1 Corinthians 2:1-8

1: And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2: For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3: I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
4: and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5: so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

6: Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;
7: but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;
8: the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

*** 

Paul said when he had come to Corinth, he didn’t come preaching with superior speech or wisdom, but simply the gospel of Jesus Christ. When he was there, it was in weakness, fear, and trembling.* By this time Paul had been stoned, beaten, arrested, and suffered much for the gospel. He was well aware that his messages could stir up a mob against him, but he feared God more, and took his call to preach the gospel seriously, knowing that this was his place and purpose in Christ as an apostle. He didn’t preach an eloquent, persuasive message to try to win them over or impress them, but he demonstrated the Spirit and power of God. He pointed this out, once again, so that their faith wouldn’t be in him, or his "wisdom," but in God and His power.

Yet, there is a place for wisdom for those who are mature. This wisdom is not the worldly wisdom of man, but the hidden wisdom of God—His plan all along—which the rulers of this age didn’t know, or they never would have crucified Jesus. If those who pushed for the death of Jesus would have really understood who He was, they never would have crucified Him. Yet, this was all a part of God’s plan, for the Lord had to be crucified to bear the sin of all.

This beautiful wisdom then, may be spoken of among the mature in Christ, not the worldly-wise. These mature ones are those who understand God’s wisdom. They are the ones to whom the mysteries of God can be revealed. Once again, we consider the condition of the heart. Do we seek to be wise before men, or humble before God? We would do well to seek maturity in Christ, to grow spiritually, becoming like Him, learning His ways, rather than seeking to impress people and practice the ways of the world.



*This period of time Paul speaks of being in Corinth is found in Acts 18:1-11.

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