And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. Ver. 1. _Not with excellency_] St Paul's speech was _neque lecta, neque neglecta, _ neither curious nor careless. Politian could say, that it is an ornament to an epistle t... [ Continue Reading ]
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Ver. 2. _To know anything_] To profess or teach any other skill. All the wisdom of a man is in this one thing, saith Lactantius, _Ut Christum cognoscat et colat, _ that he know and worship Christ. _Hoc nostrum d... [ Continue Reading ]
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. Ver. 3. _In weakness_] In misery, and in a mean condition, labouring with his hands, &c., Acts 18:3 . _ And in fear_] Of adversaries, or through care of discharging my duty among you.... [ Continue Reading ]
And my speech and my preaching _was_ not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: Ver. 4. _With enticing words_] Religion is not a matter of parts, words, or wit. The devil cares not for the sons of Sceva's adjurations. Abana and Pharphar may cleanse, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Ver. 5. _That your faith, &c._] A human testimony can breed but a human faith. Aaron's bells were of pure gold; our whole preaching must be Scripture-proof, or it will burn, and none be the better for it. _Ut drachmam a... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: Ver. 6. _Wisdom among the perfect_] Or those that are grown to maturity. Some think the apostle horroweth this term from the pagans' superstition, who admitt... [ Continue Reading ]
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, _even_ the hidden _wisdom_, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Ver. 7. _Wisdom of God in a mystery_] While God did not divide himself into a merciful Father and a just Judge (as Valerius speaketh of Zaleucus), but declared himself to be... [ Continue Reading ]
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known _it_, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Ver. 8. _Which none of the princes_] He calleth the Pharisees and philosophers princes, for their learning, as being himself a scholar. Only he might well have said of them, as Ci... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 9. _Eye hath not seen, &c._] It is reported of one Adrianus, that seeing the martyrs suffer such grievous things, he asked the cause; o... [ Continue Reading ]
But God hath revealed _them_ unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Ver. 10. _But God hath revealed_] The Chinese use to say of themselves, that all other nations of the world see but with one eye, they only with two. This is most true of the natura... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _Save the Spirit, &c._] Man knows his inward thoughts, purposes, and desires, but the frame and disposition of his own heart he knows not, Jere... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 12. _Not the spirit of the world_] The world lieth down in that unclean one, and is under the power and vassalage of that spirit that worketh in... [ Continue Reading ]
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Ver. 13. _But which the Holy Ghost teacheth_] So that not the matter only, but words also of Holy Scripture are dictated by the Spirit, and are the... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _But the natural man_] This mere animal (ψυχικος), that hath no more than a reasonable soul and natural abilities, Judge... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. Ver. 15. _Judgeth all things_] By his spirit of discerning, 1 Corinthians 14:2, his spiritual senses exercised to discern good and evil, Hebrews 5:14, his undoubted persuasion of that truth he professeth, Colossians 2:... [ Continue Reading ]
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. Ver. 16. _But we have the mind of Christ_] This is a privilege confined to the communion of saints, to have communication of Christ's secrets, to be as it were of his court and council. One saith of D... [ Continue Reading ]