in the heart of God to the Bible writers, thus imparting the truth of Scripture to them." (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3) Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. - Paul is using a term of comparison (even so) so even as we cannot know another person's thoughts, we certainly cannot know God's thoughts, for only the Spirit of God can know God's thoughts, the wisdom of God. As an aside, this verse clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is not an "it" but is a being Who is able to think, so clearly the Holy Spirit is a Person, in fact the third Person of the Trinity. Sadly, the Spirit has become to so many believers today the one several writers have referred to as "The Forgotten God" (see devotional below). (I also recommend reading Francis Chan's book Forgotten God- Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit). See also my page on the Holy Spirit, in which I attempt to show the Biblical "template" for the Spirit in every believer's life - specifically explaining that Jesus gave us the pattern of dependence on the power of the Spirit during His ministry and we are to be imitators of this pattern today (1Cor 11:1, 1Pe 2:21, 1Jn 2:6). And frankly there is no "Plan B" for living the "Christ-life," the "Victorious Christian Life," the "Abundant Life!" (See more in depth explanation = The Holy Spirit). No one - Absolute negation = Absolutely no one! Knows (1097)(ginosko) means he has come to know by personal experience and the perfect tense signifies he "has come to know and still knows." (Robertson) Jack Arnold - Only God the Holy Spirit knows the inner workings of God; therefore, the Holy Spirit alone can teach the perfect workings of the Father. What is Paul driving at? There is this great Being of God in our universe a fantastic Being of infinite wisdom, power and holiness. Yet, how can we know Him? We cannot unless God discloses Himself to us personally. By natural investigation man will never find his way to the heart of God. Gilbrant - "The point of comparison is that He can know that which no one except God could know. Only the Holy Spirit can recognize, understand, and reveal the heart and mind of God." (CBL Commentary-1 Corinthians) Charles Hodge - This verse is designed to illustrate two points: First, as no one knows the thoughts of a man but the man himself, so no one knows the thoughts of God, but God Himself. Therefore no one but a divine person is competent to make a revelation of the thoughts and purposes of God. Second, as every man does know his own thoughts, so the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. His knowledge of what is in God is analogous to that which we have of the contents of our own consciousness. The analogies of Scripture, however, are not to be pressed beyond the point which they are intended to illustrate. The point to be illustrated here is, the knowledge of the Spirit. He knows what is in God, as we know what is in ourselves. It is not to be inferred from this that the Spirit of God bears in other points the same relation to God, that our spirits do to us. (1 Corinthians 2 - Hodge's Commentary) Ray Pritchard - The Holy Spirit can reveal the truth of God to us because he knows the mind of God infallibly. That’s verse 11. Paul argues by analogy from the lesser to the greater. Even among people who know each other very well, communication is difficult at best. For instance, when my wife and I have a conversation, there is always the challenge of communicating to each other what we really mean. On my side of the equation, you have what I am thinking, what I meant to say, what I said, and what I thought I said. On her side, there is what she hears, what she thought she heard, what she wanted to hear, and what she wishes she had heard. When she speaks, the process works in reverse. So with just two people, you might have a dozen different messages and intentions flying back and forth. No wonder communication is difficult. I know what I’m thinking but it’s often hard to put my thoughts into words. You only know what you hear me say. My “spirit” knows what I intend even though my words may fall short of my intentions. Now take that truth over to the divine realm. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God because the Holy Spirit is God. He searches out the “deep things” of God. Nothing is hidden from him. Because he knows the mind of God, he can communicate the truth about God to us. Nothing is lost in translation. The Forgotten God- Marvin Williams - When we quote The Apostles’ Creed, we say, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Author J. B. Phillips said, “Every time we say [this] we mean that we believe that [the Spirit] is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.” Sometimes we forget that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. The Bible describes Him as God. He possesses the attributes of God: He is present everywhere (Ps. 139:7-8), He knows all things (1 Cor. 2:10-11), and He has infinite power (Lk 1:35). He also does things that only God can do: create (Ge 1:2) and give life (Ro 8:2). He is equal in every way with the other Persons of the Trinity—the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is a Person who engages in personal ways with us. He grieves when we sin (Eph. 4:30). He teaches us (1Cor. 2:13), prays for us (Rom. 8:26), guides us (John 16:13), gives us spiritual gifts (1Cor. 12:11), and assures us of salvation (Rom. 8:16). God’s guidance and help that we need day to day Is given to all who believe; The Spirit has sealed us—He’s God’s guarantee Of power that we can receive. —Branon The Christian who neglects the Holy Spirit is like a lamp that’s not plugged in. Are You A Parakeet? Read: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. —1 Corinthians 2:11 On several occasions I visited a retired pastor who had a pet parakeet named Gibby Gibson. It would say, “Gibby Gibson is the prettiest bird in all the world.” Or it would repeat, “Dr. Gibson is a preacher—a Baptist preacher.” But, of course, the bird didn’t understand one word it was saying. Herein lies a lesson. Too many Christians go through the habitual motions of worship and Bible reading without the slightest idea of the meaning of what they are doing. They seem to think there is some secret charm or mystical benefit in just going through it. The issue is not how much of the Bible you read, but how well you read it. I have heard many people boast about how many times they have read through the Bible, but their conversation revealed a tragic ignorance of the Word of God. Better to read one verse prayerfully, seeking the guidance of your “Paraclete” (translated as “Comforter” or “Helper” in John 14:16), the Holy Spirit, than to rattle off a whole book from memory like a parakeet. The important question is, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30). When you read the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit, your “Paraclete,” to guide you. Don’t be a parakeet. Ever-present, truest Friend, Ever near Thine aid to lend; Guide us as we search the Word, Make it both our shield and sword. —Anon. It's better to live one verse of the Bible than to recite an entire chapter. Alan Redpath - WHICH CLASS ARE YOU TRAVELING? 1 CORINTHIANS 2:11–3:6 There is a unique factor in the Christian gospel which makes all talk about comparative religions utterly beside the point, in my opinion. The life of the Founder of our faith inhabits the personality of every person who trusts Him for salvation; every child of God has living within him God the Holy [Spirit] — not an influence, but the Third Person of the Trinity. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,” said Paul in Romans 8:9. And in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?” Therefore every Christian — no matter how weak and feeble, how poor and helpless, perhaps with a sense of utter inability and frustration — whatever his own personal feeling may be, is indwelt by the Third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit has come into our lives so that we might develop character; the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22 is character-fruit, the reproduction of the character of Jesus Christ. We ought to hang our heads in shame as we ask ourselves, “Why is it that so little of His life is produced in us and so much of ourselves still remains?” The answer to that question is in the verses we are to study here. Paul introduces us to two different kinds of Christian life. He says in 3:1, “I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” Please notice the word “brethren”; he is writing to those who are born again of the Spirit of God and who are within the Christian church. Here are two different classes of people, both of them Christian, both of them born of the Spirit of God, but one of them is designated “carnal,” and the other, “spiritual.” I would remind you that Paul describes yet another kind of person in 2:14, the “natural man.” Of him Paul says that he “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him.” This, of course, is the unbeliever, perhaps the charming pagan, the intellectual agnostic, or the nice religious sort of well-educated person, but still the “natural man.” Because he is “natural,” he does not understand the things of the Spirit of God, having never been born into the family of God. Now the tragedy is that many who profess to be Christians react so often on the level of the “natural man.” You have heard Christian people say something like this: “You know, Mrs. X said something utterly untrue about me — it was only natural that I should be angry.” “Only natural” — exactly! And unfortunately there are those born of the Spirit of God who, in terms of daily life and reactions, are still living in the natural realm. Though latent within every child of God is the possibility of reproducing the character of Jesus Christ, the fact is that this is not always accomplished. Why? Because too many Christians continue to live on the carnal