1 Corinthians 2:10

(10) But God hath revealed them unto us.—Here the emphatic word is “us.” The latter part of 1Co_2:8-9 are parenthetical, and the sense goes back to the beginning of 1Co_2:8. “None of the princes of this age know these things, but God hath revealed them unto us His apostles and teachers” (Mat_13:11; Mat_16:17; 2Co_12:1). This revelation of spiritual truth is made by the Holy Spirit of God to our spirits (Rom_8:16). The Apostle gives two proofs that the Apostles have this knowledge, and that the Holy Spirit is the source of it: 1. (1Co_2:10-11), because the Holy Spirit alone is capable of imparting this knowledge; and 2. (1Co_2:12-16), because the Holy Spirit has been given to us the Apostles.

Searcheth all things.—The word “searcheth” here does not convey the idea of inquiry for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, but rather complete and accurate knowledge itself, as in Rom_8:27; see also Psa_139:1.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_2:10

But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.

The things of God revealed by the Spirit

When a telescope is directed towards some distant landscape, it enables us to see what we could not otherwise have seen; but it does not enable us to see anything which has not a real existence in the prospect before us. It does not present to the eye illusive imagery, neither is that a fanciful and factitious scene which it throws open to our contemplation. The natural eye saw nothing but blue land stretching along the distant horizon. By the aid of the glass there bursts upon it a charming variety of fields and woods, and spires and villages. Yet who would say that the glass added one feature to this assemblage? It discovers nothing to us which is not there; nor, out of that portion of the book of nature which we are employed in contemplating, does it bring into view a single character which is not really and previously inscribed upon it. And so of the Spirit. He does not add a single truth or a single character to the book of revelation. He enables the spiritual man to see; but the spectacle which He lays open is uniform and immutable. (T. Chalmers, D. D.)

The revealed communications of the Spirit are

I. Transcendent in character.

1. The deep things of God. Reason suffices in other matters; these can only be revealed by the Spirit, who teaches us to cry Abba, Father.

II. An absolute around of certainty and confidence.

1. He knows all things.

2. Reveals that God is love.

3. This truth is as unchangeable as God Himself and becomes the immovable ground of our happiness.

III. Sufficient for all our spiritual necessities, We want nothing more when this love is revealed in us because--

1. His gracious purpose is disclosed.

2. All the miseries of our nature are met in Christ.

3. Christ is revealed as a new source of life and happiness. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The wisdom of God

I. The relation of intellectual knowledge to the wisdom of God. In the apostles presentation of this question there are two things very manifest, viz., that the true Wisdom involves a very large and important element of intellectual conception, and yet that, on the other hand, it must be radically distinguished from merely intellectual operations and discoveries. The former of these two positions is clearly seen in the way in which He presents the wisdom of a perfect Christianity as competing with, and transcending, the philosophic wisdom of the Greek. This side of the apostles position is condemnatory of the modern craze to recklessly ignore important differences in the intellectual conceptions of truth held by Christian people, and to talk at random about oneness of spirit. In the mature Christian life the spirit largely determines, and is largely determined by, the central conceptions of truth. Essential differences in the wisdom we hold must be a sign of serious spiritual divergence, though it may be difficult to detect it in the moral life. To take an extreme case, there is a vast difference between the spiritual state of an atheist and a Christian man, even though the moral life of the former may be unimpeachable. But, as we have said, the apostle also maintains that the wisdom of God is far more than a system of thought, so much so that it is impossible to attain it by the mere force of intellectual power, however great its sweep and however large its results. The senses cannot discover this wisdom, nor can thought evolve it. The seat of the highest wisdom is not intellect, but spirit. But the spiritual consciousness of which we speak must not be confounded with the more superficial element of emotion. The latter sweeps over the surface of the life, the former is fixed deep in the centre of it. The latter is transient and uncertain, the former is set in the heart of eternal relations. The latter is fickle and untrustworthy, the former affords the most trustworthy testimony concerning the truths to which it testifies. Clearly enough, then, Paul excludes from participation in the true wisdom all that have not entered into a spiritual relation of life and love with God; and, more explicitly still, all that fail to apprehend God in Christ. A love of scientific investigation and an apprehension of spiritual realities do not necessarily go together; and without the latter even the elements of true wisdom are absent.

II. What is the relation of philosophic moral and religious systems to the Biblical system? Can we claim for the Christian Scriptures an inspiration which cannot be claimed, say, for the moral systems of Greek philosophy? The principle laid down in our text seems to me to state clearly the truth of the matter. It is not my intention to deny that the Greek received a revelation from God, for I believe he did receive e. Divine revelation, and that a revelation of considerable range and grandeur. Further than this, I affirm that, wherever there has existed any degree of moral and spiritual consciousness, God has necessarily manifested Himself through it. The Word is the light that lighteth every man. But there was this essential difference between the Jewish prophet and the Greek philosopher, a difference that revealed itself more fully as their several histories developed: the apprehension of truth by the former was predominatingly spiritual, by the latter intellectual. The Greek reached his conclusions by elaborate processes of thought; the Hebrew received his revelations in the Spirit, and spoke as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. It is to this unique experience that we give the name of inspiration. The unique revelation which this experience involved is asserted clearly enough in the principle laid down in the text; for it asserts this, that the revelation received through the Spirit of God transcends every other, and covers a sphere into which no other can enter.

III. The relation of spiritual development to the wisdom of God. The apostle clearly lays down the principle that the development of spiritual apprehension accompanies the development of spiritual life. It is to the man of mature spiritual life that the apostle reveals the higher wisdom of the gospel. Spiritual things are revealed by the Spirit of God, and are therefore apprehended in the proportion that we possess this Spirit. But, if this be so, if a clearer vision of truth must be ever coming to developing spiritual life, does it not follow that the New Testament Scriptures may be superseded, and that we must look for the latest revelation of truth to the spiritual man of to-day? When Christ came, and when, in the full light of His teaching, the central facts of His life and death, and the central significance of these facts, had been recorded, the book of Gods revelation closed. The glorious opportunities for the conveyance of final and complete truth to men were such as could not recur. If we cannot find the certainty of truth here, then there is no rest for the sole of our foot for ever. But we must distinguish between the finality of the revelation and finality in the comprehension of it. I see no difficulty at all in admitting that even the apostles were wiser than they knew, that their teaching contained vast possibilities of unfolding and latent grandeurs which they but dimly apprehended. The truest theology is that which, like a growing child, maintains its identity, not through stagnation, but through development. God help us to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! But the most deep-lying development in the Christian life, deeper than thought-articulation of truth, is spirit-apprehension of it. Underneath the grandest thought-apprehension of truth there is a still grander spiritual consciousness of it. Truth in its deepest origin is life. In the full life which holds in its bosom the full truth consists mans highest heaven. This is life eternal, to know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. (John Thomas, M. A.)

True religion a revelation

I. Religion is the fruit of a revelation from God. There are those who tell us that there is no such thing as a supernatural light to guide man through the maze of his souls life. The little sparrow has that within itself that, like a luminous flame, guides it in all that pertains to its existence. In seeking its food it is able to distinguish between that which will nourish and that which will poison; it can also choose its own home: Yea the sparrow hath found a house and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young. The sun in the heavens guides man in all this lower life. Is it possible that he has been left without a light to illumine his mind and spirit? There was need of a revelation; for those who had seen the greatness and glory of nature had failed to see, hear, or to conceive the things God had prepared for the soul. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. But why be content with merely carnal senses? Why not receive the light and grace of the Holy Spirit, that you may by spiritual discernment understand the things of God prepared for you?

