1 Corinthians 2 English Standard Version (ESV)
Wisdom from the Spirit
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
REFLECTION
• If time allows, read the whole chapter. Then read the passage for today.
• The “wisdom of this age” relies on human senses to gather information, and the “rulers of this age’ rely on the human intellect to put the gathered date together. Yet, Paul said that none of the rulers understood what they were doing when they crucified Jesus. The human senses (the eye & ear) and intellect (the mind) simply cannot grasp what God is doing in the world, “for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (v9).
• The Holy Spirit who inspired the words of Scripture, lives in us, and enables us to accept and apply spiritual truth. He interprets (or brings together) “spiritual truths to those who are spiritual” (v13). Paul is saying that the Scripture speaks a language that is foreign to humankind. Only a person with the spirit (ie who is spiritual) can understand what is really being said.
• Paul concluded this chapter by saying that as you live your life all you need is the Scripture and the Spirit to make wise and godly choices. In the Spirit, you have access to the very “mind of the Lord” and can know God’s will (v16).
• Don’t waver back and forth with every breeze of well-intended advice. Listen. But rely on the Spirit to show you what the Lord wants you to do.
• In what area of your life do you need wisdom? Ask that you would be given the true wisdom that comes from the Spirit.