1 Corinthians 2

Understand Your Bible

1 Corinthians 2 https://understandyourbible.org/bible/1-corinthians/2

Introduction

The city of Corinth was a flourishing centre of trade and was renowned for its sexual immorality. Many people from Corinth became believers while Paul stayed there for 18 months.

Paul reminds them what is important.

Questions

1. What was Paul's main message?

2. Paul contrasts the wisdom of the world with God’s wisdom. What does he say that the rulers would not have done, had they known more about God?

3. Paul says that the natural man cannot receive spiritual things. What does such a man think of spiritual matters?

Summary Points

v 1 to 5 Paul didn't come with clever, smooth talking. His key message is the fact that Jesus was crucified. He wants their faith to rest on God's power 6 to 10 Paul is speaking God’s secret wisdom that has been hidden from everyone previously. God has revealed it by His Spirit v 11 to 13 Those who use human reasoning can't understand what God has revealed by His Spirit. We listen to the message that has come from God's Spirit rather than the "spirit of the world" v 14 to 16 The natural mind regards the message from God's Spirit as foolishness. Spiritually minded people can see the complete picture

Timeline AD30

Themes / More Information

The Holy Spirit is God's power

All through the Bible we see examples of God using his Spirit power to achieve all his purposes.

By his Spirit, God created and sustains all things:

Genesis 1 verses 1 - 2 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep and God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Job 33 verse 4 4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 34 verses 14 - 15 14 If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath, 15 all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.

God is everywhere present by his Spirit:

Psalms 139 verses 1 - 12 1 LORD, you have searched me, and you know me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, LORD, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me. 6 This knowledge is beyond me. It’s lofty. I can’t attain it. 7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. The light around me will be night,” 12 even the darkness doesn’t hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you.

By his Spirit God gave us His message in the Bible:

2 Peter 1 verses 20 - 21 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation. 21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Micah 3 verse 8 8 But as for me, I am full of power by the LORD’s Spirit, and of judgement, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.

By his Spirit God caused Jesus Christ to be born:

Luke 1 verse 35 35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.

The disciples of Jesus Christ were promised special powers to help them in their preaching:

Luke 24 verse 49 49 Behold, I send out the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”

God used the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles:

Acts 16 verses 6 - 7 6 When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn’t allow them.

Questions & Answers

Questions

1. What was Paul's main message? v 2 For I determined not to know anything amongst you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

2. Paul contrasts the wisdom of the world with God’s wisdom. What does he say that the rulers would not have done, had they known more about God? v 8 ... none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.

3. Paul says that the natural man cannot receive spiritual things. What does such a man think of spiritual matters? v 14 Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.