II. Religion is a revelation to love. We must not forget in our study of these words that they speak of a revelation which has been made; it is not something we are to look forward to. God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit. The state of mind to which God makes known the things which He has prepared is love. God is love, and love can only make itself known to love. The subject must be in sympathy with the object. The strange conduct of the Jews towards Christ can only be explained on this principle. The Saviours life was in the truest sense really beautiful, as it is admitted by the most pronounced unbelievers in these days. And yet the people of His age esteemed Him as a root out of a dry ground: He had no form nor comeliness; when they saw Him, there was no beauty that they should desire Him. God reveals His love to love. We love Him because He first loved us. The infinite kindness of God is to be seen in the method of His dealings with the world. If His method of saving men were mainly intellectual, few comparatively would be redeemed; for the plan would ,of necessity be so cold and formal, that only the few gifted minds would be interested by it. The many can only be reached by a direct appeal to their feelings, and hence the religion of Christ addresses the minds of men through their hearts; and the apostles laid emphasis, not on the great thoughts of God, but upon His infinite love in the gift of His Son. It is clear, then, that the religion of heaven is a revelation of love to love. God cannot reveal Himself to any other temper. We have sometimes gone into gardens, and observed plants that should be in full bloom still unopened. The green bud appeared full, almost to bursting; it was least the time for it to send forth its fragrant blossom, and still it was completely inclosed in its natural shield and entirely hidden from view. The reason of the delay was the state of the air; it was cold and frosty, and they could only reveal themselves to a bright sun and in a genial atmosphere; were they to open in the frosty air they would endanger their lives. A cold critical spirit is fatal to the revelations of love, it freezes the channels to the heart; and makes it impossible even for the love of God to find its way into it. But where a loving disposition exists, the love of God is sure to reveal itself.

III. Religion is the fruit of a complete revelation.

1. The Holy Spirit has revealed the great truth that God is light. God is the light of the soul, it is from Him we obtain the light that enables us to solve spiritual problems.

2. Another important truth has been revealed by the Spirit, that God is love. This is done in a most effectual manner. Because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which was given unto us.

3. The Spirit has revealed the truth that ,God is life: For with Thee is the fountain of life. He in the first instance breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of man. (D. Rhys Jenkins.)

Divine revelation

I. Its indispensable necessity to the knowledge of God. Because--

1. God stands alone, and is known only to Himself.

2. He is infinitely less comprehensible than men who cannot, though of the same nation, comprehend each other.

II. Its possibility and sufficiency. The Spirit--

1. Is as intimately one with God as the spirit of man is one with Himself.

2. Knows all things perfectly.

3. What He knows He can reveal.

III. Its contents and operation.

1. It contains a revelation of the Divine purpose, of Christ, of the things prepared for us in eternity.

2. He who teaches these things awakens desire, produces faith, confirms and comforts the heart in the knowledge of them. (R. Watson.)

The Spirit as a Teacher

On entering a cavern you inquire for a guide who comes with his lighted flambeau. He conducts you down to a considerable depth, and you find yourself in the midst of the cave. He leads you through different chambers. Here he points you to a little stream rushing from amid the rocks, and indicates its rise and progress. There he points to some peculiar rock, and tells you its name, then takes you into a large, natural hall, tells you how many persons once feasted in it, and so on. Truth is a grand series of caverns. It is our glory to have so great and wise a conductor as the Holy Spirit. Imagine that we are coming to the darkness of it. He is a light shining in the midst of us to guide us. He teaches us by suggestion, direction, and illumination. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Spiritual sight restored

A little boy was born blind. At last an operation was performed--the light was let in slowly. When one day his mother led him out of doors and uncovered his eyes, and for the first time he saw the sky and the earth, Oh, mother! he cried, why did you not tell me it was so beautiful? She burst into tears, and said, I tried to tell you, dear, but you could not understand me. So it is when we try to tell what is in Christ. Unless the spiritual sight is opened by the Holy Spirit we cannot understand.

The office of the Holy Spirit

The Rev. E. Hopkins, in showing the importance of knowledge to the Christian, told as an illustration what had happened to a friend of his in Yorkshire, who, though practically a poor man, owned an estate in that county. One day a geologist told him there was in his estate an abundance of iron ore. Believing this to be true he felt at once that he was no longer poor but rich. Even so it is the office of the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the boundless riches that are treasured up in Christ.

For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.--

The agency of the Holy Spirit

I. He searcheth the deep things of God.

1. His purposes of grace.

2. His particular dealings with individuals.

3. The glorious issue of His dispensations.

II. He reveals them to man.

1. To us and in us.

2. With saving power. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The deep things of God

We walk in a daily wonder, ourselves the strangest of mysteries. Our knowledge is only the glimmer of light upon the surface of the ocean of existence. Beneath are the deep things of God. We need not go far to stand on the shore of the deep things of God. Our science has not gone to the root yet of a single blade of grass.

I. Consider some of these mysteries.

1. To begin with the lowest, what do we know about the nature of matter? You can tell me as easily what the angels wings are as tell me the ultimate constitution of a single particle of matter. Common oxygen and- hydrogen, and all elemental principles, belong by nature to the deep things of God. The very dust of the earth upon which we tread is in its real principle as unknown to us as the nature of God Himself.

2. But if the common earth is thus the wonder of science, much more is that dust a mystery when, by unknown forces, it is taken up and woven dexterously after a predetermined pattern and organised into a thing of life. Sometimes investigators, pressing hard after the molecules of matter, have thought they had almost won the secret of life; but, just as our science seems about to put its finger upon that fugitive thing, life, it flies from its hand and we are no wiser than before. Life is one of the deep things of God, whose, origin no man can discover, and of whose future what we call death is only our ignorance. Perhaps to see the spring of life would be to see the living God Himself.

3. But if the life which colours the petal of the flower, and finds wings in the bird, and culminates in the form of man, is a mystery, what shall we say of that life when it has become conscious and is a thinking, willing mind? The human soul is one of the deepest of the deep things of God.

4. What then shall we say of all those further problems of life of which these things are, as it were, but the terms or elements? Our thoughts flutter over these deep things of God as the seabirds dip their wings in the oceans waves. They only shake from their feathers the spray of the surface. Yet we cannot help thinking of the deep things of our souls past, of the deeper things of its future. Whence came the evil that gives the good a bitter taste? How did death ever gain dominion over us? How did this hard, poisonous core of sin ever grow in the midst of this fair life? And who thus shall lift the veil for us from the future? We can see signs all around us of a great system of retribution. There is no doubt but that what a man sows that shall he also reap. The present retributive tendencies of things no sane man can deny. And they extend into the future; they work on and on. We can follow them out until they disappear in the unknown depths of futurity.

II. We are ready now to draw from such reflections some useful and pertinent conclusions.

1. We may infer that--

(1) There are some people who know more than their Creator ever intended that they should know. There are some, e.g., who know that the Bible is false, and religion a superstition, because, in this cast-iron world, a miracle seems impossible, prayer folly. Before they can be sure of that, however, they should know vastly more of the structure of this material universe than any mortal eye has as yet ever seen. Possibly this may not be a cast-iron universe; possibly it may be something more than a mere museum-world of biological specimens; and yet, for all we know to the contrary, this material system may be as permeable to Divine influences as this earth, which seems a globe so solid, is supposed to be open as wicker-work to all movements of the ethereal waves. There, said Lacordaire, as he overheard in a Paris restaurant St. Beuve saying, I cannot believe in God, because I believe only in what I understand--there is St. Beuve, who does not believe in God because he does not understand Him; nor does he understand why the same fire melts butter and hardens eggs, and yet he eats an omelet.

(2) There are people who know there can be no such place as hell, because God is good. I could trust better their assurance if only they could prove that there never could be such a place as Sodom, because God is good. Surely it is the part of a wise man not to dogmatise, but so to live as not to pitch his tent toward any Sodom, either in this world or in the world to come.

(3) There are persons so wondrous wise as to know that God cannot exist as a Trinity, because three are not one. We, too, ever since we learned to count our fingers, have known that three are more than one; but there is a puzzle of arithmetic which we have not solved yet, and that is, how I can be at one and the same time the subject and the object of my own thinking--these three in one. When I cannot as yet hardly comprehend my own imperfection, I will, at least, allow God to exist in a perfection which passes my knowledge; and if revelation leads me to worship Him as a unity, complete in Himself, and not as a mere lonely, loveless unit, that needs something else to make it blessed, surely it is; a better wisdom to believe in, though we can but dimly comprehend, the unity of three eternal distinctions in the ineffable society of one blessed God.

2. But my main object is to remind you, by these questionings, of what our errand in this life really is.

(1) It is very evident that the deep things of God are intended for finite minds to search. God has given us great problems for our mental exercise, and we have found out a vast deal. Truth opens new vistas to us at every turn.

