1 Corinthians 2

Read 1 Corinthians 2

Helpful Background Information:

• Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to the church in Corinth because of their immaturity and to identify issues with how they were living. In this passage, Paul specifically wanted to ensure that the Corinthians’ faith rested on God’s power, rather than on human wisdom. 

• As many are aware, Paul’s letters are complex and often worded in ways that are hard to understand. But, when Paul was preaching to the Corinthians, he ensured that he was preaching in a way that demonstrated God’s power as opposed to his own. By this, he preached the gospel as opposed to the logic or rhetoric that the philosophers of the time would have used. Paul did this as the Holy Spirit guided him, as described in Acts 18:1-18.

• The mystery referred to in verses 6-9 is the coming of Jesus the Messiah, who died and rose again on the third day for the sins of the world. If the world, which hated Jesus (John 15:18), knew that crucifying Him would cause eternal life, they would not have done it. This goes to show the power which is found in the resurrection of Jesus, which is described in 1 Corinthians 15.

Reflection Questions:

• What are some of the characteristics of Paul’s preaching which he describes in this passage? How can you teach by the Holy Spirit as Paul did? How can you use Scripture to do this well?

• Verses 12-14 Contrast receiving the spirit of the world with receiving the Spirit from God so that we can understand what He gives. What has God freely given you? How can you live differently because of what He has given you? How can you praise Him for this?

• What does it mean to possess the “mind of Christ” as referred to in verse 16? How can this shape your decision-making?