1 Corinthians 2
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
As a port city though, there were sailors, merchants, citizens, and philosophers from throughout the world coming and going all the time. The anonymity, relaxed morals and social pressures, and the monetary incentives make them easier for people to take part in prostitution, gambling, and substance abuse.
But also as a port city of Rome which as an empire covered a wide range cultures and religious practices. The church there was acting like all those other people rather than the followers of Christ they had become. There were divisions based on the leaders who had baptized them and in this they were acting like all the Roman scholars and philosophers of the day.
Paul has opened his letter reminding them whose they were and telling them to stop this. Christ wasn’t divided and since He was the head of the Church, they shouldn’t be either.
Then he reminded them the Cross was foolishness to the lost but to the saved it was the power of God. The power or DYNAMIS (doon-a-mees; δύναμις) wasn’t signs and wonders and healings and prophesying. The power spoken of the cross here is the power for salvation to change lives. Finishing chapter 1:
1 Corinthians 1:30–31 “30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
Now Paul continues...
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:1 “1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.”
Paul reminded them he did what he said up in chapter 1 1 Corinthians 1:17 “17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
he came not using fancy speeches and words telling them how smart he was but simply telling them what God had done in sending and His Son setting aside His glory and coming to the world
1 Corinthians 2:2–3 “2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.”
He just preached who Jesus was, why they needed Him, and what Jesus did when He died the most offensive death at that time.
Rather than some fancy speaker, Paul was half blind (Gal. 6:11), had been beaten and who knows what else (2 Cor. 12:7–10)
Yet I imagine Paul thinking about Psalm 2:11–12 “11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”
1 Corinthians 2:4 “4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”
The rest of the scholars came in using big words and speeches and ginning up excitement and working the crowd
demonstration was a technical legal term describing irrefutable evidence offered in court
Paul simply came knowing the power of God and the working of the Holy Spirit was the only way people were saved and changed and THAT WAS the power of the Gospel
1 Corinthians 2:5 “5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Paul didn’t want to even look smart so they didn’t want to follow him instead of Jesus.
6 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: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 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. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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.
1 Corinthians 2:6 “6 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:”
perfect here is not sinless but mature.
wisdom only comes from the Lord using His Word of experience He allows to teach
Proverbs 2:6–8 “6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.”
true wisdom is salvation
Proverbs 9:10 “10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
the princes of this world are the Jewish religious and the Roman governmental leaders at the time and they don’t get it. Paul goes on to prove it
1 Corinthians 2:7–10a “7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 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. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:”
That wisdom they don’t have is hidden by God and was conceived before time began in the counsels of God Himself
None of the leaders had it because if they did, they wouldn’t have crucified Jesus
Lord of glory Jesus has and is the glory of God and as Lord of that glory has the power to give it to us as children of God to be the glory of God as well (Jude 24–25 “24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” )
1 Corinthians 2:9 “9 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.”
Paul is alluding to Isaiah 64:4 “4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”
I have had to rearrange my thinking a bit this week. Since I’ve been saved I’ve heard and said this verse in the context of those of us who are saved looking toward heaven longingly for all the beauty and rest and glory waiting for us there.
While the idea is not incorrect, (Philippians 3:20–21 “20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” ) It’s also not what Paul’s referring to here.
Let me read it again to get the context of the sentence: 1 Corinthians 2:7–10a “7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 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. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit”
Verse 7 speaks of the mystery of the wisdom of God hidden in the world before the world began
Verse 8 says that wisdom none of the princes knew or they would have put Jesus to death
Verse 9 Paul is telling us that the wisdom the princes don’t have and that men can’t get for themselves by normal human means (eye, ear, heart (mind)
Verse 10a is ONLY given by God!
again Proverbs 2:6–8 “6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.”
It’s only by the grace of God through the Spirit of God that lost people can know about what waits in heaven and that through the salvation of Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 2:10b–13 “for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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.”
Only the Spirit of God can mine and understand the deep things of God
Men can know the things of man (how to change a light bulb, drive a car, or perform brain surgery) by the common grace and gifting by God
1 Corinthians 2:11–13 “11 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. 12 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. 13 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.”
Paul gives us an analogy here between the human spirit and the Holy Spirit.
Thank the Lord my thoughts remain hidden to other people. Yet, my spirit knows these thoughts.
My spirit can know the mind of God in as much as revealed to me in scripture, but that’s a thimbleful of water floating in the ocean compared to all in the mind of an infinite and wise God
The infinite Holy Spirit of God knows all in the mind of the infinite God because along with Jesus they are one essence in three persons. The Holy Trinity
The ONLY way men can know the things of God is by the Spirit of God
14 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. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Without the grace of God and the working of the Spirit, at best we don’t even care about God but more often we are in open rebellion to Him
Those of us that are saved have a hunger for God and His wisdom and His righteousness as He convicts us of our sin and leads us to faith, repentance, and worship
Matthew 5:6 “6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
judged of no man: 2 Timothy 1:7–9 “7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
mind of the Lord: Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that every saved person is given the Holy Spirit and the mind of the Lord when they are saved. It’s that progressive sanctification that helps us be more like Christ tomorrow than we are today
Conclusion
Conclusion
The wisdom of the world:
tells people they know everything they need to and in fact are “little g” gods themselves so can do whatever whenever they want and no one should be able to tell them differently
it gives them 33 scientifically backed cures for a hangover rather than don’t sin by getting drunk
tells folks they can have as much sex with whoever and don’t worry or even think about the consequences of:
disease because we’ve developed medicine to treat syphilis, HIV, and half a dozen other STDs
babies born out of marriage because the government or gay couples are more than happy to adopt and educate them
as a matter of fact just take a morning after pill or get a chemical or surgical abortion to have no consequences from God’s natural result from sex at all
The wisdom of the cross ? Is foolishness to the world but IS THE ONLY TRUE WISDOM
1 Corinthians 1:18–21 “18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
and yet this is the method God has chose to glorify Himself through our salvation by His son Jesus Christ
2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 “13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
CUTS
(The Deep Things of God -Archibald Brown, December 17, 1899, Chatsworth Road Chapel, London)
God’s deep MERCY Psalm 36:5 “5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.”
God’s deep PARDON Micah 7:18–19 “18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”
God’s deep RIGHTEOUSNESS Psalm 36:6 “6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.”
who would be profession orators known for the big fancy speeches they would give when they came into a city and then the local scholars would take sides and line up behind their ideas and debate each other and talk about who was right and and who was wrong. You know, just like politics here in America in 2024.
