PREACH CHRIST (1 CORINTHINAS 2)
A young minister in a college town was embarrassed by the thought of criticism from his cultured congregation. He sought counsel from his father, a wise old minister, saying, “Dad, I am handicapped in my ministry in the pulpit I am now serving. (I can’t say anything) If I cite anything from geology, there is Prof. A, teacher of this science, right before me. If I use an illustration from Roman mythology, there is Prof. B ready to trip me up for any little inaccuracy. If I mention something in English literature that pleases me, I am cowered by the presence of the learned man that teaches that branch. What shall I do?”
The sagacious old man replied, “Do not be discouraged; preach the gospel. They probably know very little of that.” (from Illustrations of Bible Truths # 533)
The early church in Corinth bore the brunt of the spirit of the age at its full blast and stood the test. Corinth was renowned as a Roman colony, and for her sea harbor and temple prostitution. According to International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, the city was apparently the wealthiest and most important city in Greece at one time and her believers consisted principally of non-Jews (1 Cor 12:2). No wonder new ideas invaded the church and caused havoc, so that the people there were proud, immoral, and confident to the core. One the things city people are proud of is their learning and logic. Paul had his hands full trying to persuade the congregation not to bring their trendy thought into the church, to reverse their secular ways, wisdom and words.
What is our attitude in learning? What does intellectualism lead to? What kind of church pleases our Lord? How are we to build our church?
Discern the Message of Christ
1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. (1 Cor 2:1-5)
Xanthus, the philosopher, once told his servant that the next day he was going to have some friends for dinner and that he should get the best thing he could find in the market. The philosopher and his guests sat down the next day at the table. They had nothing but tongue—four or five courses of tongue —tongue cooked in this way, and tongue cooked in that way. The philosopher finally lost his patience 忍and said to his servant, “Didn’t I tell you to get the best thing in the market?”
The servant said, “I did get the best thing in the market. Isn’t the tongue the organ of sociability, the organ of eloquence, the organ of kindness, the organ of worship?”
Then Xanthus the philosopher said, “Tomorrow I want you to get the worst thing in the market.” And on the morrow the philosopher sat at the table, and there was nothing there but tongue—four or five courses of tongue—tongue in this shape and tongue in that shape. The philosopher again lost his patience and said, “Didn’t I tell you to get the worst thing in the market?”
The servant replied, “I did; for isn’t the tongue the organ of blasphemy, the organ of defamation, the organ of lying?” (from Illustrations of Bible Truths # 819)
The spirit of the age in Corinth was to rely on one’s tongue and mind. The emphasis of verse 1 is “I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom.” Eloquence (v 1) is “excellency of speech” in KJV (huperoche + logou); “excellency” occurs for the first time in the Bible (1 Cor 2:1). It means above having, whether is an exalted, superior or prominent position. With all his advantage in education under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), Paul did not compare himself with others or the Corinthians. There was no boasting, exaggerating or showboating in his upbringing and training.
Wisdom (sophia) is a prominent noun in this epistle, occurring altogether 17 times in the epistle, more than any book in the Bible, eight times in chapter 1 (vv 17, 19, 20, 21*2, 22, 24, 30) and seven times in chapter 2 (vv 1, 4, 5, 6*2, 7, 13). It is no surprise that philosophy, or love of wisdom, is derived from the same word wisdom. So is the word “sophisticated,” the change that results from knowledge. The Greek world not only prides itself on their love of wisdom but her most famous ones, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Wikipedia has a whole list of them. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_Greek_philosophers
Eloquence and wisdom has to do with one’s words and mind. Why did Paul not use his advantages? There is a “for” in verse 2. For Paul was determined or judged to know nothing but Christ and his crucifixion. Christ is credited with a record-breaking 64 times in this book, 17 times in one chapter one (1, 2*2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17*2, 23, 24, 30), another record for one chapter. The word Christ occurs 529 times in the Bible, out of which 382 times are from Paul’s writing, more than 72 percent. The contrast is great. Speech and wisdom have to do with the power of words and the persuasion of philosophy, but Paul preaches the person of Christ. Learning, for all its benefits, does not save people. Neither do science, speech, skills, or social life. Crucifixion refers to the Savior who offers salvation to sinners.