(2) But it is just as clear that to gain knowledge is not our chief errand here. This mortal stage is arranged for scenes of probation; it is fitted out for the formation of character. Our object is salvation. And so God follows through all mans history this supreme moral purpose, and to this end everything else in His providence seems to have been subordinated. This appears clearly enough from the reflections which we have just been pursuing; for God gratifies our love for knowledge only in so far as it seems to be for our moral good. How easy it would have been for Him to have granted us revelations of some of these mysteries! Let us remember however, that while the shadows lie over many a field of knowledge, the light does fall directly over the narrow path of duty; and though we may not see far into the shadows of the forest on either side, yet, if we will, we can keep with resolute feet the narrow path of duty, and that is the path which leads up into the open day. Conclusion: Let us remember, then, that the great duties of life are the illuminated texts of Scripture: Repent, Believe, Be converted, Strive, Pray, Have the Spirit of Christ, Set your affections on things above. These commandments of the Lord are plain, enlightening the eyes of whosoever wishes to see. There are many things which, as Jesus said, we shall know hereafter. (Newman Smyth, D. D.)

The deep things of God are

1. Unfathomable in their nature.

2. Comprehended only by the Spirit of God.

3. Partially revealed to us. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The gospel school

Here the student is--

I. Instructed in the sublimest realities. Deep things of God. Things, not words, not theories, deep things, deep because undiscoverable by human reason, and deep because they come from the fathomless ocean of Divine love. They are the primary elements of the gospel, and the necessary condition of soul restoration, and are--

1. The free gifts of heaven. Freely given to us of God.

2. Freely given to be communicated. Which things also we speak, &c. He who gets these things into his mind and heart is bound to tell them to others.

II. Taught by the greatest teacher. The Spirit of God. This teacher--

1. Has infinite knowledge. The Spirit searcheth all things. The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. He knows them in their essence, number, issues, bearings, relations, &c.

2. Is no other than God Himself (verse 11). The implication is that this Spirit is as truly God as mans mind is mind.

III. Must develop his higher nature (verse 14). Man has a threefold nature--body, soul and spirit. The first is the animal, the second is the mental, and the third, the moral or spiritual. This is the conscience with its intuitions and sympathies, and this is the chief part of man, nay, the man himself. Now this part of the man alone can receive the things of the Spirit of God. Set these things before the natural man, his mere body, they are no more to him than Euclid to a brute. Set them before the mere psychical or intellectual man, and they are foolishness unto him. Sheer intellect cannot understand love nor appreciate right. It concerns itself with the truth or falsehood of propositions, and the advantages and disadvantages of conduct, nothing more. Moral love only can interpret and feel the things of moral love, the deep things of God. Hence this spiritual nature must be roused from its dormancy, and become the ascendant nature before the things of the Spiritcan be discerned, and then the man shall judge all spiritual things, whilst he himself will not be judged rightly by any natural man(verse 16). Who thus uninstructed can know the mind of the Lord? (D. Thomas, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:10-12 it was to us: Those who believe in Christ and have thus received his Spirit (see 6:19; 12:13; Gal 3:2; Eph 1:13; Titus 3:5) are contrasted with the rulers of this world (1 Cor 2:8). God’s deep secrets are not understood through secular wisdom or philosophy, but through God’s own Spirit, who alone can reveal God’s thoughts to his people (see 1 Jn 2:20, 27; cp. Matt 11:25-27). God has graciously given his Spirit to his people so they can know the wonderful things God has freely given them (cp. John 16:13-14).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Co 2:10. Ἡμῖν) to us, apostles.—ἀπεκάλυψε, hath revealed) an antithesis to, hidden [wisdom, 1Co 2:7]. Comp. Isa 45:19; Isa 45:15; Psa 51:8, and again Luk 10:21.—πἁντα, all things) 1Co 2:9.—τὰ βάθη, the deep things) very much hidden, Psa 92:6; not merely those things, which believers search out, 1Co 2:9 [10] and 12, in both at the end. The deep things of God, even of His divine nature, as well as of His kingdom.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_2:10. Having thus set forth the hitherto hidden character of the divine σοφία, Paul now turns to its unveiling, as a result of which it was that that λαλοῦμεν of 1Co_2:6 f. took place. In doing this he puts ἡμῖν emphatically first in the deep consciousness of the distinction implied in so signal a mark of divine favour. The object of ἀπεκάλ. is the immediately preceding a ἃ ἡτοίμασεν κ.τ.λ[383]

ἩΜῖΝ] plural, as λαλοῦμεν in 1Co_2:6, and therefore neither to be referred to the apostle alone (Rosenmüller, Rückert, and others), nor to all Christians (Billroth, etc.).

ΔΙᾺ ΤΟῦ ΠΝΕΎΜ. ΑὐΤΟῦ] The Holy Spirit, proceeding forth from God as the personal principle of Christian enlightenment, of every Christian endowment, and of the Christian life, is the medium, in His being communicated to men (1Co_2:12), of the divine revelation; He is the bearer of it; Eph_1:17; Eph_3:3; Eph_3:5; 1Co_12:11; 1Co_14:6, al[384]

ΤῸ ΓᾺΡ ΠΝΕῦΜΑ Κ.Τ.Λ[385]] Herewith begins the adducing of proof for that ἡμῖν δὲ ἀπεκάλυψεν κ.τ.λ[386] which continues on to 1Co_2:12, to this effect, namely: For the Spirit is familiar with the mysteries of God, because He alone stands in that unique relation as respects knowledge to God, which corresponds to the relation of the human spirit to man (1Co_2:10-11); but what we have received is no other than this Spirit of God, in order that we might know the salvation of God (1Co_2:12), so that no doubt remains that we have actually the ἀποκάλυψις in question through the Spirit. That ΤῸ ΠΝΕῦΜΑ means not the human spirit, but the Holy Spirit, is certain from what goes before and from 1Co_2:11-12.

ἐρευνᾷ] rightly interpreted by Chrysostom: ΟὐΚ ἈΓΝΟΊΑς, ἈΛΛʼ ἈΚΡΙΒΟῦς ΓΝΏΣΕΩς ἘΝΤΑῦΘΑ ΤῸ ἘΡΕΥΝᾷΝ ἘΝΔΕΙΚΤΙΚΌΝ. Comp Psa_139:1; Rom_8:27; Rev_2:23. The word expresses the activity of this knowledge. But Paul was not thinking of Gods knowing Himself in man (Billroth, comp Baur), or of any other such Hegelian views as they would impute to him.

ΠΆΝΤΑ] all things, without limitation. Comp Wis_7:23; Psa_139:7.

ΤᾺ ΒΆΘΗ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ] Comp Jdt_8:14 : ΒΆΘΟς ΚΑΡΔΊΑς ἈΝΘΡΏΠΟΥ; see on Rom_11:33, also Plato, Theaet. p. 183 E. The expression: depths of God, denotes the whole rich exhaustless fulness which is hidden in God,all, therefore, that goes to make up His being, His attributes, His thoughts, plans, decrees, etc. These last (see 1Co_2:9; 1Co_2:12), the βαθύβουλον (Aeschylus, Pers. 143) of the Godhead, are included; but we are not to suppose that they alone are meant. The opposite is τὰ βαθέα τοῦ Σατανᾶ, Rev_2:24. The depths of God, unsearchable by the cognitive power of created spirits (comp Rom_11:33), are penetrated by the cognitive activity of His own immanent principle of life and manifestation, so that this, i.e. the Holy Spirit, is the power [Potenz] of the divine self-knowledge. God is the subject knowing and the object known in the intrinsic divine activity of the Spirit, who is the substratum of the absolute self-consciousness of the Godhead, in like manner as the human spirit is the substratum of the human Ego.

[383] .τ.λ. καὶ τὰ λοιπά.

[384] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[385] .τ.λ. καὶ τὰ λοιπά.

