The Truth comes to Corinth

Paul declares God’s Wisdom

1 Corinthians 2:6-8 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. NKJV

Paul now reaches all the way back to the first chapter of this epistle or letter and summarizes everything he has written to these Corinthian believers from 1 Corinthians 1:18 through 1 Corinthians 2:5 in this next verse. The wisdom of God that Paul and all of the other Apostles are declaring in every place they travel is the “Cross of Christ” as the full and complete spiritual wisdom that will make every man who humbles himself at the cross perfect. This English word perfect Paul uses is translated from the Greek word teleios which means to be complete or mature mentally, physically, and in moral character; when ones virtue (the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong) or moral excellence has reached maturity and is full grown. It was and is through Christ death and resurrection from the dead that a sinner can become a saint and enter into a new realm or region or sphere or arena of life whereby all of the old things that so dominated his or her everyday life are being crushed and ground up as one would see a donkey or an oxen push around a millstone to grind wheat into flour.

God’s Wisdom appears as weakness to the sinful hearts of men and therefore, in every generation the so-called wise men, rulers, and mighty men many of them miss the greatest wisdom of all. The Apostle John writes for us and paints a horrible picture of what the outcome of many men of the world who reject or resist God’s Wisdom and continue to seek worldly wisdom as he writes these frightening words describing these men when they see our Lord Jesus Christ coming in Judgment, as it is written, Revelation 6:12-17 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” NKJV

The Apostle John got a glimpse of what Paul says of the rulers or princes of this world coming to nought. The English word nought Paul uses is translated from the Greek word katargeo which means to render entirely idle or useless, to abolish, to destroy, to do away with, to make of no effect, and to put an end to. Is this not exactly what our Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ showed to the Apostle John as he clearly gives it to us in Revelation 6:12-17. It is only the mature follower of Christ that can absorb this strong meat down deep into the soul and through the Holy Spirit who takes the things of Christ and shows them to us, then unpack these “hidden mysteries” for the edification or building up of others. It is the gospel of Christ death on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead that is the “hidden mystery” for a lost and dying world. A veil covers the heart or inner man of the wise and prudent of this world as the Apostle declares with these words in the second letter to these very same Corinthian believers, as it is written, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. NKJV

Paul was one of the first instruments our Lord Jesus chose to reveal some of the most complex teachings in all of the New Testament and even the Apostle Peter said this of Paul’s writings, 2 Peter 3:14-18 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. NKJV The rulers of the world were void of this “hidden mystery” or “hidden wisdom” because it was all in Christ who the Jews rejected as Messiah and the Gentiles (namely the Romans) dismissed as non-sense because of their belief in many gods. Paul is saying had these Jews truly seen Christ for who He was and is “God in Human Flesh” walking in their midst, if they would have known that YAHWEH truly was in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19) never would they have carried out the cruel act of rebellious murder. The Jews were blind (Romans 11:25) and the Romans or Gentiles were blind and ignorant.

“God appointed in His own purpose before the foundation of the world; that is, it was a plan which from eternity He determined to execute. It was not a new device; it had not been got up to serve an occasion; but it was a plan laid deep in the eternal counsel of God, and on which He had His eye forever fixed. This passage proves, that God had a plan, and that this plan was eternal. This is all that is involved in the doctrine of eternal decrees or purposes. And if God had a plan about this, there is the same reason to think that He had a plan in regard to all things.” Albert Barnes

“God’s Wisdom of coming to earth as a Man (Christ) and voluntarily submitting and humbling Himself to the point of death by the hands of His Own creation, was absurd, abject, and absolute non-sense to the mind of sinful man and therefore, throughout every generation (since the Cross) men have tried to figure out scientifically and intellectually why Christ death means anything to them personally, but God’s Wisdom in the Cross of Christ is the only place sinful men can go to find wholeness and restoration and peace and meaning to this life.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…