1 Corinthians 2:10

Contextual Overview

⁶We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁶But don't get me wrong, when I'm with top hands I can give them wisdom that can even make them better hands. But this knowledge isn't one you can hear from blowhards and braggarts. ⁶ Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; ⁶Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature, a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are being abolished. ⁶ But still we have wisdom for those who are complete in knowledge, though not the wisdom of this world, and not of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing: ⁶ But we speak wisdom among the perfect; but wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who come to nought. ⁶ However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁶ We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing. ⁶ Yet we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: 1 Corinthians 14:30, Amos 3:7, Matthew 11:25-27, Matthew 13:11, Matthew 16:17, Luke 2:26, Luke 10:21, Ephesians 3:3, Ephesians 3:5, 1 Peter 1:12, Revelation 1:1

by: Isaiah 48:16, Isaiah 59:21, John 14:26, John 16:13, 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:27

the Spirit: 1 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27

the deep: Job 12:22, Psalms 92:5, Psalms 92:6, Daniel 2:22, Romans 11:33-36

Reciprocal: Job 11:7 - Canst Job 32:8 - the inspiration Isaiah 54:13 - all Isaiah 64:4 - have not Daniel 2:19 - was Daniel 12:10 - but the wise Matthew 13:44 - like 1 Corinthians 14:2 - howbeit 2 Corinthians 10:14 - we stretch not Galatians 1:11 - that Ephesians 1:9 - made Ephesians 1:17 - revelation 1 Thessalonians 4:8 - who Revelation 2:7 - let him

Cross-References

Psalms 46:4
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,The holy dwelling places of the Most High.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High.

Psalms 46:4
[Yet] the fludde by his ryuers shall make glad the citie of God: the holy place of the tabernacles of the most hyghest.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the sanctuary of the habitations of the Most High.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river, its channels gladden the city of God, the holy tabernacles of the Most High.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river whose streams bring happiness to God's city, to the holy city of God Most High.

Psalms 46:4
There is a river, the streams of which make the city of God glad, The holy place of the tents of the Most High.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But God hath revealed them unto us,.... Should it be said, that since this wisdom is so hidden and mysterious, the doctrines of the Gospel are so unknown, so much out of the sight and understanding of men, how come any to be acquainted with them? The answer is ready, God has made a revelation of them, not only in his word, which is common to men, nor only to his ministers, but to private Christians and believers,

by his Spirit; which designs not the external revelation made in the Scriptures, though that also is by the Spirit; but the internal revelation and application of the truths of the Gospel to the souls of men, which is sometimes ascribed to the Father of Christ.

Matthew 16:17 sometimes to Christ himself, Galatians 1:12 and sometimes to the Spirit of Christ, Ephesians 1:17 and who guides into all truth, John 16:13, and here to the Father by the Spirit:

for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God; which does not suppose any ignorance of these things in the Spirit, antecedent to his searching of them; but his complete and perfect knowledge of them; even as God's searching of the hearts of men expresses his omniscience, and through knowledge of all that is in them: the "all things" the Spirit searches into, and has a perfect knowledge of, do not design in the utmost extent everything which comes within the compass of his infinite understanding; but every thing that is in, or belongs to the Gospel of Christ, even the more mysterious and sublime, as well as the more plain and easy doctrines: for the "deep things of God" intend not the perfections of his nature, which are past finding out unto perfection by men; nor the depths of his wise and righteous providence; but the mysterious doctrines of the Gospel, the fellowship of the mystery which was hid in God, his wise counsels of old concerning man's salvation, the scheme of things drawn in his eternal mind, and revealed in the word.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But God hath revealed them - That is, those elevated views and enjoyments to which people everywhere else had been strangers, and which have been under all other forms of religion unknown, have been communicated to us by the revelation of God - This verse commences the “third” part of this chapter, in which the apostle shows how these truths, so full of wisdom had been communicated to Christians. It had not been by any native endowments of theirs; not by any strength of faculties, or powers. but solely by revelation from God.Unto us - That is, first to the apostles; secondly, to all Christians - to the church and the world through their inspired instructors; and third, to all Christians by the illuminating agency of the Spirit on their hearts. The connection shows that he did not mean to confine this declaration to the apostles merely, for his design was to show that all Christians had this knowledge of the true wisdom. It was true that this was revealed in an eminent manner to the apostles, and through their inspired preaching and writings; but it is also true, that the same truths are communicated by the agency of the same Spirit to all Christians; John 16:12-14. No truth is now communicated to Christians which was not revealed to and by the inspired writers; but the same truths are imparted by means of their writings, and by the illumination of the Spirit to all the true friends of God.

