Sermon Discussion Questions:
Read 1 Corinthians 2 together
1. What did Paul have working against him from a worldly perspective in his preaching to the Corinthians? And how did he interpret those problems? See 1 Cor 2:4-5.
2. What makes you feel unqualified to share the gospel with others?
3. Why is the wisdom Paul imparts "hidden and secret" (1 Cor 2:7) and a "mystery" (Col 2:2)? What is it?
4. How does the Holy Spirit help us in this section? How does that encourage you in your own Bible study? In your evangelism?
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
- 1 Cor 2
In this section Paul is returning to the idea that he initially brought up back in chapter one when discussing the divisions in the church, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power,” (1 Cor 1:17). This idea of “words of eloquent wisdom” that would empty the cross of Christ of its power led Paul into a tangent about the very nature of the message of the cross: it is inherently foolish and weak to those who are perishing, even while it is wisdom and power to those who are being saved (1 Cor 1:18-25). And, you know what? Those who are being saved, those whom God has chosen are not those that the world finds impressive or wise or powerful, but weak and foolish (1 Cor 1:26-31). Now, Paul returns to his ministry to the Corinthians and the wisdom He preached.
The Method of Wisdom
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom. (1 Cor 2:1-4a)
This is what Paul’s preaching wasn’t. It wasn’t marked by lofty or eloquent speech or worldly wisdom. It was, rather, marked by weakness, fear, and trembling.
“If late antique culture was defined by anything it was the art of rhetoric, the art of public speaking, of teaching, moving and persuading an audience…All education – the liberal disciplines or arts – were simply a preparation for this, the highest achievement, the most desirable and influential profession of late antique culture [a professional rhetorician],” (Carol Harrison, Augustine and His Critics).
Paul avoids rhetorical brilliance when speaking to the Corinthians. This isn’t because Paul was a simpleton who lacked the vocabulary or intelligence to use language powerfully. When you read Paul, you will be stunned by his brilliance, and even beauty. If you read 1 Corinthians 13, you will find poetically beautiful imagery. God does not despise beauty, rhetoric, or thinking of speaking in such a way that is memorable or evocative. One third of the entire Old Testament is devoted to poetry. When Jesus spoke, He used powerful stories and evocative images and beautiful language to arrest people’s attention.
“Let us pay attention to the style of Isaiah which is not only pure and elegant, but also is ornamented with high art—from which we may learn that eloquence may be of great service to faith,” (John Calvin).
So what is Paul talking about here? One, I think he is referring in part to an intentional and unintentional weakness.
Intentional
Part of Paul’s intentional weakness is his eschewing of the rhetorical customs of the Greco-Roman world he was in. He didn’t abide by these oratorical forms that emphasized the intellectual powers of the speaker but had little to do with the truthfulness of what was being said. Paul was not going to toy around with the sophistry that was common. Rather, Paul spoke simply and clearly about what he knew to be true. In fact, the other aspect of the weakness of his speaking was his message itself. He explicitly says that he made a choice to “know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” This is a message that Paul has already explained is uncouth and ridiculous to non-Christians. “For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles,” (1 Cor 1:22-23). The message of crucified Messiah was not what the crowds were interested in hearing—they wanted signs and wisdom. A Messiah nailed to a cross? Not what they are interested in. But here, Paul is saying: that’s not just one part of my preaching, that’s ALL of my preaching!
Unintentional
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling. (1 Cor 2:3)
I don’t think the weakness that Paul is referring to here is just his intentional choice to avoid rhetorical customs or the weakness of the message of the cross, but I think this is literally a weakness that Paul has. Consider what Paul says to the Galatians, “You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me,” (Gal 4:13-15).
Some scholars assume that the “weakness” (ἀσθένεια) or “bodily ailment” (ἀσθένεια τῆς σαρκὸς) was an eye disease that Paul had, since he points out that the Galatians would have, if it were possible, been willing to gouge out their eyes for Paul. It was something that Paul assumed would have led to “scorning or despising.” Or consider Paul’s long exposition of “boasting in his weakness” and his “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 11-12. Remember what Paul’s critics in Corinth say of him? For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account,” (2 Cor 10:10). Perhaps Paul had a lazy-eye that made people uncomfortable when looking at him. Maybe his back was stooped over from his repeated beatings, whippings, and sufferings. Maybe he had a lisp that made his speech sound unimpressive.