level. In the first place, a carnal Christian is living a life of perpetual conflict and repeated defeat: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (3:3). The fellowship of the Corinthian church was split by envy, strife, and divisions — Paul calls it “carnality.” But what a group of Christians are in their fellowship is simply the reflection of what they are individually. Therefore, here is a statement of the condition of a Christian life that is lived on a carnal plane. Remember the language of Paul back in Romans? “What I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I” (Romans 7:15), and later on in the same chapter: “. . . when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:21–23). That whole chapter is a portrait of the carnal Christian. Within him there is a constant conflict, a moment by moment battle between two natures, the one spiritual and the other carnal. He is forgiven, he is born again, he is living as a child of God within the fellowship of the Christian church, but he is desperately unhappy. Occasionally the Spirit of God gets the victory, but the perpetual habit of his life is downward, away from God into sin and failure. Although indwelt by the Holy Spirit, he is mastered by the flesh. Does that describe you today? Is your experience perpetual conflict and repeated defeat? You may be rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins, but you find no power over the principle of sin in your life. Therefore you are often torn by envy, strife, and division; there is no song of joy on your lips, no spring in your step, no light in your eyes, no radiance on your face. The carnal Christian has left the world he used to live in and entered into a new experience, a new area of fellowship, but he cannot enjoy it because he is defeated: constantly fighting and constantly going down. Another mark of the carnal Christian is that he is living a life of protracted infancy and retarded growth. Paul calls these Corinthians “babes in Christ,” saying, “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able” (3:1–2). It is a very wonderful experience when a baby comes into a home, but it is a tragedy if the child does not grow. What are the characteristics of a baby? In the first place, he is absolutely dependent upon other people. He cannot walk; he has to be helped up. He cannot feed himself; another has to feed him. And he is only happy, really, when he is the center of interest. So it is with the carnal Christian. He is always leaning on other people, always seeking this preacher and that leader for spiritual counsel. He cannot walk by himself; he always has to be propped up. You get him going for a little while and you think, “Praise the Lord, he has got through at last!” But before long he is down again, because he is dependent upon human friends and Christian fellowship to see him through. He cannot feed himself, either. His minister is a kind of spiritual milk bottle that feeds him on Sunday, but that is all he gets. He has not learned to feed himself upon the Word of God, and therefore he does not grow spiritually. Of course, if he is the center of interest, then he is happy, but he is very sensitive and touchy, quickly angry if he is criticized. He constantly displays the marks of protracted infancy and retarded growth. A third mark of the carnal Christian is that he is living a life of fruitlessness and worldliness. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away” says the Lord in John 15:2, “and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” I am not speaking of outward success, but the genuine New Testament fruit in terms of character and Christlikeness. The carnal Christian is one who spends too much time with his television and neglects his Bible. He is more interested in novels than in the Word of God. You do not find him very often at a church prayer meeting; nor is he in the heart of the fellowship of the church. He is not reliable; he will sometimes work at a job in the church, but will very easily quit and someone has to take his place at the last minute. Quite obviously his heart is still mostly in the world, and there is an atmosphere of worldliness about him. The carnal Christian is a child of God, born again and on his way to heaven, but he is traveling third class. Do you find yourself looking into a mirror? This is not my description, but that of the Word of God. The carnal Christian may believe what he ought to believe, may even have been trained in doctrine; he may know his Bible in some measure, theoretically, at least. But his life is constant conflict and defeat, infancy and retarded growth, fruitlessness and worldliness. It is possible to live all your life like that: the Holy Spirit within you grieved, quenched, and powerless to do anything through you because you live on a carnal level. Then what are the marks of a spiritual Christian? What does Paul say about him? “He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man” (2:15). In other words, you cannot explain him. I would suggest, in the first place, that he is living a life of perpetual conflict but repeated victory. Did I say conflict? Yes, I did; there is no place in the Christian life free from inner conflict, not until we get to heaven. But there is a sense in which the conflict of a spiritual Christian is fought on a higher plane than that of the carnal Christian. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but . . . against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). The spiritual Christian — the man who is going on with God and who is determined to be as pure and godly as a man saved by grace can be — that man is the focal point of the attacks of the devil. He knows never a moment’s release from the heat of the battle. But in the midst of the conflict, the spiritual Christian knows a deep and absolute peace in his heart, “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Throughout the constant temptation and battle, he is trusting, resting, and conquering in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not that such a man does not commit sin, but that he does not practice the habit of sin. It is not that he does not slip, but rather that it is always possible for him not to do so. He is sometimes very conscious of failure, but the trend of his life is not downward, but upward; the habit of his life is victory and not defeat. The spiritual Christian can say with Paul, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37), and “Thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Another mark of the spiritual Christian is a life of progressive growth and radiant Christlikeness. It would be wrong for me to suggest that the Christian who is living on a spiritual plane is the kind of person who goes about saying, “Well, now I have arrived.” This man knows that he can glory in nothing save in the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord. But as you watch, as you observe him day by day, you see evidences of growth in holiness and purity, in temperance and grace, in meekness and gentleness — likeness to the Lord Jesus. There is the fruit of the Spirit instead of the working of the flesh. In the midst of the testings of life, deep down in his heart there is peace; he is drawing upon infinite resources that are sufficient to strengthen and keep him, to enable him to walk with God. Day by day, as he reacts to troubles, misunderstanding, and heartaches, his actions all glorify the Lord Jesus. A third mark of the spiritual Christian in the Word of God is that he is bringing forth permanent fruit. “I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain,” said the Lord Jesus in John 15:16. There is something about the spiritual Christian that is constantly revealing faithfulness. There is character that is being formed; it is not simply what he says, but that back of what he says there is a life that is real. Just as the carnal Christian reveals worldliness, so the spiritual Christian reveals a life of separation to the Word of God and devotion to the Master. Are you a believer, knowing you have received forgiveness of sins? Then in which class are you traveling along the road to heaven? Are you a carnal or a spiritual Christian? Is it perpetual conflict and repeated defeat in your life or is it perpetual conflict and repeated victory? Is it protracted infancy and retarded growth, or is it development in Christlikeness of life and character? Is it a life of pathetic fruitlessness, or is it a life filled with permanent fruit for the glory of God? If this mirror of God’s Word reveals that you are traveling “third class,” then how do you move into “first class”? How can you move into the life that is spiritual? May I give you a simple threefold statement of principle by which, if you are prepared to follow it, you may begin to live your life on another level; you may move from carnality and defeat into spiritual victory and power? This is not something that happens as the years go by, something into which you grow automatically. This crisis is as real and definite as was the moment of your conversion, when you passed out from “condemnation” into “no condemnation,” out from guilt into forgiveness, out of alienation from God into adoption as His child. In the first place, it is the crisis of cleansing: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son [keeps on cleansing] us from all sin. . . . If we confess ours sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7, 9). The trouble with the carnal Christian is that he is unclean. God demands that we face this fact; things that are allowed to continue in our lives which are contrary to the nature of the Spirit of God: worldliness, faithlessness, lack of growth are marks of uncleanness. He is “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17). When a Christian continues acting a lie or professing to be something he is not, God demands that such sin be dealt with. He is “the Spirit of faith” (2 Corinthians 4:13). The Christian who is not trusting in God to deliver him from