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.

“For no spirit given by God requires to be asked; but such a spirit having the power of Divinity speaks all things of itself, for it proceeds from above from the power of the Divine Spirit. But the spirit which is asked and speaks according to the desires of men is earthly, light, and powerless, and it is altogether silent if it is not questioned.”

“Isaiah even so early, with the clearness of an apostle, foreseeing the thoughts of heretical hearts, asked, "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? For who hath been His counsellor? With whom took He counsel? ... or who taught Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding? " With whom the apostle agreeing exclaims, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" "His judgments unsearchable," as being those of God the Judge; and "His ways past finding out," as comprising an understanding and knowledge which no man has ever shown to Him, except it may be those critics of the Divine Being, who say, God ought not to have been this, and He ought rather to have been that; as if any one knew what is in God, except the Spirit of God. Moreover, having the spirit of the world, and "in the wisdom of God by wisdom knowing not God," they seem to themselves to be wiser than God; because, as the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, so also the wisdom of God is folly in the world's esteem. We, however, know that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."”

“What kind of things then are these? That by what is esteemed to be the foolishness of preaching He shall overcome the world, and the nations shall be brought in, and there shall be reconciliation of God with men, and so great blessings shall come upon us! How then have we known? "Unto us," he saith, "God hath revealed them by His Spirit;" not by the wisdom which is without; for this like some dishonored handmaid hath not been permitted to enter in, and stoop down and look into the mysteries pertaining to the Lord. Seest thou how great is the difference between this wisdom and that? The things which angels knew not, these are what she hath taught us: but she that is without, hath done the contrary. Not only hath she failed to instruct, but she hindered and obstructed, and after the event sought to obscure His doings, making the Cross of none effect. Not then simply by our receiving the knowledge, does he describe the honor vouchsafed to us, nor by our receiving it with angels, but, what is more, by His Spirit conveying it to us. Then to show its greatness, he saith, If the Spirit which knoweth the secret things of God had not revealed them, we should not have learned them. Such an object of care was this whole subject to God, as to be among His secrets. Wherefore we needed also that Teacher who knoweth these things perfectly; for "the Spirit," saith he, "searcheth all things, even the deep things of God." For the word "to search" is here indicative not of ignorance, but of accurate knowledge: it is the very same mode of speaking which he used even of God, saying, "He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit." Then having spoken with exactness concerning the knowledge of the Spirit, and having pointed out that it is as fully equal to God's knowledge, as the knowledge of a man itself to itself; and also, that we have learned all things from it and necessarily from it; he added, "which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual." Seest thou to what point he exalted us because of the Teacher's dignity? For so much are we wiser than they as there is difference between Plato and the Holy Spirit; they having for masters the heathen rhetoricians but we, the Holy Spirit.”

“As it is written, For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? On what principle is it said here, Behold I know your thoughts? But the spirit of a man is then unknown to another, when it is not shewn forth either by words or deeds. For whereas it is written, Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them; it is by the thing that is done outwardly that whatever lies concealed within is brought to sight. Whence too it is rightly said by Solomon, As in water the faces of beholders shine bright, so the hearts of men are plain to the wise.”

