Apr 09 2009
Bernardin de Picquigny: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
2:6 But we speak a wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, who are being destroyed.
2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God, in mystery, which is hidden, which God predestined before the ages to your glory.
2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory.
There is an inner or esoteric wisdom in the Christian faith, sublime and lofty mysteries of which St Paul here declares he was not ignorant, nd of which he had freely spoken among the perfect, those whose fervor in faith enabled them to embrace and understand them. It is possible that in these words he reflects somewhat upon the method of Apollo, who with the best intentions, may have somewhat rashly enlarged upon the sublimer truths of theology in the hearing of persons scarcely as yet able to understand them. Modern commentators, and among them Cornelius a’ Lapide, join in mystery in verse 7 with the verb we speak; we speak of these things only in secret. Theodoret, however, says: The meaning is not, we speak in mystery; but we tell to men the wisdom which is hid in mystery. This seems more likely, for if the Apostle talked of these subjects only among the perfect, it would be unnecessary for him to add that he did so in mystery.
What is this hidden wisdom? First, it is not of this world, secular and mundane; nor like the systems of philosophy accepted by the world. Nor is it of the princes of this world, from the inspiration of demons and fallen spirits, who are so called in Jn 12:31. Not a dark system of magian philosophy, the practice of divination and the magic art: all whcih were often imposed, in those days, upon the simplicity of the ignorant and credulous, and were even cultivated by the learned and powerful. This power over the minds of men, founded in trickery and falsehood, it was one of the objects of the Gospel of Christ to overthrow, and its overthro was one of the results of the spread of the true faith. Thr princes of this world are being destroyed. If by the princes of this world is understood earthly rulers and great men, then these are continually passing away, as each dies in turn.
This is what the hidden wisdom is not. It is, the wisdom of God, and therefore true; and it is hidden in the mystery: that is, the mystery of the incarnation; the splendor of God hidden in the flesh. Christ, therefore, is the wisdom of Go hidden in mystery. Not that St Paul concealed from any one the great mystery of the incarnation, which was, on the contrary, the center of all his preaching, ad the most important part of the message he had to deliver: but he treated it in a different manner, according to the capacity of his hearers, as he explains below. The incarnation, death, and passion, and resurrection of Christ, were proclaimed to all men, as the ground of their redemption. But the full intent, meaning, and end of Christ’s incarnation, the full significance of the adoption of the sons of God; possibly a prophetic view of the victory of the faith in the coming time; these perhaps were among the sublime mysteries of which the apostle spoke among the perfect, but which all could not at first comprehend. And this further, that God has foreordained this mystery, from the beginning of time, for our glory-our glorification by the gift of the Spirit of God now, and in eternal life hereafter. That God was hidden, and as it were annihilated, in the flesh, for the glory of that flesh which he assumed, that is for us human beings, was one of those mysteries which none of the princes of this world knew. The powers of darkness did not comprehend, and would not believe, the depth of humility and charity in the character of God, which rendered this possible. Had they known it, they would not have crucified him; because it was his cross which was the instrument of his victory, and gave him his irresistible power over the hearts of men. Rather than this, they would have allowed him to reign in earthly power and glory, in which case he could not have so completely overthrown their empire among men. It must be admitted, however, that this interpretation of verse 8 is open to some difficulty, since it implies that the Devil was either ignorant of, or would not believe, the Deity of Christ. It may be more simple to understand by the princes of this world, in this verse, earthly rulers, as in the expression of St Peter, in Acts 3:17: I know that in ignorance you did it, as also your princes. If Herod and Pontius Pilate had known that Jesus was the creator of the world, it is hardly to be believed that they would have put him to death, Not that their ignorance of this truth was sufficient to excuse them, after the miracles Christ had wrought, and the evidence they had of his innocence and sanctity.
2:9 But as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor has ascended into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him:
2:10 But to us God has revealed by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
2:11 For who among men knows what belongs to a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? So also what belongs to God, no one knoweth, but the Spirit of God.
