G² L 1,2. His testimony.
M 3. His feelings.
L 4. His testimony.
M 5. The faith of the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 1)
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not according to pre-eminence of word or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. (He did not use big words. He was direct and with emotion.)
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you (he didn't claim to know everything), except Jesus Christ, and This One crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. (Fear is joined with trembling except for Mark 16:8. His sense of weakness [cp. Gal. 4:13] produced fear, and this resulted in trembling. Cp. 2 Cor. 4:7)
4 And my speech and my preaching was not in persuasive words of human's wisdom (He didn't try to con you. See Rom. 6:19), but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (Here spirit = spiritual gift, in this case Divine wisdom = "the powerful gift")
5 In order that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men (True wisdom is taking that gift which is given by God, and that which man has confounded, confused and messed up, and simplify it whereby anyone can understand it), but in the power of God. (Don't put you faith in anything built in this world.)
H¹ N 6-. Paul speaking.
O a -6. Neg. Not the wisdom of this age.
b 7. Pos. The wisdom of God.
P c 8. Neg. Ignorant of God's wisdom.
d 9. Pos. Reason. Because of incapacity.
Q e 10. Revelation needed.
f 11-. Question.
g -11.12. Answer.
N 13-. Paul speaking.
O a -13-. Neg. Not the wisdom of man.
b -13. Pos. But the power of God.
P c 14-. Neg. Ignorant of revelation.
d -14. Pos. Reason. Because of incapacity.
Q e 15. Spiritual judgment needed.
f 16-. Question.
g -16. Answer.
6 But we speak wisdom among the perfect:
yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this world (i.e. Kenites, children of Satan)>, that are being brought to nothing:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom (Do you have the key to unlock the mystery?. See Matt. 13:35), which God preordained (see Acts 4:28) before the ages to our glory: (See 2 Pet. 3:15.)
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (They didn't believe, thought it was foolish. Cp. Act 7:2. Eph. 1:17. Col. 1:27. Heb. 1:3; 2:14 Jas. 2:1.)
9 But as it has been written (quoted from Isa. 64:4), "Eye saw not, and ear heard not, and went not up upon the heart of man, the things which God prepared for them that love Him." (Conditional. See Isa. 64:1-8)
10 But God revealed them to us through His Spirit (knows the mind of God): for the Spirit searches all things (see John 5:39. Cp. Ps. 139:1. Rev. 2:23), yes, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knows the things also of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? (Your spirit is your intellect. What person can read another ones mind? No one!)
even so the things of God knows no one, save the Spirit of God. (See Mark 13:23.)
12 Now we received, not the spirit by the world, but the spirit which is by God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (It's a gift of God, to have peace of mind)
13 Which things we speak also,
not in the words taught by man's wisdom,
but [in things] taught by the Spirit; interpreting (Gen. 40:8,16,22; 41:12,13,15. Dan. 5:16,17. To interpret = to fit the meaning of the words) spiritual things to spiritual. (Fact. To be able to discern spirits even. See 12:1)
14 But the natural (flesh) man receives not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness to him (see 1:18): neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (He doesn't have the spirit, his spiritual eyes are closed.)
15 But he that is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned of no man.
16 For who knew the mind of the Lord, who shall instruct Him? (Dangerous thought to give council to God! See Acts 9:22. See Isa. 40:13-15.)
but we have the mind of Christ.