Imagens da página
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Ver. 10. 1. The Spirit, έρευνα, searcbeth. Le Clerc, thinking it improper to speak of the Spirit's searching, supposes that searching, the cause, is put for knowing, the effect of searching. And therefore, he would have the clause translated, knoweth the depths; in which sense the word searcheth seems to be used, Rev. ii. 23. I am he, ó igsuvav, who searcheth; that is, who fully knoweth the reins and heart.

2. The depths of God. These are the various parts of that grand plan, which the wisdom of God hath formed for the salvation of mankind, their relation to, and dependence on each other, their operation and effect upon the system of the universe, the dignity of the person by whom that plan hath been executed, and the final issue thereof in the salvation of believers ; with many other particulars, which we shall not know, till the light of the other world break in upon us.

Ver. 12.-1. The spirit of the world, is that diabolical inspiration by which the heathen priests and priestesses delivered oracles, and which is here called the spirit of the world, because by these false oracles, the devil ruled the heathens, termed in scripture the world, and this world.

10 (4) But God hath revealed THEM to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit scarcheth all things, even the depths of God. 2

11 For who of men knoweth the DEPTHS of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him; so also, the DEPTHS of God, no one knoweth, except the Spirit of God.

12 Now, we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which COMETH from God, that we might know the things which are gifted to us by God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in words taught Br human wisdom, but in woRDS taught Br the Holy Spirit,'explaining spiritual things in spiritual

WORDS. 3

10 But, although no faculty in man could discover these things, God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit knoweth all things, even the deep counsels of God respecting the salvation of men.

11 This ye may know, by reflecting on yourselves: for who among men knoweth the depths, the concealed thoughts and designs of a man, but the spirit of man which is in him; so also, the deep concealed designs of God, no one knoweth, except the Spirit of God who is conscious of the whole.

12 Now, we have received, not the inspiration of that evil spirit who agitates the heathen priests and priestesses, but the inspiration which cometh from God, that we might know fully the blessings, (ver. 9.) which are gifted to us and to all who believe, not by any idol, but by the true God.

13 Which blessings also we declare to the world, not in the flowery language prescribed by the Greek rhetoricians, but in the unadorned language suggested to us by the Holy Spirit ; explaining spiritual things in words dictated by the Spirit, because they are best adapted to express them.

Ver. 13.-1. Words taught by the Holy Spirit. From this we learn, that as often as the apostles declared the doctrines of the gospel, the Spirit presented these doctrines to their minds clothed in their own language; which indeed is the only way in which the doctrines of the gospel could be presented to their minds. For men are so accustomed to connect ideas with words, that they always think in words. Wherefore, though the language in which the apostles delivered the doctrines of the gospel, was really suggested to them by the Spirit, it was properly their own style of language. This language in which the doctrines of the gospel was revealed to the apostles, and in which they delivered these doctrines to the world, is what St. Paul calls the form of sound words, which Timothy had heard from him, and was to hold fast, 2 Tim. i. 13. Every one therefore ought to beware of

[blocks in formation]

14 But the natural man

receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But he that is spi

ritual, judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged

of no man.

16 For who hath known

14 Ψυχικος δε ανθρωπος ου δέχεται τα του πνεύματος του Θεου μωρια γαρ αυτῷ εςι, και ου δύναται γνωναι, ότι πνευματικώς ανακρίνεται.

15 Ο δε πνευματικός ανα κρινει μεν παντα, αυτος δε ὑπ' ουδενος ανακρίνεται.

16 Τις γαρ εγνω νουν the mind of the Lord, Κυριον, ὃς συμβιβάσει αυ

that he may instruct him?

altering or wresting the inspired language of scripture, in their expositions of the articles of the Christian faith.-Taylor, in the sixth chapter of his Key, at the end, explains the verse under consideration thus: Which things we speak, not in philosophical terms of human invention, but which the Spirit teacbeth in the writings of the Old Testament: and contends, that the apostle's meaning is, that he expressed the Christian privileges in the very same words and phrases, by which the Spirit expressed the privileges of the Jew. ish church in the writings of the Old Testament. But if the Spirit suggested these words and phrases to the Jewish prophets, why might he not suggest to the apostles, the words and phrases in which they communicated the gospel revelation to the world? Especially as there are many discoveries in the gospel which could not be expressed clearly, if at all, in the words by which the prophets expressed the privileges of the Jewish church. Besides, it is evident, that when the apostles introduce into their writings the words and phrases of the Jewish prophets, they explain them in other words and phrases, which no doubt were suggested to them by the Spirit. See 2 Tim. iii. 16. note 4.

2. Explaining spiritual things. The original word σvyxgwortes, is rightly translated interpreting or explaining; being used by the LXX. to denote the interpretation of dreams, Gen. xl. 16. 22. xli. 12, 13. 15. Dan. ii. 4. v. 7. 12.

