world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the while those who understood it not re- 7. But we speak the wisdom of God. garded it as foolishness. As the apos- We preach a doctrine bearing the sigtle uses the word mystery in ver. 7, it net of divine wisdom, disclosing the is not improbable that he may have purpose of God concerning men. As had reference to the mysteries which contrasted here with the wisdom of formed such a prominent feature both men, it seems to refer especially to in the philosophy and in the religious the method of saving men from their rites of the Greeks. "The fully initi- sins, revealed in the gospel, in conated into the heathen mysteries were tradistinction to the various schemes named perfect, because these mysteries devised by human wisdom for the in their whole extent were discovered moral improvement of men. T In a to them. The apostle, Heb. vi. 1, mystery, even the hidden wisdom. calls the deep doctrines of the gospel "Which was hidden in a mystery." perfection, and here surnames the per- -Macknight. Styled a mystery besons who had these doctrines discovered cause it had long remained hidden. to them perfect men, because in the fol- "The words even and wisdom in this lowing verse he terms the gospel a translation have been supplied by our mystery. In other passages, however, translators; and the sense would be he uses the word perfect to denote per- more perspicuous if they were omitsons fully instructed in the doctrines ted, and the translation should be litof the gospel, where no allusion to the erally made. 'We proclaim the divine heathen mysteries is intended.". wisdom, hidden in a mystery.' The Macknight. Not the wisdom of apostle does not say that their preachthis world. Not the philosophy of ing was mysterious, nor that their docmen, which was so highly valued, and trine was unintelligible, but he refers which is so frequently mentioned in to the fact that this wisdom had been this and the preceding chapter. The hidden in a mystery from men until gospel is the true wisdom, not the false; that time, but was then revealed by the the wisdom of God, not of men. Nor gospel."-Barnes. By the use of this of the princes of this world. The apostle term, it is supposed that the apostle is supposed to refer here to the Jewish intended to attract the attention of rulers. See note on ver. 8. There were the learned Greeks, much of whose many Jews at Corinth, who were even wisdom was enveloped in mysteries more violent than the Greeks in their and made known only to the initiated; opposition to the gospel. They regard- at the same time assuring them that ed themselves as the special favorites of the gospel was more valuable than Heaven, and in a certain sense as the their most occult and sacred mysteproprietors or princes of the world. It ries, by as much as divine wisdom was not their wisdom which the apostle excelleth that which is human. The preached; for they neither devised it, same term, however, is elsewhere used nor accepted it when communicated to to signify gospel truth, where no them. That come to nought. "Whose special reference to the heathen mysgreatness will soon be nothing. Lit- teries is discoverable. See notes on erally, passing away into nothing- Matt. xiii. 11; Rom. xi. 25. ¶ Which ness. Conybeare. The present exist- God ordained before the world. Or, beence of men, with all its pomp, and fore the ages; from ancient times. So dignity, and glory, is fleeting and per- much the natural force of the original ishable. God alone is self-existent and words imply; but even more is probeternal. The wisest schemes of men ably denoted in this place, for we are liable to be frustrated by unfore- cannot conceive of a commencement seen influences. The purposes of God, of design or purpose in an unchangeguided by infinite wisdom, cannot fail able God. The apostle never loses of full and exact accomplishment. sight of the great fact that salvation hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; is the gift of God, the fruit of divine grace alone, irrespective of human merit. Before God, all men are sinful, and incapable of establishing any claim on him for a recompense of reward. Even the blessings of this life are so much beyond our deserts, that they are to be gratefully accepted as gifts, not as rewards: much more, salvation from sin and the bestowment of immortal blessedness in the life which is to come. These blessings, revealed in the gospel, were ordained or purposed by God before he subjected the creation to vanity. "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him." Eph. i. 9, 10. "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." 2 Tim. i. 9. T Unto our glory. Some commentators suppose the apostle to refer to the glory or honor conferred on the messengers of the gospel, as preachers of such a glorious doctrine. But it seems more reasonable to understand him as speaking of the glory which admission to the privileges of the gospel confers on all believers here, and more especially of that exceeding glory which shall crown the whole human family as the final result of God's eternal purpose. 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew. None of the Jewish rulers understood this mystery of the divine purpose. See note on ver. 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not I reply that to understand this right and the pertinency of it, we must remember, that the great design of St. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, was to take them off from the respect and esteem that many of them had for a false apostle that was got in among them, and had there raised a faction against St. Paul. This pretended apostle, it is plain from 2 Cor. xi. 22, was a Jew, and as it seems, 2 Cor. v. 16, 17, valued himself upon that account, and possibly boasted himself to be a man of note, either by birth, or alliance, or place, or learning, among that people, who counted themselves the holy and illuminated people of God; and therefore to have a right to sway among these new heathen converts. To obviate this claim of his to any authority, St. Paul here tells the Corinthians that the wisdom and learning of the Jewish nation led them not into the knowledge of the wisdom of God, -evident in this, that it was their rulers and rabbies, who, stiffly adhering to the notions and prejudices of their nation, had crucified Jesus, the Lord of glory, and were now themselves, with their state and religion, upon the point to be swept away and abolished."