“Having set forth the exposition concerning the wisdom of which the Apostle speaks among the perfect, here he assigns the reason for the aforesaid exposition, and first as to this, that he had described it by comparison to unbelievers; second, as to this, that he had described it by comparison to believers, at *but to us God has revealed*. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth what he intends; second he proves the proposition, at *for if they had known*. He says therefore first: it was said that the wisdom which we speak is not of the princes of this age, for this is the wisdom which none of the princes of this age has known, which is true, of whatever princes it be understood. For secular princes have not known this wisdom, because it exceeds the reason of human governance. Job 12: *who changes the heart of the princes of the people of the earth, and deceives them, that they may walk in vain where there is no way*. Philosophers also have not known it, because it exceeds human reason. Whence it is said Bar. 3:23: *the seekers of prudence and of knowledge have not known the way of wisdom*. Demons also do not know it, because it exceeds all created wisdom. Whence it is said Job 28:21: *the birds of the heaven also are hidden from it. Destruction and death have said: with our ears we have heard the report of it*. Then when he says *for if they had known*, etc., he proves what he had said, and first indeed he proves by a sign that the princes did not know the wisdom of God, according as it is hidden in itself. Second he proves by authority that they did not know it, according as it is prepared unto our glory, at *as it is written*. He says therefore first: rightly do I say that the princes of this age have not known the wisdom of God, for if they had known the wisdom of God, they would surely have known Christ to be God, who is contained in this wisdom, which being known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory, that is, Christ the Lord himself giving glory to his own, according to that Ps. 23:10: *the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory*; and Heb. 2:10: *who had brought many sons into glory*. For since glory is naturally desirable to a rational creature, it cannot fall into human will that one should slay the author of glory. But that the princes crucified Jesus Christ is certain, if it be understood of the princes who have power among men. For it is said in Ps. 2:2: *the kings of the earth stood up, and the princes gathered together as one against the Lord, and against his Christ*, which Acts 4:27 expounds of Herod and Pilate, and the princes of the Jews who consented to the death of Christ. But demons too worked toward the death of Christ, by persuading, according to that Jn. 13:2: *when the devil had now put into the heart that he should betray him*, et cetera. But also the Pharisees, and the Scribes learned in the law, who devoted their study to wisdom, worked toward the death of Christ by instigating and approving. But concerning this a twofold doubt arises, of which the first is concerning this, that he says the Lord of glory was crucified. For the divinity of Christ could not suffer anything, according to which Christ is called Lord of glory. But it must be said that Christ is one person and hypostasis subsisting in each nature, namely divine and human. Whence he can be designated by the name of either nature, and by whatever name he is signified, that which belongs to either nature can be predicated of him, because to each there is not supposed except one hypostasis. And in this way we can say that a man created the stars, and that the Lord of glory was crucified, and yet he did not create the stars according as he is man, but according as he is God, nor was he crucified according as he is God, but inasmuch as he is man. Whence by this word the error of Nestorius is destroyed, who had said that there was one nature in Christ, of God and of man, because according to this it could in no way be verified that the Lord of glory was crucified. The second doubt is concerning this, that he seems to suppose that the princes of the Jews or the demons did not know Christ to be God. And indeed, as to the princes of the Jews, this seems to be established by this, that Peter says, Acts 3:17: *I know that through ignorance you did this, as did also your princes*. But it seems to be contrary what is said Matt. 21:38: *the husbandmen, seeing the son, said among themselves: this is the heir, come, let us kill him*; which Chrysostom, expounding, says: *the Lord manifestly proves by these words that the princes of the Jews crucified the Son of God not through ignorance, but through envy*. It is resolved in the Gloss that the princes of the Jews knew him to be the one who was promised in the law, yet not the mystery of him, that he was the Son of God, nor did they know the sacrament of the incarnation and redemption. But against this seems to be what Chrysostom says, that they knew him to be the Son of God. It must be said therefore that the princes of the Jews knew for certain that he was the Christ promised in the law, which the people did not know. But that he was truly the Son of God they did not know for certain, but conjectured it in some way; but this conjectural knowledge was obscured in them by envy and by desire of their own glory, which they saw diminished by the excellence of Christ. Likewise also there seems to be a doubt concerning the demons. For it is said Mk. 1:23 ff. and Lk. 4:34, that the demon cried out, saying: *I know that you are the Holy One of God*. And lest this be ascribed to the presumption of the demons, who boasted of knowing what they did not know, their knowledge which they had of Christ is asserted by the Evangelists themselves. In Mark indeed it is thus written: *he did not allow them to speak*, namely the demons, *because they knew him to be the Christ*. And Luke says: *rebuking them he did not allow them to speak because they knew him to be the Christ*. And to this it is answered in the book of Questions of the New and Old Testament, that the demons knew him to be the one who was promised through the law, because they saw in him all the signs which the prophets had said, but they were ignorant of the mystery of his divinity. But against this seems to be what Athanasius says, that the demons called Christ the Holy One of God, as it were singularly holy: for he alone is naturally holy, by participation in whom all others are called holy. But it must be said that, as Chrysostom says, they did not have firm and certain knowledge of the coming of God, but certain conjectures. Whence Augustine says in Bk. 9 of the City of God that he became known to the demons, not through that which is eternal life, but through certain temporal things wrought by his power. Then when he says *but as it is written*, he proves by authority that the princes of this age did not know the wisdom of God, as to this, that it was predestined unto the glory of the faithful, saying: *but as it is written*, Is. 64:4, where our text has: *eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what you have prepared for those who love you*. Now that glory of vision is shown to be plainly unknown to men in two ways. First indeed, that it is not subject to human senses, from which all human knowledge takes its beginning. And he sets down two senses. First the sense of sight, which serves discovery, when he says that *eye has not seen*, Job 28:7: *the path of it the bird has not known, nor has the eye of the vulture looked upon it*. And this because it is not something colored and visible. Second he sets down the sense of hearing, which serves instruction, saying *nor has ear heard*, namely that glory itself, because it is not sound or sensible voice. Jn. 5:37: *neither have you seen his shape, nor have you heard his voice*. Then he excludes intellectual knowledge of it, when he says *neither has it ascended into the heart of man*. This indeed can be understood: in one way, that whatever is known by man in any way whatsoever is said to ascend into the heart of man, according to that Jer. 2:50: *let Jerusalem ascend upon your heart*: and thus it must be that the heart of man is taken for the heart of the carnal man, according to that which is said below in ch. 3:3: *since there is among you jealousy and contention, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to man?