[386] .τ.λ. καὶ τὰ λοιπά.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co 2:10 . The true reading, ἡμῖν γάρ ( cf. 1Co 1:26 ), links this ver. to the foregoing by way of illustration: “For to us (being of those that love Him) God revealed (them), through the Spirit”: cf. 1Co 1:18 , 1Co 8:3 , 1Co 13:2 , 1Jn 4:7 ; also ἀπεκαλύφθη τ . ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις κ . τ . λ ., Eph 3:5 , indicating the like ethical receptivity. ἀπεκάλυψεν echoes ἐν μυστηρίῳ and τ . ἀποκεκρυμμένην (1Co 2:7 ), signifying a supernatural disclosure (see notes on 1Co 1:7 , 1Co 14:6 ); cf. esp. Rom 16:25 , κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου , and Eph 1:17 in connexion with 1Co 2:6 f. above. The tense (aor [378] ) points to the advent of Christianity, “the revelation given to Christians as an event that began a new epoch in the world’s history” (Ed [379] ). The Spirit reveals, “for the Spirit investigates everything ( πάντα ἐραυνᾷ ), even the depths of God”: He discloses, for He first discovers οὐκ ἀγνοίας , ἀλλʼ ἀκριβοῦς γνώσεως τὸ ἐρευνᾶν δεικτικόν (Cm [380] ). The phrase describes an Intelligence everywhere active, everywhere penetrating ( cf. Psa 139:1-7 ). For the complementary truth concerning the relation of Father and Spirit, see Rom 8:27 . The Spirit is the organ of mutual understanding between man and God. P. conceives of Him as internal to the inspired man, working with and through, though immeasurably above his faculties (see 1Co 3:16 , Rom 8:16 ; Rom 8:26 , etc.). τὰ βάθη (pl [381] of noun βάθος ) are those inscrutable regions, below all that “the eye sees” and that “comes up into the heart of a man” (1Co 2:9 ), where God’s plans for mankind are developed: cf. Rom 11:33 ff., Eph 1:9 ff; Eph 3:18 , and by contrast Rev 2:24 . These deep-laid counsels centre in Christ, and are shared by Him (Mat 11:27 , Joh 5:20 ; Joh 17:10 ; Joh 17:25 ); so that it is one thing to have the Spirit who “sounds the deeps of God” and to “have the mind of Christ” (1Co 2:16 ). The like profound insight is claimed, in virtue of his possessing the Holy Spirit, by the writer of the Wisdom of Solomon (1Co 2:7 ), but in a ὑπεροχὴ λόγου καὶ σοφίας that goes to discredit the assumption; cf. also Sir 42:18 . The attributes there assigned to the half-personified “Wisdom,” N.T. theology divides between Christ and the Spirit in their several offices towards man. The “Spirit” is apprehended in Wisdom under physical rather than, as by Paul, under psychological analogies.

[378] aorist tense.

[379] T. C. Edwards’ Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians . 2

[380] John Chrysostom’s Homiliœ († 407).

[381] plural.

1Co 2:10 to 1Co 3:2 . § 8. THE REVEALING SPIRIT. The world’s rulers committed the frightful crime of “crucifying the Lord of glory,” because in fact they have only “the spirit of the world,” whereas “the Spirit of God ” informs His messengers (1Co 2:10-12 ), who communicate the things of His grace in language taught them by His Spirit and intelligible to the spiritual (1Co 2:13-16 ). For the like reason the Cor [377] are at fault in their Christian views, being as yet but half-spiritual men (1Co 3:1-3 ).

[377] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 10-13.

With 1Co 2:10 the apostle passes to the development of the second term of his theme: λαλοῦμεν, we speak. This wisdom, being God’s conception, and inaccessible to the mind of man, how can Paul expound it to his brethren? 1Co 2:10-12 indicate the means by which he received the knowledge of it; and 1Co 2:13 describes the manner, in keeping with those means, in which he declares it.

Vv. 10. “But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

The δέ is strongly adversative: “This wisdom was hidden, but it has been revealed to us.” The for, which the Vatic. reads here, could only refer to the, we speak, of 1Co 2:7; but the distance between these two words is too great for this connection to be natural.

The dat. to us heads the proposition, to contrast strongly those denoted by this pronoun with the world and its princes to whom the Divine wisdom is veiled. This pronoun neither refers to Christians in general, nor, as Edwards thinks, to the perfect in particular; for the ἡμεῖς, we, to whom the revelation is granted, are evidently identical with the we, the subject of λαλοῦμεν, we speak, in 1Co 2:6; 1Co 2:13. For it is that they may be able to speak that they receive the revelation. Now, in 1Co 2:16, they are expressly contrasted with the τέλειοι, the perfect, and à fortiori with the members of the Church in general. The we can therefore only designate the apostles collectively, or Paul himself, with his fellow - labourers. But Paul has no reason to speak here of the other apostles; it is his teaching at Corinth which he wishes to justify (1Co 3:1-4). It is therefore of himself, and no doubt also of Silas and Timothy (comp. 2Co 1:19), that he is here speaking.

It is natural to place the verb ἀπεκάλυψε, has revealed, immediately after ἡμῖν, as is done by almost all the Mjj., and not after the subject ὁ θεός, God (T. R.); this is the decisive act from which follows that of the λαλεῖν, to speak, 1Co 2:13.—᾿Αποκαλύπτειν, to remove the veil. The text runs, has revealed to us, without an object; it is not the thing revealed, it is the act of revelation which Paul would emphasize. By the aorist, he goes back to a determinate point of time, which for him can only be that which he describes, Gal 1:12; Gal 1:16. There is undoubtedly a revelation also for the simple believer; comp. Eph 1:17: “That God may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.” But this revelation is only secondary. It is solely the reproduction of the primordial revelation granted to the first interpreters of the Divine thought, and it takes place only through the intervention of the latter. Between the two there is therefore a difference, not only of degree, but of nature and quality. The former, contained originally in the apostolic declaration, is now found in the writings wherein that declaration is deposited, which are thus the permanent means of which God makes use to effect the latter (Joh 17:20).

The agent by whom God wrought this unveiling in the mind of the apostle is the Spirit. The pronoun αὐτοῦ, of Him, is probably a gloss. The following proposition serves to explain how the Spirit can fill this revealing function: He searcheth all things. Instead of ἐρευνᾷ, א A B C read ἐραυνᾷ; an Alexandrine form. Was it the apostle who used it, or the Alexandrine copyists who introduced it? We read—ραυ Joh 5:39 in א B; Joh 7:52 in אB T; Rom 8:27 in א; 1Co 11:33 in א A B; 1Pe 1:11 in א B, and Rev 2:23 in A C.

There is no reason for restricting the πάντα, all things, to Divine things; on the contrary, the following proposition would in that case be a mere tautology. The Divine Spirit is the luminous principle which possesses and from which proceeds all knowledge; it is in His light alone that everything comes to the light where there are consciousness and intelligence.

The deep things of God designate God’s essence, then His attributes, volitions, and plans. The operation of searching, here ascribed to the Spirit, has been applied by De Wette to the believer who has received the Spirit, or, what comes to the same thing, to the Spirit as dwelling in the Church and acting through believers. The sense would thus be, that through possession of the Spirit, man can penetrate all things, even the deepest purposes of God; comp. 1Co 2:16. But (1) this sense does not accord with the contrast between the verbs reveal and search; the first is in the past and aorist, and consequently indicates a determinate Divine act, wrought once for all; the second, which is in the present, denotes, on the contrary, a permanent act, which, once the act of revelation is effected, would no longer have any reason for its existence if it was really man’s. On the contrary, it is clear that this permanent act of searching, applied to the unceasing activity of the Spirit in God, serves to explain (γάρ, for) the revealing function of that Spirit. (2) If Paul meant to speak in 1Co 2:10 of the working of the Divine Spirit dwelling in man to penetrate the Divine decrees, how would he compare this working in 1Co 2:11 with that of man’s spirit searching what passes within himself? The two compared relations would be incommensurate. Finally (3), in the passage, 1Co 13:10-12, Paul declares that here below we know only fragmentarily and as in a dim mirror; how could he say here that the Christian’s knowledge extends to all things and penetrates even what is deepest in God? Our passage, therefore, certainly relates to the intra-Divine activity of the Holy Spirit.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_2:10

But God hath revealed (them) unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

What was undiscoverable by human reason, God hath revealed by his Spirit. Unto us, i.e. unto those to whom this revelation, was made, viz. the holy apostles and prophets, Eph_3:5. This revelation was made by the Spirit, for he alone is competent to make it; for he alone searches the deep things of God. Searches, i.e. explores, accurately and thoroughly knows. The word does not express the process of investigation, but rather its results, viz., profound knowledge. Thus God is said to search the hearts of the children of men, to intimate that there is nothing in man that escapes his notice, Rom_8:27. Rev_2:23. So there is nothing in God unknown to the Spirit. The deep things, i.e. depths of God, the inmost recesses, as it were, of his being, perfections and purposes. The Spirit, therefore, is fully competent to reveal that wisdom which had for ages been hid in God. This passage proves at once the personality and the divinity of the Holy Ghost. His personality, because intelligent activity is ascribed to him; he searches; his divinity, because omniscience is ascribed to him; he knows all that God knows.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A question: if it surmount the capacity of men, how can it be understood of any man, or how can you declare and preach it? by a peculiar lightening by God’s Spirit, wherewith whosoever is inspired, he can enter even to the very secrets of God.