the root principle of sin goes on being a carnal Christian. God demands complete trust and commitment. He is “the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29). Do you allow bitterness in your life? Are you harboring resentment against another child of God? Then you are continuing that which is not of Christ, but of the enemy. He is “the Spirit of holiness” (Romans 1:4). Do you allow in your life that which is unholy? “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?” (6:19). What sort of traffic has been going on in the temple of your life? He is “the Spirit of glory” (1 Peter 4:14). Are you allowing worldly affections and desires to go on, unchecked? Are you living for His glory, or are these things, the hangover of unconverted days, still part and parcel of your life? It will take a crisis to deal with them. You cannot deal with them one by one; they are far too many: by the time you deal with one little sin here, one big sin there, another one breaks out somewhere else. Perhaps the Spirit of God has been speaking to you about these things. Confess them to Him and trust Him for cleansing, for when the Holy Spirit convicts of uncleanness, then the blood of Jesus is applied. The next condition of moving into “first class” is surrender, the surrender of your body: “I beseech you, therefore, brethren . . . that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). If you would move by a definite crisis experience out of the wilderness into the land of blessing, there must be confession that leads to cleansing, surrender that brings power upon the life, faith that secures the anointing of the Spirit of God. Surrender says, “I present my body.” Faith says, “Christ now lives in me.” Surrender says, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?” Faith says, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.” Surrender crowns Christ as Lord of my life. Faith appropriates Jesus to be my Life. Therefore surrender is one step, but faith and appropriation is the other. I ask you again, in which class are you traveling to heaven? The Lord can enable you to take the step of faith that appropriates Jesus Christ to be your life and lifts you from the class of carnality to that of spirituality, in which it is no more you, but Christ in you, the hope of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, Wuest - But as for us, not the spirit of the world system did we receive but the Spirit who is of God in order that we might come to know the things which by God have been in grace bestowed upon us, (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. NET 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. NLT 1 Corinthians 2:12 And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. ESV 1 Corinthians 2:12 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. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. GNT 1 Corinthians 2:12 ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ κόσμου ἐλάβομεν ἀλλὰ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα εἰδῶμεν τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ χαρισθέντα ἡμῖν· KJV 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:12 And we the spirit of the world did not receive, but the Spirit that is of God, that we may know the things conferred by God on us, ASV 1 Corinthians 2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. NRS 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. NAB 1 Corinthians 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. NJB 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now, the Spirit we have received is not the spirit of the world but God's own Spirit, so that we may understand the lavish gifts God has given us. GWN 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now, we didn't receive the spirit that belongs to the world. Instead, we received the Spirit who comes from God so that we could know the things which God has freely given us. not: 1Co 2:6 Ro 8:1,5,6 2Co 4:4 Eph 2:2 Jas 4:5 1Jn 4:4,5 5:19 Rev 12:9 but: Ro 8:15,16 that: 1Co 3:22 Joh 16:14,15 Ro 8:32 1Jn 2:20,27 5:20 Rev 22:6 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NOTE: For more in depth comments click 1 Corinthians 2:12 John MacArthur outlines the last section of chapter 2 as follows... 1 Cor 2:10-11 True Wisdom is Divinely Revealed by Revelation 1 Cor 2:12-13 True Wisdom is Divinely Revealed by Inspiration 1 Cor 2:14-16 True Wisdom is Divinely Revealed by Illumination Now we - Note that the we is emphatic (first in the Greek sentence for emphasis). have received, not the spirit of the world (kosmos) - Paul describes two spirits that are diametrically opposed to one another. The spirit of the word speaks of the outlook of the world and describes what motivates the world and makes it what it is. Not the spirit of the world - The spirit of the world has been interpreted several ways as worldly wisdom (Pratt), worldly reasoning (Hodge), demonic spirits (e.g., Paul describes "the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience" in Eph 2:2+ the least likely interpretation). While clearly the way the lost world thinks is influenced by Satan and his emissaries, the immediate context would seem to be favor the idea of worldly wisdom. Wuest paraphrases it as "the spirit of the world system." (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Leon

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Wuest - which things also we put into words, not in words taught by human philosophy but in words taught by the Spirit, fitly joining together Spirit-revealed truths with Spirit-taught words. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit].

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - He (Paul) says that the words which the Bible writers used were taught them by the Holy Spirit. That is, as they wrote the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit Who had revealed the truth to them, now chooses the correct word out of the writer’s vocabulary, whose content of meaning will give to the believer the exact truth God desires him to have. This however does not imply mechanical dictation nor the effacement of the writer’s own personality. The Holy Spirit took the writers as He found them and used them infallibly. Luke’s Greek is the purest and most beautiful. He was a native Greek. Paul’s Greek is far more involved and difficult than John’s, for Paul had a university training, while John’s knowledge of Greek was that of the average man of the first century who knew Greek as his second language but never had any formal training in it… However, whether it is the pure Greek of Luke, the difficult Greek of Paul, or the simple Greek of John, it is all correct as to grammar and syntax. The Holy Spirit observed the rules of Greek grammar as they existed in the Koine Greek of that time. And the wonder of it all is seen in the fact that John brings to his readers just as precious, just as deep truth, in his simple Greek, as Paul does in his intricate constructions and involved sentences. God the Holy Spirit is above language. Thus we have in the original Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible manuscripts, the very words that God taught the writers to use as they recorded the truth which they had received by revelation. This is what is meant by verbal inspiration. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words -The interpretation of this passage has been debated by scholars. Mare explains that there are "at least four different interpretations, depending on how the participle sunkrinontes is translated: (1) “bring together” or “give,” (2) “compare,” or (3) “explain” or “interpret,” and depending also on how the gender of the adjectives is taken. Pneumatikois can be either masculine or neuter dative plural; pneumatika can in this context be only neuter accusative plural. The phrase can mean (1) “giving spiritual truth a spiritual form,” (2) “comparing spiritual truths with spiritual truths,” (3) “interpreting spiritual truths to spiritual men,” and (4) “explaining or expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” Though any of the four interpretations can be argued, view 4 best fits the context of the verse in which Paul has said that he speaks in spiritual words (i.e., words taught by the Spirit, Who gives to Paul spiritual truths in spiritual words)—words filled with concrete but spiritual meaning. (Expositor's Bible Commentary) ESV Study Bible - Although the adjective “spiritual” (Gk. pneumatikos) could refer to things or words rather than to people (see esv footnote), Paul seems to be turning now to the subject of spiritual people (see 1Co 2:15; 3:1). As Paul has just made clear, only the Spirit can render the message of the cross truly comprehensible to someone, so every Christian is a “spiritual” (led and empowered by the Holy Spirit) person; see also Ro 8:9; 2 Cor. 3:6, 8, 16-18; Eph 1:13. Unbelievers, on the other hand, do not have the spiritual capacity to understand the things of God (1Co 2:14). (ESV Study Bible) Hodge - In communicating the knowledge thus derived from the Spirit, the apostle used words taught by the Spirit David

