George Leo Haydock

For who among the sensual men of the world, hath known the mind of the Lord, so as to be able to instruct him, or them, whom he guides by his spirit. — But we, whom he has chosen to be his apostles, have the mind of Christ; having been taught and instructed by the Spirit of Christ. Some enthusiasts and fanatics pretend from this passage of St. Paul, that they being led and inspired by the spirit, can be judged by no one in matters of faith and religion. They pervert and wrest the words of St. Paul, as they do also other Scriptures, to their own perdition. (2 Peter iii. 16.) First, because no one knows by his pretended private spirit, that he is truly such a spiritual man, who has the Spirit of God in him: and many have too much reason to know by their sensual carnal lives, that they have it not. Secondly, St. Paul here speaks only of spiritual men in opposition to sensual men, and only says that they who are spiritual, have the spirit of discretion to judge what things are spiritual, and what are not; and that none can judge rightly of these matters, but they who are spiritual, guided by the Spirit. Thirdly, as to controversies about religion, the proper spiritual judges appointed by our Saviour, Christ, are the bishops, whom he has appointed to govern his Church, with an entire submission of every man’s private judgment, and private spirit, to the judgment of the Catholic Church, which he has commanded us to hear and obey, with which he has promised to remain to the end of the world, and to direct her in all things by the spirit of truth. (Witham) Bible Text & Cross-references: His preaching was not in loftiness of words: but in spirit and power. And the wisdom he taught was not to be understood by the worldly wise, or sensual man, but only by the spiritual man. 1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, *came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of Christ. 2 For I judged not myself to know any thing among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 *And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling: 4 *And my speech, and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the shewing of the spirit and power: 5 That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 6 Howbeit, we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world, who are destroyed: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which is hidden, which God predestinated before the world, unto our glory, 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: *That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him: 10 But to us God hath revealed by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the profound things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him? So the things also that are of God no man knoweth, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God, that we may know the things that are given us from God: 13 *Which things also we speak, not in the learned words of human wisdom, but in the doctrine of the Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the sensual man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God: for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand: because it is spiritually examined. 15 But the spiritual man judgeth all things: and he himself is judged of no one. 16 *For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.