THE GOSPEL IS TAUGHT AND RECEIVED BY THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Passage: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Key verse: 12

NIV

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,(A) but not the wisdom of this age(B) or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.(C) 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery(D) that has been hidden(E) and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age(F) understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.(G) 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”[a]—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—(H)

10 these are the things God has revealed(I) to us by his Spirit.(J)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts(K) except their own spirit(L) within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit(M) of the world,(N) but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom(O) but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[b] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God(P) but considers them foolishness,(Q) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit(R) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”[c](S)

But we have the mind of Christ.(T)

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 2:9 Isaiah 64:4
  2. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:16 Isaiah 40:13
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Wisdom from the Spirit

6 Yet among (A)the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not (B)a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, (C)who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, (D)which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of (E)the rulers of this age understood this, for (F)if they had, they would not have crucified (G)the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

(H)“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has (I)prepared (J)for those who love him”—

10 these things (K)God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even (L)the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts (M)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 (N)we have received not (O)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 (P)in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, (Q)interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.[a]

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are (R)folly to him, and (S)he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The (T)spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 (U)“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But (V)we have the mind of Christ.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 2:13 Or interpreting spiritual truths in spiritual language, or comparing spiritual things with spiritual
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Every age and culture have prevailing forms of wisdom by which people live. Though these may seem better than what has come before, history shows that none have lasted because none can solve man’s fundamental problems of sin and death. God’s wisdom is different. God hid his wisdom for a time but had always determined to reveal it for our glory (7). To those who love God, God has revealed his glorious wisdom by the Holy Spirit. God’s wisdom is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Only a person’s spirit knows a person’s thoughts. In the same way only God’s Spirit knows God’s thoughts and wisdom. God’s Spirit revealed the gospel through Jesus. God’s Spirit opens our hearts and minds to understand and receive the gospel. Paul’s emphasis on God’s Spirit was to help the Corinthians – and us – to understand that the gospel is not a manmade story but God’s revelation. Paul and the other apostles did not teach human wisdom but God’s wisdom. The Corinthians had accepted the gospel only through the Spirit (14), not by any human means.

We have accepted the gospel only by the work of the Holy Spirit. Depend on God’s Spirit as you meditate on God’s word and share it with others.

Prayer: Father, thank you for revealing the gospel to me through your Spirit. Work in hearts today.

One Word: Spirit-taught words