There is nothing so secret and hidden in God, but the Spirit of God peereth into it.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

revealed . . . by . . . Spirit--The inspiration of thoughts (so far as truth essential to salvation is concerned) makes the Christian (Co1 3:16; Co1 12:3; Mat 16:17; Joh 16:13; Jo1 2:20, Jo1 2:27); that of words, the PROPHET (Sa2 23:1-2; Kg1 13:1, Kg1 13:5), "by the word of the Lord" (Co1 2:13; Joh 20:30-31; Pe2 1:21). The secrets of revelation are secret to some, not because those who know them will not reveal them (for indeed, the very notion of revelation implies an unveiling of what had been veiled), but because those to whom they are announced have not the will or power to comprehend them. Hence the Spirit-taught alone know these secrets (Psa 25:14; Pro 3:32; Joh 7:17; Joh 15:15).

unto us--the "perfect" or fully matured in Christian experience (Co1 2:6). Intelligent men may understand the outline of doctrines; but without the Holy Spirit's revelation to the heart, these will be to them a mere outline--a skeleton, correct perhaps, but wanting life [WHATLEY, Cautions for the Times, 14], (Luk 10:21).

the Spirit searcheth--working in us and with our spirits (compare Rom 8:16, Rom 8:26-27). The Old Testament shows us God (the Father) for us. The Gospels, God (the Son) with us. The Acts and Epistles, God (the Holy Ghost) in us [MONOD], (Gal 3:14).

deep things of God-- (Psa 92:5). His divine nature, attributes, and counsels. The Spirit delights to explore the infinite depths of His own divine mind, and then reveal them to us, according as we are capable of understanding them (Deu 29:29). This proves the personality and Godhead of the Holy Ghost. Godhead cannot be separated from the Spirit of God, as manhood cannot be separated from the Spirit of man [BENGEL].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. But God hath revealed them unto us] A manifest proof that the apostle speaks here of the glories of the Gospel, and not of the glories of the future world.

For the Spirit searcheth all things] This is the Spirit of God, which spoke by the prophets, and has now given to the apostles the fulness of that heavenly truth, of which He gave to the former only the outlines.

Yea, the deep things of God.] It is only the Spirit of God which can reveal the counsels of God: these are the purposes which have existed in His infinite wisdom and goodness from eternity; and particularly what refers to creation, providence, redemption, and eternal glory, as far as men and angels are concerned in these purposes. The apostles were so fully convinced that the scheme of redemption proclaimed by the Gospel was Divine, that they boldly asserted that these things infinitely surpassed the wisdom and comprehension of man. God was now in a certain way become manifest; many attributes of his, which to the heathen world would have for ever lain in obscurity, (for the world by wisdom knew not God,) were now not only brought to light as existing in him, but illustrated by the gracious displays which He had made of himself. It was the Spirit of God alone that could reveal these things; and it was the energy of that Spirit alone that could bring them all into effect-stamp and seal them as attributes and works of God for ever. The apostles were as truly conscious of their own inspiration as they were that they had consciousness at all; and what they spoke, they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. But God hath revealed them to us. Having shut up all mankind in blindness, and having taken away from the human intellect the power of attaining to a knowledge of God by its own resources, he now shows in what way believers are exempted from this blindness, — by the Lord’s honoring them with a special illumination of the Spirit. Hence the greater the bluntness of the human intellect for understanding the mysteries of God, and the greater the uncertainty under which it labors, so much the surer is our faith, which rests for its support on the revelation of God’s Spirit. In this, too, we recognize the unbounded goodness of God, who makes our defect contribute to our advantage.

For the Spirit searcheth all things This is added for the consolation of the pious, that they may rest more securely in the revelation which they have from the Spirit of God, as though he had said. “Let it suffice us to have the Spirit of God as a witness, for there is nothing in God that is too profound for him to reach.” For such is the import here of the word searcheth By the deep things you must understand — not secret judgments, which we are forbidden to search into, but the entire doctrine of salvation, which would have been to no purpose set before us in the Scriptures, were it not that God elevates our minds to it by his Spirit.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

10. for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God] In this and the next verse we gather (1) the personality of the Holy Ghost, (2) His distinction from the Father. He not only searches the deep things of God, which He could not be described as doing were He identical with the Father, but though on account of His perfect knowledge of the Mind of God He is likened to the spirit of man which is one of the component elements of his being, the Apostle speaks of the one as the ‘spirit of a man which is in him,’ but of the other as the Spirit which is from (ἐκ, proceeding out of) God.

searcheth] “The word to search is here indicative not of ignorance, but of accurate knowledge, at least if we may judge from the fact that this is the very phrase the Apostle has used even of God, saying, ‘He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit.’ ”—Chrysostom. The knowledge, in fact, as 1Co_2:11 shews, is of the same kind as the knowledge of the spirit of man concerning what passes within his breast, though, of course, infinitely more complete.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For what man knoweth the things of a man,.... The thoughts of a man's heart, the conceptions of his mind, the schemes he is drawing there, his designs, purposes, and intentions; these can never be known by another man, no, nor by angels or devils; not by any creature; by none

save the spirit of a man which is in him? which is only conscious to, and can only make known the things that are in him:

even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God; and which, as it proves how secret, hidden, unknown, the mysteries of grace are, until revealed by the Spirit; so it gives full evidence to the deity of the Holy Ghost, and clearly shows he must be God, who is in him, knows the thoughts of his heart, the counsels of his mind, his purposes and decrees, and what is contained in them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Ver. 10. But God hath revealed] The Chinese use to say of themselves, that all other nations of the world see but with one eye, they only with two. This is most true of the natural man compared to the spiritual.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But God hath revealed them - That is, those elevated views and enjoyments to which people everywhere else had been strangers, and which have been under all other forms of religion unknown, have been communicated to us by the revelation of God - This verse commences the “third” part of this chapter, in which the apostle shows how these truths, so full of wisdom had been communicated to Christians. It had not been by any native endowments of theirs; not by any strength of faculties, or powers. but solely by revelation from God.Unto us - That is, first to the apostles; secondly, to all Christians - to the church and the world through their inspired instructors; and third, to all Christians by the illuminating agency of the Spirit on their hearts. The connection shows that he did not mean to confine this declaration to the apostles merely, for his design was to show that all Christians had this knowledge of the true wisdom. It was true that this was revealed in an eminent manner to the apostles, and through their inspired preaching and writings; but it is also true, that the same truths are communicated by the agency of the same Spirit to all Christians; Joh 16:12-14. No truth is now communicated to Christians which was not revealed to and by the inspired writers; but the same truths are imparted by means of their writings, and by the illumination of the Spirit to all the true friends of God.

By his Spirit - By the Holy Spirit, that was promised by the Saviour. Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26-27; Joh 16:7-14. This proves:

(1) That people by nature are not able to discover the deep things of God - the truths which are needful to salvation.

(2) That the apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit; and if so, then the Scriptures are inspired.

(3) That all Christians are the subjects of the teaching of the Holy Spirit; that these truths are made known to them by his illumination; and that but for this, they would remain in the same darkness as other men.

For the Spirit - The Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of God; see 1Co 2:11.

