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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
F I R S T C O R I N T H I A N S.
CHAP. II.
The apostle proceeds with his argument in this chapter, and,
I. Reminds the Corinthians of the plain manner wherein he delivered the
gospel to them,
But yet,
II. Shows them that he had communicated to them a treasure of the
truest and highest wisdom, such as exceeded all the attainments of
learned men, such as could never have entered into the heart of man if
it had not been revealed, nor can be received and improved to salvation
but by the light and influence of that Spirit who revealed it,
| The Apostle’s Ministry. | A. D. 57. |
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1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency
of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words
of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in
the power of God.
In this passage the apostle pursues his design, and reminds the
Corinthians how he acted when he first preached the gospel among
them.
I. As to the matter or subject he tell us
(v. 2),
He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him
crucified–to make a show of no other knowledge than this, to
preach nothing, to discover the knowledge of nothing, but Jesus Christ,
and him crucified. Note, Christ, in his person and offices, is the sum
and substance of the gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a
gospel minister’s preaching. His business is to display the banner of
the cross, and invite people under it. Anyone that heard Paul preach
found him to harp so continually on this string that he would say he
knew nothing but Christ and him crucified. Whatever other knowledge he
had, this was the only knowledge he discovered, and showed himself
concerned to propagate among his hearers.
II. The manner wherein he preached Christ is here also observable.
1. Negatively. He came not among them with excellency of speech or
wisdom,
v. 1.
His speech and preaching were not with enticing words of man’s
wisdom,
v. 4.
He did not affect to appear a fine orator or a deep philosopher; nor
did he insinuate himself into their minds, by a flourish of words, or a
pompous show of deep reason and extraordinary science and skill. He did
not set himself to captivate the ear by fine turns and eloquent
expressions, nor to please and entertain the fancy with lofty flights
of sublime notions. Neither his speech, nor the wisdom he taught,
savoured of human skill: he learnt both in another school. Divine
wisdom needed not to be set off with such human ornaments.
2. Positively. He came among them declaring the testimony of
God,
v. 1.
He published a divine revelation, and gave in sufficient vouchers for
the authority of it, both by its consonancy to ancient predictions and
by present miraculous operations; and there he left the matter.
Ornaments of speech and philosophical skill and argument could add no
weight to what came recommended by such authority. He was also among
them in weakness and fear, and in much trembling; and yet his
speech and preaching were in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power,
v. 3, 4.
His enemies in the church of Corinth spoke very contemptuously of him:
His bodily presence, say they, is weak, and his speech
contemptible,
2 Cor. x. 10.
Possibly he had a little body, and a low voice; but, though he had not
so good an elocution as some, it is plain that he was no mean speaker.
The men of Lystra looked on him to be the heathen god Mercury, come
down to them in the form of a man, because he was the chief speaker,
Nor did he want courage nor resolution to go through his work; he was
in nothing terrified by his adversaries. Yet he was no boaster.
He did not proudly vaunt himself, like his opposers. He acted in his
office with much modesty, concern, and care. He behaved with great
humility among them; not as one grown vain with the honour and
authority conferred on him, but as one concerned to approve himself
faithful, and fearful of himself, lest he should mismanage in his
trust. Observe, None know the fear and trembling of faithful
ministers, who are zealous over souls with a godly jealousy; and a deep
sense of their own weakness is the occasion of this fear and trembling.
They know how insufficient they are, and are therefore fearful for
themselves. But, though Paul managed with this modesty and concern, yet
he spoke with authority: In the demonstration of the Spirit and of
power. He preached the truths of Christ in their native dress, with
plainness of speech. He laid down the doctrine as the Spirit delivered
it; and left the Spirit, by his external operation in signs and
miracles, and his internal influences on the hearts of men, to
demonstrate the truth of it, and procure its reception.
