Scripture Reading : 1 Corinthians 2
Theme : The Wisdom of God
This passage continues to deal with the problem of disunity in the church at Corinth, particularly with the continued allegiance to human philosophies and leaders that contributed to the disunity.
- Preaching the wisdom of God (2:1-5). Just as the gospel of God’s wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption cannot be obtained through human wisdom, it is also not to be presented through human wisdom. When Paul had preached to the Corinthians, he was not interested in discussing men’s ideas or insights. He would proclaim nothing but Jesus Christ, the crucified, risen and redeeming Jesus Christ alone.
- Understanding the wisdom of God (2:6-16). True believers are the only ones among whom the gospel can be wisdom. To all others it is a stumbling block or foolishness (1:23). Here, Paul emphasized two points: true wisdom is not humanly discovered and true wisdom is divinely revealed. God’s truth is available only to those with a regenerate spirit and in whom His Spirit dwells, for only the Spirit can illumine Scripture. He is the believer’s resident Truth Teacher to enlighten him about all the things of God about which he needs to know (1 John 2:27). Yet the doctrine of illumination does not mean we can know and understand everything (Deut. 29:29), that we do not need human teachers (Eph. 4:11-12), or that study is not hard work (2 Tim. 2:15). But it does mean that Scripture can be understood by every Christian who is diligent and obedient.
Praying the Scripture
- Paul did not come to Corinth as a philosopher, but as a witness to God’s revelation. Though he had great natural abilities, yet he did not rely on them because he did not want his hearers to identify with his own wisdom. Charles Spurgeon said: “The power that is in the Gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher, otherwise men would be the converters of souls, nor does it lie in the preacher’s learning, otherwise it would consist in the wisdom of men. We might preach until our tongues rotted, till we would exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless the Holy Spirit be with the Word of God to give it the power to convert the soul.” Let’s pray that we will not rely on calculated theatrics and techniques to manipulate response, but on God’s Spirit and power alone to win man’s soul.
- It is possible to read the Bible – even many different copies and versions of the Bible – and yet not understand it. Like the scribes and Pharisees who reject God, the natural man had no means and no desire to understand the spiritual nature of God’s Word. Martin Luther said, “The bible cannot be understood simply by study or talent; you must count only on the influence of the Holy Spirit.” God must open the eyes of our understanding before we can truly know and rightly interpret His truth. Let’s pray that we will be diligent to study the Scripture and that God will open our eyes that we may behold wonderful things from thy law (Psalm 119:18).
经文：哥林多前书2
主题：神的智慧
这段经文继续论述哥林多教会中的分歧，尤其他们对人类哲学及领袖的顽固忠诚，以致教会无法合一。
- 传神的智慧（2:1-5）。就如神福音中的智慧、正义、圣洁及救赎是无法通过人的智慧而得，它也不由得以人的智慧展现。当保罗与个哥林多人传福音时，他不在乎讨论人的思想或见解。除了耶稣基督被钉十字架，死而复活，作人的救主外，他再也不传别的。
- 明白神的智慧（2:6-16）。福音的智慧唯有在属实信徒中才是智慧。对其他人而言，那是绊脚石或愚拙（1:23）。这里，保罗强调两点：真智慧不是由人发觉的；真智慧是由神所启示的。神的真理只为拥有重生之灵的人供应，因为唯有内住在信徒里的圣灵可以光照圣经。祂是信徒常驻的真理教师，光照他对神真理所须知的一切（约一2:27）。然而，这样的光照并不意味着我们可以晓得一切事（申29:29），叫我们无须人类教师（弗4:11-12）；或表示我们不用下苦工学习（提后2:15）。这代表若信徒殷勤、顺服，他是可以明白真理的。
用经文祷告
- 保罗到哥林多来不是要作哲学家，乃是要为神的启示作见证。虽然他有很大的天赋，但他并不依靠于此，因为他不想听众误以为那是他的智慧。查尔斯·司布真（Charles Spurgeon）曾说：“福音的大能不在于传道人的口才，否则人会成为灵魂的救主；它也不在于传道人的知识，否则那将掺杂人的智慧。我们或许传道以致舌都烂了，肺也掏了而死，但除非圣灵与神的话语同在，无灵魂是能得救的。”让我们祷告我们不会依靠舞台设计或技巧来取得可见的效果，而是唯独依靠神的灵和大能得取人的灵魂。
- 我们可以读圣经，甚至多次以不同译本研读，却仍不明白真理。如拒绝神的文士与法利赛人一样，人是无法，也没有空位明白神话语中的属灵本质。马丁·路德（Martin Luther）曾说：“圣经不能仅用学习或天赋去明白；你必须只靠属灵的力量才行。”神必须先开启我们心灵的眼，我们才能真正明白并正确分解神的道。让我们祷告我们会殷勤学习圣经，也求神能开我们的眼睛，叫我们能看出神律法中的奇妙。
