6 Understanding the  Wisdom of God  (2:6-16)

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 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. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (2:6-16)

This section continues to deal with the problem of disunity in the church at Corinth and in particular with the continued allegiance to human philosophies and leaders that contributed to the disunity. Human wisdom was keeping believers from divine wisdom, and from spiritual growth and unity.

Yet, Paul said, we do speak wisdom among those who are mature. Whereas false, human wisdom is a great hindrance to the gospel, true, divine wisdom flows from the gospel. To believers, “to those who are the called,” Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1:24). Mature (teleios) can mean “perfect” (KJV) or “complete,” but can also refer to a person who has full membership in a group, one who is fully initiated. Here Paul uses this term in the same way it is used in other forms by the writer of Hebrews (6:1; 10:14) to refer to salvation. Those who are mature are those who are redeemed and are completely trusting in Jesus Christ. The apostle is not saying that he speaks God’s wisdom only when he is with believers who are advanced in the faith, but only when he is among believers who are truly in the faith—the saved. True believers are the only ones among whom the gospel can be wisdom. To all others it is a stumbling block or foolishness (1:23). Obviously some Christians are better taught in and more obedient to God’s wisdom than are others. But for every Christian, “in all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” (Eph. 1:8-9). While the Christ rejectors hear his message as foolishness, to believers it is wisdom—the wisdom of God.

In 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 Paul emphasizes two points: (1) true wisdom is not humanly discovered and (2) true wisdom is divinely revealed.

TRUE WISDOM IS NOT HUMANLY DISCOVERED

It is impossible for a lesser creature to understand a more advanced one. How can anything understand something more complex and advanced than itself? For a flea to understand a dog it would have to be at least as advanced as a dog. For a dog to understand a man it would have to be at least as advanced as a man. How much greater distance is there between Creator and creature. Men can imagine what God might be like, and people have plenty of ideas about Him. Almost everyone has an opinion as to what God is or is not like, or as to whether He even exists. But man’s opinions are irrelevant, because they can never be more than speculations. By his own resources the creature cannot possibly comprehend his Creator.

God’s wisdom, the truth about Him and His message for man, is a wisdom, however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age. Age (aiōnos) refers to a period of time, a historic age. Paul was speaking not only of the particular historical period in which he lived, but of all periods of history. All human wisdom is passing away. It is empty, futile, and comes to naught. Even the rulers (archontōn, meaning leading men, or men of authority) cannot claim it or even relate to it.

Paul repeats the assertion that he is indeed speaking wisdom: but we speak God’s wisdom … the hidden wisdom. The natural man does not know and understand it, and considers it foolishness, because it is wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom. Mystery (mustērion) does not refer to something strange and puzzling but to that which is held secret. God intentionally holds His wisdom a secret from natural man and his earthly wisdom (cf. Matt. 11:25; 13:10-13).

But to His people, His called and perfected ones, God predestined before the ages to give His wisdom through His Son to our glory. Before time began, our heavenly Father determined to give us His saving wisdom that would lead ultimately to our eternal glorification (Rom. 8:18).

The wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (2:8)

The crucifixion is proof that the rulers of this age did not have God’s wisdom. Had they understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Neither the leaders of the Jews, to whom the gospel was a stumbling block, nor the leaders of the Gentiles, to whom it was foolishness, understood God’s divine wisdom. In their ignorance of God, their willing ignorance, they executed His Son. Paul’s own testimony demonstrates that ignorance (1 Tim. 1:12-13). That is the outcome of human wisdom. In the world’s eyes, Jesus was anything but glorious; but in God’s eyes He is the very Lord of glory. Yet all of the

things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.(2:9-10)

That free quotation from Isaiah 64:4 and 65:17 is often memorized. But it is also frequently misapplied. Paul is not referring to the wonders of heaven, but to the wisdom God has prepared for believers. His point is that the natural eyes, ears, and hearts of men cannot know or comprehend His wisdom. It is prepared only for those who love Him.

