1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NKJV) 1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching [were] not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

Paul put no emphasis on his human talent or ability as an orator. He didn’t come as a charismatic speaker.

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

He simply came with the truth about Christ and His crucifixion.

I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.

The genuineness of Paul’s love for them was demonstrated by his willingness to suffer with them. This is discipleship…

Jesus commands:

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The idea of making disciples is that of teaching through an ongoing relationship. This involves a greater commitment than just merely getting someone to pray a prayer. It involves as Paul said, “[being with them] in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling”.

And my speech and my preaching [were] not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Paul didn’t rely on his ability to “teach” though he was taught and discipled under Gamaliel, one of the wisest pharisaical teachers of the day.

If human wisdom could bring us into the kingdom then we would have something to boast over. But Paul relied on the Spirit of God.

that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

He did this so that yours, and our faith, would not be rooted in human wisdom. It would be rooted in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:6-9 (NKJV) 6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden [wisdom] which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

Paul is saying here that it doesn’t mean that there is no wisdom in what we’re teaching. In fact amongst mature believers we do have deep intellectual conversations.

It simply means that the wisdom we possess is not the wisdom of this world, nor is it tailored toward the rulers  of this world. Rulers here is actually translated “princes of this world” and is referring to demonic wisdom.

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NKJV) 1 And you [He made alive,] who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

The word “prince” and “ruler” here in both passages is the Greek word archōn. Paul seems to be referring to earthly rulers who rely on demonic worldly wisdom, or demonic beings themselves, Gods wisdom is greater and they are perishing.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden [wisdom] which God ordained before the ages for our glory

The wisdom of God in a mystery… a mystery refers to something that was hidden but will be revealed.

This hidden mystery, God had ordained before the ages began. He did this for our glory. How do we glory in His plan for the ages.

Because God’s plan was always that, “we gain more in redemption, than we lost in innocence”. We glory in just how much God loves us and how far He is willing to go to be with us.

This is one of those mysteries…

which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Again, the rulers, or princes of this age, referring either to demonic beings themselves or humans relying on demonic wisdom, if they had known of God’s mystery, they would not have crucified Jesus.

The point Paul is making here is how much greater the wisdom of God is from worldly wisdom. Notice also that he only puts things in two categories. Either worldly demonic wisdom or God’s wisdom. There’s no neutral.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4 here and says this mystery of redemption, kept silent for our gain, according to Gods superior wisdom, that we can rest assured that the wisdom which has devised all of this is also responsible for our eternal future. We couldn’t possibly fathom all that God has in store for those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (NKJV) 10 But God has revealed [them] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things 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 know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

But God has revealed [them] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

God has revealed [the things that God has prepared for those that love Him] these mysteries to us through His Spirit, who dwells within all those “born again of the Spirit”.

It is God’s Spirit who gives us wisdom and understanding in spiritual matters. But don’t forget vs 6 said that some of this does come with spiritual maturity.

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

Paul says that just like the only one who truly knows what’s going on inside a man is that man’s own spirit, so no one knows the things of God except His Spirit who communes with those in whom He indwells. His kids.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

We received God’s spirit, so that we would know the things of God.

The Spirit of Christ is our direct link to Jesus, who is our mediator, who sits at the right hand of the Father, ever making intercession for us. We have access to the Father only through Jesus and His Spirit who dwells within us. This connection is WHY Jesus told the apostles that it was good that He was going away because He would send the Comforter, His Spirit.

His Spirit was given to us that we might know all the things God had freely given us.

1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (NKJV) 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know [them,] because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is [rightly] judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

This is super important: we don’t speak the things of God in man’s wisdom… that means us coming up with worldly “programs” to convey spiritual matters isn’t biblical.

We are to convey spiritual matters under the power of the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to relay that message. Spiritual matters require spiritual eyes which can only be opened by the Spirit of God.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know [them,] because they are spiritually discerned.

This continues to drive the point home that we, in our dead state, cannot arrive at spiritual truth through our worldly intellect. The things of God are foolishness to those whose eyes have not been opened by the Holy Spirit to see them.

But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is [rightly] judged by no one.

Paul is not saying that every Christian is above every criticism (after all, much of this letter is criticism). The point is clear: no natural man is equipped to judge a spiritual man. (David Guzick).

For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Only those with the Spirit of Christ have access to the mind of Christ.