1Cor 2:1 | Clarke | STEP | The apostle makes an apology for his manner of preaching, . And gives the reason why he adopted that manner, . He shows that this preaching, notwithstanding it was not with excellence of human speech or wisdom, yet was the mysterious wisdom of God, which the princes of this world did not know, and which the Spirit of God alone could reveal, . It is the Spirit of God only that can reveal the things of God, . The apostles of Christ know the things of God by the Spirit of God, and teach them, not in the words of man's wisdom, but in the words of that Spirit, , . The natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit, . But the spiritual man can discern and teach them, because he has the mind of Christ, , . Verse 1 When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, . I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.

1 Corinthians 2:1

Introduction

The apostle makes an apology for his manner of preaching, 1Cor 2:1. And gives the reason why he adopted that manner, 1Cor 2:2-5. He shows that this preaching, notwithstanding it was not with excellence of human speech or wisdom, yet was the mysterious wisdom of God, which the princes of this world did not know, and which the Spirit of God alone could reveal, 1Cor 2:6-10. It is the Spirit of God only that can reveal the things of God, 1Cor 2:11. The apostles of Christ know the things of God by the Spirit of God, and teach them, not in the words of man's wisdom, but in the words of that Spirit, 1Cor 2:12, 1Cor 2:13. The natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit, 1Cor 2:14. But the spiritual man can discern and teach them, because he has the mind of Christ, 1Cor 2:15, 1Cor 2:16.

Verse 1

When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, 1Cor 1:17. I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify any kind of language by which it may be conveyed. See the Introduction, Section 2.