III. Here is the end mentioned for which he preached Christ crucified
in this manner: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of
man, but the power of God
(v. 5)–
that they might not be drawn by human motives, nor overcome by mere
human arguments, lest it should be said that either rhetoric or logic
had made them Christians. But, when nothing but Christ crucified was
plainly preached, the success must be founded, not on human wisdom, but
divine evidence and operation. The gospel was so preached that God
might appear and be glorified in all.
| Discoveries of the Gospel; Spiritual Things Spiritually Discerned. | A. D. 57. |
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6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not
the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that
come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our
glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of
man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the
spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are
freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s
wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing
spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself
is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
In this part of the chapter the apostle shows them that though he had
not come to them with the excellency of human wisdom, with any of the
boasted knowledge and literature of the Jews or Greeks, yet he had
communicated to them a treasure of the truest and the highest wisdom:
We speak wisdom among those who are perfect
(v. 6),
among those who are well instructed in Christianity, and come to some
maturity in the things of God. Those that receive the doctrine as
divine, and, having been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, have looked
well into it, discover true wisdom in it. They not only understand the
plain history of Christ, and him crucified, but discern the deep and
admirable designs of the divine wisdom therein. Though what we preach
is foolishness to the world, it is wisdom to them. They are made wise
by it, and can discern wisdom in it. Note, Those who are wise
themselves are the only proper judges of what is wisdom; not
indeed the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this
world, but the wisdom of God in a mystery
(v. 6, 7);
not worldly wisdom, but divine; not such as the men of this world could
have discovered, nor such as worldly men, under the direction of pride,
and passion, and appetite, and worldly interest, and destitute of the
Spirit of God, can receive. Note, How different is the judgment of God
from that of the world! He seeth not as man seeth. The wisdom he
teaches is of a quite different kind from what passes under that notion
in the world. It is not the wisdom of politicians, nor philosophers,
nor rabbis (see
v. 6),
not such as they teach nor such as they relish; but the wisdom of
God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom of God–what he had a long time
kept to himself, and concealed from the world, and the depth of which,
now it is revealed, none but himself can fathom. It is the mystery
which hath been hid from ages and generations, though now made manifest
to the saints
(Col. i. 26),
hid in a manner entirely from the heathen world, and made mysterious to
the Jews, by being wrapped up in dark types and distant prophecies, but
revealed and made known to us by the Spirit of God. Note, See the
privilege of those who enjoy the gospel revelation: to them types are
unveiled, mysteries made plain, prophecies interpreted, and the secret
counsels of God published and laid open. The wisdom of God in a mystery
is now made manifest to the saints. Now, concerning this wisdom,
observe,
I. The rise and origin of it: It was ordained of God, before the
world, to our glory,
v. 7.
It was ordained of God; he had determined long ago to reveal and make
it known, from many ages past, from the beginning, nay, from eternity;
and that to our glory, the glory of us, either us apostles or us
Christians. It was a great honour put upon the apostles, to be
entrusted with the revelation of this wisdom. It was a great and
honourable privilege for Christians to have this glorious wisdom
discovered to them. And the wisdom of God discovered to them. And the
wisdom of God discovered in the gospel, the divine wisdom taught by the
gospel, prepares for our everlasting glory and happiness in the world
to come. The counsels of God concerning our redemption are dated from
eternity, and designed for the glory and happiness of the saints. And
what deep wisdom was in these counsels! Note, The wisdom of God is
both employed and displayed for the honour of the saints–employed from
eternity, and displayed in time, to make them glorious both here and
hereafter, in time and to eternity. What honour does he put on his
saints!
II. The ignorance of the great men of the world about it: Which none
of the princes of this world knew
(v. 8),
the principal men in authority and power, or in wisdom and learning.
The Roman governor, and the guides and rulers of the Jewish church and
nation, seem to be the persons here chiefly meant. These were the
princes of this world, or this age, who, had they known this true and
heavenly wisdom, would not have crucified the Lord of glory. This
Pilate and the Jewish rulers literally did when our Redeemer was
crucified upon the sentence of the one and the clamorous demands of the
other. Observe, Jesus Christ is the Lord of Glory, a title much too
great for any creature to bear: and the reason why he was hated was
because he was not known. Had his crucifiers known him, known who and
what he was, they would have withheld their impious hands, and not have
taken and slain him. This he pleaded with his Father for their pardon:
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,
Luke xxiii. 34.
Note, There are many things which people would not do if they knew the
wisdom of God in the great work of redemption. They act as they do
because they are blind or heedless. They know not the truth, or will
not attend to it.
III. It is such wisdom as could not have been discovered without a
revelation, according to what the prophet Isaiah says
(Isa. lxiv. 4),
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of
man the things which God hath prepared for those that love him–for him
that waiteth for him, that waiteth for his mercy, so the LXX. It
was a testimony of love to God in the Jewish believers to live in
expectation of the accomplishment o evangelical promises. Waiting upon
God is an evidence of love to him. Lo, this is our God, we have
waited for him,
Isa. xxv. 9.