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Wuest has an in depth discussion of this passage - Then Paul in the words “comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” explains this process of choosing the right word in each case. We will look carefully at the Greek word translated “comparing,” for it throws a flood of light on Paul’s teaching of verbal inspiration. The word is a compound of the verb meaning “to judge,” and a preposition meaning “with,” thus “to judge with.” It speaks of the action of judging something with something else. For instance, a milliner wishes to trim a red hat with ribbon of the same color. She takes the hat over to the spools of ribbon and “judges” the various shades of red ribbon “with,” the hat. She compares the hat with ribbon after ribbon in an attempt to find one which will exactly match the color of the hat. She rejects one after another until she finally finds one ribbon that exactly matches the hat. And that is exactly what the word means, “to join fitly together, to combine, to compound.” That is just the procedure which the Bible writers went through in writing their books. As led by the Holy Spirit, they searched their vocabularies for the exact word which would adequately express the truth they wished to record. By the process of comparing the word with the truth they wished to write down, they rejected all those words which the Holy Spirit showed them would not correctly express the thought, and finally chose the word to which the Holy Spirit had led them, and upon which the Holy Spirit had put His stamp of approval. Thus the Holy Spirit allowed the writers the free play of their personalities, vocabulary, and training, while at the same time guiding them to make an infallible record of truth infallibly revealed. The words “spiritual things with spiritual,” are from two adjectives in the Greek. The first word translated “spiritual” is in the accusative case, the direct object of the verb “comparing,” and in the neuter gender. It refers to the spiritual truths already given the writers by revelation. The second use of the word “spiritual” is in the instrumental case, the instrumental of association. As to gender this word could be either masculine or neuter, for these two genders have the same form in the genitive through the dative cases. The English reader will please excuse these technicalities. We must look at the context to decide which gender is meant. The two things in the context which are compared and then combined, are the truth revealed and the words which would correctly convey this truth. The words “spiritual things” refers to this truth. Therefore the word “spiritual” in its second use in verse thirteen refers to the words. The gender is therefore masculine since the word “words” in this verse is masculine. Vincent translates this phrase, “combining spiritual things with spiritual words.” Expositor’s Greek Testament translates it, “wedding kindred speech to thought.” Alford renders it, “putting together spiritual words to spiritual things.” (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission) Ray Pritchard - The Holy Spirit teaches us what to say when we witness to others. That’s verse 13. When Paul says, “This is what we speak,” he is probably referring not just to himself or the other apostles, but to all Christians. We do not follow the world’s wisdom in the way we proclaim the gospel. That is, we reject manipulation, dishonesty, flattery, intimidation, and all other worldly methods. Instead we plainly speak the truth of the gospel to anyone who will listen. Our goal is clarity, charity, honesty and humility. The Holy Spirit helps us as we depend on him. He enables us to speak spiritual truth in spiritual words. What should we learn from this passage? Here are four implications for us to consider: 1) There is no room for boasting. Why boast in what we’ve done? Our only “contribution” to our salvation was the sin that made salvation necessary. We are not saved by our works—it is Christ who saves us by faith. If we boast in anything, let’s boast in the Lord. Don’t take any credit for your salvation. Give it all to Jesus. 2) There is no need for anger. At this point I’m thinking about those occasions when we witness to someone and they reject not only our witness—but they seem to reject us as well. Perhaps they ridicule us or patronize us or do something that makes us want to smack them in the face. I recommend that you not do that. Few people come to Christ after being smacked in the face. If we get angry when we witness, it means that we don’t understand how God works to bring people to faith. Our anger testifies to our lack of faith in God. Far better to walk away without getting into an argument. It is better yet to pray as we walk away—for ourselves and for the other person, that God will reveal himself to them through the Holy Spirit. 3) Our greatest weapon is prayer. This follows from all that I have said so far. If we believe that salvation is a supernatural miracle wrought by the Holy Spirit in the heart of the unbeliever, then before we witness, and while we witness, and after we witness, our greatest act of kindness will be to pray for those who do not know the Lord. Prayer frees us from anger because it brings God into the equation. When we pray, we recognize that unless God works in the heart, our words will be ineffective. 4) This truth should lead to profound gratitude. Once we understand that everything depends on God and not on us, we will bow in wonder before the Lord, praising him for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to believe and obey. These things we also speak, in words which the Holy Spirit teaches (1 Corinthians 2:13). Aphasia is a loss of the ability to speak, a condition that results when the message from the brain cannot get to the tongue because of an injury or illness. A similar spiritual malady affects many Christians. They know Jesus Christ, but they never speak of Him. They are familiar with God's plan of salvation, but they never tell it to others. They do not demonstrate the impelling force of the early Christians who said, "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). This faulty connection between knowledge and testimony must be cor­rected. Often fear causes the breakdown, or sometimes sin blocks our freedom to speak about Christ. Only as believers rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and forsake their sin can they consistently share Christ with others. Just before His ascension, the risen Christ assured His disciples of power to transmit His message to the world (Acts 1:8). That power is the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. Every believer has this source. But if we quench or grieve the Holy Spirit, our witness in words will be either ineffective or nonexistent. If we have God's Word in our minds, He can put the right words in our mouths. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. Wuest - But the unregenerate man of the highest intellectual attainments does not grant access to the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are folly, and he is not able to come to know them because they are investigated in a spiritual realm. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. NET 1 Corinthians 2:14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. NLT 1 Corinthians 2:14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. ESV 1 Corinthians 2:14 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. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. GNT 1 Corinthians 2:14 ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ, μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι, ὅτι πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται· KJV 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:14 and the natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are foolishness, and he is not able to know them, because spiritually they are discerned; ASV 1 Corinthians 2:14 Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God's Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. NRS 1 Corinthians 2:14 Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. NAB 1 Corinthians 2:14 Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. NJB 1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person has no room for the gifts of God's Spirit; to him they are folly; he cannot recognise them, because their value can be assessed only in the Spirit. GWN 1 Corinthians 2:14 A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the teachings of God's Spirit. He thinks they're nonsense. He can't understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them. the natural man: 1Co 15:44,46 Jas 3:15 Jude 1:19 *Gr: accept: Mt 13:11-17 16:23 Joh 3:3-6 8:43 10:26,27 12:37 Ro 8:5-8 the things: 1Co 2:12 Joh 14:26 15:26 16:8-15 they: 1Co 1:18,23 Joh 8:51,52 10:20 Ac 17:18,32 18:15 25:19 26:24,25 cannot: Pr 14:6 Joh 5:44 6:44,45 Ac 16:14 2Co 4:4-6 1Jn 2:20,27 5:20 Jude 1:19 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NOTE: For more in depth comments especially on Greek words click 1 Corinthians 2:14 THE PATHETIC PLIGHT OF THE NATURAL MAN Jack Arnold - Have you ever been in a witnessing situation and said to yourself, “Why doesn’t this person understand the truth? It is so obvious he needs Christ. Why doesn’t he get it?” Or have you ever turned on your TV to a news broadcast and heard about murder, violence, divorce, abortion, homosexuality, adultery, premarital sex and a hundred other crimes or vices and out of frustration you said, “What’s wrong with this world? Don’t they see these things are destroying our society? Don’t they understand the first thing about morality?” First Corinthians 2:14-16 tells us why the world does not understand and why we Christians get frustrated with the world and its wisdom. The wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world are on two different wavelengths, two different channels, two different foundations and the two shall never meet. From 1 Cor 1:18-2:13 Paul has contrasted the false wisdom of the world with the true wisdom of God. The false wisdom is the human thinking of the world which is opposed in every detail to the Cross of Christ and spiritual realities as found in the Bible. True wisdom is the spiritual wisdom of the scripture. The true wisdom is referred to in this context as “the message of the cross” or “the power of God” or “the wisdom of God” or “God’s secret wisdom” or “what God has prepared for those who love him” or “the deep things of God” or “the thoughts of God” or “what God has freely given us.” This is a specific body of truth, God’s wisdom, hidden to the world and available for every Christian but understandable only to those who are pressing on into spiritual maturity in the things of Christ. This wisdom of God is a mystery; it involves the deep things of God and it takes a mature Christian to understand and appreciate it. (ED: