[Jan. 15th, 1865.]
Paul had been accused of not preaching wisdom, and of not delivering his doctrines in the manner of the Greek rhetoricians and orators. In this chapter he teaches four things, after having in the first chapter taught, (1.) That the wisdom of this world was of no account. (2.) That God had determined to make the gospel, which men regard as foolishness, the power of God unto salvation, etc. The four things which he teaches here are 1. That the gospel is true wisdom; not indeed the wisdom of this world, but the wisdom of God. 2. That this wisdom, being undiscoverable by man, had been revealed by God through the Spirit. 3. That in communicating this wisdom, he used the words which the Holy Ghost suggested. 4. That this divine wisdom, or “things of the Spirit,” the natural man does not receive, but they are received by those who are spiritual.
There are indeed three interpretations of the passage in which Paul speaks of himself as teaching wisdom. 1. That the wisdom which he taught was an exoteric doctrine, like the Greek mysteries; an arcana disciplina. 2. That while to beginners, to babes, he taught a popular doctrine, to the perfect or advanced he taught a higher doctrine. But first, This as well as the other is unworthy of Paul. He is not apologizing. He is not claiming to teach a system, which his opponent would respect and regard as wisdom. And secondly, he had pronounced the wisdom of this world to be foolishness; he had admitted the gospel to be foolishness to the Greek. Therefore the third interpretation is the true one. The gospel, although not wisdom in the sight of men, is the wisdom of God.
The main idea of the passage is that the gospel is a system of truth, undiscoverable by man, but revealed by God.
This is, 1. A fact. 2. It is a higher form of wisdom than any human knowledge. It is something which is not only undiscoverable, but which transcends all human wisdom in its truth, excellence and importance. 3d. It therefore is to be received, not because it can be proved, but because it has been taught. Confidence in it rests on the testimony of God.
This being the nature of the gospel, we learn, 1st. The state of mind necessary for its reception. We must become fools in order to be wise. We must renounce all human wisdom, in order to be receptive of the wisdom of God.
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We must experience the teaching of the Spirit in order to receive it or to understand it aright.
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In teaching it, we must present it, not philosophically but Scripturally. Not rhetorically but simply.
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We must rejoice in it, and adhere to it, and not allow ourselves to be seduced from it, by the devices of men who teach a philosophy, falsely so called.
Conference After Dr. J. Addison Alexander’s Death
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