Verse 3 (gar) is two implications or explanation, one about self and second about his speech – Paul’s physical condition, and verse 4 his verbal communication. Greek has three “in” – in weakness, and in fear and in much trembling. Weakness, fear and much trembling are a progression of thought, stating his inner and outer condition. Weakness (astheneia) is physical feebleness or without strength in Greek, fear or phobos in Greek and phobia in English is on the inside, and trembling (tromos) is the outward shaking of the body. For all we the greatness we think of Paul, he was a warrior who has weakness, with worries, who wavers. Absence of strength is replaced by presence of fear and trembling on the outside.
The second part (v 4) has to do with content. Persuasion has to do with communication. Persuasive and demonstration are one-time words in the Bible. Demonstration in its verb form means show or set forth (1 Cor 4:9) or shewing (2 Thess 2:4).
But the purpose behind it all is for the faith believers to find its feet not in
men’s wisdom but in the Spirit’s power. So far there are seven “in” from verses 2-5 in Greek– in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling, with (in) wise and persuasive words, but with (in) a demonstration of the Spirit's power, on (in) men's wisdom, but on (in) God's power. What’s the difference between men and God? One refers to the head and the other his heart. Power is the key noun
What is this power? According to 1 Cor. 1:24 it is the power to save lives, regeneration, renewal and revival, repair, rescue
Discover the Mystery of Christ
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”? 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. (1 Cor 2:6-13)
Three pastors went to the pastor convention and were all sharing one room. The first pastor said, “Let's confess our secret sins one to another. I'll start - my secret sin is I just love to gamble. When I go out of town, it's cha-ching cha-ching, let the machines ring.”
The second pastor said, “My secret sin is that I just hate working. I copy all my sermons from those given by other pastors.”
The third pastor said, “My secret sin is gossiping and, oh boy, I just can't wait to get out of this room!”
Paul speaks of God’s wisdom bound in a mystery (v 7). Yahoo answers asked this question “How would you describe the difference between mystery and secrets?” The best answer is a mystery is “any truth that is unknowable except by divine revelation.”
SECRET: Something is not meant to be known or seen by others. Something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.
Mysteries depend on your skill. All the information is right in front of you, and it's up to you to figure out what's going on.
(the difference between a mystery and a secret is that a mystery can be shared and still remain a mystery)
A mystery is different from a secret. A mystery waits to be revealed or discovered. A secret wants to be repressed or buried. A mystery is in suspense but a secret is shrouded. One is masked and the other is manifested. A secret is a private matter, but a mystery is for public consumption. A secret is seal, but a mystery is merely concealed. A secret is close, shut and the key thrown away.
Verse 7 speaks of the wisdom concealed destined for our glory. There are two characteristics of this hidden wisdom. First, in time – it was before time began. Second, with people - hidden from rulers. people, the princes.
Paul is not against wisdom per se, but human wisdom, earthly wisdom or rulers of this world or age 4x, as contrasted with God’s wisdom. What are the characteristics of earthly or human wisdom? The wisdom of this age is theory, the wisdom of God is truth. The wisdom of this age leads to existentialism, the wisdom of God refers to eternity. The wisdom of this age is about change, but the wisdom of God is certainty. The wisdom of this age is reason, the wisdom of God is revelation.
How is it revealed? The Spirit of God is mentioned six times (vv 4, 10*2, 11, 13, 14). The crucifixion was not revealed by the Spirit, not man. The purpose is that we have certainty and confidence of the things of God, not just theory but truth, not reason but revelation. The crucifixion refers to the shame, suffering and sorrow that are associated with the cross.
