The Epistle of I CORINTHIANS
(Chapter
Two)
1. And I,
brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony [mystery] of God.
Literal: And I having come to
you, brethren, came not according to excellency of word or wisdom, announcing
to you the mystery of God.
Take a good look at this
verse and you'll see something you've never seen before. We can see why the
great mystery was kept secret for so long a period of time after Pentecost. The
reason Paul could tell only some believers in the Corinthian Church about
Christ and the great mystery is because the majority of believers were not
spiritually mature enough to accept this truth. They could not be taught the mystery
that it is Christ in you, the hope of glory. This is a great truth. The Church
is alive because of the resurrection and not the crucifixion and also because
of the new birth that came on Pentecost. Yet most people today can't go beyond
Jesus Christ and his crucifixion. Almost every church's center point is the
alter and the cross. Paul states this point in the next verse.
2. For I
determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified.
Literal: For I decided not to
know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
He could not teach the
mystery because the believers were babes in Christ and were not spiritually
mature. You must remember this when sharing the Word with others. THIS IS THE
REASON THE MYSTERY WAS NOT TAUGHT UNTIL A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AFTER PENTECOST.
3. And I was
with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
Literal: And I, in weakness and
in fear and in much trembling, was with you.
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:
Literal: And my word and my
preaching was not with enticing or persuasive words of man's (human) wisdom,
but in demonstration of the spirit (pneuma) and of power (the nine manifestations).
This is also the figure of
speech HENDIADYS where two words are used but only one thing is meant. The
literal of the words 'of the spirit and of power' is "of the spirit and of
the power of the spirit".
5. That your
faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Literal: That your faith
(pistis - believing) might be built not upon human wisdom, but on the power of
God.
6. Howbeit we
speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor
the princes of this world, that come to nought:
Literal: Howbeit (however) we
speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this
world or of this age, nor of the princes (rulers) of this age, that come to nought.
This word 'perfect'
(teleioi) is referring to a small handful of Christian believers who were
mature and spiritually grown up as opposed to babes in Christ or carnal
Christians. To those few 'teleioi', [initiated ones], Paul could speak the
wisdom of God regarding the great mystery (musterion) -- "even the
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:"
. . . . as stated in the next verse.
The word 'nought' means
'to render inactive or useless' and remember that this is referring to the
princes or rulers of this age. 'Nought' means to cause to cease; do away with;
put an end to.
This information should be
very enlightening to you as to why the mystery was not revealed immediately
after the day of Pentecost. Paul shared the fullness of the mystery only to
the mature believers -- those of full age -- the completely initiated ones. God
waits for people to believe. God knew that believers, up to this point, lacked
spiritual maturity to believe and apply the great mystery of Christ in you,
the hope of glory. So it was not revealed until God knew that someone would
believe it. God gave every man free will to believe or not to believe.
In this verse there is
also the figure of speech called INCONGRUITY regarding the word 'perfect'. This
is where one word is changed for another only remotely connected with it. Here,
the word 'perfect' (teleios) receives its true meaning, initiated from the
Greek mysteries, where it was used of one who had been initiated into the
greatest secrets of the Greek religion.
7. But we
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto
our glory:
Literal: But we
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predetermined
before the ages for our glory.
This 'mystery' is Christ
in you. This is also supported in the epistle of Romans.
Romans 16: 25 --
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which
was kept secret since the world began.
8. Which none
of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not
have crucified the Lord of glory.
Literal: Which
none of the princes (Satan plus devil spirits) of this world knew: for had they
known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
They would have preferred
Christ in one place than living in every born again believer. Every believer is
capable of doing the work that Christ did and a believer can also lead people
to the new birth. The adversary would never have crucified Jesus Christ if he
knew the mystery. When Satan crucified Jesus Christ, he brought an unsolvable
problem to himself.
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.
Literal: But according as it
has been written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God prepared for them that love Him.
New English Translation --
But in the words of Scripture, Things beyond our
seeing, things beyond our hearing, things beyond our imagining, all prepared by
God for those who love Him.
This is a QUOTATION from
Isaiah.
Isaiah 64: 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.
10. But God
hath revealed them unto us by
his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Literal: But God hath revealed
them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God.
The word 'deep' means
'depth' which is used as a metaphor to mark greatness or quantity or secret
unrevealed purposes. We are able to perceive God by the spirit in us which was
made available by His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Natural man, who does not have the spirit from God within him, cannot know God
(see verse 14), but we can, for we have His spirit by which He may reveal
Himself to us. Remember that speaking in tongues makes this spirit sharper and
stronger so that God can reveal even more about Himself to us and we then
receive more revelation to help us live the more than abundant life. YOU MUST
SPEAK IN TONGUES IN YOUR PRIVATE PRAYER LIFE. The more you speak in tongues in
your private prayer life, the more dynamic your life will be here on earth.