By his Spirit - By the Holy Spirit, that was promised by the Saviour. John 14:26; John 15:26-27; John 16:7-14. This proves:

(1) That people by nature are not able to discover the deep things of God - the truths which are needful to salvation.

(2) That the apostles were inspired by the Holy Spirit; and if so, then the Scriptures are inspired.

(3) That all Christians are the subjects of the teaching of the Holy Spirit; that these truths are made known to them by his illumination; and that but for this, they would remain in the same darkness as other men.

For the Spirit - The Holy Spirit, or the Spirit of God; see 1 Corinthians 2:11.

Searcheth - This word does not fully express the force of the original ἐρευνᾷ ereuna. It means to search accurately, diligently, so as fully to understand; such profound research as to have thorough knowledge. So David uses the Hebrew word חקר chaaqar in Psalms 139:1. So the word is used to denote a careful and accurate investigation of secret and obscure things, in 1 Peter 1:11. Compare John 7:52; Romans 8:27; Revelation 2:23, where it is used to denote that profound and accurate search by which the desires and feelings of the heart are known - implying the most profound knowledge of which we can have any conception; see Proverbs 20:27. 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 people do who are ignorant; but that he has an intimate and profound knowledge, such as is usually the result of a close and accurate search. The result is what the apostle means to state - the accurate, profound, and thorough knowledge, such as usually attends research. He does not state the mode in which it is obtained; but the fact. And he uses a word more emphatic than simple knowledge, because he designs to indicate that his knowledge is profound, entire, and thorough.

All things - All subjects; all laws; all events; all beings.

The deep things of God - He has a thorough knowledge of the hidden counsels or purposes of God; of all his plans and purposes. He sees all his designs. He sees all his councils; all his purposes in regard to the government of the universe, and the scheme of salvation. He knows all whom God designs to save; he sees all that they need; and he sees how the plan of God is suited to their salvation - This passage proves:

(1) That the Spirit is, in some respects, distinct from the Father, or from him who is here called God. Else how could he be said to search all things, even the deep purposes of God? To “search” implies “action, thought, personality.” An attribute of God cannot be said to search. How could it be said of the justice, the goodness, the power, or the wisdom of God that it “searches,” or “acts?” To search, is the action of an intelligent agent, and cannot be performed by an attribute.

(2) The Spirit is omniscient. He searches or clearly understands “all things” - the very definition of omniscience. He understands all the profound plans and counsels of God. And how can there be a higher demonstration of omniscience than to “know God?” - But if omniscient, the Holy Spirit is divine - for this is one of the incommunicable attributes of God; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalms 139:1; Jeremiah 17:10.

(3) He is not a distinct being from God. There is a union between him and God, such as may be compared to the union between a man and his soul, 1 Corinthians 2:11. God is one; and though he subsists as Father, Son, and Spirit, yet he is one God, Deuteronomy 6:4 - This passage is, therefore, a very important, and a decisive one in regard to the personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 2:10. But God hath revealed them unto us — A manifest proof that the apostle speaks here of the glories of the Gospel, and not of the glories of the future world.

For the Spirit searcheth all things — This is the Spirit of God, which spoke by the prophets, and has now given to the apostles the fulness of that heavenly truth, of which He gave to the former only the outlines.

Yea, the deep things of God. — It is only the Spirit of God which can reveal the counsels of God: these are the purposes which have existed in His infinite wisdom and goodness from eternity; and particularly what refers to creation, providence, redemption, and eternal glory, as far as men and angels are concerned in these purposes. The apostles were so fully convinced that the scheme of redemption proclaimed by the Gospel was Divine, that they boldly asserted that these things infinitely surpassed the wisdom and comprehension of man. God was now in a certain way become manifest; many attributes of his, which to the heathen world would have for ever lain in obscurity, (for the world by wisdom knew not God,) were now not only brought to light as existing in him, but illustrated by the gracious displays which He had made of himself. It was the Spirit of God alone that could reveal these things; and it was the energy of that Spirit alone that could bring them all into effect-stamp and seal them as attributes and works of God for ever. The apostles were as truly conscious of their own inspiration as they were that they had consciousness at all; and what they spoke, they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.