The Hidden Wisdom of God, Revealed by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6–10)

1 Cor. 2:6. We do speak wisdom among the mature; but it is not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.

This discourse on true wisdom stands opposed to everything the Apostle has said from the point where he declared that he was sent to preach the Gospel not in the wisdom of words (1 Cor. 1:17). There he said that God chose to draw people to salvation through the folly of preaching, and those who received the preaching were mostly foolish and of low standing in the world’s eyes, and he himself preached simply and only the simple word of the cross. Upon hearing this, anyone might have thought: surely Christianity contains nothing nourishing for the mind, it is meager in content, and its wisdom is not great. Against this the Apostle argues that the folly of preaching and all its humble circumstances were adopted by the Lord’s arrangement solely so that the wise might prove themselves through it. When such people are converted by the working of simple preaching, they are then enriched with a wisdom that is inaccessible to the children of this age.

What wisdom then do they hear? – The complete revelation of how salvation was accomplished by the Lord through the cross and death, and how this salvation is appropriated by those who turn to the Lord through faith; then, from what sources the arrangement of such a way of salvation proceeded, and what fruits it bears in all creation. The Apostle unfolds all this in his epistles, especially in the letter to the Ephesians and Colossians. Into the knowledge of our relationship with God they are led gradually by the grace of the Spirit under the condition of moral perfection. Here the spiritual, divine realm is revealed, and there is no end to such revelation. Our interpreters speak of this wisdom thus: “By wisdom the Apostle means the preaching of the Gospel and the way of salvation through the cross” (holy Chrysostom). “The preaching which was formerly called foolishness is indeed wisdom and is called wisdom for those who have received the true and perfect faith” (Theodoret). “By wisdom he means the preaching and the way of salvation, how they are saved through the cross” (holy John of Damascus), – “how through the cross all that is under heaven is saved” (Oecumenius). “For it is the work of the highest wisdom to destroy death by death” (Theophylact).

Whom does the Apostle mean by the mature? – This is understood in different ways. Setting these mature Christians in contrast to the catechumens, who are still preparing to become Christians, one must understand them to include all the faithful who have been baptized, received the grace of the Spirit through the laying on of hands (anointing with chrism), and partake of the holy mysteries of Christ. These divine mysteries were called the perfecting mysteries, for they perfected the Christian. One who received them was considered a mature Christian, and his concern thereafter was no longer how to become a Christian, but how to live and act as a Christian afterward, preserving the grace he had received. Others, in contrast to the mature with those infants in Christ who have only recently become Christians, understand by them those who have advanced in the Christian life and attained the higher degrees of it—passionlessness, the active working of the grace of the Holy Spirit, or tangible sanctification. It would seem that the latter understanding is more fitting here. Yet we must consider that in the early times those being converted approached the Lord with burning faith, with complete self-denial and willing readiness for all that might be required for His sake; wherefore the grace of God, descending into them through the mysteries, found the vessel of their heart prepared to receive it, and manifested its work in them without restraint. Spiritual perfections in them shone forth suddenly, and this transformation was evident to all. Based on this, the mature Christians of the Apostolic age cannot be placed so far from the beginning of their Christianity as is done now. Our interpreters proceed more carefully, understanding by the mature the true Christians, the faithful, the believing. Thus holy Chrysostom and others. Holy Chrysostom says: “By the mature he means the faithful. For indeed those are mature who know that all human things are very weak, who despise all these things and are convinced that they serve them not at all; and such are the believers.” – Holy Chrysostom means to say that these are believers who, having left all temporal and earthly things, have desired with mind and heart the heavenly, eternal, spiritual, divine things, and live not for the interests of this age, but for the sake of the age to come. Others write thus: “By the mature he means the faithful who, despising all things, soar toward the heavenly” (Theophylact). – “They give themselves to God” (Oecumenius).

“The wisdom of this age.” This is an earthly way of thinking that does not extend its knowledge beyond the visible, and in life limits itself to knowing how to conduct affairs so as to live in peace and plenty. Holy Chrysostom understands by this “the external wisdom which is confined to this present world and does not extend beyond it, and which cannot bring any benefit even here to those who possess it.”

“Nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.” This refers not only to persons in authority, but to all the directors and upholders of the established order in this age – the leaders of the world. “By the rulers of this age,” says Chrysostom, “he means here not demons, as some suppose, but men clothed with distinctions and authority, who consider this very important, philosophers, rhetoricians, and writers, who often wielded authority and were governors of peoples. He calls them rulers ‘of this age’ because their authority does not extend beyond the present age; wherefore he adds: ‘who are passing away,’ and thus shows the futility of external wisdom both by its own nature and by the nature of those who possess it. Having shown that it is false and foolish, that it cannot reveal anything, that it is powerless, he now shows that it is also temporal.”

1 Cor. 2:7. But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages for our glory.

“God’s wisdom” is the pattern of the arrangement of our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, with its originating principles and with its boundless consequences that will resound in all realms of created being, as holy Paul depicts in his letter to the Ephesians (1 Cor. 1:9–10). Its first outline is contained in the word of the cross, which is offered to catechumens, while believers are led into its fuller contemplation; the more perfect one is, the deeper one enters and the more one sees.

In what “mystery” is this wisdom “hidden”? – It was hidden in the mystery of the Godhead, and before its revelation no one knew it as it ought to be known. “Neither Angel nor Archangel nor any other created power knew it before it was revealed. Therefore the Apostle says: ‘that through the Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places’ (Eph. 3:10). Thus God honored us in that they heard it together with us” (holy Chrysostom).

“Mystery it is called also because in it we contemplate not what we see; but one thing we behold, and we believe in another. Such is the nature of our mysteries. I look upon them differently, the unbeliever otherwise. I hear that Christ became a servant, and I marvel at His providence; the unbeliever hears it and considers it shame. I hear that Christ was crucified and died, and I marvel at His love for mankind, I am astounded at His power – how He, having submitted to death, was not held by it, but even destroyed death; the unbeliever hears it and ascribes it to His weakness and powerlessness. Hearing of the resurrection, he calls it a fable; but I, assured by the very events, worship the economy of God. Hearing of baptism, he sees only water; but I see not only the visible, but also the invisible cleansing of the soul, accomplished by the Spirit. He thinks that only my body has been washed; but I believe that my soul also has become pure and holy, and I envision a tomb, resurrection, sanctification, justification, redemption, adoption as sons, inheritance, the Heavenly Kingdom, and the giving of the Spirit; for I look upon the visible not with mere sight, but with spiritual eyes. When the body of Christ is spoken of, I understand the words differently from the unbeliever. So too with respect to all mysteries: unbelievers, hearing of them, as it were hear not, but believers, being taught by the Spirit, understand the power of the hidden things. Therefore Paul says that ‘our Gospel is veiled, to those who are perishing it is veiled’ (2 Cor. 4:3). For some are natural men and do not understand, others have a veil on their heart and do not see” (holy Chrysostom).

And for this reason too this wisdom is a hidden mystery – that even now, when it has been entrusted to writing, it is understood only through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, without whom you read and understand nothing. But even if everyone understood it, they would know only part of it, not the whole. “A mystery is God’s wisdom,” says holy Chrysostom, “and this is why, although it is preached everywhere, it is not grasped by those who do not have a sound mind, and it is revealed not through wisdom, but by the Holy Spirit, as much as we are able to comprehend. Therefore one who, for this very reason, calls it an unknowable mystery does not err; for even we who believe have not been given complete and perfect knowledge, as Paul says: ‘we know in part’ (1 Cor. 13:9, 12).”

“Which God ordained,” he says, expressing by this the care of God for us. For ordinarily those are considered most solicitous and loving who have long been inclined to do good to us, as parents are with their children: they give them property later, but have been disposed to do so for a long time from the very beginning. So Paul here tries to show that God loves us from ancient times and always, even when we did not yet exist; for if He did not love us, He would not have destined riches for us. Therefore do not imagine hostility between Him and us: love is older than it. The words “before the ages” denote eternity, similar to what is said elsewhere: “He who is before the ages” (Ps. 54:20). – “For our glory,” “because He bestows not only salvation but also glory upon believers” (Theodoret). Glory in the future is the gift of the Kingdom; but it is preceded by glory here. This is the purification of our nature, its filling with the brightness of grace to such a degree that it not only becomes bright but also radiant – the glory of spiritual perfection in Christ Jesus.