- Locke. Had For had they known it. Had they rightly understood the gospel, the revelation of divine wisdom. Had they fully comprehended the purpose of God, as proclaimed by his son. they realized that Jesus was the true Messiah, promised in the Old Testament. They would not have cruci|fied the Lord of glory. Or, the glorious Lord; a common Hebraism. It is absurd to suppose that the Jews would have crucified their Messiah, if they had distinctly recognized him. The nation had long and anxiously desired his appearance, and expected him to communicate rich blessings. They were ready to hail his advent, and to show him all honor. See Matt. xxi. 9; John vi. 15. But when Jesus came, they did not recognize him as have crucified the Lord of | hath not seen, nor ear heard, glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which joyed on earth by believers; but it the Messiah, because his character did 4; but the quotation is not literal. not correspond with their expectations. ¶ Eye hath not seen, &c. By the three They expected an earthly monarch; forms of expression here used, the he declared that his kingdom was not apostle expresses the general truth, of this world. John xviii. 36. They that men had not clearly perceived expected earthly blessings, riches, and understood the things revealed in power, and dominion over other na- the gospel. Before the advent of tions; he offered them only spiritual Christ, the utmost stretch of human blessings. Hence, although he spake wisdom had never been able to disas never man spake, and performed cover, or even to conceive, the glory miracles which no man could perform of those blessings which he revealed. without divine assistance, John iii. The things which God hath prepared. 2; vii. 46, they regarded him as an Many commentators restrict the meanimpostor; they could not abandoning of this phrase to the blessings entheir extravagant expectations, and would not submit to the indignity of being taught by a despised Nazarene. They crucified him, through ignorance of his true character. However unnecessary and unreasonable their ignorance may appear, yet it was acknowledged to exist, both by our Lord and by his apostles. While on the cross Jesus prayed for their forgiveness, on the express ground that they did not understand what they were doing. Luke xxiii. 34. And Peter, when reproving the Jews for their wickedness, in denying "the Holy One and the Just," and killing "the Prince of Life," of which wickedness they had not yet repented, says, "I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." Acts iii. 17. Paul testified in like manner in the synagogue of the Jews at Antioch. "They that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him." Acts xiii. 27. Of the Jews, therefore, as well as of the Greeks, the apostle might well say that by their wisdom they knew not God, ch. i. 21; that the doctrines which he preached were not devised by their wisdom, ver. 6; and that the teachers of such wisdom were not worthy of any special honor. 9. But as it is written. The reference is understood to be Isa. lxiv. is, that those blessings which God hath prepared for them who love him, and which in the gospel he hath discovered, and promised to bestow on them, are so great, that nothing like them hath ever been beheld by men or reported to them. Nay, the mind of man, by its own powers, is not able to form the most distant idea of them." To this interpretation, Whitby objects that "the apostle adds, in the following verse, But God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit;' whereas our future happiness is not yet revealed, saith St. John. 1 John iii. 2." It will be seen, however, on inspection, that John does not deny the fact that future happiness is revealed, but only declares that the precise form and character of that happiness is not yet known. Paul does not describe the shape of the spiritual body. But no Christian doubts that he preached the resurrection of the dead in a spiritual body, as a truth distinctly revealed. The objection stated by Barnes is somewhat differ God hath prepared for them | them unto us by his Spirit: for that love him. the Spirit searcheth all things, 10 But God hath revealed yea, the deep things of God. ent: "The declaration in ver. 10 is conclusive proof that Paul does not refer to the happiness of heaven. He there says that God has revealed these things to Christians by his spirit. But if already revealed, assuredly it does not refer to that which is yet to come.' But is revelation confined to the past and present? Has it no relation to the future? How then are we to understand the commencement of the Apocalypse? - -"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.' Rev. i. 1. Were not things revealed which were "yet to come?" If not, why is this styled a "revelation." The idea expressed by the apostle seems plain enough. He had been contrasting human wisdom with divine wisdom. What human wisdom had vainly attempted, divine wisdom had accomplished. What human reason had failed to discover, divine wisdom had revealed; and in this category are placed "the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Not only were Christians partakers of present joys to which the unconverted Greeks and Jews were equally strangers; but they had received assurance, by revelation, of blessings in the future life, richer and more abundant than had been discovered or conceived by men, before the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. For them that love him. Or, for them loving him. Whether this should be regarded as a limitation of the divine blessing, depends