Searcheth - This word does not fully express the force of the original ἐρευνᾷ ereuna. It means to search accurately, diligently, so as fully to understand; such profound research as to have thorough knowledge. So David uses the Hebrew word חקר chaaqar in Psa 139:1. So the word is used to denote a careful and accurate investigation of secret and obscure things, in 1Pe 1:11. Compare Joh 7:52; Rom 8:27; Rev 2:23, where it is used to denote that profound and accurate search by which the desires and feelings of the heart are known - implying the most profound knowledge of which we can have any conception; see Pro 20:27. Here it means, that the Holy Spirit has an intimate knowledge of all things. It is not to be supposed that he searches, or inquires as people do who are ignorant; but that he has an intimate and profound knowledge, such as is usually the result of a close and accurate search. The result is what the apostle means to state - the accurate, profound, and thorough knowledge, such as usually attends research. He does not state the mode in which it is obtained; but the fact. And he uses a word more emphatic than simple knowledge, because he designs to indicate that his knowledge is profound, entire, and thorough.

All things - All subjects; all laws; all events; all beings.

The deep things of God - He has a thorough knowledge of the hidden counsels or purposes of God; of all his plans and purposes. He sees all his designs. He sees all his councils; all his purposes in regard to the government of the universe, and the scheme of salvation. He knows all whom God designs to save; he sees all that they need; and he sees how the plan of God is suited to their salvation - This passage proves:

(1) That the Spirit is, in some respects, distinct from the Father, or from him who is here called God. Else how could he be said to search all things, even the deep purposes of God? To “search” implies “action, thought, personality.” An attribute of God cannot be said to search. How could it be said of the justice, the goodness, the power, or the wisdom of God that it “searches,” or “acts?” To search, is the action of an intelligent agent, and cannot be performed by an attribute.

(2) The Spirit is omniscient. He searches or clearly understands “all things” - the very definition of omniscience. He understands all the profound plans and counsels of God. And how can there be a higher demonstration of omniscience than to “know God?” - But if omniscient, the Holy Spirit is divine - for this is one of the incommunicable attributes of God; 1Ch 28:9; Psa 139:1; Jer 17:10.

(3) He is not a distinct being from God. There is a union between him and God, such as may be compared to the union between a man and his soul, 1Co 2:11. God is one; and though he subsists as Father, Son, and Spirit, yet he is one God, Deu 6:4 - This passage is, therefore, a very important, and a decisive one in regard to the personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

But to us God hath revealed them by his Spirit; these mysteries, and secrets of the divine wisdom. --- For the Spirit searcheth all things: the divine Spirit, the Holy Ghost, searcheth all things, and none but this Spirit of God, that is, the Spirit, which is God, knoweth the things that are of God, as none but the spirit that is in man, knoweth the things of man, knoweth his thoughts and interior affections. But by the Spirit of God, we may understand the spirit of grace, of knowledge, of prophecy, which God hath given to his faithful, and particularly to his apostles, to raise them to a higher knowledge of the divine mysteries. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; God by his Spirit hath opened our understandings to understand the Holy Scriptures, the types and prophecies of Christ, and what the holy prophets have spoken of him both as to his person and offices.

For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God; for the Holy Spirit being the third person in the blessed Trinity, and so equal with the Father and the Son,

searcheth the deep things of God, and so is able to reveal to us all the counsels of God, whatsoever God would have men to understand concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. So as this text is an evident proof of the Deity of the Holy Spirit, he searching the deep things of God, and being alone able to reveal them unto men, so as they shall acknowledge, comprehend, and believe them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. The Spirit searcheth—A striking ascription of personality to the Spirit. All things—Within the universe nothing is hidden from the search of the omniscient Spirit.

Deep things—Rather, the depths of God. Nothing but omniscience can know omniscience. Nothing but God’s Spirit can know what is in the divine Mind.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But God hath revealed them unto us. They are secret no longer, but are "mysteries which now it is given us to know". (Mat_13:11) By his Spirit. The Spirit guides into all truth. (Joh_13:16) In 1Co_12:8-11 St. Paul attributes every gift of wisdom directly to him. Searcheth. "How unsearchable are his judgments!". (Rom_11:33) Yea, the deep things of God. This expression, "The depths of God," passed into the cant expression of the Gnostics, and it may be with reference to their misuse of it that St. John uses the phrase, "The depths of Satan". (Rev_2:24) "Oh, the depth," etc.!. (Rom_11:33)

Vers. 10-16.

The gospel school.

God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit," etc. Because man naturally craves for knowledge and deeply needs it, schools abound everywhere throughout the civilized world, especially here in England schools of science, schools of philosophy, schools of art, etc.. But there is one school that transcends all the gospel school. Three facts are suggested concerning this school.

I That here the student is INSTRUCTED IN THE SUBLIMEST REALITIES. "Deep things of God." Things, not words, not theories. "Deep things;" deep because undiscoverable by human reason; deep because they come from the fathomless ocean of Divine love. What are these deep things? The primary elements of the gospel, and the necessary condition of soul restoration. These "deep things" we are here told are:

1. The free gifts of Heaven. "Freely given to us of God.

2. Freely given to be communicated. "Which things also we speak," etc. He who gets these things into his mind and heart, not only can communicate, but is bound to tell them to others, and that in plain natural language, free from the affectations of rhetoric, the language which the "Holy Ghost teacheth," language which is suggested by "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Men think in words; thoughts come dressed in their own language; the intellectual thoughts have their own language, and spiritual thoughts have a language all their own.

II That here the student is TAUGHT BY THE GREATEST TEACHER. Who is the Teacher? The Divine Spirit himself, here called the "Spirit of God" and the" Holy Ghost.

1. This Teacher has infinite knowledge. "The Spirit searcheth all things." The word "searcheth" must not be taken, I presume, in the sense of investigation, but rather in the sense of complete knowledge. In the last

2. clause of the next verse it is said, "The things of God knoweth no matt, but the Spirit of God." He knoweth those things of God; he knows them in their essence, number, issues, hearings, relations, etc.

3. This Teacher is no other than God himself. "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." The implication is that this Spirit is as truly God as man"s mind is man. No one knows the things in man"s mind but man himself; no one knows the "deep things of God" but God himself. "Who teacheth like God?" He knows thoroughly the nature of the student, and how best to indoctrinate that nature with his own "deep things.

III That here the student MUST DEVELOP HIS HIGHER NATURE. "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." Man has a threefold nature, designated by St. Paul as soma, psyche, and pneuma body, soul, and spirit. The first is the animal, the second is the mental, and the third the moral or spiritual. This is the conscience, with its intuitions and sympathies, and this is the chief part of man, nay, the man himself, the core of his being, that which Paul calls" the inner man," the man of the man. Now, this part of the man alone can receive the "things of the Spirit of God." Set these things before the "natural man," his mere body; they are no more to him than Euclid to a brute. Set them before the mere psychical or intellectual man, and what are they? Puzzles over which he will speculate; nay, they are "foolishness unto him." Mere intellect cannot understand love, cannot appreciate right. It concerns itself with the truth or falsehood of propositions, and the advantages and disadvantages of conduct nothing more. Moral love only can interpret and feel the things of moral love, the "deep things of God." Hence this moral pneuma, this spiritual nature, this conscience must be roused from its dormancy, and become the ascendant nature before the "things of the Spirit" can be "discerned," and then the man shall judge all things, all spiritual things, whilst he himself will not be judged rightly by any "natural man." "For who hath known the mind of the Lord?" Who, thus uninstructed, can "know the mind of the Lord"?

Vers. 10-16.

The Holy Spirit as the Revealer.

In this section the apostle develops more fully the subject of revelation through the Spirit of God. The things prepared by God for them that love him have not been discovered by human wisdom, nor can they be apprehended by natural reason. As they come from God, they are made known to us by God through the operation of the revealing Spirit.

