First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 2
Having shown us the foolishness of the cross and how God has chosen “the things that are not” and turned them into the things that are, Paul continues on by pointing to the worldly meekness, weakness, and lowliness of his own preaching: “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2). Paul came to his hearers not with human wisdom, eloquence, bravado, wittiness, or relevance, but he came with the simple message of Jesus Christ crucified. Paul shows us his honest intentions by stating that he desired to know one thing, and one thing alone: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. When push came to shove and all things came to a point Paul claimed to know nothing but this: the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins so that we might be brought to God. “I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5). Paul’s main goal was this: not to let “Paul” get in the way of Christ’s message. Paul didn’t want his listeners to hear “Paul,” he wanted them to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul never pointed to himself and he always tried to eliminate as much of himself from the equation as he could. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote this same advice to all who proclaim Christ: “The more [our listeners] turn to Christ the less will we steer any attention to ourselves.” We never want our hearers to trust in us, we want them to trust in Christ. The active work of all preaching should therefore be a humble aim to keep oneself out of the final picture so that our hearers will not rely on human presentation, but will instead rely on God’s power.
Paul continues: “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. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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’—but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:6-10). Despite the fact that the message of the cross is foolishness to sinful man, it is still the very wisdom of God and thru the Spirit’s work we do indeed see this wisdom. By quoting Isaiah chapter sixty-four Paul wants to remind us that our eyes, our ears, and our minds are not capable of grasping the love of God in Jesus Christ, but that it is instead the Spirit of God working inside us that does this. In light of this truth Martin Luther wrote: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith.” Clearly Luther understood well what Paul was getting at in these verses when we said that this is a “hidden” wisdom. The fact that we see and believe in the true wisdom of the cross is not a result of our own blind reason, senses, abilities, or choices; it is a result of the Spirit’s enlightening work inside of us thru the Word.
Paul goes on to talk about this work of the Spirit: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 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. 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” (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). Because the Spirit alone knows the truth, it is only by the Spirit that we can see the truth of the cross and cling to it in faith. Christ Himself told us of the Spirit’s true work: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit’s job is always this: to testify to Jesus Christ, to open the hearts of men to Jesus Christ, and to bring men to faith in Jesus Christ. Paul continues on to speak of the means by which this happens: “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 Corinthians 2:13). Paul is saying here that the very message of the cross that He is proclaiming is where and how the Spirit works in us. The Spirit comes to us by the Word; the Spirit teaches us by means of the Word of Christ. Christ taught this when He said: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). Paul also taught this in his letter to Rome: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). In the greater context of Christ’s words Paul is clearly saying this: faith comes from the Spirit’s work, the Spirit comes to us thru the Word of Christ.
To hammer this truth home Paul continues by speaking of the contrary situation: “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). To solidify his point Paul tells that it is actually impossible to accept Jesus Christ on our own; we can only accept the truth of God by way of the Spirit of God working inside of us. “They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand” (Isaiah 44:18). “To this day Yahweh has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4). Therefore no man is himself responsible for “accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior”; it is in fact the work of God’s Spirit within our hearts, by means of His Word. Any outward “accepting” of man is merely a formality, as the true work of God has already taken place thru the promise of His Word and Baptism where He gives us a new mind, heart, and spirit. God spoke of this action of grace thru Ezekiel (pay special attention to who is doing all the action in these verses): “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:25-27).