* The sense therefore is that that glory is not only not perceived by sense, but not even by the heart of the carnal man, according to that Jn. 14:17: *whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him, nor know him*. In another way it can be expounded according as that is properly said to ascend into the heart of man which comes from below to man's intellect, namely from things sensible, of which he had made mention before. For things are in the intellect according to its mode; therefore lower things are in a higher intellect in a higher mode than in themselves. And therefore when they are grasped by the intellect, they in a certain way ascend into the heart. Whence it is said Is. 65:17: *the former things shall not be in memory, nor shall they ascend upon the heart*. But those things which are in the intellect and are themselves higher, are in themselves in a higher mode than in the intellect. And therefore when they are grasped by the intellect, they in a certain way descend. James 1:17: *every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights*. Because therefore the knowledge of that glory is not received from things sensible, but from divine revelation, therefore he says pointedly *neither has it ascended into the heart of man*, but it descends, namely that which *God has prepared*, that is, predestined, *for those who love him*, because the essential reward of eternal glory is owed to charity, according to that Jn. 14:21: *if anyone loves me, he will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him*, in which the perfection of eternal glory consists; and Job 36:33: *he declares concerning it*, that is, concerning the light of glory, *to his friend, that it is his possession*. But the other virtues receive the efficacy of meriting eternal life, inasmuch as they are informed by charity. Then when he says *but to us*, etc., he proves the aforesaid exposition concerning divine wisdom by comparison to believers. And first he sets forth what he intends; second he proves the proposition, at *for the Spirit*. He says therefore first: it was said that no one of the princes of this age knew the wisdom of God, *but to us God has revealed* it *through his Spirit*, namely whom he has sent to us, according to that Jn. 14:26: *but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things*, Job 32:8: *the inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding*. For because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, as proceeding from the Son, who is the truth of the Father, he inspires truth into those to whom he is sent, just as the Son, sent by the Father, makes known the Father, according to that Matt. 11:27: *no one knows the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him*. Then when he says *for the Spirit*, he proves what he had said, namely that through the Holy Spirit wisdom was revealed to believers. And first he shows that the Holy Spirit is efficacious for this; second he proves that this he had done in the disciples of Christ, at *but we*. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth what he intends; second he manifests the proposition, at *for who of men knows*, et cetera. He says therefore first: it was said that through the Holy Spirit God has revealed to us his wisdom, and this could come about: for *the Spirit searches all things*. This is not to be understood as though by inquiring how things come to be, but because he knows perfectly and even the inmost things of whatsoever matters, just as a man sometimes diligently searches. Whence it is said Wis. 7:22f. that *the spirit of understanding is holy, watching over all things, and taking in all spirits that are intelligible, pure, subtle*, and he knows perfectly not only created things, but also the deep things of God. Now those things are called deep which lie hidden in him, and not those things which are known of him through creatures, which are seen as it were only on the surface, according to that Wis. 13:5: *from the greatness of the beauty and of the creature the creator of them can knowably be seen*. Then, when he says *for who of men knows*, he proves what he had said concerning the Spirit of God by a likeness of the human spirit, saying *for who of men knows the things that are of man*, that is, the things that lie hidden in the heart, *except the spirit of man which is in him*, that is, the intellect? And therefore the things that lie hidden within cannot be seen. He says pointedly, however, *who of men*, lest even God should seem to be excluded from knowledge of these things; for it is said Jer. 17:9: *perverse is the heart of man, and who shall know it? I, God, proving hearts and searching reins*, because indeed of the secrets of the heart God alone is the knower. Now the reason is manifest why man cannot know the things that lie hidden in another's heart, because man's knowledge is received from sense, and therefore the things that are in another's heart, man cannot know, except insofar as they are made manifest through sensible signs, according to that 1 Kg. 16:7: *man sees the things that appear outwardly, but God beholds the heart*. But neither can a good angel nor a bad one know the things that lie hidden in man's heart, except insofar as they are made manifest through certain effects, the reason for which can be taken from the very word of the Apostle, who says the spirit of man knows the things that lie hidden in man's heart for this reason, that it is in the man himself; but an angel, whether good or bad, does not glide into the human mind so as to be in man's very heart and operate within it, but this belongs to God alone. Whence God alone is conscious of the secrets of man's heart, according to that Job 16:20: *behold, my witness is in heaven, and my knower is on high*. Second he adapts the likeness to the Spirit of God, saying *so too the things that are of God*, that is, the things that lie hidden in God himself, *no one knows, except the Spirit of God*, according to that Job 36:26: *behold, God is great, surpassing our knowledge*. But just as the things that are in one man's heart are made manifest to another through sensible signs, so the things that are of God can be known to man through sensible effects, according to that Wis. 13:5: *from the greatness of the beauty and of the creature*, et cetera. But the Holy Spirit, who is in God himself, as consubstantial with the Father and the Son, sees the secrets of the divinity through himself, according to that Wis. 7:22: *for in her*, namely the wisdom of God, *is the spirit of understanding, holy, having all power, watching over all things*. Then, when he says *but we*, etc., he shows how the knowledge of the Holy Spirit is received, saying: although no man of himself can know the things that are of God, *but we*, namely filled with the Holy Spirit, *have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God*. Now by the name "spirit" is understood a certain vital and cognitive and motive force. The spirit of this world, then, can be called the wisdom of this world, and the love of the world, by which man is driven to do the things that are of the world; but this spirit the holy apostles did not receive, casting off and despising the world, but they received the Holy Spirit, by whom their hearts were illumined and enkindled to the love of God, according to that Jn. 14:26: *but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name*, etc., and Num. 14:24: *my servant Caleb, who is full of another spirit, and has followed me, I will bring into this land*. But the spirit of this world causes error, according to that Is. 19:3: *the spirit of Egypt shall be broken in the midst thereof, and I will cast down its counsel*. From the divine spirit, however, we have obtained *that we may know the things that are given to us by God*, that we may know concerning divine matters as much as God has granted to each; because, as is said Eph. 4:7, *to each one grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ*. Or it can be understood that the Spirit of God is given to the saints, that they may know spiritual gifts, which, not having, they are ignorant of that same Spirit, according to that Apoc. 2:17: *to him who overcomes I will give hidden manna, which no one knows except he who receives it*. From this, however, it can be gathered that just as *no one knows the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him*, as is said Matt. 11:27: so no one knows the things that are of God the Father and the Son, except the Holy Spirit and those who have received him: and this because just as the Son is consubstantial with the Father, so the Holy Spirit is with the Father and the Son.”