There is one place in church history where we are given a physical description of what Paul looked like. In the 2nd century, a document called The Acts of Paul and Thecla describe Paul as “a man small in size, bald-headed, crooked thighs [note: bow-legged], well-built, with eyebrows meeting, rather long-nosed, full of grace.” If that is a historically accurate description, then perhaps Paul’s ailment was his crooked legs. So Paul was a short, stout, bow-legged, bald-headed, big-nosed unibrow…and he was full of grace. The quote goes on to say that at times he “looked like a man, and at times looked like an angel.” The beauty of his character overwhelmed whatever physical appearances were lacking.
But what of the fear and trembling? This could be referring to the fear and trembling that Paul experienced because he knew he was preaching God’s Word and he rightly feared God, and so was filled with reverent fear (cf. Phil 2:13-14). Yet, I am inclined to think that the fear and trembling had to do with the danger of persecution. When we read of what Paul’s experience was like in first preaching at Corinth, Paul needs a vision from Jesus in the night to promise him: “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you,” (Acts 18:9-10).
So, what does Paul have going against him? He looks unimpressive, sickly, weak. His speech is, in the Corinthians’ eyes, despicable. He is evidently so afraid that it is making a physical manifestation in his trembling and speech. He won’t use eloquence or worldly wisdom to tickle the ears of his hearers. He comes bearing the heavenly wisdom of Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called the power and wisdom of God.
…my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Cor 2:4-5)
Paul’s aim: the Corinthian’s faith resting in God, not in the wisdom of men. If he relied on the typical sophistry of the day, then the cross would be emptied of its power! People wouldn’t be drawn in by the Spirit, they’d be drawn in by Paul’s good looks, charming eloquence, and attractive demeanor. God made Paul weak so that there would be less and less of Paul to see, and more and more of Christ. So that when people were drawn in, they would know that it wasn’t because of the gimmicks of the day.
“If you mean by eloquence, what is usually intended by it in our cities, he had no pretensions to it. He had no studied varieties of voice, and no strong emphasis. He scarcely gestured or even moved, and he made no attempt, by the eloquence of his style, or the beauty of his pictures, to gratify the taste, and fascinate the imagination.
But, if you mean by eloquence the power of presenting an important truth before an audience, with overwhelming weight of argument, and with such intenseness of feeling that the whole soul of the speaker is thrown into every part of the conception and delivery, so that the solemn attention of the whole audience is riveted, from the beginning to the close, and impressions are left that cannot be effaced, Mr. Edwards was the most eloquent man I ever heard speak,” (As quoted in Sereno Dwight’s Memoir of Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 1).
The power of truth, not the cleverness of men, is what drew them in.
The Message of Wisdom
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:6-9)
Paul is not opposed to wisdom. He is opposed to the “wisdom of this age” that marks the “rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.” What does that mean? In Paul’s mind there are two ages: there is this current age that is marked by the fall of sin, and it is fading away. And there is the age to come which has been inaugurated in the resurrection of Christ and is dawning upon us now. This is the age that the Church belongs to, and it possesses the eternal wisdom of God—that’s the wisdom Paul is interested in. But notice: this wisdom is not obvious. It is a “secret and hidden wisdom” that God actually “decreed before the ages.” What wisdom is this? We get a clue in verse 8: “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,” (1 Cor 2:8).
None of the rulers of the age understand the secret, hidden wisdom of God. If they had, they wouldn’t have crucified Jesus, the Lord of glory. That either means this secret wisdom that Paul preaches is Jesus Himself or the wisdom of God is Jesus crucified.
