Exploring the Source, Language, and Recipients of Spiritual Truth
1 Corinthians 2:13 stands as a gentle but profound reminder of the true source of Christian wisdom. Across translations, the apostle Paul’s words underscore a striking contrast: the wisdom and language of God’s Spirit versus that of human intellect. Several translations articulate this verse as “We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.” In breaking down this passage and reflecting on its broader context, we uncover both a challenge and a comfort for all who seek to know God.
Not in Words Taught by Human Wisdom
Paul emphasizes that spiritual truth is not a product of clever rhetoric, eloquent philosophy, or accumulated knowledge. “Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth…” This opening clause serves as a safeguard against pride in human learning. Paul rejects the notion that one can reason their way into the mysteries of God. The wisdom Paul proclaims is not of this world; it does not originate in human imagination or the accumulation of facts.
In a world that prizes education, debate, and the mastery of language, Paul reminds us that the deepest truths do not yield to human effort alone. Such wisdom is not won by study, but received by humility.
But Which the Holy Ghost Teacheth
The passage continues: “…but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” Here, Paul roots all true spiritual knowledge in the person and activity of the Holy Spirit. This is not merely cognitive understanding; it is revelation. The Spirit is not some impersonal force, but the third person of the Trinity, one with the Father and the Son, who “searches even the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10). Only God’s Spirit fully knows God, and only the Spirit can reveal these mysteries to humanity.
The apostles, Paul insists, did not invent their teaching. They received it directly from the Spirit of God—who also impresses it on the hearts of listeners. This is a powerful testimony to the Holy Spirit’s divinity and distinct personhood; the Spirit knows, searches, and reveals, acting in perfect unity with God’s mind and will.
Explaining Spiritual Things to Spiritual People
The phrase “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (KJV), or “explaining spiritual truths to spiritual people” (ESV), has invited much reflection. Some understand it as “comparing spiritual truths with spiritual truths,” showing how one aspect of revelation interprets and illuminates another. Others see it as “explaining spiritual truths in spiritual language,” indicating that spiritual realities require a fitting vocabulary, not the ornate oratory of worldly wisdom.
Another interpretation, and perhaps the most pastoral, is that spiritual things are best understood by those who are themselves spiritual—those whose hearts are awakened by God’s Spirit. To those who do not know God, spiritual things are “foolishness” (1 Cor. 2:14); they cannot be grasped through human logic alone. Only the “spiritual person” can receive, discern, and delight in them.
Spiritual Understanding as Divine Privilege
This passage, especially in the context of 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, reveals spiritual understanding as both a mystery and a gift. God has given his Spirit to all who believe, and through the Spirit, Christians are granted access to “the mind of Christ.” This is not an exclusive privilege for apostles or spiritual elites, but the birthright of every child of God. The Holy Spirit is the living interpreter of God’s Word, making the Scriptures alive and meaningful to the believer’s heart.
The “natural person” (2:14)—the one relying solely on reason, status, or tradition—cannot receive this wisdom. The “spiritual person,” however, discerns spiritual beauty, truth, and goodness, and is empowered to live out God’s will.
Simple Language, Profound Truth
Paul notes that the apostles declared these truths in “plain, simple language,” not in the “affected oratory or enticing words of man’s wisdom.” The power of the message lay not in its presentation, but in its source. The Spirit’s presence is what brings understanding, conviction, and transformation.
Application: The Privilege and Calling of the Spiritual
For today’s readers, 1 Corinthians 2:13 offers both reassurance and an invitation. We need not rely on our own intellect or eloquence to know God; we are dependent on the Spirit, who delights to reveal the Father’s heart. The privilege of having “the mind of Christ” is just that—a privilege, never a possession to be wielded in pride, but a gift to be shared in humility.
As we seek to understand and explain spiritual truth, may we do so always in the language and wisdom of the Spirit, offering spiritual things to spiritual people, always eager that the Spirit would awaken new hearts to the beauty and glory of Christ.
May our prayer be: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18), and may we always rely on the Spirit’s teaching, not our own.
Minister A Francine Green
August 2025
afrancinegreen.com 