Not everyone agrees with this last interpretation for some like John MacArthur interpret the word "mature" as a reference to all believers.) (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 Understanding The Truth) Hodge - Though the knowledge communicated was divine, and although communicated in appropriate language, it was not received by the natural man, because the things of the Spirit can be discerned only by the spiritual. But a natural (psuchikos) man - A natural man is an unsaved person, one who is unregenerate, devoid of the Spirit of God and who has only physical life, being spiritually dead (Eph 2:1+). In this passage Paul states that the only way a natural man can accept and understand the supernatural Word is via a supernatural Source, the Spirit of God Who is received when a natural man is born again (Ro 8:9+). Brian Bell - The natural man can enjoy reading the majesty of the Old King James language of scripture; admire & feel the charm of the stories; even have a feeling of religiosity as he reads it. But he can’t “know” the scriptures! Stevenson on natural man - The phrase in the Greek is the "soulish man." He is the unbeliever. He is the man who is still in his sins. He is the man who holds within his heart the spirit of the world. He has the world’s outlook. He has the world’s concept of wisdom and of power and of might and of nobility. Arnold on the Natural Man - This literally says, “The soulish man, and some translations say, "The natural man." It is the Greek word psychikos from which we get the English word "soul." A soulish man is a man as he is born, as he is by nature. Every person born into this world, without exception, is a soulish man or woman. A soulish man is a person dominated, influenced and energized by the soul which is the lower part of man’s being. The soul has the power to choose, to will, to make decisions. The soul also has the power to feel, having the emotional capacity to have moods, urges and desires, and the capacity for emotion affects how one chooses. The natural philosophy is to say, “If it feels good, do it!" The person makes a choice on mood, desire, feeling or impulse so that his volition is controlled by emotions he feels within himself. The soul also has the power to reason so that conclusions are reached on the basis of pure logic and cold facts, and a man’s rational power affects his ability to choose. The soul is that capacity which puts man on an animal level, a civilized brute, to choose, to think and to feel. Therefore, a soulish man is dominated, influenced and energized by the human soul. He lives entirety on the materialistic level. There is no spiritual capacity in him. His horizons are bound by materialistic considerations and spiritual realities are beyond his horizons....The soulish man is one who has never risen above that which he naturally is. There is no evil connotation about being soulish, but it does imply the absence of spiritual discernment. The soulish man, therefore, is an unsaved man without the Holy Spirit. “These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural (soulish) instincts and do not have the Spirit” (Jude 19). The Bible says any person without the Holy Spirit is unsaved. “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Rom. 8:9b). The soulish man is an unregenerate, unsaved, unbeliever who is dominated by natural, worldly, sensual reasoning. His goals in life are centered on personal success, wealth, power, pleasure or anything else that builds his ego; People who live life like this are people of the world; This is natural and instinctive to them (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 Understanding The Truth) William Barclay on natural man - This kind of individual “lives as if there was nothing beyond the physical life and there were no needs other than material needs.” Such a person "thinks that nothing is more important than the satisfaction of the sex urge” and thus “cannot understand the meaning of “chastity.” One "who ranks the amassing of material things as the supreme end of life cannot understand generosity,” and one “who has never a thought beyond this world cannot understand the things of God." Barnett on natural man - Spiritually speaking the ‘psychikos man’ is like the tone deaf unable to hear the beauty of the music of Mozart, or is like the color blind unable to appreciate the artistry of Monet Adrian Rogers describes the natural man - He does not have the equipment. You cannot smell music. Your nose may be working very well, but it cannot smell music. It is the spirit and not the soul that receives spiritual knowledge. With your soul you may know about God, but you cannot know God. One may know all about bread and starve to death. Knowledge is learned, but wisdom is given. Knowledge comes by looking around, but wisdom comes by looking up. Knowledge comes by study, but wisdom comes by revelation (and illumination). Knowledge comes to the soul, but wisdom comes to the spirit. Roy Zuck on the natural man - Only the saved (spiritual man) are able to welcome God's truth. When Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that "the man without the Spirit ("psuchikos" = soulish, unsaved man") does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God," he did not mean that an unsaved person is totally incapable of comprehending any of the grammatical data of the Bible. (ED: SEE INCREDIBLE ILLUSTRATION BELOW) ... The verse does not mean that an unsaved person, who is devoid of the Holy Spirit, cannot understand mentally what the Bible is saying...He rejects the message, refusing to appropriate it and act on it. (The Role of the Holy Spirit in Hermeneutics) H A Ironside on the natural man - That is the physical (soulish) man. He may be outwardly a very good man, a very gracious man, a very courteous man, a very kind man, as long as he can have his own way. He lives for himself and finds a certain satisfaction even in doing good. He learns as he goes through life that honesty is the best policy, that he is happier if he is honest, and therefore many an unregenerate man is a model of integrity. He gets a degree of happiness out of meeting the needs of other people; he may be a very kind man, and there is a glow of warmth in his heart when he hands something to a needy person and that person responds, “God bless you, sir, you don't know how much good you are doing.” There may be all that and yet no thought of living for God, no thought of glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Some natural men descend into things groveling and debasing, their appetites lead them into licentiousness and inebriety, but other natural men take what has been called the clean side of the broad way, the higher way of the natural man, but it still is the way that leads to destruction (Mt 7:13-14+). As you walk down that road way you find all classes and conditions of people, some openly immoral, some vicious, ome abominably unclean, others eminently respectable, looked upon with admiration by their fellows; some of them very religious and finding a certain amount of satisfaction as they wind their way to the great cathedral or little chapel, as the case may be; as they sit in a Christian, Jewish or some other service, and as the meeting goes on they find satisfaction in feeling that they are doing the right thing. They are affected by the service; they love the music; if the preacher happens to be eloquent and appealing, they enjoy listening to him, and sometimes even though he is not eloquent, if he is earnest they like to listen to him (1 Corinthians 2 Commentary). Related Resource: What does Paul mean when he writes of the natural man? | GotQuestions.org Does not accept the things of the Spirit of God - Wuest paraphrases it "the unregenerate man of the highest intellectual attainments does not grant access to the things of the Spirit of God." So when the natural man encounters spiritual truth (hears it or reads it), they do not accept (dechomai) or welcome it. Note that THE THINGS would go back to 1 Cor 2:9+ "THE THINGS which eye has not seen" a fitting description of every man's spiritual blindness unless the Spirit opens one's eyes! And as discussed in context THE THINGS of most importance are Christ and Him crucified (THE GOSPEL), for it is only the welcome reception of this truth which opens the doors of one's heart and mind (cf Lydia Acts 16:14+) the truth of God, including all the wondrous treasures our Father has recorded His spiritual children in the Bible and about which the Spirit now teaches us. THOUGHT - Practically this means when we share the Gospel, the reaction may be that the individual does not accept it or welcome it. They might simply scoff or they may become angry. We cannot let this deter us from speaking the Gospel. If they refuse, then we can know that at least we have sown supernatural seed. Now the ball is in God's court so to speak. We are just to be messengers of His Good News, but only the Spirit can take that Word and circumcise the heart of a natural man. And we may never know the final result of our sharing the Gospel until we get to heaven. Jack Arnold on does not accept - The soulish, natural, unsaved man does not receive or welcome the things of the Spirit of God. What things? God’s wisdom, the gospel, the body of spiritual truth as contained in the Word of God. He rejects and refuses the whole realm of the secret and hidden wisdom of God. His natural, soulish, animalistic, materialistic nature spurns the truth. The natural man may not even know of these truths about God and His plans and purposes of this world, and if be does know them, he could care less about God, supernaturalism and spiritual realities. Because the natural man wants nothing to do with God, he misunderstands much about life since the universe centers around God not man. What’s the point? The unsaved, soulish person DOES NOT and CANNOT accept, receive or welcome divine truth! (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 Understanding The Truth) For they are foolishness