I THE COMPETENCE OF THE REVEALING SPIRIT. "For the Spirit searcheth all things," etc. He is competent to reveal to us the things of God, because he has a thorough knowledge of them. There is nothing in God that is hid from him, not even the "deep things." The nature, perfections, purposes of the Almighty are patent to his eye. This is explained by an analogy between the spirit of a man and the Spirit of God. "For who among men knoweth the things of a man," etc.? The depths of my being do not lie open to the eyes of others. They cannot observe the hidden motive, the secret desire, and all the movements that precede the formation of a purpose. They see only what is without, and from that infer what is within. But to my own spirit all that inner region is unveiled. I am immediately conscious of all that is going on within me. "Even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God." We can see a little of God"s working in tile universe, and from that we can gather something of his mind; but we cannot by searching find him out. We can only make dark guesses at a few truths regarding him, whilst the matters of his grace are completely hidden from us. But the Spirit of God knows the things of God, as the spirit of a man knows the things of the man. He does not know them by inference. As dwelling in God and himself God, he knows them immediately, infallibly, and perfectly. The analogy is not to be pressed beyond this particular point. The apostle is not speaking of the relation between the Spirit and the Godhead, except in regard to the Spirit"s perfect knowledge. From all this the fitness of the Spirit to be our Instructor in the things of God is manifest. The argument is not that he is superior to every other teacher, but that in the nature of things he is the only Teacher. He alone fully knows; he alone can fully reveal.

II THE WORK OF THE REVEALING SPIRIT. The all knowing Spirit, proceeding from God, is imparted to believers. As "the spirit of the world" works in the sons of disobedience, (Eph_2:2) the Spirit of God dwells and works in the children of faith. tits work appears in two ways.

1. In teaching us to know the things of God. "That we might know," etc. (ver. 12). The things prepared for them that love God arc the free gifts of his grace. They have been provided at infinite cost, but to us they are given "without money and without price." These things are taught us by the Spirit, who, as "the Anointing from the Holy One," gives us to know all things. (1Jn_2:20) How great a privilege to have such a Teacher! How far does it raise the Christian above the wise of this world! How accurate and assured should be our knowledge! And this knowledge is more than the apprehension of certain doctrines as true, or the persuasion that the gospel is God"s way of salvation. We know his gracious gifts only in so far as we receive them. Justification and sanctification are verities only to the justified and sanctified. The way to spiritual knowledge is through faith and personal experience.

2. In teaching us to speak the things of God. Paul has in view, first of all, his own case. It was his work as a preacher to declare the glad tidings to men, and this he did, "not in words which man"s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth." He was not left to his own unaided skill in choosing the forms under which he presented the truth. The Spirit gave him utterance as well as knowledge, taught him the very words he was to employ. This statement covers both his oral and his written teaching. Apart from theories on the subject, inspiration must be held to extend to the verbal framework of apostolic teaching, as well as to the teaching itself; yet so as to give free play to the writer"s own form of thought and style of expression. He fitted spiritual truth to words suggested by the Spirit (this is one probable meaning of pneumatikoiv pneumatikanontev, ver. 13), and so interpreted spiritual things to spiritual men (according to another probable meaning). Does not this apply in measure to all speakers for Christ? The apostles had a special inspiration for their special work, but many in the Church at Corinth had a gift of utterance. (1Co_1:5) May not preachers, teachers, writers, and all who tell the story of Christ crucified, expect similar help?

III THE NECESSITY FOR THE REVEALING SPIRIT. This appears in the contrast drawn between the natural man and the spiritual man (vers. 14-16). The natural man (yucikov) is he who is in the fallen condition into which sin has brought mankind, and in whom the faculty of" knowing Divine things (the spirit, pneuma) is dormant. Such a man is not necessarily sensual or brutish, but he is earthly all his movements being governed by the lower part of his incoporeal nature (yuch), and directed to selfish ends. The spiritual man (pneumatikov) is he in whom the spiritual faculty (pneuma), by which we discern the things of God, has been wakened into life and activity by the Spirit of God. This quickened spirit, dwelt in by the Holy Spirit, becomes the ruling part of his nature, to which thought, desire, purpose, passion, are in subjection. (compare the threefold division of human nature in. 1Th_5:23, which may be illustrated by the threefold division of the tabernacle the holy of holies, the holy place, and the outer court) Hence:

1. "The natural man

(1) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him." He fails to understand them, and, not thinking that the fault is in himself, he rejects them as absurd. They cross his prejudices and overturn his cherished principles. The doctrine of the new birth seemed foolish to Nicodemus. Every unconverted hearer of the gospel confirms the truth of this statement.

(2) This rejection arises from spiritual inability. "And he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged." The natural man is destitute of the faculty by which spiritual things are discerned, as a blind man cannot judge of colour. The tints of the rainbow, the gorgeous hues of sunset, awaken no sensation in him; and for a like reason the glorious things of God"s grace call forth no appreciative response from the natural man. How humbling to human pride and human wisdom] How great the need for spiritual illumination!

2. The spiritual man

(1) judgeth all things. This may be taken broadly as covering all the matters on which the spiritual man is called to decide. He alone is in the position where all things are seen in their proper relations, for he alone gives the spiritual element its place of paramount importance. But the apostle has specially in view the things of salvation, which are perceived and appreciated only by the renewed man. His inner eye has been opened, and he now lives and moves in the region of spiritual things, where the natural man stumbles and falls. Many an unlettered, Spirit taught Christian has a clearer insight into God"s ways of grace than the man of mere learning. Hence every believer is called to exercise his own judgment as to Divine truth, and not to rest supinely on the judgment of another. The spiritual eye, like the natural, is given us to be used; and in the use comes greater clearness of discernment and accuracy of judgment. But:

(2) He himself is judged of no man. " A man with eyesight can judge of the matters of a blind man, but the blind man cannot judge of him. The spiritual man understands the language in which other men speak, but they do not understand his language. Paul understood Greek philosophy, but the philosophers did not understand him. "Thou art mad," said Festus; (Act_26:24) "This babbler," said the Athenians; (Act_17:15) "Fool," said the Corinthians. None but a poet can criticize a poet; none but a painter can judge a painter; none but a believer can appreciate a believer. The spiritual man has the mind of Christ, of which the natural man is destitute; and for the latter to sit in judgment on the former would imply that he is capable of instructing the Lord. B.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But God hath revealed - Yea, and "freely given," ver. 12. Them to us - Even inconceivable peace, and joy unspeakable. By his Spirit - Who intimately and fully knows them. For the Spirit searcheth even the deep things of God - Be they ever so hidden and mysterious; the depths both of his nature and his kingdom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The revelation of the Spirit:

v. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

v. 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.

v. 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.

While the attitude of the rulers of this world, both intellectual and secular, is characterized by an utter lack of understanding of the great things of God, He has to us, being those that love Him, revealed them through the Spirit. The Spirit is God’s instrument and agent to bring the proper enlightenment to our hearts. In the case of the apostles the Spirit worked by direct or immediate action when they were engaged in the work of preaching the Gospel, Gal 1:12; 1Pe 1:12; and since their days the revelation comes to us through the preaching based upon the Word of the apostles, Heb 2:3. This work of revealing the way of salvation can be done by the Spirit; it is the special function of the Spirit, because the Spirit investigates all things, even the depths of God. He has access to, he is familiar with, the innermost thoughts and plans of God. And what He has discovered He discloses to us. Those unexplorable, unfathomable, bottomless depths of God’s essence where the gracious will of God for the salvation of mankind lay hidden, the Spirit has made known to us. Note: Since the Spirit has access to the innermost secrets of God, His must be the divine essence, He must be true God. This fact is brought out by the comparison which the apostle introduces: For who among men knows the things of a man, his thoughts and projects, if not the spirit of the man which is in him? No person is able to know the innermost feelings and desires of another unless that person reveals himself to him by word or sign. Even so no one has, by searching, by examining, found out God, had access to His purposes and plans; only the Spirit of God has that knowledge, and therefore can and does reveal Him.