3. In spiritual words So I translate vμarms. But Dr. Pearce transslates the clause, explaining spiritual things to spiritual men. This sense I acknowledge the original will bear, only it does not agree so well with the first part of the verse, where words taught by the Holy Spirit are mentioned.

Ver. 14-1. Now an animal man. An animal man is one, who makes the faculties of his animal nature, that is, his senses, his passions, and his natural reason darkened by prejudices, the measure of truth, and the rule of his conduct, without paying any regard to the discoveries of revelation. Of this character were the heathen philosophers, to whom the doctrines of the gospel were foolishness, chap. i. 23. Also the Jewish scribes, and those

[blocks in formation]

14 Now, an animal man, who judges of things by his senses and passions and natural reason, believeth not the matters revealed by the Spirit of God; for they appear foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually examined; examined by the light which revelation, and not reason, affords.

15 But the spiritual man is able to examine all things, yet he cannot be examined by any animal man; Because such cannot judge of the principles on which a spiritual man's belief is founded.

16 For what animal man hath known the mind of the Lord, his deep counsels, (ver. 10.) so that he can

false teachers whom Jude, ver. 19. calls fuxini, animal men, not having the Spirit. These all rejected the gospel, because they could not explain its doctrines by their own principles, or preconceived notions.

2. Because they are spiritually examined. (Vulgate, examinantur.) Beza, by dividing is thus, ò̟, TM, translates the clause, neither can he know any thing which is spiritually discerned.

Ver 15.-1. The spiritual man, being opposed to the animal man, is not an inspired person, as Whitby thinks, but a person whose spiritual faculties, his reason and conscience, are not biassed by his animal nature, but have their due ascendant; and who entertains a just sense of the authority of revelation, in matters pertaining to God. And being sincerely desirous to know the truth, is assisted in his inquiries by the Spirit. Such a spiritual man, and he only, is able to judge properly of the things revealed by the Spirit of God.

1

Ver. 16.-1. For what man bath known, &c. Tis yag gyva vev nugis ; ós evμbibath autov; This is supposed by some, to be quoted from the LXX. translation of Isa, xl. 13. which runs thus: Tis yra ver nugis, nas Tis ouμβέλος αυτό εγενετο, ός συμβιβάσει αυτον. But as the apostle has omitted the middle clause, I think it is an application of the prophet's words to a different subject, rather than a quotation. I have therefore followed Locke, who supposes that the relative autov, him, refers to the remote antecedent, and denotes, not the Lord, but the spiritual man.

2. (No, Vulgate, Sensum.) The mind of the Lord; that is, the plan of the salvation of mankind, which exists in the mind of the Lord; his deep designs concerning us. See 1 Cor. xiv. 14. note, for the meaning of vs.

8.

3. Who will instruct him? Evμbibacu autor; that is, prove to the spiritual man that the principles on which he judges of spiritual things are

But we have the mind of τον ; ἡμεις δε νουν Χριςου

Christ.

false, inform him of things he is ignorant of, and shew him that in believing the gospel he hath fallen into error.—The truth implied in this question, must afford great satisfaction to all the faithful. No natural man, no infi.

CHAPTER III.

View and Illustration of the Matters treated in this Chapter.

FROM what is said in this chapter, it appears that the false teacher had represented St. Paul, either as ignorant or as unfaithful, because he had not fully instructed the Corinthians, before his departure. The same teacher had also boasted concerning himself, that he had given them complete instruction. The confutation of these calumnies, the apostle with great propriety introduced, after having in the former chapter, discoursed largely concerning the perfect knowledge of the gospel, given to the apostles by the Spirit. Wherefore, having in that chapter observed, that animal men receive not the things of the Spirit of God, he began this chapter with telling the Corinthians, that though he was an apostle fully instructed, he could not, during his abode with them, speak to them as to spiritual, but as to fleshly or weak persons, even as to babes in christianity, ver. 1. This was a severe blow to the pride of the Greeks. Notwithstanding their boasted proficiency in the sciences, they were fleshly or weak men, and babes in religious matters. It seems their admiration of their own philosophy, their confidence in human reason as the only judge of truth, and the prevalence of their animal passions, had rendered them incapable of understanding and relishing spiritual things. He had therefore given them milk and not meat, because they were not then able to bear meat; neither were they yet able to bear it, ver. 2.—That the Corinthians were still fleshly, was evident from the strifes and divisions which were among them, on account of the particular teachers to whom they had attached themselves, ver. 3.-For one said, I am of Paul, and another, I of Apollos, ver. 4. From this we learn, that there were two principal factions in the church at Corinth, the one of which adhered to Paul, and the other to a person who is here called Apollos figuratively, to avoid

« AnteriorContinuar »