to him - Spiritual truth is absurd, fallacious folly, and utter nonsense to the natural man, especially the truth about a carpenter crucified and rising from the dead! Paul had earlier stated "the word of the cross (THE GOSPEL) is foolishness to those who are perishing." (1 Cor 1:18a+). Again in 1 Cor 1:23 Paul writes "we preach Christ crucified (THE GOSPEL), to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness." Paul again alludes to the Gospel writing that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men" (1 Cor 1:25). Of course God is not foolish, but to the spiritually blind and deaf natural man the Cross appears absolutely foolish and is why he does not accept it. John Piper on foolishness to him - The things of the Spirit are foolishness to the natural man not because he can't see their meaning but because he sees it and regards what he sees as a waste of time. The problem in 1 Cor 2:14 is not a lack of clear speech nor a lack of intellectual power to interpret. The problem is that when the word of the cross is clear and the intellect of the natural man has interpreted it adequately he regards it as foolishness. . . the problem is the moral inability to assign the right value to it. Arnold on they are foolishness to him. The unsaved person sees spiritual things as distasteful, insipid, absurd, stupid and moronic. Why? Because the natural is all he understands. He cannot rise above his humanistic thinking. For him, it is nonsense to value spiritual things above material things. He is unable to understand the gospel and he is unable to think like a Christian thinks, and he never will until God supernaturally works in his life to bring him into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The subjects of sin, judgment, hell, forgiveness, eternal life, heaven and all spiritual truths are repugnant to the unsaved man and always will be until he bows his stubborn will and receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 Understanding The Truth) And he cannot understand (ginosko) them - Literally the natural man is absolutely not able to understand. He has no inherent ability to understand the Gospel. It is as if the Gospel is being broadcast on the "FM Band" and the only spiritual band he receives is the "AM Band." Paul is not saying that a natural (unsaved) man cannot read the Bible and in some sense cognitively apprehend it. Of course he can. What Paul is simply saying is that the natural man man has absolutely no intrinsic ability to know or understand or grasp the Word of God in an experiential sense because he lacks the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. THOUGHT - I think for example of Psalm 19:8 where David writes "The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart." Believers can read the word and experience Spirit given joy in their heart, but natural man simply cannot have this same experience! As an aside, how thankful we should be that God's Spirit taking God's Word can produce joy in our innermost being! (cp 1Th 1:6, Gal 5:22-23, Ro 14:17, Ro 15:13, Acts 13:52) We are the most blessed of all people! Because (term of explanation) they (the things of the Spirit of God) are spiritually appraised (anakrino) - Wuest - "because they are investigated in a spiritual realm." Explains the inability of the natural man to receive the Gospel.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - But the spiritual man investigates indeed all things, but he himself is not being probed by anyone. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. NET 1 Corinthians 2:15 The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one. NLT 1 Corinthians 2:15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. ESV 1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: GNT 1 Corinthians 2:15 ὁ δὲ πνευματικὸς ἀνακρίνει [τὰ] πάντα, αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἀνακρίνεται. KJV 1 Corinthians 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:15 and he who is spiritual, doth discern indeed all things, and he himself is by no one discerned; ASV 1 Corinthians 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. NRS 1 Corinthians 2:15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else's scrutiny. NAB 1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual person, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. NJB 1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual person, on the other hand, can assess the value of everything, and that person's value cannot be assessed by anybody else. GWN 1 Corinthians 2:15 Spiritual people evaluate everything but are subject to no one's evaluation. he that: 1Co 3:1 14:37 Ga 6:1 Col 1:9 appraises all things, 2Sa 14:17 1Ki 3:9-11 Ps 25:14 Pr 28:5 Ec 8:5 Joh 7:17 Eph 4:13,14 Php 1:10 *Gr: 1Th 5:21 Heb 5:14 1Jn 4:1 yet: 1Co 4:5 2Sa 12:16-23 Ac 15:1-5 16:3 Ga 2:3-5 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NOTE: For in depth comments click 1 Corinthian 2:15 THE SPIRITUAL MAN UNDERSTANDS GOD'S TRUTH But - This is another striking term of contrast. The natural man with the "supernatural" man. He who is spiritual appraises all things - The only one who can even be ''spiritual'' in terms of God's economy is the man or woman regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5-6+) So in simple terms a spiritual person is a a believer and has the spiritual accoutrements (Indwelling Spirit, a renewed mind [cf Eph 4:23+, Col 3:10-11+, Ro 12:2+], the Mind of Christ) can judge or properly discern all things in context especially spiritual truths because he has the indwelling Spirit of Truth Who illuminates the Scripture.

1 Coríntios 2

Wuest - For who has come to know experientially the Lord’s mind, he who will instruct Him? But as for us, Christ’s mind we have. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Amplified - For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. NET 1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ. NLT 1 Corinthians 2:16 For, "Who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. ESV 1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. GNT 1 Corinthians 2:16 τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου, ὃς συμβιβάσει αὐτόν; ἡμεῖς δὲ νοῦν Χριστοῦ ἔχομεν. KJV 1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. YLT 1 Corinthians 2:16 for who did know the mind of the Lord that he shall instruct Him? and we -- we have the mind of Christ. ASV 1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. CSB 1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known the Lord's mind, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. NKJ 1 Corinthians 2:16 For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ. NRS 1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. NAB 1 Corinthians 2:16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?" But we have the mind of Christ. NJB 1 Corinthians 2:16 For: who has ever known the mind of the Lord? Who has ever been his adviser? But we are those who have the mind of Christ. GWN 1 Corinthians 2:16 "Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can teach him?" However, we have the mind of Christ. who: Job 15:8 22:2 40:2 Isa 40:13,14 Jer 23:18 Ro 11:34 may: Gr. shall But: Joh 15:15 16:13-16 17:6-8 Ge 1:12 Eph 3:3,4 1 Corinthians 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NOTE: For in depth comments click 1 Corinthians 2:16 For - Explains why the lost world cannot accurately appraise your belief in Christ crucified, etc.

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest explains that "The investigation of, inquiry into, scrutinizing, and sifting of (anakrino) Scripture truth is done in the energy of the Holy Spirit Who illuminates the sacred page of Scripture to the believer. It is “he who is spiritual appraises all things." (1Cor 2:15)… The Spirit, controlled Christian investigates, inquires into, and scrutinizes the Bible and comes to an appreciation and understanding of its contents. (Ibid) A T

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest - for to us God the Father revealed them through the intermediate agency of His Spirit. For the Spirit is constantly exploring all things, even the deep things of God. Amplified - Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest explains that in 1Cor 2:10-16 "Paul proceeds to describe the three successive steps in the transmission of truth from the heart of God to the heart of man. These are, revelation, the act of God the Holy Spirit imparting to the Bible writers, truth incapable of being discovered by man’s unaided reason (1Cor 2:10–12): inspiration, the act of God the Holy Spirit enabling the Bible writers to write down in God-chosen words, infallibly, the truth revealed (1Cor 2:13): and illumination, the act of God the Holy Spirit enabling believers to understand the truth given by revelation and written down by inspiration (1Cor 2:14–16). (Untranslatable Riches from the Greek New Testament) Vance Havner - These things God has prepared (1Cor 2:9) refer not only to joys awaiting us in heaven but blessings available NOW. We can have a foretaste of glory and of the powers of the age to come. We can sample the fruit of the land before we reach the heavenly fields or walk the golden streets. If such advance blessings are to be had we ought to lay hold upon them now! The promises of God are not mere mottoes to hang on the wall, but checks to be cashed—and if we ever needed them we do now! If there is a bank account in our name we ought to use our checkbook of faith and prayer. While we lay up treasure in heaven we may also draw funds to our credit and heavenly cash for our earthly needs today. (Though I Walk Through the Valley) Related Resource: Revelation, Special and Natural - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Revelation and the Bible - Contemporary Evangelical Thought edited by Carl Henry David

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest adds "God the Father") which the unregenerate rulers of this world did not understand because they were natural men (1Cor 2:14).

