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.

Verses
1When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2For I determined not to know anything amongst you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
4My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6We speak wisdom, however, amongst those who are full grown, yet a wisdom not of this world nor of the rulers of this world who are coming to nothing.
7But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,
8which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.
9But as it is written,
“Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear,
which didn’t enter into the heart of man,
these God has prepared for those who love him.”
10But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
11For who amongst men 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 God’s Spirit.
12But we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.
13We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.
14Now 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.
15But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
16“For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?” But we have Christ’s mind.

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. 

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 AD 60

Audio