The apostle makes the application of this fact: But we have not received the spirit of the world. That is the spirit whose wisdom God has shown to be foolishness, the spirit which is always ready to crucify the Lord anew, the spirit which is darkened and blinded against the understanding of God. Ours is rather the Spirit which has been bestowed upon us by God, the Spirit of spiritual enlightenment. And the result is that we know, we have a definite, unshakable knowledge of, the gifts which God in His wonderful grace and mercy has bestowed upon us. All these gifts are included in Christ and made possible through the redemption of Christ. These gifts, wonderful as they are, would have been useless to us if the Spirit had not opened the eyes of our understanding to see and accept the unmerited favor of God in Christ through faith. Note that the apostle does not make our possession of these gifts dependent upon our feeling, but upon the knowledge transmitted to us by the Spirit, through the Word.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. “But God hath revealed them unto us through the Spirit.” From this verse we see that the wonderful, invisible, inaudible and inconceivable glories of 1Co 2:9 are actually within our reach, not only in the world to come, but at the present time. The apostle now proceeds to a more ample revelation, touching these wonders which are unutterable and indescribable in human language, and can only be revealed to the human spirit by the Holy Spirit. While these Divine beauties, entities, profundities, altitudes, latitudes, longitudes and realities are revealed by the Holy Spirit to the human spirit, they are after all too heavenly to be uttered or communicated by mortal language, so I am now running into something better and easier experienced and felt than told, all language being utterly impoverished in the attempt to reveal these infinitesimal beauties, majesties, wonders, sweetness and glory. “For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God.” These “deep things of God” in beauty, sweetness, spiritual fascination and delectation have captured and enraptured the saints of all ages. For them the martyr has gladly hugged the burning stake and sung his death song amid devouring flames. They made the dismal dungeon of Madame Guyon, which she occupied four years, so bright that she said the very stones shone like rubies. They inspired John Knox to pray bloody Mary off the throne of England till she dropped into eternity.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But unto us [inspired apostles] God revealed them through the Spirit [Here the defective knowledge gained by the world-rulers through their wisdom or philosophy stands in sharp contrast to the heavenly and perfect knowledge which the apostles had by revelation of the Spirit. Paul proceeds to discuss the perfection of this inspired knowledge]: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things [ Rom_11:33 ] of God .

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10–13. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. These wonders of the love of God, not seen by eye, nor heard by ear, nor revealed to the senses, were revealed by the Spirit to the apostles (to us), and made known through them to full-grown Christians (“the perfect,” verse 6). The Spirit searcheth, etc. The Holy Spirit, imparted so freely to the apostles to lead them into all truth (John 16:13), is the Spirit of God. Hence this Spirit imparts a knowledge of the deep things of God. The secrets of the divine wisdom are thus made known.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

These are the things

Paul speaks of the truths about Jesus and the cross. If 1 Corinthians 2:9 is treated as an incomplete sentence, "these are the things."

For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of the person in him?

Paul uses this question to emphasize that no one knows what a person is thinking except the person himself. AT: "No one knows what a person is thinking except that person's spirit" (See: Rhetorical Question)

spirit of the person

This refers to a person's inner being, his own spiritual nature.

no one knows the deep things of God except the Spirit of God

This can be stated in positive form. AT: "only the Spirit of God knows the deep things of God" (See: Double Negatives)

translationWords

reveal

Holy Spirit

know

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

10. ἐραυνᾷ. So אABC. Rec. (correcting to the more usual Classical form) ἐρευνᾷ, with DEFG.

10. διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. Though the αὐτοῦ of the rec. text is rejected by recent editors, the context here shews that the Spirit of God, and not the spirit of man, is meant. See next verse.

τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα πάντα ἐραυνᾷ. In this and the next verse we gather (1) the personality of the Holy Ghost, (2) His distinction from the Father. He not only searches the deep things of God, which He could not be described as doing were He identical with the Father, but though on account of His perfect knowledge of the Mind of God He is likened to the spirit of man which is one of the component elements of his being, the Apostle speaks of the one as the ‘spirit of a man which is in him,’ but of the other as the Spirit which is from (ἐκ, proceeding out of) God.

ἐραυνᾷ. ‘The word to search is here indicative not of ignorance, but of accurate knowledge, at least if we may judge from the fact that this is the very phrase the Apostle has used even of God, saying, “He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit.” ’—Chrysostom. The knowledge, in fact, as 1Co 2:11 shews, is of the same kind as the knowledge of the spirit of man concerning what passes within his breast, though, of course, infinitely more complete.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. τὸ πνεῦμα] the Holy Spirit of God—but working in us and with our Spirits, Rom 8:16. “Sufficiat nobis Spiritum Dei habere testem: nihil enim tam profundum est in Deo quo non penetret.” Calvin.

ἐραυνᾷ] a word of active research, implying accurate knowledge: so Chrys., οὐκ ἀγνοίας, ἀλλʼ ἀκριβοῦς γνώσεως ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἐρευνᾷν ἐνδεικτικόν.

τὰ βάθη] see reff. There is a comparison here between the Spirit of God and the spirit of a man, which is further carried out in the next verse. And thus as the spirit of a man knows the βάθος of a man, all that is in him, so the Spirit of God searches and knows τὰ βάθη, the manifold and infinite depths, of God—His Essence, His Attributes, His Counsels: and being τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν, besides being τὸ πν. τοῦ θεοῦ (De Wette well observes that the Apostle purposely avoids using the expression τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ of the Spirit of God, keeping the way open for the expression in ver. 12, τὸ πν. τὸ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ), teaches us according to our capacity, those depths of God.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. ἡμῖν γάρ. Reason why we can utter things hidden from eye, ear, and mind of man: ‘Because to us God, through the Spirit, unveiled them,’ or, ‘For to us they were revealed by God through the Spirit.’ The ἡμῖν follows hard upon and interprets τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν, just as ἡμῖν on τοῖς σωζομένοις (1:18): cf. ἡμῖν in 1:30 and ἡμῶν in 2:7. The ἡμῖν is in emphatic contrast to ‘the rulers of this world’ who do not know (v. 8). God reveals His glory, through His Spirit, to those for whom it is prepared. See note on v. 7; also Eph 1:14, Eph 1:17; 2Co 1:22.

If δέ be read instead of γάρ, we must either adopt the awkward construction of ἃ ὀφθλμός κ.τ.λ. advocated by Evans and rejected above, or else, with Ellicott, make δέ introduce a second and supplementary contrast (co-ordinate with, but more general than, that introduced by ἀλλά in v. 9) to the ignorance of the ἄρχοντες in v. 8. On the whole, the “latent inferiority” of the reading δέ is fairly clear.

ἀπεκάλυψεν. The aorist points to a definite time when the revelation took place, viz. to the entry of the Gospel into the world.* Compare the aorists in Col 1:26; Eph 3:5.

τὸ γὰρ πνεῦμα. Explanatory of διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. The σωζόμενοι and the ἀγαπῶντες τὸν Θεόν possess the Spirit, who has, and gives access to, the secrets of God.

ἐραυνᾷ. The Alexandrian form of ἐρευνᾷ (T.R.). The word does not here mean ‘searcheth in order to know,’ any more than it means this when it is said that God searches the heart of man (Rom 8:27; Rev 2:23; Psa 139:1). It expresses “the activity of divine knowledge” (Edwards); or rather, it expresses the activity of the Spirit in throwing His light upon the deep things of God, for those in whom He dwells. Scrutatur omnia, non quia nescit, ut inveniat, sed quia nihil relinquit quod nesciat (Atto). For the form see Gregory, Prolegomena to Tisch., p. 81.

τὰ βάφη. Cf. Ὠ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ (Rom 11:33), and contrast τὰ βαθέα τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ὡς λέγουσιν (Rev 2:24).*

ἡμῖν γάρ (B and several cursives, Sah. Copt., Clem-Alex. Bas.) seems to be preferable to ἡμῖν δέ (א A C D E F G L P, Vulg. Syrr. Arm. Aeth., Orig.), but the external evidence for the latter is very strong. Certainly ἀκπεκάλυψεν ὁ Θεός (א A B C D E F G P, Vulg. Copt. Arm. Aeth.) is preferable to ὁ Θεὸς ἀπ. (L, Sah. Orig.). After πνεύματος. א3 D E G F L, Vulg. Syrr. Sah. Arm. Aeth. AV. add αὐτοῦ. א* A B C, Copt. RV. omit.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Searcheth [ερευνα] . See on Joh 5:39. Not, searcheth in order to discover; but of the ever active, accurate, careful sounding of the depths of God by the Spirit.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.