Able Accept Appraised Attain Can't Discerned Doesn't Folly Foolish Foolishness Gifts God's Judged Natural Receive Receiveth Rejects Seem Spirit Spiritually Understand Unspiritual
2:14 {13} But the {p} natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are {q} spiritually discerned.
(13) Again he anticipates an offence or stumbling block: how does it come to pass that so few allow these things? This is not to be marvelled at, the apostle says, seeing that men in their natural powers (as they call them) are not endued with that faculty by which spiritual things are discerned
(which faculty comes another way) and therefore they consider spiritual wisdom as folly: and it is as if he should say, It is no marvel that blind men cannot judge of colours, seeing that they lack the light of their eyes, and therefore light is to them as darkness.
(p) The man that has no further light of understanding, than that which he brought with him, even from his mother's womb, as Jude defines it; Jude 19.
(q) By the power of the Holy Spirit.
2:14 But the natural man. The natural man is the unregenerate, one who has the spirit of the world, one not born anew of water and of the Spirit. Man is a triune being--body, soul and spirit. The natural man is under the dominion of the soul, the animal life.
Receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. The spirit must be stirred from its dormant condition, and born again, before one can comprehend the things of the Spirit.
For they are foolishness unto him. These are foolishness to one under the dominion of the animal life, such as the Jewish scribes and Greek disputers (1Co 1:20), for
They are spiritually discerned. They can be discerned only by the spirit of man. It is only when a spiritual hunger is felt, when one is born again, and when man becomes a spiritual instead of an animal being, that he can understand the deep things of God (1Co 2:10). But blessed be God, the A B C's of the gospel, which the ignorant and unlearned men can understand, are sufficient to convert and prepare one for a higher knowledge.
2:14 But the natural man - That is, every man who hath not the Spirit; who has no other way of obtaining knowledge, but by his senses and natural understanding. Receiveth not - Does not understand or conceive. The things of the Spirit - The things revealed by the Spirit of God, whether relating to his nature or his kingdom. For they are foolishness to him - He is so far from understanding, that he utterly despises, them Neither can he know them - As he has not the will, so neither has he the power. Because they are spiritually discerned - They can only be discerned by the aid of that Spirit, and by those spiritual senses, which he has not.
2:10-16 God has revealed true wisdom to us by his Spirit. Here is a proof of the Divine authority of the Holy Scriptures, 2Pe 1:21. In proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, observe, that he knows all things, and he searches all things, even the deep things of God. No one can know the things of God, but his Holy Spirit, who is one with the Father and the Son, and who makes known Divine mysteries to his church. This is most clear testimony, both to the real Godhead and the distinct person of the Holy Spirit. The apostles were not guided by worldly principles. They had the revelation of these things from the Spirit of God, and the saving impression of them from the same Spirit. These things they declared in plain, simple language, taught by the Holy Spirit, totally different from the affected oratory or enticing words of man's wisdom. The natural man, the wise man of the world, receives not the things of the Spirit of God. The pride of carnal reasoning is really as much opposed to spirituality, as the basest sensuality. The sanctified mind discerns the real beauties of holiness, but the power of discerning and judging about common and natural things is not lost. But the carnal man is a stranger to the principles, and pleasures, and actings of the Divine life. The spiritual man only, is the person to whom God gives the knowledge of his will. How little have any known of the mind of God by natural power! And the apostles were enabled by his Spirit to make known his mind. In the Holy Scriptures, the mind of Christ, and the mind of God in Christ, are fully made known to us. It is the great privilege of Christians, that they have the mind of Christ revealed to them by his Spirit. They experience his sanctifying power in their hearts, and bring forth good fruits in their lives.
Able Accept Appraised Attain Discerned Folly Foolish Foolishness Gifts God's Judged Natural Receive Receiveth Rejects Seem Spirit Spiritually Understand Unspiritual
Able Accept Appraised Attain Discerned Folly Foolish Foolishness Gifts God's Judged Natural Receive Receiveth Rejects Seem Spirit Spiritually Understand Unspiritual