“What man knoweth the things of a man t Those in the inner recesses of his being, which are buried in his heart and mind, as, e.g, his thoughts, resolutions, and intentions, and the foundation of the character itself. Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God , . The Holy Spirit knows them as well as Himself. For the Holy Spirit is internal to God, just as the spirit of a man is internal to him ; and as the spirit of a man is a sharer of his humanity, so the Spirit of God is a partaker of Godhead, and of the Divine omniscience and power. “The things of God* are those which are hidden in the mind of God — the thoughts, counsels and determinations of the Divine WilL After “knoweth no man, but the Spirit” must be understood, “and He to whom the Spirit has willed to reveal them, as to me and the other Apostles,” as was said in ver. 10. “No man, but the Spirit” does not exclude the Son. For since He is the Word, He knows the deep things of God. For in Divine things, when an exclusive or exceptive word is applied to one Person in respect of the Divine attributes, it does not exclude the other Divine Persons, but only all other essences from the Divine, i.e., it only excludes those whose nature differs from that of God. The meaning then is : No one knows the secret things of God, save the Spirit of God, and they who have the same nature with the Spirit, the same intellectual and cognitive powers, viz., the Father and the Son. These alone know the deep things of God”

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world,.... Meaning either Satan, the god of the world, the spirit that is in it, and rules over it; or the sinful carnal disposition of the men of the world, which is a spirit of covetousness, uncleanness, pride, malice, and error; or rather the carnal wisdom of the world, which is common to worldly men, lies in the knowledge of worldly things, and is pursued and exercised for worldly advantages: but the Spirit which is of God; the Holy Ghost, which proceeds from the Father and the Son, is the gift of God to his people, and whom they receive through the doctrine of faith into their hearts, as a spirit of illumination, faith, comfort, adoption, truth, and as a seal and earnest of future glory: that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God; who has given himself, his Son, and all things freely along with him, as a justifying righteousness, remission of sins, adoption, and eternal life; all which were provided for them in the council and covenant of peace, and made up that grace given unto them freely in Christ before the world began; for there was not only an eternal purpose to bestow these gifts, in the mind of God, and a promise of them in covenant, but a real donation of them to them, as considered in Christ so early: besides, God gave his Son, and Christ gave himself for them before they knew anything of the matter; and therefore must be unknown, until made known by the Spirit of God, who is sent unto them, and into their hearts, for this purpose, to make them known; which he does, by showing all this grace, and by opening and applying the truths of the everlasting Gospel: and this knowledge is not a mere notional one, but spiritual, experimental, and approbational, joined with affection and admiration; and is a knowledge of interest in these things, and which makes both humble and obedient.”

