ACC ~ 1 Corinthians 2 v13 - 16

OVERVIEW:

A spiritual truth must be viewed not in isolation but in comparison to other spiritual truths, such as Jonah’s deliverance, Christ’s resurrection and Sarah’s birthing. The soul that pretends to see without the Spirit may become a danger to itself, as if eyes were trying to see without light (CHRYSOSTOM). Such a person is prone to become contented with blindness (THEODORET OF CYR, CHRYSOSTOM). One whose mind is formed by God’s revelation is better able to assess philosophical arguments than the philosopher is able to assess revelation (ORIGEN). The enemies of faith view falsehood as true (AMBROSIASTER). Everything we know about our salvation comes from the mind of Christ (CHRYSOSTOM, AMBROSIASTER) through the Holy Spirit (PELAGIUS), revealing the mind of the Father (OECUMENIUS). It is not that faith knows everything (CHRYSOSTOM) but that everything sufficient for our salvation is adequately revealed. Only one who lives in the Spirit is prepared to teach Christianity (THEODORET OF CYR).

2:13 | Taught by the Spirit

INTERPRETING SPIRITUAL TRUTHS. CHRYSOSTOM: Some spiritual truths are unclear and need to be interpreted, but this can be done only by comparing them with other spiritual things. For example, when I say that Christ rose again, I compare this to the deliverance of Jonah from the belly of the whale.1 And when I say that he was born of a virgin, I compare this to the miraculous childbearing of barren women like Sarah, Rebekah and so on.2 HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 7.8.

NOT A TOTAL DISAVOWAL OF HUMAN WISDOM. THEODORET OF CYR: This does not mean that Paul did not have any human wisdom but that he preached in the wisdom of the Spirit. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 178.4

2:14a | A Folly to Unspiritual Persons

THE UNSPIRITUAL TRY TO SEE WITHOUT LIGHT. CHRYSOSTOM: God gave us a mind in order that we might learn and receive help from him, not in order that the mind should be self-sufficient. Eyes are beautiful and useful, but if they choose to see without light, their beauty is useless and may even be harmful. Likewise, if my soul chooses to see without the Spirit, it becomes a danger to itself. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 7.9.5

2:14b | Spiritual Gifts Are Spiritually Discerned

THE UNSPIRITUAL ARE UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND. CHRYSOSTOM: The man who can see sees everything which belongs to the blind man, but no blind person can tell what he is doing. Likewise, we who believe can understand both our own affairs and those of unbelievers, but they are helpless when it comes to trying to understand us. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 7.11.6

CONTENTED WITH BLINDNESS. THEODORET OF CYR: The unspiritual man is one who is happy enough with his own ideas and who neither accepts nor understands the teaching of the Spirit. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 178.

2:15 | The Spiritual Person Judges All Things

THE SPIRITUAL MAN. ORIGEN: The spiritual man is able to judge everything, whether it is Greek or barbarian, wise or foolish. He cannot be judged by anyone because of the depth of his understanding and his responses. COMMENTARY ON 1 CORINTHIANS 1.11.44-45.8

THE ENEMIES OF FAITH REGARD FALSEHOOD AS TRUE. AMBROSIASTER: Who can condemn a man who tells the truth? When such a person states that all the enemies of the faith regard falsehoods as true, their accusations are reduced to nothing because they are condemned by the judgment of the truth. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.9

THE GIFT OF TEACHING. THEODORET OF CYR: The person who has received the Spirit’s gift is equipped to teach others. Otherwise what he says is of no value at all.

COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 179.10

2:16 | Who Knows the Mind of the Lord?

PARTAKERS OF THE MIND OF CHRIST. AMBROSIASTER: Paul says this because believers are partakers of the divine wisdom. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.12

THE ILLUMINATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. PELAGIUS: We have the mind of Christ because we have the Holy Spirit. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 2.13

DO WE KNOW ALL THAT CHRIST KNOWS? CHRYSOSTOM: We know the things which are in the mind of Christ, which he has willed and revealed to us. This does not mean that we know everything which Christ knows but rather that everything which we know comes from him and is spiritual. HOMILIES ON THE EPISTLES OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS 7.12.14

NOTHING LACKING. THEODORET OF CYR: Paul demonstrates with sufficient clarity that there is nothing lacking in God’s teaching. It is not simply that it contains the sum of all knowledge, but God also imparts wisdom so that we may understand it properly. COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 179.

THE FATHER IN US. OECUMENIUS: The “mind of Christ” refers to the Father. Paul is saying that we have the Father of Christ in us. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.16