Then God can reveal great mysteries to us which allows us to counter every move
of the adversary because we know things that, by our senses, we could never
know. Keep it simple and remember, when you do your very best, God does the
rest. He is here right now with you helping and guiding you. When you walk by
the spirit, there is a surprise around every corner. Could there be a greater
way to live? Never! God's blessings are genuine and everlasting -- the world's
way is counterfeit and temporary.
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.
Literal: New English Translation -- Among men, who knows what a man is but the man's own spirit
within him? In the same way, only the Spirit of God knows what God is.
This first reference to
'spirit' in this verse is a usage of the word pneuma which refers to the heart
-- the innermost part of the being while the second usage is referring to God
Himself.
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.
Literal: Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world (devil spirits), but the spirit (Christ in you)
which is of God, so that we may know all that God of His own grace has given
us.
The second part of this
verse in the Interlinear is "that we might know the things by God granted
to us." These things are given to us by favor.
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.
Literal a)
Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but (words)
which the Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Literal b)
(According to the
Interlinear) -- "Which also we speak, not in words taught of human wisdom,
but in those taught of the Holy Spirit, communicating spiritual things by
spiritual means".
The latter part of this
verse is a figure of speech called MANY INFLECTIONS -- "comparing
spiritual things with spiritual". This is the repetition of the same part
of speech in different inflections. In the Greek it is translated
"pneumatikois pneumatika sunkrinontes" -- "to spiritual persons
spiritual things declaring." In English, it is translated "declaring
spiritual things to spiritual persons."
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.
Literal: But the man of body
and soul (not born again) cannot perceive or understand the things of God, for
they make no sense to him and can only be understood by a person who has the
spirit of God within.
This verse talks about our
ability to perceive God by the spirit in us which was made available by Jesus
Christ. Natural man, who does not have the spirit from God within him, cannot
know God. The 'natural man' is the man of body and soul -- five senses only, no
spirit. The word 'discerned' could be defined as 'understood'. We cannot know
anything about the spiritual world by way of the senses. Spiritual things from
the spiritual world may be known in this world only by the spirit which dwells
in us. Then, and only then, can the spirit relate impressions and truths to us
about the spiritual world and make them logical. Then we have the God-given
ability within us, making known to us things about the spiritual world. This is
a great truth. The spirit can make things logical to us where otherwise, we
would never understand, with the five senses, the things of God.
Regarding the natural
world and the spiritual world, two entirely different sets of laws are in
existence. When you walk with God and renew your mind, the spiritual world
supersedes (takes the place of or replaces) the natural world. You now live
your life by a completely different set of laws. The old set of laws and logic
are the old man ways. You are living by a completely new set of laws which
govern the spiritual world and these laws REPLACE the laws of the natural
world.
Natural man cannot know
spiritual matters because they are spiritually discerned (understood). Having
summed up the situation in one verse of Scripture, God couldn't have stated
Himself more clearly. Because the things of God are spiritual, they must be
known by the spirit. That is why the Word says that spiritual things are
foolishness to the natural, scientific man. The natural man goes by his reason
-- by what he can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch and not by the revealed
Word of God.
15. But he
that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
Literal: But he that is
spiritual can discern (perceive; detect) all things, yet he himself is
discerned (investigated, perceived, to make distinctions) of no man.
This word discerned means
'investigate'. We are to live peaceably and act peaceably and therefore not be
under investigation by men. Men are not to be able to come to a decision
concerning us, but we are, according to what the Word says, able to come to a
decision concerning men.
New English Translation --
A man gifted with the Spirit can judge the worth of
everything, but is not himself subject to judgement by his fellow-men.
New International Version
(NIV) -- The spiritual man can make judgements about
all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgement.
American Standard Version
(ASV) -- But he that is spiritual judgeth all things,
and he himself is judged of no man.
You should be able to
understand this verse by now. You are able to discern all things because you
live by spiritual laws and the spirit of God within you makes you ABLE to
perceive all things. However, natural man cannot do this since he lives in the
natural world and therefore cannot understand spiritual things. He does not
have the ability to perceive anything spiritual so he cannot perceive you.
16. For who
hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind
of Christ.
Literal: Interlinear -- For who
did know the mind (nous) of the Lord. Who shall instruct him? But we have the
mind of Christ.
That is true if we are
renewing our minds to the Word.
Isaiah 40: 13,
14 -- Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counseller hath taught him? With
whom took he counsel, and who instructed
him, and taught him in the path of judgement, and taught him knowledge, and
shewed to him the way of understanding?
No one can instruct God
but He instructs us as to how to live this life. He created life and we should
believe that He knows the best way to live it. That is why you should study His
Word diligently and apply it to the very best of your ability. We must study
His Word, His thoughts, just like Jesus Christ did and then we will have the
mind of Christ and manifest the more than abundant life.
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