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest explains that "The word “spirit” in the Greek refers here to the rational spirit, the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills, and decides. Again, the word “man” in the phrase, “except the spirit of man,” is preceded by the article. The Greek article originally came from the demonstrative pronoun, and it retains much of the demonstrative’s force of pointing out. Therefore, we translate, “For who is there of men who knows the things of the (individual) man except the spirit of (that) man which is in him.” Only the individual knows what is in his heart of hearts. To his fellow-man he is inscrutable. Just so, Paul says, logic will lead us to the conclusion that if a man is inscrutable to his fellow-man, so God must be inscrutable to man. And just as only the individual person knows what is in his own heart, so only God knows what is in His own heart. Therefore, if man finds it impossible through scientific investigation and human reason to discover the inner secrets of his fellow-man, it is clear that he cannot find out the mind of God by the same methods. The only way in which a person can come to know the inner heart-life of another person is to have that person uncover the secrets of his inner life to him. It likewise follows that the only way in which a person can know the mind of God is to have God uncover His thoughts to man. Thus Paul has demonstrated to these Greeks the absolute need of a revelation from God if we are to know what is in His heart. The first step therefore, in the transmission of truth from the heart of God to the heart of the believer is revelation, the act of God the Holy Spirit uncovering the things in the heart of God to the Bible writers, thus imparting the truth of Scripture to them." (Untranslatable Riches from the Greek New Testament) Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God - Paul is using a term of comparison (even so) so even as we cannot know another person's thoughts, we certainly cannot know God's thoughts, for only the Spirit of God can know God's thoughts, the wisdom of God. As an aside, this verse clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is not an "it" but is a being Who is able to think, so clearly the Holy Spirit is a Person, in fact the third Person of the Trinity. Sadly, the Spirit has become to so many believers today the one several writers have referred to as "The Forgotten God" (see devotional below). (I also recommend reading Francis Chan's book Forgotten God- Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit). See also my page on the Holy Spirit, in which I attempt to show the Biblical "template" for the Spirit in every believer's life - specifically explaining that Jesus gave us the pattern of dependence on the power of the Spirit during His ministry and we are to be imitators of this pattern today (1Cor 11:1, 1Pe 2:21, 1Jn 2:6). And frankly there is no "Plan B" for living the "Christ-life," the "Victorious Christian Life," the "Abundant Life!" (See more in depth explanation = The Holy Spirit). No one - Absolute negation = Absolutely no one! Knows (1097)(ginosko) means he has come to know by personal experience and the perfect tense signifies he "has come to know and still knows." (Robertson) Except the spirit of the man which is in him - While we can know our thoughts, thoughts no one else knows, unfortunately sometimes our thoughts are fallacious or deceptive, but that is never the case with the thoughts of God. One should not take Paul's comparison too far, for although the spirit of a man is in him, Paul is not teaching that the Holy Spirit is "in God" in the same way! Charles Hodge - This verse is designed to illustrate two points: First, as no one knows the thoughts of a man but the man himself, so no one knows the thoughts of God, but God Himself. Therefore no one but a divine person is competent to make a revelation of the thoughts and purposes of God. Second, as every man does know his own thoughts, so the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. His knowledge of what is in God is analogous to that which we have of the contents of our own consciousness. The analogies of Scripture, however, are not to be pressed beyond the point which they are intended to illustrate. The point to be illustrated here is, the knowledge of the Spirit. He knows what is in God, as we know what is in ourselves. It is not to be inferred from this that the Spirit of God bears in other points the same relation to God, that our spirits do to us. (1 Corinthians 2 - Hodge's Commentary) John

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest adds - This brings us to the doctrine of verbal inspiration which Paul states in verse thirteen. After the Bible writers had been given the truth by means of the act of the Holy Spirit in uncovering it to them, the apostle says that they were not left to themselves to make a record of it. It is one thing to know a certain fact. It is quite another to find the exact words which will give someone else an adequate understanding of that fact. And right here is where the need of verbal inspiration comes in. (Ibid) Related Resources: Inspiration of the Bible - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Inspiration of Scripture - Holman Bible Dictionary Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (with Exposition) The Witness of Scripture to its Inspiration - Alan M. Stibbs Not in words taught by human wisdom - First, Paul makes a negative statement, stating that the words which the Bible writers used were not dictated by their (the writers of Scripture) human reason or wisdom. Wisdom (4678)(sophia) describes the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding, ultimately found only in God's Wisdom. The best wisdom of the best men is flawed because we are fallen men, sinful creatures. Clearly wisdom is a key word in this first section of First Corinthians (14 of the 51 uses [~28%] are in the first 2 chapters = 1Cor 1:17, 19, 20, 21 = twice, 1Cor 1:22, 24, 30; 1Cor 2:1, 4, 5, 6 = twice, 1Cor 2:13) Earlier Paul made a parallel negative statement declaring that when he preached the Gospel, it was "not in cleverness (sophia) of speech" (1Cor 1:17), adding that "God made foolish the wisdom of the world." (1Cor 1:20, cp "wisdom of men" 1Cor 2:5) and "the world through its wisdom did not come to know God" (1Cor 1:21). Paul did not even trust his own personal wisdom (1Cor 2:1, 4). In contrast to worldly wisdom Paul explains that God's wisdom was personified in the Person of Christ (1Cor 1:24, 30). But in those (words) taught by the Spirit - Paul uses a strong contrast, but (alla), to show the clear contrast between words of men and the Word of God, in effect contrasting the negative with the positive. John Piper paraphrases Paul's flow of thought - God gave us the Holy Spirit to reveal to us apostles things no one ever imagined (Ed: Special Revelation) and now in turn as God’s inspired and authoritative spokesmen we speak in words taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people. So the way we come to know the wisdom of God is that God revealed it to the apostles by the Spirit and they taught it to others who were prepared to receive it by that same Spirit. In our day the teaching of the apostles and the wisdom of God is thus given to us through their writings in the New Testament. (The Wisdom We Speak) (Bolding added) Henry

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest - He (Paul) says that the words which the Bible writers used were taught them by the Holy Spirit. That is, as they wrote the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit Who had revealed the truth to them, now chooses the correct word out of the writer’s vocabulary, whose content of meaning will give to the believer the exact truth God desires him to have. This however does not imply mechanical dictation nor the effacement of the writer’s own personality. The Holy Spirit took the writers as He found them and used them infallibly. Luke’s Greek is the purest and most beautiful. He was a native Greek. Paul’s Greek is far more involved and difficult than John’s, for Paul had a university training, while John’s knowledge of Greek was that of the average man of the first century who knew Greek as his second language but never had any formal training in it… However, whether it is the pure Greek of Luke, the difficult Greek of Paul, or the simple Greek of John, it is all correct as to grammar and syntax. The Holy Spirit observed the rules of Greek grammar as they existed in the Koine Greek of that time. And the wonder of it all is seen in the fact that John brings to his readers just as precious, just as deep truth, in his simple Greek, as Paul does in his intricate constructions and involved sentences. God the Holy Spirit is above language. Thus we have in the original Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible manuscripts, the very words that God taught the writers to use as they recorded the truth which they had received by revelation. This is what is meant by verbal inspiration. (Ibid) Combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words - The interpretation of this passage has been debated by scholars. Mare explains that there are "at least four different interpretations, depending on how the participle sunkrinontes is translated: (1) “bring together” or “give,” (2) “compare,” or (3) “explain” or “interpret,” and depending also on how the gender of the adjectives is taken. Pneumatikois can be either masculine or neuter dative plural; pneumatika can in this context be only neuter accusative plural. The phrase can mean (1) “giving spiritual truth a spiritual form,” (2) “comparing spiritual truths with spiritual truths,” (3) “interpreting spiritual truths to spiritual men,” and (4) “explaining or expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” Though any of the four interpretations can be argued, view 4 best fits the context of the verse in which Paul has said that he speaks in spiritual words (i.e., words taught by the Spirit, Who gives to Paul spiritual truths in spiritual words)—words filled with concrete but spiritual meaning. (Expositor's Bible Commentary) David

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest has an in depth discussion of this passage - Then Paul in the words “comparing spiritual things with spiritual,” explains this process of choosing the right word in each case. We will look carefully at the Greek word translated “comparing,” for it throws a flood of light on Paul’s teaching of verbal inspiration. The word is a compound of the verb meaning “to judge,” and a preposition meaning “with,” thus “to judge with.” It speaks of the action of judging something with something else. For instance, a milliner wishes to trim a red hat with ribbon of the same color. She takes the hat over to the spools of ribbon and “judges” the various shades of red ribbon “with,” the hat. She compares the hat with ribbon after ribbon in an attempt to find one which will exactly match the color of the hat. She rejects one after another until she finally finds one ribbon that exactly matches the hat. And that is exactly what the word means, “to join fitly together, to combine, to compound.” That is just the procedure which the Bible writers went through in writing their books. As led by the Holy Spirit, they searched their vocabularies for the exact word which would adequately express the truth they wished to record. By the process of comparing the word with the truth they wished to write down, they rejected all those words which the Holy Spirit showed them would not correctly express the thought, and finally chose the word to which the Holy Spirit had led them, and upon which the Holy Spirit had put His stamp of approval. Thus the Holy Spirit allowed the writers the free play of their personalities, vocabulary, and training, while at the same time guiding them to make an infallible record of truth infallibly revealed. The words “spiritual things with spiritual,” are from two adjectives in the Greek. The first word translated “spiritual” is in the accusative case, the direct object of the verb “comparing,” and in the neuter gender. It refers to the spiritual truths already given the writers by revelation. The second use of the word “spiritual” is in the instrumental case, the instrumental of association. As to gender this word could be either masculine or neuter, for these two genders have the same form in the genitive through the dative cases. The English reader will please excuse these technicalities. We must look at the context to decide which gender is meant. The two things in the context which are compared and then combined, are the truth revealed and the words which would correctly convey this truth. The words “spiritual things” refers to this truth. Therefore the word “spiritual” in its second use in verse thirteen refers to the words. The gender is therefore masculine since the word “words” in this verse is masculine. Vincent translates this phrase, “combining spiritual things with spiritual words.” Expositor’s Greek Testament translates it, “wedding kindred speech to thought.” Alford renders it, “putting together spiritual words to spiritual things.” (Ibid) Apostolic Inspiration (J. Lyth) I. NOT THE INSPIRATION OF THIS WORLD. 1. Learning. 2. Reason. 3. Genius. II. BUT THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 1. Divinely communicated. 2. Divinely acting upon their minds. 3. And thus enabling them to know the things freely given them of God. (1 Corinthians 2 Sermons) 1 Corinthians 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised: Greek -psuchikos de anthropos ou dechetai (PMI/PPI) ta tou pneumatos tou theou, moria gar auto estin, (PAI) kai ou dunatai (PMI/PPI) gnonai, (AAN) hoti pneumatikos anakrinetai; (PPI): Amplified - But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest - The Holy Spirit Who searches the deep things of God, uncovered (see 1Cor 2:10 - revealed) this truth to the vision of these men. MacDonald on the Spirit searches all things - In other words, the Spirit of God, One of the members of the Godhead, is infinite in wisdom and understands all the truths of God and is able to impart them to others. (Believer’s Bible Commentary) (Bolding added) Searches (2045)(ereunao/eraunao) means to make thorough examination using careful effort to learn something. Ereunao in secular Greek described a professional searcher's report. A derivative was uses to describe searchers or customs officials.