on the question whether all men shall or shall not finally love God. If they shall not, they are not included here; otherwise, they are. What is revealed on this subject may be more properly discussed elsewhere. I only remark here, that if God loves all men, there is apostolical authority for believing that when they become fully conscious of the fact, they will also love him. 1 John iv. 19. us. We have not obtained a knowledge of these blessings by means of human wisdom, but by revelation from God, through Jesus Christ. In like manner Paul says to the Galatians, "The gospel which was preached of me is not after man; for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Gal. i. 11, 12. Paul and his associates, having received this revelation directly from the Lord Jesus, and having obtained the gift of the spirit which guided them into all truth, John xvi. 13, were competent to instruct others; and the influence of the spirit was communicated to all who received the truth into good and honest hearts. Hence all Christians, in all ages, may regard these truths as revealed also unto themselves, and may rejoice in anticipation of the blessings revealed. ¶ By his spirit. By the spirit of God we are not to understand a separate personality in the Godhead, any more than a personality separate from man by the "spirit of man," ver. 11. See notes on John xiv. 16, 17, 26. The spirit of God here indicates that divine energy which was manifested in his Son; the active principle which was exhibited to men in the person, the character, and the teachings of the Son of God, and which is felt in the heart of the Christian bearing witness with his spirit that he is a child of God. Rom. viii. 16. T For the spirit searcheth all things. God is omniscient. Nothing is hidden from his sight, whether, in respect to us, past, present, or future. The word search "does not fully express the force of the original. It means, to search accurately, diligently, so as fully to understand; such profound research as to have thorough knowledge. Here it means, that the Holy Spirit has an intimate knowledge of all things. It is not to be supposed that he searches or inquires as men 10. But God hath revealed them unto | do who are ignorant; but that he has 11 For what man knowetheth no man but the Spirit of the things of a man, save the God. spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God know 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the rather than the "wisdom of this world," ver. 6, 7, and also why Christians should honor Christ as the "author of faith," the original accredited messenger of the "only wise God," instead of professing themselves to be followers of any human teacher, as if by his own wisdom he had discovered the truths proclaimed by him. This last idea, it should be remembered, runs through the first three chapters of this Epistle; and all the arguments used bear more or less directly on this particular point. ¶ The things of a man. The secrets of the heart. The thoughts, desires, purposes, plans of action. T Save the spirit of man which is in him. That is, himself, his own mind. In this phrase there is probably a refer an intimate and profound knowledge, such as is usually the result of a close and accurate search."- Barnes. Yea, the deep things of God. All the designs and purposes of God, even those which had been hidden from all former generations, but were now revealed through Christ. Even as the spirit of man knoweth his own purposes, so the spirit of God knoweth the purposes of God. Those purposes are unchangeable, and therefore positively known. If, as some suppose, the divine purposes were dependent on certain contingencies not clearly understood, it is not easily conceivable how such positive knowledge could exist. But depending for accomplishment, as they do, solely upon the "determinate counsel and fore-ence to the ancient opinion concerning knowledge of God," they exist in the divine mind, or are contemplated by the spirit of God, as absolute truth. See notes on Acts iii. 23; xv. 18. 11. For what man knoweth, &c. The apostle here illustrates the idea before expressed, namely, that the wisdom of men could never find out God to perfection, but that God alone had revealed himself by his Son, through the gospel. This he does by an appeal to the well-known fact, that no man fully knows the mind or the designs of another. The spirit or mind of each man knows his own purposes; but no one else can know them, except so far as he manifests them by word or deed. Even so it was impossible for philosophers and wise men and scribes, to know accurately, and of course impossible for them to teach distinctly, the character and purposes of God, which were known unto himself only, until he communicated knowledge by revelation. The idea is similar to that expressed in Matt. xi. 27: "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." This furnishes a good reason why Paul should preach the "wisdom of God" the three-fold nature of man, body, soul, and spirit. See ch. vi. 20; Heb. iv. 12. Even so. An emphatic form of expression, denoting the exactness of the comparison. T The things of God knoweth no man. That is, without the assistance of revelation. What God has revealed, men may know and understand; but by the efforts of human reason alone, they cannot penetrate the divine purposes. But the spirit of God. He alone understands and is able to reveal his own character and designs. See note on ver. 10. 12. Now we have received. Paul here speaks especially of himself and his fellow-apostles, who had received the truth "by the revelation of Jesus Christ." But the declaration is also true, in a qualified sense, concerning all Christians, to whom the same revelation has been transmitted. T Not the spirit of the world. Spirit is here used as an equivalent of wisdom in ver. 4-6. The phraseology is changed, to correspond with the language in ver. 11. The meaning is, we have not received the doctrines which the human intellect has devised, and which in this world is accounted the highest |