Observe, There are things which God hath prepared for those that love
him, and wait for him. There are such things prepared in a future life
for them, things which sense cannot discover, no present information
can convey to our ears, nor can yet enter our hearts. Life and
immortality are brought to light through the gospel,
2 Tim. i. 10.
But the apostle speaks here of the subject-matter of the divine
revelation under the gospel. These are such as eye hath not seen nor
ear heard. Observe, The great truths of the gospel are things lying out
of the sphere of human discovery: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard
them, nor have they entered into the heart of man. Were they
objects of sense, could they be discovered by an eye of reason, and
communicated by the ear to the mind, as matters of common human
knowledge may, there had been no need of a revelation. But, lying out
of the sphere of nature, we cannot discover them but by the light of
revelation. And therefore we must take them as they lie in the
scriptures, and as God has been pleased to reveal them.
IV. We here see by whom this wisdom is discovered to us: God hath
revealed them to us by his Spirit,
v. 10.
The scripture is given by inspiration of God. Holy men spoke of old
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,
2 Pet. i. 21.
And the apostles spoke by inspiration of the same Spirit, as he taught
them, and gave them utterance. Here is a proof of the divine authority
of the holy scriptures. Paul wrote what he taught: and what he taught
was revealed of God by his Spirit, that Spirit that searches all
things, yea, the deep things of God, and knows the things of God, as
the spirit of a man that is in him knows the things of a man,
v. 11.
A double argument is drawn from these words in proof of the divinity of
the Holy Ghost:–
1. Omniscience is attributed to him: He searches all things, even
the deep things of God. He has exact knowledge of all things, and
enters into the very depths of God, penetrates into his most secret
counsels. Now who can have such a thorough knowledge of God but God?
2. This allusion seems to imply that the Holy Spirit is as much in God
as a man’s mind is in himself. Now the mind of the man is plainly
essential to him. He cannot be without his mind. Now can God be without
his Spirit. He is as much and as intimately one with God as the man’s
mind is with the man. The man knows his own mind because his mind is
one with himself. The Spirit of God knows the things of God because he
is one with God. And as no man can come at the knowledge of what is in
another man’s mind till he communicates and reveals it, so neither can
we know the secret counsels and purposes of God till they are made
known to us by his Holy Spirit. We cannot know them at all till he had
proposed them objectively (as it is called) in the external revelation;
we cannot know or believe them to salvation till he enlightens the
faculty, opens the eye of the mind, and gives us such a knowledge and
faith of them. And it was by this Spirit that the apostles had
received the wisdom of God in a mystery, which they spoke.
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
which is of God, that we might know the things freely given to us of
God
(v. 12);
not the spirit which is in the wise men of the world
(v. 6),
nor in the rulers of the world
(v. 8),
but the Spirit which is of God, or proceedeth from God. We have
what we deliver in the name of God by inspiration from him; and it is
by his gracious illumination and influence that we know the things
freely given to us of God unto salvation”–that is, “the great
privileges of the gospel, which are the free gift of God, distributions
of mere and rich grace.” Though these things are given to us, and the
revelation of this gift is made to us, we cannot know them to any
saving purpose till we have the Spirit. The apostles had the revelation
of these things from the Spirit of God, and the saving impression of
them from the same Spirit.
V. We see here in what manner this wisdom was taught or communicated:
Which things we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches,
but which the Holy Ghost teaches,
v. 13.
They had received the wisdom they taught, not from the wise men of the
world, but from the Spirit of God. Nor did they put a human dress on
it, but plainly declared the doctrine of Christ, in terms also taught
them by the Holy Spirit. He not only gave them the knowledge of these
things, but gave them utterance. Observe, The truths of God need no
garnishing by human skill or eloquence, but look best in the words
which the Holy Ghost teaches. The Spirit of God knows much better how
to speak of the things of God than the best critics, orators, or
philosophers. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual–one
part of revelation with another, the revelation of the gospel with that
of the Jews, the discoveries of the New Testament with the types and
prophecies of the Old. The comparing of matters of revelation with
matters of science, things supernatural with things natural and common,
is going by a wrong measure. Spiritual things, when brought together,
will help to illustrate one another; but, if the principles of human
art and science are to be made a test of revelation, we shall certainly
judge amiss concerning it, and the things contained in it. Or,
adapting spiritual things to spiritual–speaking of spiritual
matters, matters of revelation, and the spiritual life, in language
that is proper and plain. The language of the Spirit of God is the most
proper to convey his meaning.