1 Cor. 2:8. This is the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

By rulers of this age he means the same as before – those who guide and direct life according to the spirit of this age, according to the principles of human wisdom, whether they have authority or not, but are always influential and lead others by their influence toward ruin, whereas with better direction of their own they could lead them to good. He said before that the wisdom preached is not that which these rulers have; now he says more, that it is such that none of these rulers could or can understand it. So it is opposed to the spirit and the principles which these rulers maintain.

“For if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Since he speaks generally, he mentions the crucifiers of the Lord only as representatives of the rulers of this age. There was Pilate – the representative of the rulers of this age from the Gentiles, and Herod and Caiaphas with the high priests and scribes – representatives of the rulers of this age from the Jews. And he speaks of the crucifixion as the most striking witness to the blindness of the rulers of this age, when, being face to face with Wisdom itself, they did not understand it. The crucifixion occurred in Judea, in Jerusalem, and could not have happened otherwise according to the prophecies and types that had been given; but by the nature of things, it could have happened anywhere. The rulers of this age everywhere are of one spirit, and what they did in Jerusalem, they could have done in any other place. The failure to understand the wisdom of God continues, and the crucifixion of the Lord of glory continues – all by the rulers of this age, those who guide life according to the spirit of this age and the leaders of human wisdom. For God’s wisdom is not beyond reach only for the rulers of that age, but generally for all of them, insofar as they are rulers of this age. And it is not only beyond their reach, but irritates them and is the object of their hatred, persecution, and oppression, which they practice at all times, whenever their wisdom finds suitable means and sees that this can be done without hindering their main goals, which they pursue – namely, peace and plenty in this life.

“The Lord of glory.” – They crucified the man Jesus, but as He was God incarnate, who is the Lord of glory, in crucifying Him they crucified the Lord of glory. So the Apostle speaks according to the unity of hypostasis in the Lord Jesus Christ. Someone might say, what blame is upon them? for they did so in ignorance. But their very ignorance was culpable; the Lord did not leave Himself without witness. The Jews had so many testimonies and proofs of who Jesus Christ is! He Himself said directly to them: “My Father has been working until now, and I am working,” and they understood that He was putting Himself on equal terms with God. And in parables He taught them wisdom, saying in one: the son would be shamed… and they also understood that He was speaking this parable to them. And through prophecies He instructed them: David calls Christ Lord – how is He his Son? And they were silent, because the answer led them directly to confessing Him as Lord of glory. And Pilate was not left without instruction either. What did those brief words mean when the Lord said to him, My kingdom is not of this world, and so on, if not instruction? This was especially the meaning of his wife’s dream. Thus all who crucified Him could have understood, but they did not. God’s wisdom was veiled here, and seeing they did not see. But why did they not have eyes to see – in this lay their guilt. For the fact that they were all steeped in the spirit of this age and wanted to know nothing except human reasoning – this was not something forced upon them, but was the fruit of their free choice. The spirit of this age is opposed to God’s wisdom, and the rulers of this age do not understand it, because they do not have that cast of mind, those tastes of heart, those plans for life. But as it was then, so it is always. And the rulers and sons of this age always fail to understand God’s wisdom and are ready to crucify it for the same reason – that it is beyond their comprehension and opposed to their principles.

1 Cor. 2:9. But as it is written: What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him.

“But” – a contrast. To what? – to the rulers’ age failure to understand. They did not understand: one might think that this is something not worth looking at. No, he says, it is not so. They did not understand through blindness; but in reality it is such a high good that there is nothing like it, nor has been, nor will be. “Since the Apostle mentioned the ignorance of the Jews and said that the mystery of the economy was hidden, it was necessary for him to add that what no one had heard, what no one ever saw or the most insatiable mind ever conceived, God has prepared for all those who have ardent love toward Him” (Theodoret).

“As it is written.” Where? There is no such place in the Old Testament writings. But the Apostle takes it from the spirit of all Scripture, or having drawn the thought from the spirit of Scripture, he took words for its expression from various places in it. For example: “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides you” (Isa. 64:4). Or again: “So shall he startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand” (Isa. 52:15). Theodoret cites the first; holy Chrysostom points to the second, and perhaps it was written word for word thus, but that writing is lost. Thus holy Chrysostom settles this: “and thus it is said (that is, written) even when something is depicted not in words but in the very events themselves, or when the same thought is expressed, though not in the same words, as here. In this way, the Apostle either expresses this, or perhaps it was indeed written in the books, but the books themselves have been lost.”