“For what man knoweth the things of a man - The word ανθρωπων in the first clause is omitted by the Codex Alexandrinus, and one other; and by Athanasius, Cyril, and Vigil of Tapsus. Bishop Pearce contends strongly against the authenticity of the word, and reads the passage thus: "For what is there that knoweth the things of a man, except the spirit of a man that is in him?" "I leave out," says the learned bishop, "ανθρωπων, with the Alexandrian MS., and read τις γαρ οιδεν τα του ανθρωπου; because I conceive that the common reading is wide of St. Paul's meaning; for to say, What man except the spirit of a man, is (I think) to speak improperly, and to suppose that the spirit of a man is a man; but it is very proper to say, What except the spirit of a man: τις is feminine as well as masculine, and therefore may be supplied with ουσια, or some such word, as well as with ανθρωπος." Though the authority for omitting this word is comparatively slender, yet it must be owned that its omission renders the text much more intelligible. But even one MS. may preserve the true reading. The spirit of a man knows the things of a man: that is, a man is conscious of all the schemes, plans, and purposes, that pass in his own mind; and no man can know these things but himself. So, the Spirit of God, He whom we call the Third Person of the glorious Trinity, knows all the counsels and determinations of the Supreme Being. As the Spirit is here represented to live in God as the soul lives in the body of a man, and as this Spirit knows all the things of God, and had revealed those to the apostles which concern the salvation of the world, therefore what they spoke and preached was true, and men may implicitly depend upon it. The miracles which they did, in the name of Christ, were the proof that they had that Spirit, and spoke the truth of God.”

“what man, &c.--literally, "who of men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of that man?" things of God knoweth no man--rather, "none knoweth," not angel or man. This proves the impossibility of any knowing the things of God, save by the Spirit of God (who alone knows them, since even in the case of man, so infinitely inferior in mind to God, none of his fellow men, but his own spirit alone knows the things hidden within him).”