Adult Bible Study – 1st Corinthians

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church

 

Chapter 2: 1-5

The issue that is foremost in the second chapter is the centrality of "God’s power" verses human power. This reflects what had been talking about in the first chapter, that everything must rest on the preeminence of God. The wisdom of the world has been turned to foolishness; human strength has been replaced by the weakness of the Christ who needed to go the way of the cross.

The attention that Paul turns now points to Christ along, and him crucified. To accomplish this end:

He did not resort to the skills of a great public speaker – no "oratory" – not great words of wisdom

He came in weakness and fear, and much trembling. These are all words and ideas that reflect the weakness of Paul’s own humanity. You will remember from the very beginning of the letter, the problem was that the people were forming divisions around the leaders. One of those groups seems to have been. Paul’s point in these verses is that, he, Paul, is no one special. He point to his own weak to be clear that anything great came from God in Christ. Nothing from Paul.

Paul is quick to point up that the power that is displayed in the formation of the church at Corinth is "a demonstration of the Spirit and of power". Paul’s use of the word Spirit is a reference to the Holy Spirit of God.

This demonstration is pointed toward one thing – "so that your faith might rest no on human wisdom but on the power of God." Faith resting on the power of God is the point to which everything must get. Their divisions are ridiculous because nothing depended upon any of those people – everything rests upon the power of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Chapter 2:6-13

This section could be titled, The Wisdom of God. God’s wisdom is secret and hidden (to those who are perishing). You will recall that Paul divided people into two categories – those perishing and those being saved. This wisdom of God is only seen as wisdom by the eyes of those who are being saved by it. This wisdom of God is the wisdom of God’s plan for the world. It is hidden in Jesus Christ and the cross. That’s why it can’t be seen by the eyes of wisdom or understanding. The only way to come to any understanding of this plan and God’s means to this plan is through the Spirit that searches even the depths of God.

The Spirit: We are told several things about the Spirit.

Only the Spirit knows God fully because the Spirit has searched God

It is the Spirit that reveals God’s plan

It is not like the spirit of this world

The Spirit reveals all of the gifts which God has bestowed upon us

Those who are unspiritual don’t have the benefit of God’s revealing spirit. Paul writes in kind of loop – those who are unspiritual don’t get it because the spirit is the revealer; the spirit seems like foolishness to them; because it is the Spirit that helps discern spiritual things. It boils down to this: God’s Spirit has come upon us and revealed God’s plan – the salvation of the world – through the cross of Christ. God has revealed it to us through the presence of his Spirit in us.