By the words: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man,” he expresses the extraordinariness, the greatness, the excellence surpassing all expectation, the incomprehensibility and boundlessness of the goods granted to us in Christ Jesus, and of the very manner of their bestowal, or the economy of salvation. God becomes incarnate, assumes the form of a servant and is found in appearance as a man, humbles Himself even to death, even to death on the cross, and this is so that mankind, who transgressed against Him, might be justified, adopted as sons, spiritualized, deified, made not only bright but radiant, and still more, that all things might be gathered up in Him, whether earthly or heavenly. This is incomprehensible not only until its completion and manifestation in deed, but even after its manifestation and completion it remains boundless and beyond comprehension for all, save those who receive those goods and are brought into participation in them; and even they taste and see, but cannot comprehend it. All this is prepared, he says, “for those who love God” – that is, for those who, leaving all things, cleave to God with all their heart, and enter into heart-felt living communion and union with Him by the way indicated and prescribed by Him, the depiction of which also forms part of God’s wisdom, hidden before, but now revealed and made manifest to all.

Holy Chrysostom says: “What? Did the eye not see what God has prepared? – Indeed it did not see: for who among men saw the economy of God that was to be? Did not the ear hear, and did it not enter into the heart of man? Is this so? If the Prophets foretold it, how did the ear not hear and how did it not enter into the heart? It indeed did not enter. The Apostle speaks not only of the Prophets, but of all human nature. How then? Did not even the Prophets hear? They heard, but their prophetic hearing was not human hearing; they heard not as men, but as Prophets. Therefore Isaiah says: ‘The Lord gave me an ear to hear’ (Isa. 50:4), meaning the addition granted by the Spirit. From this it is evident that before they heard, it did not enter into man’s heart; for after the gift of the Spirit, the hearts of the Prophets were not human hearts, but spiritual hearts, as Paul himself says: ‘We have the mind of Christ’ (1 Cor. 2:16). The meaning of his words is this: before the Spirit was given to us and the unknown mysteries revealed, no one understood them – neither any of us nor the Prophets. And could it have been otherwise if even the Angels did not know them? What then are we to say of the rulers of this age, if no one among men and even the heavenly Powers did not know this? What? – That what appears as the folly of preaching will conquer the world, peoples will be converted, reconciliation of God with men will be accomplished, and such great goods will be bestowed upon us.”

1 Cor. 2:10. But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

The economy of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ was accomplished before the eyes of all; and no one understood it. The Apostles themselves, until they were assured of the Lord’s resurrection, were in great bewilderment from the crucifixion. It is natural to ask: but how do you now know the mysteries of this wise economy, and see what God has prepared for those who love Him? – The Apostle answers: “to us God has revealed it by His Spirit,” that is, by the Holy Spirit, for whom, as one of the Holy Trinity, nothing is hidden in the mysteries of the Godhead.

“To us.” To whom? – Evidently to the holy Apostles, and then through their guidance to all believers; for all are taught by the same Holy Spirit. He both brings about conversion and forms faith and strengthens in life and through the purification of the heart leads every Christian into the contemplation of God’s mysteries. In this respect, the Apostle contrasts us to the rulers of this age with all the sons of this age. Holy Chrysostom says: “How did we know this? ‘But to us,’ he says, ‘God has revealed it by His Spirit.’ Not by external wisdom, which, as a contemptible servant, is not permitted to enter within and see the Lord’s mysteries. Do you see what a difference there is between this wisdom and that? One taught us what even the Angels did not know; but external wisdom did the opposite: not only did it not teach, but served as an obstacle, and when everything had already been accomplished, darkened the events and despised the cross. Thus Paul honors us, showing that we not only learned, and moreover together with the Angels, but learned from the Spirit Himself. But at the same time he shows the importance of knowledge, giving us to understand that if the Spirit who knows God’s mysteries had not revealed this to us, we would not have known either. Thus God chose to keep this work in mystery. Therefore we needed such a Teacher who knows this clearly. Such is the Spirit of God. – ‘The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.’ Here the word ‘searches’ does not mean ignorance, but exact knowledge. He uses the same expression of God when he says: ‘He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit’ (Rom. 8:27) – he knows all things, that is, all that is and comes to be. But can it be that he does not know what is hidden in God?! – No, he knows even all that is hidden in the depths of Godhead – he searches the very depths of God – so that nothing remains hidden or concealed from him.”