What did we learn last time?
God is going to destroy wisdom of men (Where does that leave all the scholars, and philosphers? - No one can stand against God's power.) - God used Christ Jesus (who was considered weak and useless) to demonstrate his Power through the Cross. Paul is writing to the people of Corinthians, who have been bickering and fighting over human wisdom, and who is better than the other and have stopped focusing on the important matters which are Christ Jesus who is wisdom itself.
Lets keep going.
2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the [a]testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of [b]human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Verse 1: Paul came to the Corinthians in person; to testify about God, but he did not come in excellence of speech or wisdom, when declaring the power of God through the Cross in resurrecting the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 2: Paul says that he was determined not to know anything among them except the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Paul was not going to be boasting about anything else but the Lord Jesus Christ towards them to encourage them to stay in faith and keep having faith in belief of the promises that God had brought to them and made to him.
Verse 3: Paul stating that while he was with them, in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. - Exposing us to the feelings of Paul when coming over into the land where the Corinthians were, and he was weak, in fear, and afraid.
You can see that God helped him, overcome these fears, in the next verse. The spirit helped have power to be able to speak and teach but it was not very persuasive, and it was not of human wisdom but wisdom of the spiritual - Christ Jesus is the wisdom itself (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Verse 4: Paul states that his speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom - but of the Spirit, which brought power (the spirit through Him).
Verse 5: That your faith should not be in the wisdom of Men but in the power of God (in faith in God who brings the dead back to life, who brought the Lord Jesus Christ back to life.)
6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God [c]ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.Verse 6: Paul goes on to explain that he is speaking wisdom among those who are mature; Mature in the faith.
Paul goes on to say; not speaking in the wisdom of this age (what the world is telling you), in the wisdom of rulers of this age (humans who tell you what is true rather than what is true based on Gods wisdom), who are coming to nothing.
Coming to nothing? Maybe the wisdom of those who think they know something are not bringing anything fruitful.
Verse 7: Paul says we speak of the wisdom of God - in a mystery - hidden wisdom which God - ordained before the ages of our glory - (speaking of the coming of Christ Jesus in the Old Testament - which was hidden). of our Glory - God ordained the coming of the messiah before the time of the apostles living out the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in being able to teach about the Gospel of the life, death and resurrection.
Verse 8: Paul says which none of the rules of this age (back then) knew - for if they had known (The Pharisees and Scribes) would not have killed the Lord of Glory.
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.”
verse 9 Paul says to the audience at Corinthians - But it is written that -> The mystery of the coming of the messiah would be hidden, and the message has not entered into the heart of Man -in which include the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 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. 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.
Verse 10: But God revealed them -> The mystery -> to the apostles -> through God's Spirit.
The spirit searches all things, yes the deep things of GOd.
Verse 11: For what man knows the things of man - except the spirit of the man which is in him?
Paul is speaking here is how can a man know the things of man without the spirit of Man which is in him?
How can man know mans nature -> without having God in their life and realizing their true nature being a creation of God. By The spirit and coming to Christ Jesus will reveal that to them.
Verse 12: Paul says we have not received the spirit of the world and what man teaches.
Paul says we have received the Spirit who is from God that we might know these things that been freely given to us by God (the promises of God - especially to them then of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ)
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the [d]Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 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. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Verse 13: Paul says the things we speak -> are not mans wisdom that comes from man and what they teach.
Paul says we speak -> of which the holy spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Verse 14: but the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God -> Unbelievers. For the things of the spiritual wisdom of Christ Jesus are foolish tot hem. -> Nor can he know them-> because they are spiritually discerned (not reborn spiritually).
Verse 15: He who is spiritual judges all things, but he himself is rightly judged by no one. (Not sure 100% what this means)
Verse 16: Paul says who has know the mind of the Lord that we may instruct Him? -> But we have the mind of Christ.
Insights and comments welcome.