Two gar’s
10 (For) The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
11 For … in the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
The Carnal Man The Christian Mind
wisdom of this age (v 6) wisdom among the mature (v 6)
this age (v 7) before time began (v 7)
rulers of this age (v 8) the Lord of glory (v 8)
hidden (v 7 - apokrupto; to conceal away, i.e. fully) revealed (v 10 – apokalupto)
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived (v 9) God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit (v 10)
All (v 10) No one (v 11)
The spirit of man (v 11) The spirit of God (v 11)
The spirit of the world (v 12) The spirit of God (12)
man's wisdom teacheth (v 13) the Holy Ghost teacheth (v 13)
There are three words hidden, revealed and knowledge. First it was conceived, then it was concealed, then it was communicated, finally there was comprehension. Christianity differs from man-made religions in that it is primarily a revelation, never a discovery. 1 Cor 2:14. It is an uncovering from God, not a discovery of sages. It is foolishness (5x 1 cor only) to great minds.
The next important thing to know in Paul’s train of thought is that the purpose behind the gift of the Spirit is that we may understand (know) what God has freely given us (v 12). Salvation is a free gift from God, man cannot earn his way into heaven.
Paul talks not only about revelation, but a realization, regeneration and reorganization, repudiation, reexamination. Philosophy is founded on the quest, pursuit, search, but Christianity speaks of a finding, a discovery, a conclusion, a result, a verdict, an outcome, an ending. 1 Cor 2:14
Disclose the Mind of Christ
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:15-16)
When I was a Bible college graduate in 1985, few of my 60-70 church members have a Bachelor degree. By the time I was in my third church, there were five doctors and five engineers in a church of about the same size. No doubt higher education and higher learning are common nowadays. Some churches hire only graduates with a three-year Master of Divinity degree. A pastor of a mega-church once told me his church has 200 doctors.
I once asked a friend in a small-town college church how he was doing in ministry. He sighed, “The people with a doctor’s degree outnumbers students with a master’s degree in my church, so I am sure they can do with or without me.”
Altogether 2 8 10 11 14 16
The natural man (KJV) in verse 14 occurs for the first time in the Bible. It is translated as natural (1 Cor 15:44, 46) and sensual (James 3:15, Jude 19) in KJV and the unspiritual man in RSV. It has its imperfections, inadequacies and insufficiencies, of which the most serious is the denial and dismissal of God. It does not know or acknowledge God. The presence of God is unreasonable, unscientific, unwise, unintelligible and unfounded to him. He knows parts, pieces and portions of it, but not the real thing.
The things of God appear foolish. Foolishness is a noun that appears only in 1 Corinthians, as much as five times (1 Cor 1:18, 21, 23, 2:14, 3:19). Why is it foolish? It is foolish because of man’s reliance on No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind. It is a Greek tragedy because all their philosophers have is theory, not truth. He relies on his own understanding which is flawed, futile and foolish.
Only through the Spirit’s guidance and man understand the depth of sin. In order to have the mind of God we must be given to God, guided and governed by Him. Without the Spirit, man can only understand horizontally
but not vertically. He can only scan the surface but not search the depth, one dimensional and not multi-dimensional, just as man’s spirituality is like that, people can only look inward but not upward. The best we can do is look into ourselves, not look outside themselves. The cross is a stumbling block (1 Cor 1:23) and a sign of weakness (1 Cor 1:23) to sinners, but salvation (1 Cor 1:18, 21) to believers. Reason cannot save us from evil. Logic cannot save the world. Neither can psychology, sociology, anthropology, or technology. It’s been said, “Logic cannot save one from the charging boar or the falling tree.” We are saved by the blood of Christ, not by the brains of men.
What is the mind of Christ? Mercy (Rom 11:34), The mind of Christ is infused by the Spirit’s presence, power and promise. He is open to truth, not opposed to inquiry, investigation and interrogation, but more that His answer, affirmation and assurance are in Christ. His life meaning, measure, motivation and maturity are in Christ.
Conclusion: Do you have a Christian mind or a carnal mind? Is your faith and foundation grounded in Christ or in . Do you live by the Spirit or in the flesh?
