1Cor 2:3 | KingComments | STEP | . It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man. . Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them. They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ. . He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you. . Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time. . No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that. . Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways. Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” ( ). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ. In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future ( ). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect. In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way ( ) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”. Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” ( ) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” ( ). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that. . Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God. First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that. Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself. Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart? Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited. How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” ( ). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see. Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again. Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?

‏ 1 Corinthians 2:3

Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified

1Cor 2:1. It would not have been difficult for a man like Paul to win the Corinthians for the gospel through an impressive speech. He was an experienced speaker, who also knew how people in his time were thinking. He easily could have adapted himself to that way of thinking. With his talent he could have presented the gospel in an attractive and pleasant way. He then would have, however, not preached the testimony of God, but something they would have loved to hear. In that way he himself would have been honored. Paul refused that. The important thing for him was the testimony of God and not something of himself or of any other man.

1Cor 2:2. Paul knew well whom he was dealing with when he went to the Corinthians. He knew that there was only one way to win them for Christ and that was by presenting Him as the crucified One. Do you see that he did not preach redemption in the first place, but the cross? Christ was the content of his preaching, but he preached Christ in His most humiliated condition. He presented Him as the crucified One. There is not much credit to be gained by that, is there? Indeed, there is no credit to be gained by that at all. The cross is the most disgraceful death you could ever think of. In such a way Paul is telling them they became believers at that time. That was not due to his excellence in argumentation, but because he preached Christ as the crucified One to them.

They had somewhat forgotten that and that’s why they got impressed again by different things that honor people. You came across those things in chapter 1, things like wisdom, esteem and might. Paul didn’t want to have anything to do with those things because for him those things were already judged in the cross of Christ.

1Cor 2:3. He didn’t come to them as a hero, as someone in whom they could glory or be proud of. Weakness, fear and much trembling were the feelings he had when he was with them. Those are not feelings that make you to be admired in this world. In the world you have to be tough and make yourself important and above all, not letting people walk all over you.

1Cor 2:4. Because Paul did not seek his own interests or stand up for his own rights, he could be used by the Holy Spirit, Who could empower his words. For that reason, their faith was not in human power, but in God’s power. If your faith is supported by any human source, it will definitely fail some time.

1Cor 2:5. No one, no matter how well-educated or wise he may be and how excellent his speech may be, could ever put the necessary strength to his words so that you can live. Only God’s power can keep you going and keep you on the right way and bring you safely to the final goal of your life. You can and should hold on to that.

1Cor 2:6. Now the Corinthians should not think that Paul couldn’t speak with wisdom. He definitely could! But Paul also knew where he could do that. That was not with them, but among the mature or perfect. You might now say: ‘Oh, then he can’t speak to me either, for neither am I perfect.’ That is yet the question. Actually in the Bible the word ‘perfect’ is used in different ways.

Like in Hebrews 10 for example, “for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Heb 10:14). There it is about your position before God. Through the offering of the Lord Jesus, His atoning death, God sees you as perfect because He imputes the perfect work of the Lord Jesus to you. No one can detract from the value of that offering before God. Therefore no one can detract something from your position before God. You are and remain perfect because God sees you in the perfect offering of Christ.

In Philippians 3 you read about a perfectness you do not have yet, but that lies in the future (Phil 3:12). That has to do with your life on earth, where you may suffer and have pain. In heaven it will not be like that. There everything is perfect.

In Philippians 3 you also read about perfectness in a third way (Phil 3:15) and this is also the way it is meant here. The perfect or mature ones who are meant here, are Christians who want to give Christ the first and only place in their lives. They don’t want to give room in their lives anymore to things concerning the world, such as wisdom, esteem and might. Because the Corinthians still gave room to those things, they couldn’t be considered “mature” or “perfect”.

Does this mean that you will not be interested in anything of the world anymore? That is not what it means, for your old nature, the flesh, will continually try to draw your attention to wisdom, esteem and might. Should you notice this in yourself – or if maybe someone else points that out to you – just confess that immediately to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus loves to give you far more than just that as the Crucified One, He has put everything right with God for you. He loves you to enjoy what He is now in heaven as the glorified Man at God’s right hand. You can read about that in the letter to the Colossians and in the letter to the Ephesians. There you read about Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3) and about “the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph 3:10). Do you think that you would understand anything of that when you were still occupied with the wisdom of the world, or when you were still impressed by the rulers of this world? All of that will be totally put away; nothing will be left of that.

1Cor 2:7. Although Paul cannot elaborate on it here, he does mention a few important things related to the wisdom of God.

First, this wisdom is “in a mystery”. That means that this wisdom is not visible. You cannot observe it in the world around you. But this wisdom is not only a mystery to the unbelievers; it is also a mystery to the believers who think and live worldly, or who still value the wisdom of the world in a way. The wisdom of God is a “hidden [wisdom]” for the intellect of man. He cannot understand that.

Second, this wisdom of God is an eternal matter. You cannot refer to a certain time in the past that God has received wisdom. It is a wisdom as eternal as He Himself.

Third, God has predestined this wisdom for us. Therefore He intentionally thought of you as someone to whom He wanted to give this wisdom. Could you imagine that without being mind-boggled and praising Him in your heart?

Fourth, it is a wisdom that serves to your glory. Of your own you did not have and have not any glory, nothing that is pleasant or attractive. That has changed through the wisdom of God. In God’s eye you now have glory. This glory is nothing else than God’s own glory with which He clothed you in the Lord Jesus. In it, His wisdom is exhibited.

How God has given you glory can be read in John 17. There the Lord Jesus says to His Father: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them” (Jn 17:22a). The more you are occupied with the Lord Jesus, the more the glory of God’s wisdom will radiate from your life. And that is what God would love to see.

Now read 1 Corinthians 2:1-7 again.

Reflection: What attracts you more: the wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom in a mystery? Why?