1 Corinthians 2 - Introduction

He declareth that his preaching, though it bring not excellency of speech, or of human wisdom; yet consisteth in the power of God; and so far excelleth the wisdom of this world, and human sense, as that the natural man cannot understand it.

Anno Domini 57.

BECAUSE the learned Greeks had objected to the Gospel, the foolishness (as they were pleased to call it) of its doctrines, and the weakness of its preachers, the Apostle made answer in the foregoing chapter, that by these foolish doctrines and weak preachers, a reformation had been wrought in the minds and manners of multitudes, which the boasted philosophy of the Greeks, and the eloquence of their orators, had not been able to accomplish. But this being a matter of great importance, and the faction having upbraided St. Paul in particular with his want of eloquence, he now proceeded in this chapter to tell the Corinthians, that Christ having sent him to preach not in the wisdom of words (see chap. 1 Corinthians 1:17.), he acted agreeably to his commission, when he came to them not with the excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring the testimony of God, 1 Corinthians 2:1.—By thus disclaiming the Grecian philosophy and rhetoric, and by calling the Gospel the testimony of God, the Apostle insinuated, that the credibility of the Gospel depended neither on its conformity to the philosophy of the Greeks, nor on the eloquence of its preachers, but on the attestation of God, who confirmed it by miracles and the divine influences of his Spirit.—And therefore, however ridiculous it might appear in their eyes, he determined to make known nothing among the Corinthians, either in his private conversations, or in his public discourses, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified for the sins of men, 1 Corinthians 2:2.—At the same time, knowing the opinion which the learned Greeks would form of that doctrine in particular, as well as that his discourses were neither composed nor pronounced according to the rules of the Grecian rhetoric, his first addresses to them were in weakness, and in fear, and with much trembling, 1 Corinthians 2:3.—Yet they were accompanied with the powerful demonstration of the Spirit, who enabled him to prove thethingswhich he preached, by miracles and by his gracious influences, 1 Corinthians 2:4.—that the faith of mankind might be founded, not in the wisdom of men, that method of reasoningand speaking, which human wisdom dictates as best calculated to persuade, but in the power of God, 1 Corinthians 2:5.

However, lest the things which are said in the preceding chapter, concerning the foolishness of the doctrines of the Gospel, and in this chapter concerning its having no relation to any of the schemes of the Greek philosophy, might have led the Corinthians to think meanly of it, the Apostle told them that, in the Gospel, he and his brethren made known a scheme of doctrine, which they who were perfectly instructed knew to be real wisdom: only it was not the wisdom of this world; it was none of the mysteries of the idol gods worshipped by the heathens, nor of the religions established by the heathen rulers, who are all to be made nought, 1 Corinthians 2:6.—What they preached, was the wisdom of the true God; a scheme of religion contrived by the true God, and made known in a real mystery.—The Apostle called the Gospel a mystery, not because it contained doctrines absolutely unintelligible, but because being of divine original, and containing the most important discoveries, it was better entitled to the honourable appellation of a mystery, than any of those which were so named. This excellent scheme of doctrine hitherto kept secret, God determined, before the Jewish dispensation began, to publish to the world by the Apostles of his Son, to their great honour; so that they are mystagogues of a mystery infinitely more excellent than the Eleusinian, or any other heathen mystery, 1 Corinthians 2:7.—Yet when it was published, none of the rulers of this world knew it to be the wisdom of God; for if they had known it to be so, they would not have crucified the Lord, or author of all the glorious things discovered in the mystery of God's wisdom, 1 Corinthians 2:8.—This ignorance of the rulers, the Apostle observed, was occasioned by the greatness of the things contained in the mystery of God's wisdom. They were what human reason could neither discover, nor fully comprehend; agreeably to Isaiah's description of them; eye hath not seen, &c. 1 Corinthians 2:9.—These things, however, God hath revealed to us Apostles, by his Spirit: for the Spirit of God who inspires us, searcheth all things, even the deep counsels of God. So that we are well qualified to discover these counsels to the world, 1 Corinthians 2:10.—Farther, he told them, that the Apostles had not received the inspiration of evil spirits, by which the heathen priestesses, and prophets, and mystagogues, were guided; but the inspiration that cometh from God, that they might know and publish the glorious things, (see 1 Corinthians 2:9.) which are freely bestowed by the true God on them who believe, 1 Corinthians 2:12.—Which things, said he, we Apostles effectually make known to the world, not in language taught by human rhetoric, but in words dictated by the Spirit of God; explaining spiritual things in spiritual words, 1 Corinthians 2:13.—Nevertheless, the animal man, the man who is guided by his animal passions and notions, does not receive the things revealed by the Spirit; because they appear to him foolishness; neither can he understand them, because they must be examined spiritually, that is, they must be examined by the light which divine revelation, and not reason, affords, 1 Corinthians 2:14.—But the spiritual man, the man who is not guided by his animal passions, and who acknowledges the authority of revelation, and is assisted by the Spirit of God, is able to examine and receive the things revealed by the Spirit. Yet he himself is examined andjudged by no animal man: because no animal man can understand the principles upon which the spiritual man's belief is founded, 1 Corinthians 2:15.—For what animal man has understood and approved the gracious purposes of the Lord Christ, respecting the salvation of the world? or what animal is able to instruct the spiritual man? But, added he, we Apostles have the gracious purposes of Christ made known to us by the Spirit; so that we are able both to know them, and to communicate them to the world, 1 Corinthians 2:16.