VI. We have an account how this wisdom is received.
1. The natural man receiveth not the things of God, for they are
foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned,
v. 14.
The natural man, the animal man. Either,
(1.) The man under the power of corruption, and never yet illuminated
by the Spirit of God, such as Jude calls sensual, not having the
Spirit,
v. 19.
Men unsanctified receive not the things of God. The understanding,
through the corruption of nature by the fall, and through the
confirmation of this disorder by customary sin, is utterly unapt to
receive the rays of divine light; it is prejudiced against them. The
truths of God are foolishness to such a mind. The man looks on them as
trifling and impertinent things, not worth his minding. The light
shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not,
John i. 5.
Not that the natural faculty of discerning is lost, but evil
inclinations and wicked principles render the man unwilling to enter
into the mind of God, in the spiritual matters of his kingdom, and
yield to their force and power. It is the quickening beams of the
Spirit of truth and holiness that must help the mind to discern their
excellency, and to so thorough a conviction of their truth as heartily
to receive and embrace them. Thus the natural man, the man destitute of
the Spirit of God, cannot know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. Or,
(2.) The natural man, that is, the wise man of the world
the wise man after the flesh, or according to the flesh
(v. 26),
one who hath the wisdom of the world, man’s wisdom
(ch. ii. 4-6),
a man, as some of the ancients, that would learn all truth by his own
ratiocinations, receive nothing by faith, nor own any need of
supernatural assistance. This was very much the character of the
pretenders to philosophy and the Grecian learning and wisdom in that
day. Such a man receives not the things of the Spirit of God.
Revelation is not with him a principle of science; he looks upon it as
delirium and dotage, the extravagant thought of some deluded dreamer.
It is no way to wisdom among the famous masters of the world; and for
that reason he can have no knowledge of things revealed, because they
are only spiritually discerned, or made known by the revelation of the
Spirit, which is a principle of science or knowledge that he will not
admit.
2. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is
judged, or discerned, of no man,
v. 15.
Either,
(1.) He who is sanctified and made spiritually-minded
judgeth all things, or discerneth all things–he is capable of judging
about matters of human wisdom, and has also a relish and savour of
divine truths; he sees divine wisdom, and experiences divine power, in
gospel revelations and mysteries, which the carnal and unsanctified
mind looks upon as weakness and folly, as things destitute of all power
and not worthy any regard. It is the sanctified mind that must discern
the real beauties of holiness; but, by the refinement of its
facilities, they do not lose their power of discerning and judging
about common and natural things. The spiritual man may judge of all
things, natural and supernatural, human and divine, the deductions of
reason and the discoveries of revelation. But he himself is judged or
discerned of NO MAN. God’s saints are his hidden
ones,
Their life is hid with Christ in God,
Col. iii. 3.
The carnal man knows no more of a spiritual man than he does of other
spiritual things. He is a stranger to the principles, pleasures, and
actings, of the divine life. The spiritual man does not lie open to his
observation. Or,
(2.) He that is spiritual (who has had divine revelations made
to him, receives them as such, and founds his faith and religion upon
them) can judge both of common things and things divine; he can discern
what is, and what is not, the doctrine of the gospel and of salvation,
and whether a man preaches the truths of God or not. He does not lose
the power of reasoning, nor renounce the principles of it, by founding
his faith and religion on revelation. But he himself is judged of no
man–can be judged, so as to be confuted, by no man; nor can any
man who is not spiritual, not under a divine afflatus himself
(see
or not founding his faith on a divine revelation, discern or judge
whether what he speaks be true or divine, or not. In short, he who
founds all his knowledge upon principles of science, and the mere light
of reason, can never be a judge of the truth or falsehood of what is
received by revelation. For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him
(v. 16),
that is, the spiritual man? Who can enter so far into the mind
of God as to instruct him who has the Spirit of God, and is under his
inspiration? He only is the person to whom God immediately communicates
the knowledge of his will. And who can inform or instruct him in the
mind of God who is so immediately under the conduct of his own Spirit?
Very few have known any thing of the mind of God by a natural power.
But, adds the apostle, we have the mind of Christ; and
the mind of Christ is the mind of God. He is God, and the principal
messenger and prophet of God. And the apostles were empowered by his
Spirit to make known his mind to us. And in the holy scriptures the
mind of Christ, and the mind of God in Christ, are fully revealed to
us. Observe, It is the great privilege of Christians that they have the
mind of Christ revealed to them by his Spirit.
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