Remember earlier in 1 Corinthians 1 where Paul explicitly says, “we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God,” (1 Cor 1:23-24). And later in verse 30, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God…” (1 Cor 1:30). This, I think, is why Paul says that he decided to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified (2:2). Consider Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church, that they may know: “the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” (Col 2:2-3). Here we see the “mystery” of Christ, that which was “hidden” or “secret”, which leads Paul to cite the prophet Isaiah:
9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9)
Sometimes this verse is used to describe heaven, but in reality, Paul is actually using this to describe the work of Christ in His death and resurrection. Nobody saw the cross coming, not even the disciples. Why? It seems so blatantly obvious to us. We have been so saturated with the message of the cross that it (certainly) isn’t offensive, isn’t surprising—is actually in danger of becoming kind of ordinary, assumed, maybe even boring. We know that God forgives and that has something to do with Jesus dying on the cross. What’s the big deal?
But if we take the time to reflect on why Jesus’ death was a surprise then, it may surprise us now. Consider this: what if we picked one person in this room and gave them supreme and total authority over the rest of us. Whatever they said, we would have to do. There could be no argument, nor resistance, only total obedience. And let’s say that this person then had access to all of our personal documents, our internet search history, our credit card bills, our screen time, our thoughts—what if they knew everything about us. And then, what if that person didn’t only have power over our church, or our city, or our country, but over the whole world. No government, no billionaire, no genius could stop this person’s will, no court could overturn their judgment. Wouldn’t you be afraid?
This is the kind of person that Jesus claimed to be. Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” the title given to the divine figure from the book of Daniel who rules the entire earth, who will judge the living and the dead. He didn’t just claim to be a prophet, He didn’t just claim to be a teacher, He didn’t just claim to be a good example—Jesus understood that His identity was utterly unique from the rest of mankind. But this isn’t what is surprising. Here is what is surprising: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many,” (Mark 10:45).
“This is a kind of power where more and more of it doesn’t mean tyranny but safety. A kind of power where putting others in their place means putting them above you and not below you. Power wielded in this way shows us the character of God himself,” (Sam Allberry).
The cross of Christ is the wisdom of God because it shows us who God is and who we are: God is the kind of God who will go to the cross for you, and you are the kind of person who needs God to go to the cross. God is merciful, and we are sinners. What does God do when He encounters sin? He doesn’t sweep it under the rug and ignore it nor does He respond in unmitigated fury and judgment. He isn’t morally mushy or tyrannical. He doesn’t shrug his shoulders at exploitation or annihilate us. What does He do? He serves. He loves. He bleeds and dies. The more power God has, the more He empties Himself. This is the mystery of the cross: the glory of God Almighty displayed in suffering and dying for sinners. So He invites us to come with our sin and our guilt and He will provide forgiveness.
And, did you catch that little phrase back in verse 7: “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” (1 Cor 2:7) He hasn’t just destined us to be forgiven, but for glory. The wisdom of God is displayed in turning rebels into glorified sons and daughters of the King, purified and washed clean, made radiant and resplendent from the fountain of divine love poured over us. You, dear Christian, are destined for eternal glory.
“Maybe you’re here today and unsure whether you believe in God…But I’m willing to bet that the God you don’t believe in isn’t like this. And if God was to exist, wouldn’t you want him to be like this? A God who lives to serve.” (Allberry)
The Means of Wisdom
How do you receive this? How do you get in on this? Paul says that many people when they hear the wisdom of God displayed in the cross of Christ think it is silly, non-sensical, and walk away. But if you are here today and you see the cross and think: that is beautiful, that is powerful, that is true! Then what happened?
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1 Cor 2:10-12)
The third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, reveals truth. The Spirit, being God, knows all things. This is the Spirit we have received so we now can understand the things God has freely given us in Christ. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised all His disciples in John 16: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:13-14)
And now, Paul understands that His weak, foolish, fearful, unimpressive preaching is empowered by this Holy Spirit: And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Cor 2:13)
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14)
The method of wisdom is weakness
The message of wisdom is the cross
The means of wisdom is the Holy Spirit
This should make us…
- Prayerfully dependent in…
- Our Bible reading and family devotions
- Listening to sermons
- Evangelism
- Non-manipulative in our evangelism
- Be calm, curious, and confident
- Cross-centered
- The cross is the clearest display of the heart of God for us
