1 Corinthians 2:14 - Spiritual Wisdom!

1Cor.2:14 - Spiritual Wisdom!

1 Cor 2:14 (KJV)  But the natural man receiveth not the things 
of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither 
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

1 Cor 2:14 (EAV)  But the natural, nonspiritual man does not 
accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and 
revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) 
to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively 
recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because 
they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. 

1 Cor 2:14 (CWB)  Most people are not interested in what God is 
trying to tell them.  It doesn't make sense to them and it seems 
foolish because it can be understood only under the guidance of the Holy 
Spirit. 

1 Cor 2:14 (TLB)  But the man who isn't a Christian can't 
understand and can't accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit 
teaches us. They sound foolish to him because only those who have the 
Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. 
Others just can't take it in. 

The natural man, a man who is not spiritual-minded; one 
unregenerate, whose interests are confined to the things of this life. Such a 
man depends on human wisdom for the solution of all his problems. He 
lives to please himself and to gratify the desires of the unconverted 
heart, hence is incapable of understanding and appreciating the things 
of God. To him the plan of salvation, the wonderful revelation of 
God's love, is folly. He cannot distinguish between worldly philosophy 
and spiritual truth because the wisdom of God is understood only by 
those who permit themselves to be taught by the Holy Spirit. [SDA 
Commentary] 

The natural man, the man governed by his rational mind and 
intellect. The non-Christian has at best only the aid of his human 
intellect and emotions, and at worst is actively beset by the evil spirit, 
which runs counter to the Spirit of God. they are foolishness unto 
him--The words of the Spirit are as incomprehensible to the natural man 
as a foreign language without an interpreter. He simply lacks the 
necessary equipment for receiving the message. [Jamieson, Fausset, And 
Brown Commentary mod] 

Because the Spirit's words have been "enscripturated"--written 
down--anyone can read them. But reading, or even hearing this secret wisdom 
expounded, does not mean that the natural man will understand or accept the 
divine wisdom! It is only those who possess the Spirit who will 
understand, for the Spirit who inspired the words must reside within to 
interpret them appropriately if God's wisdom is to profit us. [Victor 
Bible Background Commentary] 

"Expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" 1 Cor. 2:13-14. 
Translators have struggled with the meaning of the Greek word synkrinontes, 
translated "expressing" in the NIV. It's better to take it as "bringing 
together." The Holy Spirit, who inspired the words of Scripture, lives in 
us, and enables us to accept and apply spiritual truth. He "brings 
together" the words and their meaning in ways that those without the 
Spirit simply cannot grasp. For they do not "accept the things that 
come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him" (v. 
14). 
I remember going once to a general assembly meeting of the 
United Nations in New York. Each seat had its earphones, with several 
channels. A speaker could use his own language, and if I turned to the 
English language channel, I could hear a running translation. This is 
what Paul was saying here. Scripture speaks a language that is 
foreign to humankind. Only a person with the Spirit, God's translator, 
can understand what is really being said. 
When you read Scripture, be sure to ask God's Spirit to "bring 
together" its meaning for your life. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary] 

A man who thinks that nothing is more important than the 
satisfaction of the sex urge cannot understand the meaning of chastity; a man 
who ranks the amassing of material things as the supreme end of life 
cannot understand generosity; and a man who has never a thought beyond 
this world cannot understand the things of God. To him they look mere 
foolishness.  No man need be like this; but if he stifles "the immortal 
longings" that are in his soul he may make himself like this so that the 
Spirit of God will speak and he will not hear. [Barclay Commentary] 

The greatest foolishness is to reject Jesus Christ. The "deep 
things of God" refers to God's unfathomable nature and his wonderful 
plan--Jesus' resurrection--and to the promise of salvation, revealed only to 
those who believe that what God says is true. Those who believe in the 
resurrection and put their faith in Christ will know all they need to know to 
be saved. This knowledge, however, can't be grasped by even the 
wisest people unless they accept God's message. All who reject God's 
message are foolish, no matter how wise the world thinks they are. [Life 
Application SB] 

God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He withholds, 
but that that is the way He has constituted things on the basis of 
Redemption. By means of our asking, God gets processes into work whereby He 
creates the thing that is not in existence until we do ask. The inner 
reality of Redemption is that it creates all the time. As the Redemption 
creates the life of God in us, so it creates the things belonging to 
that life. Nothing can satisfy the need but that which created the 
need. This is the meaning of Redemption - it creates and it satisfies. 
[My Utmost for His Highest by Chambers, Oswald] 

The preaching of the word will be of no avail without the 
continual presence and aid of the Holy Spirit. This is the only effectual 
teacher of divine truth. Only when the truth is accompanied to the heart 
by the Spirit will it quicken the conscience or transform the life. 
One might be able to present the letter of the word of God, he might 
be familiar with all its commands and promises; but unless the Holy 
Spirit sets home the truth, no souls will fall on the Rock and be 
broken. No amount of education, no advantages, however great, can make 
one a channel of light without the co-operation of the Spirit of 
God. The sowing of the gospel seed will not be a success unless the 
seed is quickened into life by the dew of heaven. DA671,2 

Those who do not learn every day in the school of Christ, who do 
not spend much time in earnest prayer, are not fit to handle the 
work of God in any of its branches; for if they do, human depravity 
will surely overcome them and they will lift up their souls unto 
vanity. Those who become co-workers with Jesus Christ, and who have 
spirituality to discern spiritual things, will feel their need of virtue and 
of wisdom from Heaven in handling His work. There are some who 
neither burn nor shine, yet are contented. They are in a wretchedly cold 
and indifferent condition, TM169 

The people of the world have a great deal of knowledge, but they 
lack spiritual wisdom. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines] 

Things long hidden are now revealed by the illuminating work of 
the Holy Spirit, not by human wisdom. [New Bible Companion] 

The Holy spirit does not work with men who love to be sharp and 
critical. TM248 

Those who believe the truth are to be newly converted every day. 
Then they will be vessels unto honor.  TM248 

Everywhere among Conservatives we find persons who are 
Bible-taught but not Spirit-taught. They conceive truth to be something which 
they can grasp with the mind. If a man holds to the fundamentals of 
the Christian faith he is thought to possess divine truth. But it 
does not follow. There is no truth apart from the Spirit. A. W. 
Tozer