Neither externally nor internally, objectively nor subjectively, can man discover God. His external searching is empirical, experimental—represented by seeing and hearing. God’s truth is not observable by the eye or the ear, no matter how many sophisticated instruments we may use.

We are just as helpless in trying to discover His truth subjectively, through our minds (heart). Rationalism cannot reason out God’s truth. Man’s two greatest human resources, empiricism and rationalism, his observation and his reason, are equally useless in discovering divine truth. They will always, in fact, eventually turn men against divine truth. Ultimately they lead men to crucify Christ.

But God’s truth, God’s plan, God’s wisdom, is not hidden from His children. All that God has prepared for those who love Him.

TRUE WISDOM IS DIVINELY REVEALED

It is as unnecessary as it is impossible for man to discover God’s truth on his own. What man cannot find God has given. Man cannot come to God on his own; but God has come to him. The Holy Spirit has invaded man’s closed box and shown him God—through revelation, inspiration, and illumination.

BY REVELATION

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. (2:10-11)

The Holy Spirit is the Trinity’s agent of transmission and communication. The first step of His transmission of God’s truth is revelation. As a member of the Godhead, the Spirit knows the mind of God perfectly. God has used angels for many amazing and wonderful services to man. But He did not entrust the revelation of the New Covenant to an angel. The truths of His Word God revealed through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the divine author of Scripture. He used many human agents, but the message is entirely His. The revelation is God’s pure Word.

To illustrate the Holy Spirit’s unique qualification for revealing the Word, Paul compares the Spirit’s knowledge of God’s mind to a human being’s knowledge of his own mind. No person can know another person as well as he knows himself. Even husbands and wives who have lived together for dozens of years, and have freely shared their thoughts and dreams and problems and joys, never come to know their mates as intimately as they know themselves. Our innermost thoughts, the deep recesses of our hearts and minds, are known only to ourselves.

In a similar way, only God’s own Spirit can know Him intimately. And, wonder of wonders, it is the Spirit of God, the One who intimately knows the depths of God and the thoughts of God, whom God has sent to reveal His own wisdom to those who believe—to us.

BY INSPIRATION

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. (2:12-13)

The process of the Spirit’s transmission of God’s truth is called inspiration. His truth cannot be discovered by man; it can only be received. In order to be received, something must first be offered. God’s truth can be received because is it freely given.

The Spirit who is from God, not the spirit of the world (that is, human wisdom) has brought God’s Word—which comprises the things freely given to us by God. The Bible is the Spirit’s vehicle for bringing God’s revelation.

The we’s and the us of verses 12-13 (as in vv. 6-7, 10) do not refer to Christians in general but to Paul himself. God’s Word is for all believers, but was revealed only to the apostles and the other writers of Scripture. Only those men properly can be said to have been inspired. The promise of John 14:26 (“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you”) is for the benefit of all believers, but was given only to the apostles. Paul and the other writers of Scripture did not record their own ideas and interpretations. They recorded what God gave them and only what He gave them. We have received… that we might know. The Spirit used words that the human writers knew and used, but He selected them and arranged them in precisely the order that He wanted. The Bible, therefore, not only is God’s Word but God’s words.

It is not simply the “Word behind the words” that is from God, as many liberal and neoorthodox interpreters maintain. “All Scripture is inspired by God [lit., ‘God-breathed’]” (2 Tim. 3:16). Scripture means “writings,” and refers specifically to what God’s chosen men wrote by His revelation and inspiration, not to everything they said and wrote. It refers, as Paul explains, to the things freely given to us by God, to the “God-breathed” words they recorded.

When Jesus responded to Satan’s first temptation in the wilderness, He said (quoting from Deut. 8:3), “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). God gave His own Word in His own words. “Every word that proceeds out the mouth of God” is revealed, inspired, and authoritative. Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

BY ILLUMINATION

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. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (2:14-16)

The third step in the Spirit’s transmission of God’s truth is that of illumination.

