1Cor 2:7-8 | JFB | STEP | 7. wisdom of God —emphatically contrasted with the wisdom of men and of this world ( ). in a mystery —connected in construction with "we speak": We speak as dealing with a mystery; that is not something to be kept hidden, but what heretofore was so, but is now revealed. Whereas the pagan mysteries were revealed only to a chosen few, the Gospel mysteries were made known to all who would obey the truth. "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost " ( ), "whom the God of this world hath blinded. " Ordinarily we use "mystery" in reference to those from whom the knowledge is withheld; the apostles, in reference to those to whom it is revealed [WHATELY ]. It is hidden before it is brought forward, and when it is brought forward it still remains hidden to those that are imperfect [BENGEL ]. ordained —literally, "foreordained" (compare ), "prepared for them that love Him." before the world —rather, "before the ages " (of time), that is, from eternity. This infinitely antedates worldly wisdom in antiquity. It was before not only the wisdom of the world, but eternally before the world itself and its ages. to our glory —ours both now and hereafter, from "the Lord of glory " ( ), who brings to naught "the princes of this world."

1 Corinthians 2:7-8

7. wisdom of God—emphatically contrasted with the wisdom of men and of this world (1Co 2:5, 6).

in a mystery—connected in construction with "we speak": We speak as dealing with a mystery; that is not something to be kept hidden, but what heretofore was so, but is now revealed. Whereas the pagan mysteries were revealed only to a chosen few, the Gospel mysteries were made known to all who would obey the truth. "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost" (2Co 4:3), "whom the God of this world hath blinded." Ordinarily we use "mystery" in reference to those from whom the knowledge is withheld; the apostles, in reference to those to whom it is revealed [WHATELY]. It is hidden before it is brought forward, and when it is brought forward it still remains hidden to those that are imperfect [BENGEL].

ordained—literally, "foreordained" (compare 1Co 2:9), "prepared for them that love Him."

before the world—rather, "before the ages" (of time), that is, from eternity. This infinitely antedates worldly wisdom in antiquity. It was before not only the wisdom of the world, but eternally before the world itself and its ages.

to our glory—ours both now and hereafter, from "the Lord of glory" (1Co 2:8), who brings to naught "the princes of this world."

8. Which—wisdom. The strongest proof of the natural man's destitution of heavenly wisdom.

crucified . . . Lord of glory—implying the inseparable connection of Christ's humanity and His divinity. The Lord of glory (which He had in His own right before the world was, Joh 17:4, 24) was crucified.