NOT WITH EXCELLENCY OF SPEECH; that rhetorical refinement, or those subtle philosophical discussions which were admired by the Greeks. THE TESTIMONY OF GOD; concerning Jesus Christ and the way of salvation through him.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT TO KNOW; to demean myself among you as one that knew nothing else; in other words, to make the doctrine of salvation through JESUS CHRIST, AND HIM CRUCIFIED, my only theme. Christ crucified as the atonement for sin, is the great central truth of the gospel. Other truths, in order to be rightly a... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WEAKNESS-FEAR-TREMBLING; he knew that he had many enemies. He felt deeply his insufficiency, and was fearful that he should fail of success. God, however, who knew his difficulties, had compassion on him, and encouraged him to go forward. Acts 18:6; Acts 18:9-10; 2 CORINTHIANS 10:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
ENTICING WORDS OF MAN'S WISDOM; such as were used by heathen orators to gain applause. IN DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND OF POWER; it consisted in that demonstration of the truth which had for its foundation the accompanying Spirit and power of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT STAND IN THE WISDOM OF MEN; not rest on human, but on divine testimony; and be produced not by human, but by divine power. The more deeply ministers of the gospel feel their own insufficiency, and their dependence on God for success, the more likely it is that their preaching will be attended by... [ Continue Reading ]
WISDOM; that which is truly wise in the estimation of God and those who are like him. THEM THAT ARE PERFECT; who have maturity of knowledge and spiritual discernment, and are thus prepared to receive the deeper revelations of the gospel. NOT THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD; that which worldly men call wi... [ Continue Reading ]
WE SPEAK THE WISDOM OF GOD IN A MYSTERY; in speaking the wisdom of God we proclaim a mystery. The word mystery is used here, as often elsewhere in the New Testament, to denote something beyond the power of human wisdom to discover. EVEN THE HIDDEN WISDOM; that which had long been to a great extent... [ Continue Reading ]
All persons, however great their advantages, who are not taught by the Holy Spirit, are exceedingly ignorant of divine things. Truths are plainly revealed of which they have no just conception, because they love darkness rather than light, their deeds being evil. In their ignorance they may commit c... [ Continue Reading ]
AS IT IS WRITTEN; Isaiah 64:4. THE THINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED; it is in these things, which include all the blessings the gospel bestows on men here, and the "exceeding and eternal weight of glory" hereafter, that the glory consists spoken of in verse 1 Corinthians 2:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO US; the apostles and their fellow-disciples, who were taught of the Holy Spirit. SEARCHETH; fully understands, and therefore can reveal to us.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THINGS OF A MAN; his unrevealed thoughts. EVEN SO; as the unrevealed thoughts of a man are not known except to himself, so the unrevealed things of God are not known except to the Spirit of God; and he alone can reveal them. To the apostles he did reveal them, and through them they were reveale... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD; which could instruct us only in the things of this world, and make us, like itself, earthly in all our views and feelings. MIGHT KNOWN; by his revelation. THE THINGS THAT ARE FREELY GIVEN TO US OF GOD; those, namely, mentioned in verse 1 Corinthians 2:9. As the Holy Sp... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WORDS-WHICH THE HOLY GHOST TEACHETH; the Spirit taught them not only what was to be communicated, but how to communicate it-not in preaching only, but in writing. As the Holy Ghost taught the writers of the Bible what truths to communicate and in what words to communicate them, it may safely... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NATURAL MAN; the same as he who is after the flesh, and minds the things of the flesh, Romans 8:5; the man who is unenlightened by the Holy Spirit, who does not love the truth, and is the willing slave of sin. RECEIVETH NOT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD; does not rightly apprehend or apprecia... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT IS SPIRITUAL; he that is born of the Spirit, and therefore minds the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5. JUDGETH ALL THINGS; discerneth aright all spiritual things, loves their excellence, and judges correctly concerning them. HE HIMSELF IS JUDGED OF NO MAN; they who are not enlightened by t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHO HATH KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD; no one but he who has been taught by the Spirit of the Lord. The natural man therefore, who has not been thus taught, cannot judge us who are spiritual, and HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST; that is, know it, having been taught of God.... [ Continue Reading ]