It is possible to read the Bible—even many different copies and versions of the Bible—and yet not understand it. It is possible to study the Bible for many years, memorizing much of it, and still not understand it. The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day were highly trained in the Old Testament, yet they missed its central message. They completely failed to recognize the promised Messiah when He came and lived among them (John 5:37-39). They did not believe Jesus because they did not truly believe Moses, the great lawgiver in whom they placed their hope (vv. 45-47). They did not accept the things of the Spirit of God because those things seemed to be foolishness. Because those men did not belong to God, they could not understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. Those scribes and Pharisees, like everyone who rejects God, lived only in the realm of the natural man. They had no means and had no desire to understand the spiritual nature of God’s Word.

The natural man cannot know or understand the things of the Spirit of God because they can only be spiritually appraised. Spiritual is in opposition to natural, and thus refers to the inner capacity of the redeemed to grasp God’s truth. God’s Word is spiritually evaluated, spiritually discerned, spiritually understood—and the natural man is spiritually dead.

The psalmist understood the need for God’s illumination of His Word. He prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law” (Ps. 119:18). He did not need the Lord’s help to read His Word, but he knew he needed His help to understand it.

Martin Luther said, “The Bible cannot be understood simply by study or talent; you must count only on the influence of the Holy Spirit.”

John Calvin wrote: “The testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason. For … these words will not obtain full credit in the hearts of men until they are sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit.”

Someone else has suggested that the best man can do on his own is to “gnaw the bark of Scripture without getting to the wood.”

God must open the eyes of our understanding before we can truly know and rightly interpret His truth. His truth is available only to those with a regenerate spirit and in whom His Spirit dwells, for only the Spirit can illumine Scripture. Just as the physically blind cannot see the sun, the spiritually blind cannot see the Son. Both lack proper illumination. Martin Luther said, “Man is like a pillar of salt, like Lot’s wife—he is like a log or a stone, he is like a lifeless statue which uses neither eyes nor mouth, neither senses nor heart—unless he is enlightened, converted and regenerated by the Holy Spirit.”

He who is spiritual, on the other hand, appraises all things. The believer has a resident Truth Teacher to enlighten him about all the things of God about which he needs to know “As for you,” John wrote, “the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him” (1 John 2:27). The Holy Spirit takes God’s Word, the Word which He has revealed and inspired, and illuminates it for those in whom He dwells.

Unlike God’s revelation and inspiration, which were given to the biblical writers, His illumination is for all Christians. We all can rightly appraise the Word when we rely on the Giver of the Word.

Because the natural man cannot rightly appraise God’s Word he cannot rightly appraise God’s people, either. He who is spiritual… himself is appraised by no man. It is just as impossible for the world to understand faithful Christians as it is for them to understand God Himself and His Word. They try to appraise believers, of course, but they are always wrong. They may accurately evaluate our faults, shortcomings, and our living that is inconsistent with our faith. But they cannot accurately evaluate our faith. If the gospel itself is a stumbling block and foolishness to them, so is faith based on the gospel.

The person in Christ will be misunderstood and mistreated just as Christ was misunderstood and mistreated (John 15:20). The world will laugh at us, mock us, and, in many places of the world still today, even kill us. The world crucified Christ and it will crucify His followers.

Paul asks, Who has known the mind of the Lord? What natural man thinks God’s thoughts? None. Unbelievers frequently want to correct believers, to argue about the truths we believe and follow But when they contradict scriptural teaching, they are not arguing with us but with God, whose thoughts they do not understand. They are trying to instruct Him. What folly.

As Christians, however, God instructs us. We are able to understand all things of His Word because we have the mind of Christ. Christ thinks God’s thoughts, understands God’s wisdom. We have His mind (nous). This term is translated “understanding” in 14:14, 15, 19. Its usage here may best be understood from its use in Luke 24:45 of Jesus’ revelation to the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

The doctrine of illumination does not mean we can know and understand everything (Deut. 29:29), that we do not need human teachers (Eph. 4:11-12), or that study is not hard work (2 Tim. 2:15). It does mean that Scripture can be understood by every Christian who is diligent and obedient.