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.
“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.”
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