Importance of this teaching style.
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NO MEETING ON JUNE 26
1 Corinthians audio at nateholdridge.com or wherever you get podcasts.
This is the second of four letters Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
First letter: 1 Corinthians 5:9 — I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.
It seems he was misunderstood.
Second letter: 1 Corinthians — Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus, his destination after Corinth (and just across the water).
He then was required to visit them at some point, perhaps because his letter had not been successful (2 Corinthians 2:1, 12:14, 13:1-2).
Third (potential) letter: 2 Corinthians 2:4 — For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.
Paul went to Troas to find Titus (the deliver of the harsh letter). He was overjoyed to find out they had received his words (see 2 Corinthians 2, 7).
Fourth letter: 2 Corinthians, where he expressed thankfulness to God.
1 The church founded; first visit.
2 The first letter (referred to in 1 C. 5:9).
3 The second letter: 1 Corinthians.
4 The painful visit.
5 The third letter: severe in tone (2 C. 2:4; 7:8).
6 The fourth letter: 2 Corinthians.
7 The third visit.
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Paul might have gone to Corinth with a sting from his ministry in Athens, but likely was only describing how he went to any city, humbly and with the cross.
Eloquence of speech is not needed to share the truth.
Moses thought his slow speech would keep him from ministry (Ex. 4:10).
Jeremiah thought his youthfulness would keep him from ministry (Jer. 1:6).
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Paul confessed to weakness, fear, and much trembling while on his initial trip to Corinth.
Paul visited Corinth on his second missionary journey (see Acts 18).
After hostility in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, Paul traveled down to Athens alone, before heading to Corinth alone.
He met Priscilla and Aquila there (Acts 18:1-4).
After Silas and Timothy came to him there, he was told by Jesus to remain there.
Acts 18:9–10 (ESV) — 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
He stayed for another eighteen months (Acts 18:11).
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
Paul did not think he preached a foolish message, but wisdom, just not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age. Instead, he preached the secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
Revelation 13:8 (ESV) — 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
By “rulers” Paul means the Sadducees, Pharisees, teachers of the law, and Herod Antipas, as well as the Romans represented by Pilate and his soldiers (Acts 4:25–28).
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
9 As it is written: This might be a loose quotation of some passages in Isaiah (Isaiah 64:4, 65:17, 52:15), but is likely a statement meaning ‘generally Scripture teaches.’
There is this deep and mysterious treasure trove of all God has prepared for those who love him.
Colossians 1:25–27 (ESV) — 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
10-11 The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God, because he is God (for only God could know everything God knows). Like your spirit knows you, the Holy Spirit knows God. He comprehends the thoughts of God.
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
10, 12 These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit / that we might understand the things freely given us by God:
So the Holy Spirit is our teacher regarding God’s thoughts.
One goal of the Christian life is to understand the things freely given us by God.
13 Interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual: This is what Paul considered his role to be.
Bible study.
But we need to be taught by the Spirit in order to understand the truth, because he knows the mind of God.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 [from Isaiah 40:13 LXX] “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
14 The natural person: Back to the wise of the world. They do not accept the things of the Spirit for they do not have the Spirit.
15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one: No natural or carnal people can appreciate, discern, or understand (context) the Spirit-led believer.
2 Peter 1:3–4 (ESV) — 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
16 But we have the mind of Christ: Because we have the Spirit. Amazing.
Because we have the Spirit of Christ.
Because we have the word of Christ.
2 Peter 1:4 (ESV) — 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Reflections:
Paul tried to shift their focus.
Off the human messengers (1 Corinthians 4:1).
Onto the message.
Onto the cross.
Onto the Spirit as the messenger.
Paul believed this would lead to resolution.
No longer divided.