1 Coríntios 2:10-16

Wuest - But the unregenerate man of the highest intellectual attainments does not grant access to the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are folly, and he is not able to come to know them because they are investigated in a spiritual realm. the natural man - 1Co 15:44,46 Jas 3:15 Jude 1:19 receiveth: Mt 13:11-17, 16:23 John 3:3-6, 8:43, 10:26,27, 12:37 Ro 8:5-8 the things: 1Co 2:12 John 14:26, 15:26, 16:8-15 they: 1Co 1:18,23 John 8:51,52, 10:20 Acts 17:18,32, 18:15, 25:19, 26:24,25 neither: Pr 14:6 John 5:44, 6:44,45, Ac 16:14, 2Co 4:4-6, 1Jn 2:20,27, 5:20 Jude 1:19) Reciprocal:, Genesis 31:28 - foolishly 2 Samuel 6:16 - despised 2 Samuel 14:17 - to discern 1 Kings 3:9 - discern 1 Kings 22:13 - Behold now 2 Kings 5:11 - Behold 1 Chronicles 15:29 - she despised 2 Chronicles 18:12 - Behold Psalms 25:14 - secret Psalms 92:6 - A brutish Proverbs 8:9 - General, Proverbs 24:7 - too Proverbs 28:5 - General, Ecclesiastes 8:5 - a wise Isaiah 8:16 - among Amos 7:12 - eat Matthew 6:23 - If Matthew 11:6 - whosoever Luke 7:23 - General, Luke 7:35 - General, John 1:5 - General, John 3:4 - How John 4:11 - thou hast John 4:15 - give John 6:52 - How John 7:36 - Ye shall John 8:37 - because John 10:6 - they understood not John 14:17 - whom Acts 17:20 - strange Romans 8:7 - neither 1 Corinthians 2:13 - spiritual things 1 Corinthians 3:1 - as unto carnal 1 Corinthians 4:10 - are fools 2 Corinthians 5:14 - because Colossians 3:3 - hid 1 Thessalonians 5:21 - Prove Hebrews 5:14 - to discern Revelation 2:17 - saving Revelation 14:3 - no THE TRAGIC STATE OF THE NATURAL MAN But - Whenever you encounter this term of contrast, pause to ponder and ask what is being contrasted? The contrast is between the lost and the saved, respectively referred to as the natural man versus the spiritual man. We are all born natural men in Adam (Ro 5:12+), but when we believe the "word of the Cross" (1Cor 1:18+), we are transferred from our position "in Adam" to our eternal position "in Christ" (by grace through faith). As Peter says we "become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (a description of the natural man's life)." (2Peter 1:4+) A natural man - This person is lost, unsaved, unregenerate, devoid of the Spirit of God, one who has only physical life. In this passage Paul states that the only way a natural man can accept and understand the supernatural Word is via a supernatural Source, the Spirit of God. Adrian Rogers describes the natural man this way - Now, if you're a natural man and never have been born again—and a natural man is a man who's only had one birth. He was born into the natural world and he is bound by the material world. He's only had one birth and he can never ever know the things of the spirit of God until he has a second birth. As Dr DeHaan on the natural man - "Regeneration… is a supernatural act of God whereby a spiritual creation takes place, and we behold things which are utterly unknown and must remain completely unknown even to the most cultured, sophisticated, educated of those of Adam’s race who have never experienced the new birth. And now we come to see the striking contrast in our Scripture. The natural man, the unregenerate man, sees none of these glories of this Book and of salvation and of God’s plan of redemption. He lives in an entirely different world, the world of sense and of sight, touch and sound. The tangible world is the habitat of the natural man in his unregenerate state, and he is, therefore, totally ignorant of the spiritual realm which transcends all of these things." (1 Corinthians Commentary) NET Note on natural man (psuchikos… anthropos) - “an unspiritual person, one who merely functions bodily, without being touched by the Spirit of God.” Natural (5591)(psuchikos from psuche = soul) is literally "soulish" with affinity to natural sinful propensities, the person in whom the sarx, the flesh, is more the ruling principle. Psuche is the nonphysical element which makes one alive, conscious of the environment, and is to be distinguished from pneuma or spirit, which is a distinctive of man as the element of communication with God. Friberg summarizes psuchikos as speaking of life in the natural world and what pertains to it; (1) as governed by sensual appetites and lived apart from the Spirit of God natural, unspiritual, worldly (1Cor 2.14; Jude 1:19); (2) as being a characteristic of the earthly body physical, natural (1Cor 15.44); neuter as a substantive - what is physical (1Cor 15.46). Jude 1:19 calls the teachers of error worldly (lit. ‘psychic’) people, who do not have the Spirit. (Analytical Lexicon) Wuest - The word “natural” is the translation of a Greek word which Paul uses to describe to the Corinthian Greeks the unregenerate man at his best, the man whom Greek philosophy commended, the man actuated by the higher thoughts and aims of the natural life. The word used here is not the Greek word which speaks of the sensual man. It is the word coined by Aristotle to distinguish the pleasures of the soul, such as ambition and the desire for knowledge, from those of the body. The natural man here spoken of is the educated man at the height of his intellectual powers, but devoid of the Spirit of God. The word translated “receiveth” does not imply an active appropriation, but a certain attitude of passive acceptance when favorable, and of rejection if unfavorable. This man, whose powers of apprehension are limited to the exercise of his reason, does not admit these spiritual things into his heart. The reason for this rejection is that they are foolishness to him. (Ibid) Jude described men who had crept into the assembly seeking to turn the grace of God into licentiousness (Jude 1:4+) as "the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded (psuchikos), devoid of the Spirit." (Jude 1:19+) And so the natural man does not have the Holy Spirit. Paul amplifies this in Romans writing "you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." (Ro 8:9+) And so the natural man does not belong to God, is not part of God's family, which explains why he cannot understand the "family language" so to speak. In 1Cor 2:12+ Paul describes himself as a spiritual man who is the antithesis of the natural man, for the spiritual man has not received "the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is from God." In that same passage Paul presented another distinction between the spiritual and natural man, namely that the spiritual man (Paul speaking of himself) can "know the things freely given" by God, but the natural man cannot know (or understand) them (1Cor 2:14).