6Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers ofthis age, who are doomed to pass away. 7But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which Goddecreed before the ages for our glory. 8None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had,they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor earheard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10these thingsGod has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.11For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no onecomprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received not the spirit of theworld, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13Andwe impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritualtruths to those who are spiritual. 14The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, forthey are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15Thespiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16“For who has understood themind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Up to this point in 1 Corinthians, Paul had emphasized the “foolishness” of the gospel but in 2:6, he begins talking about the gospel as the wisdom of God. Why the change? List a few reasons you think why Paul made this transition in his argumentation and why it was important for him to do this.
2. Why would “the rulers of this age” think it strange – even foolish - to call someone who was crucified “The Lord of Glory”?
3. Do you think Paul recognizes that the world would see this title in regards to Christ as odd and silly? What is one factor in Paul’s theological equation that makes all the difference in the world in this regard (HINT: Peter expresses this missing ingredient well in Acts 2:31-32)? Another way to put it is, what event would allow Paul to call someone who was crucified the Lord of Glory?
4. The word Spirit appears 6 times in the span of 5 verses here (2:10-14) – what does this tell us about the fundamental theme to this whole passage? How does the Spirit help us according to this passage? Why is this important to realize and appreciate?
REFLECTION
Reflect and comment on this quote from the Pillar Commentary on 1 Corinthians (Ciampa & Rosner, 2010):
“The Spirit does not impart wisdom out of thin air, for the Spirit and the cross go together. The mind of Christ is not exercised by thinking about nothing. Rather, those who are spiritual habitually turn to the cross (2:8), as Paul did in the face of divisions in Corinth in 1:18-2:5. For the cross is where we find Christ’s mind-set on such behavior.”‘BONUS’ QUESTION
What are the thematic and topical connections between Matthew 16:16-17 and our passage (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)?
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