After having covered all aspects of the Spirit’s powerful work inside of us Paul goes on to his conclusion: “The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16). Thru the Spirit’s amazing work we now have a new mind: the mind of Christ. In Christ all believers become of one mind and heart. “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). This one mind is not our own mind but is an alien mind (just like our righteousness), a mind that comes from outside of us, from Jesus Christ. Look at what Paul taught the Romans about having this renewed mind in Christ versus our old sinful mind: “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). Therefore it is never our mind or our ability that loves God, believes in Him, turns our life around, seeks His will, and trusts His graciousness and mercy, it is the mind of Christ at work within us. It is only with the mind and heart of Christ that we can carry out God’s commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). This is illustrated poignantly by the fact that Christ even had to open the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures; our mind is helpless and ignorant in spiritual matters, but the mind Christ gives brings true understanding: “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). This new mind we receive in Christ was spoken of and foretold again and again by the prophets. Speaking of Christ to come, God declared thru Samuel: “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind” (1 Samuel 2:35). Speaking of the work of Christ to come, Isaiah declared: “Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear” (Isaiah 32:3-4). Speaking of the new covenant in Christ Jesus, God proclaimed thru Jeremiah: “‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares Yahweh. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more’” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). With the mind of Christ that we have been given in our Baptism we remain steadfast in the Word so that the Spirit’s work may continue to renew us day by day. “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19). In this Word we are called to continually praise and thank God because thru His Word we share in the heart and mind of Christ that is forever guarded in the peace of God. “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Paul continues: “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. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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’—but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:6-10). Despite the fact that the message of the cross is foolishness to sinful man, it is still the very wisdom of God and thru the Spirit’s work we do indeed see this wisdom. By quoting Isaiah chapter sixty-four Paul wants to remind us that our eyes, our ears, and our minds are not capable of grasping the love of God in Jesus Christ, but that it is instead the Spirit of God working inside us that does this. In light of this truth Martin Luther wrote: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith.” Clearly Luther understood well what Paul was getting at in these verses when we said that this is a “hidden” wisdom. The fact that we see and believe in the true wisdom of the cross is not a result of our own blind reason, senses, abilities, or choices; it is a result of the Spirit’s enlightening work inside of us thru the Word.
Paul goes on to talk about this work of the Spirit: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 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. 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” (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). Because the Spirit alone knows the truth, it is only by the Spirit that we can see the truth of the cross and cling to it in faith. Christ Himself told us of the Spirit’s true work: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit’s job is always this: to testify to Jesus Christ, to open the hearts of men to Jesus Christ, and to bring men to faith in Jesus Christ. Paul continues on to speak of the means by which this happens: “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 Corinthians 2:13). Paul is saying here that the very message of the cross that He is proclaiming is where and how the Spirit works in us. The Spirit comes to us by the Word; the Spirit teaches us by means of the Word of Christ. Christ taught this when He said: “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). Paul also taught this in his letter to Rome: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). In the greater context of Christ’s words Paul is clearly saying this: faith comes from the Spirit’s work, the Spirit comes to us thru the Word of Christ.
To hammer this truth home Paul continues by speaking of the contrary situation: “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). To solidify his point Paul tells that it is actually impossible to accept Jesus Christ on our own; we can only accept the truth of God by way of the Spirit of God working inside of us. “They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand” (Isaiah 44:18). “To this day Yahweh has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4). Therefore no man is himself responsible for “accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior”; it is in fact the work of God’s Spirit within our hearts, by means of His Word. Any outward “accepting” of man is merely a formality, as the true work of God has already taken place thru the promise of His Word and Baptism where He gives us a new mind, heart, and spirit. God spoke of this action of grace thru Ezekiel (pay special attention to who is doing all the action in these verses): “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:25-27).
After having covered all aspects of the Spirit’s powerful work inside of us Paul goes on to his conclusion: “The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16). Thru the Spirit’s amazing work we now have a new mind: the mind of Christ. In Christ all believers become of one mind and heart. “All the believers were one in heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). This one mind is not our own mind but is an alien mind (just like our righteousness), a mind that comes from outside of us, from Jesus Christ. Look at what Paul taught the Romans about having this renewed mind in Christ versus our old sinful mind: “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). Therefore it is never our mind or our ability that loves God, believes in Him, turns our life around, seeks His will, and trusts His graciousness and mercy, it is the mind of Christ at work within us. It is only with the mind and heart of Christ that we can carry out God’s commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). This is illustrated poignantly by the fact that Christ even had to open the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures; our mind is helpless and ignorant in spiritual matters, but the mind Christ gives brings true understanding: “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). This new mind we receive in Christ was spoken of and foretold again and again by the prophets. Speaking of Christ to come, God declared thru Samuel: “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind” (1 Samuel 2:35). Speaking of the work of Christ to come, Isaiah declared: “Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear” (Isaiah 32:3-4). Speaking of the new covenant in Christ Jesus, God proclaimed thru Jeremiah: “‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know Yahweh,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares Yahweh. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more’” (Jeremiah 31:33-34). With the mind of Christ that we have been given in our Baptism we remain steadfast in the Word so that the Spirit’s work may continue to renew us day by day. “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19). In this Word we are called to continually praise and thank God because thru His Word we share in the heart and mind of Christ that is forever guarded in the peace of God. “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
No comments:
Post a Comment