2:12 But we have received not the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God; that we may know what is given to us of God:
2:13 Which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom; but in the doctrine of the spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
See Isaiah 64:3 (64:4 in some translations): “From the beginning of the world they have not heard, nor received with their ears, eye hath not seen, O God, without thee, what thou hast prepared for those who wait for thee.” That is, the great mystery of the Incarnation, beyond human intelligence and expectation; not to be understood or believed without thee, otherwise than by God’s revelation. And in the Incarnation is included its result, the salvation and ultimate glory of man. This the Spirit of God has revealed to us, and no other could reveal. As none knows the secret of a human heart, other than his own, so only the Spirit of God knows, and he knows fully, all the secrets of God. And this Spirit we have received, no earthly spirit, but the spirit coessential and consubstantial with God (St Athanasius, Theophylact), under whose teaching we know the full extent of the great gifts which have been given to us of God, his Son to redeem us, his Spirit to sanctify us. And of these mysteries and gifts of God we speak, not in philosophical language, but in words taught us by the Spirit of God.
13. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Conveying things spiritual in spiritual language. So Saint Chrysostom, and many other writers, ancient and modern. Theophylact, who is followed by St Thomas, takes the word spiritualibus in the masculine, and comparantes in the sense of the Greek συγκρινοντες (sygkrinontes=distinguishing, also, interpreting, understanding), and understands, reserving high and spiritual doctrine for the hearing of spiritual persons. This is more literal, and agrees with what the Apostle has said in verse 6, we speak wisdom among the perfect. The whole of this passage may then be considered an illustration and expansion of what he there asserted.
2:14 But the animal man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for it is folly to him, and he cannot understand; because it is examined spiritually.
2:15 But the spiritual judges all things; and himself is judged of none.
2:16 For who knows the sense of the Lord, to instruct him? And we have the sense of Christ.
14. The animal man. The word animal is used in three senses in Scriptures. First, in the sense of the English word, that which grows and lives on food, as all animals do, and in this sense it is used 1 Cor 15:45. Secondly, one who habitually follows animal impulses (Jude 19). Thirdly, as in this place, those who are guide only by right of natural reason. Such a person may be instructed in the faith, and give assent to its mysteries, but yet be unable to comprehendnd the higher and sublimer truths which are taught by the Spirit of God. These truths will appear to him folly, or meaningless, because they are beyond the reach of his capacity, and supernaturally understood. They should not, therefore, be rashly obtruded upon him, because, as St Thomas says, arguments are not to be given to those who are incapable of receiving them.
15. The spiritual judges all things. The spiritual man is also understood in three senses in the holy Scriptures. 1. Who does not require food, as Christ now. 2. Who follows the guidance of the Spirit; in this sense the animal man may be spiritual, though he cannot comprehend the higher mysteries of the faith. 3. The sense in which the word is here used, who is capable of understanding these higher mysteries, by a supernatural illumination. In this sense the spiritual man is the same with the perfect in verse 6. He is capable of judging or discussing all things, even the highest; and is not to be judged by his inferior, the animal man. For if he was, the animal man ought to know the mind, or secret, of God, better than he. But this mind of God can only be known by natural reason, which is impossible; or by supernatural illumination, which is contrary to the hypothesis. For who by reason and nature can know, and teach him, the mind of God? The sense of Christ. The Syriac reads: the mind; the Arabic: the intellect; the Ethiopic: the thoughts of Christ. We, the Apostles, know the mind of Christ by supernatural revelation. In the whole of this passage the Apostle evidently intends to assert the infinite superiority of the Christian philosophy to the other philosophical systems which it was brought into comparison at Corinth.
Corollary of Piety:
The highest wisdom the human intellect can attain is the knowledge of Jesus Christ. he is the eternal wisdom of God, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Whatever God knows, he knows, for he is God. The nature and character of God are fully known to him, for he is himself God. He knows all the causes and motives of the creation of the universe, for he is himself its Creator. He understands every detail of its complicated framework, down to the minutest, for his hands framed it. He understands the mode of dependence of the finite upon the Infinite creating will, for that will is his. He knows the law of connection between spirit and matter, inscrutable to human research, possibly beyond the reach of any finite intelligence, for he is the Creator equally of the spiritual and the material. Not only has he all wisdom and knowledge in himself, but it is he who imparts it to man, so far as man is capable of apprehending it, for he is the sun and the illumination of the human intellect. To penetrate the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in God the Word, have recourse to him, and take him as thy teacher; for there is no truth known to any finite intelligence, but from his teaching. Wonder: for this wisdom was for thee hidden, and as it were annihilated, in the mystery of the Incarnation. Love: for to this humiliation he was predestined from eternity in gloriam nostram, for our advancement to the glory of earth, which is sanctification, here, and the glory of eternity, which is his love, hereafter.
