1 Corinthians 2:13

ἃ καὶ λαλοῦμεν the vb [395] of 1 Corinthians 2:6-7 (see note): there opposed to μυστήριον, here to εἰδῶμεν (cf. John 3:11) “which things indeed we speak out”; knowing these great things of God, we tell them (cf. John 18:20; also 2 Corinthians 4:2 ff., Luke 12:2 f., Acts 26:16). P. has no esoteric doctrines, to be whispered to a select circle; if the τέλειοι and πνευματικοὶ alone comprehend his Gospel, that is not due to reserve on his part. “The καὶ λαλοῦμεν makes it clear that P. does not mean (in 1 Corinthians 2:6 and 1 Corinthians 3:1 f.) to distinguish two sorts of Gospel; his preaching has always the entire truth for its content, but expressed suitably to the growth of his hearers” (Hn [396]).

[395] verb

[396] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

The mode of utterance agrees with the character of the revealing Spirit: οὐκ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις, ἀλλʼ ἐν διδακτοῖς κ. τ. λ. “(which things we speak out), not in human-wisdom-taught words, but in (words) Spirit-taught”

Ver ba rem sequuntur (Wetstein). The opposed gens, depend on διδακτοῖς, denoting agent with vbl [397] adj [398] a construction somewhat rare, but cl [399] (so in John 6:45; Isaiah 54:13; diff [400] in 1Ma 4:7, διδακτοὶ πολέμου); they are anarthrous, signifying opposite kinds of wisdom. διδακτὸς in earlier Gr [401] meant what can or ought to be taught; later, what is taught (cf. γνωστός, Romans 1:19). Paul affirms that his words in matters of revelation, as well as thoughts, were taught him by the Spirit; he claims, in some sense, verbal inspiration. In an honest mind thought and language are one, and whatever determines the former must mould the latter. Cor [402] critics complained both of the imperfection of Paul's dialect (2 Corinthians 10:10 : see 1 Corinthians 2:1 above) and of the poverty of his ideas; here is his rejoinder. We arrive thus at the explanation of the obscure clause, πνευματικοῖς πνευματικὰ συνκρίνοντες, combining spiritual things with spiritual, wedding kindred speech to thought (for the ptp [403] qualifies λαλοῦμεν): so Er [404], Cv [405], Bz [406], D.W [407], Mr [408], Hn [409], Lt [410], El [411], Bt [412]; “with spiritual phrase matching spiritual truth” (Ev [413]).

[397] verbal.

[398] adjective.

[399] classical.

[400] difference, different, differently.

[401] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[402] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[403] participle

[404] Erasmus' In N.T. Annotationes.

[405] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[406] Beza's Nov. Testamentum: Interpretatio et Annotationes (Cantab., 1642).

[407].W. De Wette's Handbuch z. N. T.

[408] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[409] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[410] J. B. Lightfoot's (posthumous) Notes on Epp. of St. Paul (1895).

[411] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[412] J. A. Beet's St. Paul's Epp. to the Corinthians (1882).

[413] T. S. Evans in Speaker's Commentary.

1 Corinthians 2:13 asserts the correspondence of Apostolic utterance and thought; in 1 Corinthians 2:14 P. passes to the correspondence of men and things. Other meanings are found for συνκρίνω, and πνευματικοῖς may be masc. as well as neut.; thus the following variant renderings are deduced: (1) comparing sp. things with sp. (Vg [414], E.V [415], Ed [416]) forming them into a correlated system; (2) interpreting, or proving, sp. things by sp. sc. O.T. types by N.T. fulfilments (Cm [417] and Ff [418]); (3) adapting, or appropriating, sp. things to sp. men (Est., Olshausen, Gd [419]), with some strain upon the vb [420]; (4) interpreting sp. things to sp. men (Bg [421], Rückert, Hf [422], Stanley, Al [423], Sm [424]). The last explanation is plausible, in view of the sequel; but it misses the real point of 1 Corinthians 2:13, and is not clearly supported by the usage of συνκρίνω, which “means properly to combine, as διακρίνω to separate” (Lt [425]).

[414] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[415] English Version.

[416] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

[417] John Chrysostom's Homiliœ († 407).

[418] Fathers.

[419] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[420] verb

[421] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[422] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[423] Alford's Greek Testament.

[424] P. Schmiedel, in Handcommentar zum N.T. (1893).

[425] J. B. Lightfoot's (posthumous) Notes on Epp. of St. Paul (1895).