1 Corinthians 2:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

NIV: No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

NASB: but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

CSB: On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory.

NLT: No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.

KJV: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

NKJV: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

Paul describes mere human wisdom, with its limited perspective, as fatally incomplete in understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ. Reason and evidence are important, but they do not force a person to accept the truth (James 2:19; Romans 1:18–23). Gospel truth doesn't need to be dressed up in showmanship to be understood and accepted (1 Corinthians 2:1–2).

Paul points to a higher, better, wisdom, which he does teach to those who are mature, meaning those who are in Christ and have God's Spirit with them. Paul describes this wisdom of God as secret and hidden. God decreed this wisdom before "the ages"—before time began—for the glory of those who believe in Christ. God's wisdom is secret and hidden in the sense that it cannot be obtained by mere observation of the world. Evidence can point towards God (Psalm 19:1), but it won't help those who don't want to seek God (Matthew 7:7–8). God's wisdom is above and beyond what humans can perceive in our natural state apart from Him (Isaiah 55:8–9). God must reveal His wisdom to us or we will not be aware of it.

At the heart of this hidden wisdom is the gospel itself, God's plan put in place from before the beginning. Paul put it this way in Ephesians 1:4–6, "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

First Corinthians 2:6–16 describes the difference between human wisdom and God's wisdom. Human wisdom is limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. Scripture points out the value of reason and knowledge (Colossians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:15), while demonstrating a difference between what man's mind can achieve and what God's Spirit can reveal. God's wisdom, including His plan to offer salvation through Christ's crucifixion, must be received and believed spiritually through God's Holy Spirit. Without the help of the Spirit, people cannot believe what is spiritual, so they reject all spiritual truth as foolishness. Christians, though, have access to the mind of Christ because of God's Holy Spirit with us.

When Paul first came to Corinth, he did not present the gospel to them with lofty speech and impressive arguments. He presented the truth as simply as he could so their faith would be based on God's power and not human wisdom. Only those with God's Spirit can understand the truths revealed by God, including Christ crucified for human sinfulness. Those without God's Spirit are limited to what can be observed and worked out with human reason. God's Spirit makes it possible for us to understand and believe spiritual things.

First Corinthians 2 picks up Paul's train of thought from the middle of the previous chapter. He reminds the Corinthians that he did not make an impressive display of his own speaking skills or knowledge when he first came to them. He wanted their faith to be in God's power, not human wisdom. God's ultimate wisdom can only be understood spiritually, revealed to human beings through God's Spirit. Those without God's Spirit cannot understand spiritual things. As a result, they reject the idea of Christ crucified for human sin as foolish. Through the Spirit, spiritual people have the mind of Christ.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.