The conversation is about the cross. Paul resolves to know nothing amount them except Christ crucified (v. 2). He said they did not see the wisdom of God and so crucified Christ (v. 8). The cross is something so extraordinary, it is what no eye has seen nor ear has heard or anyone could conceive (v. 9 – it isn’t about heaven, see the previous post. And then he says this:
“these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
What is he saying here?
First, he says that the wisdom of the cross is something that those with the Spirit understand.
“these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit” (v. 10)
“they are discerned only through the Spirit” (v. 14)
Those who have the Spirit understand these things. How doe sone receive the Spirit?
For the apostles, the Spirit came to them at Pentecost. We read this in Acts 2. In other places in Acts we read that the Spirit came with the lay on of hands such as in Acts 8, Gentiles received the Spirit while hearing the Word in Acts 10, and more. The Spirit cannot be put in a nice, tidy box. What we can see is the Spirit is for all believers.
Secondly, when the Spirit indwells a person, they begin to see through different eyes. The world understands what we see as foolish. But the things of God are not foolish, they are pure wisdom.
12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
It should not be surprising to us when unbelievers do not have understanding of some matters. They do not have the Spirit. To them, it is foolishness.
Third, the spiritual man makes judgment through the eyes of the Spirit, but he is not subject to that same judgment (v. 15).
15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,
The spiritual man is seeing through different eyes. We are not talking about who is right and who is wrong. We are talking about the Spirit and seeing the cross. So this is not a statement of deciding superiority in arguments. it is about the spiritual man speaking spiritual truths.
“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words” (v. 13).
This is fascinating in that the man or woman of God can speak words that are Spirit-infused.
The result of all of these things?
The unspiritual person will not understand. They are foolishness.
But who is man to say what is foolish and what is not? Who can instruct God Almighty (v. 16)?
Then there is this profound verse.
“We have the mind of Christ.”
How does that look?
It is mystery.
Except that the Spirit of God within us directs us opens our eyes to see things through His perspective.
Especially when it comes to the cross.