For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

“Next, pursuing his contrast, he states the cause of this, saying, "he knoweth not because they are spiritually discerned:" i.e. the things asserted require faith, and to apprehend them by reasonings is not possible, for their magnitude exceeds by a great deal the meanness of our understanding. Wherefore he saith, "but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." For he that has sight, beholds himself all things that appertain to the man that has no sight; but no sightless person discerns what the other is about. So also in the case before us, our own matters and those of unbelievers, all of them we for our part know; but ours, they know not henceforth any more. We know what is the nature of things present, what the dignity of things to come; and what some day shall become of the world when this state of things shall be no more, and what sinners shall suffer, and the righteous shall enjoy. And that things present are nothing worth, we both know, and their meanness we expose; (for to "discern" is also to expose;) and that the things to come are immortal and immoveable. All these things are known to the spiritual man; and what the natural man shall suffer when he is departed into that world; and what the faithful shall enjoy when he hath fulfilled his journey from this: none of which are known to the natural man. Wherefore also, subjoining a plain demonstration of what had been affirmed, he saith, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." That is to say, the things which are in the mind of Christ, these we know, even the very things which He willeth and hath revealed. For since he had said, "the Spirit had revealed them;" lest any one should set aside the Son, he subjoins that Christ also shewed us these things. Not meaning this, that all the things which He knoweth, we know; but that all the things which we know are not human so as to be open to suspicion, but of His mind and spiritual. For the mind which we have about these things we have of Christ; that is, the knowledge which we have concerning the things of the faith is spiritual; so that with reason we are "judged of no man." For it is not possible that a natural man should know divine things. Wherefore also he said, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord?" implying that our own mind which we have about these things, is His mind. And this, "that he may instruct Him," he hath not added without reason, but with reference to what he had just now said, "the spiritual man no one discerneth." For if no man is able to know the mind of God, much less can he teach and correct it. For this is the meaning of, "that he may instruct Him." Seest thou how from every quarter he repels the wisdom which is without, and shews that the spiritual man knoweth more things and greater? For seeing that those reasons, "That no flesh should glory;" and, "For this cause hath He chosen the foolish things, that He might confound the wise men;" and, "Lest the Cross of Christ should be made void:" seemed not to the unbelievers greatly worthy of credit, nor yet attractive, or necessary, or useful, he finishes by laying down the principal reason; because in this way we most easily see from Whom we may have the means of learning even high things, and things secret, and things which are above us. For reason was absolutely made of none effect by our inability to apprehend through Gentile wisdom the things above us. You may observe, too, that it was more advantageous to learn in this way from the Spirit. For that is the easiest and clearest of all teaching. "But we have the mind of Christ." That is, spiritual, divine, that which hath nothing human. For it is not of Plato, nor of Pythagoras, but it is Christ Himself, putting His own things into our mind.”

“The Apostle had said above, "we speak wisdom among the perfect." After, therefore, he showed what sort of wisdom this is — unknown to worldly men, but known to the saints — here he shows for what reason the saints speak this wisdom among the perfect. And first he sets forth what he intends; second he assigns the reason, at "but the animal man," etc. Concerning the first, he first sets forth the manifestation of the things revealed, saying: it has been said that we have received the Spirit of God, that we may know the things that have been given to us by God — namely, the things that have been revealed to us through the Spirit, we speak. For these things have been revealed to them for usefulness. Hence also Acts 2:4: "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak." Second he touches on the manner of declaring, excluding an unfitting manner, saying "not in words taught by human wisdom," that is, we do not strive to prove our teaching through words composed from human wisdom, whether as to the ornamentation of words or as to the subtlety of reasonings. Is. 33:19: "you will not see a people of lofty speech." For he establishes the fitting manner when he says "but in the teaching of the Spirit," that is, insofar as the Holy Spirit teaches us inwardly as we speak, and illumines the hearts of the hearers to grasp it. Jn 16:13: "when that Spirit of truth comes, he will teach you all truth." Third he determines the hearers, saying "comparing spiritual things to spiritual," as if to say: by a right comparison we hand down spiritual teachings to spiritual men, to whom they are fitting. 2 Tim. 2:2: "commend these things to faithful men, who will be fit also to teach others." And he names here as spiritual the same men whom above he called perfect, because through the Holy Spirit men are perfected in virtue, according to that saying, Ps. 32:6: "by the spirit of his mouth is all their power." Then, when he says "animal," etc., he assigns the reason for what has been said, and first he shows why spiritual things are not to be handed down to animal men; second why they are to be handed down to spiritual men, at "the spiritual man," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he gives the reason; second he explains it, at "for it is foolishness," etc. The reason, then, is this: to no one are teachings to be handed down which he cannot grasp; but animal men cannot grasp spiritual teachings; therefore they are not to be handed down to them. This, then, is what he says, "the animal man," etc. And therefore by right reason they cannot be handed down to them. Here it must first be considered what man is called animal. It must be considered, then, that the soul is the form of the body. Hence those powers are properly understood as of the soul which are the acts of bodily organs, namely the sensitive powers. Men are called animal, therefore, who follow powers of this kind, among which is the apprehensive power and the appetitive; and therefore a man can be called animal in two ways. In one way as to the apprehensive power, and such a one is called animal in sense, who, as is said in the Gloss, judges concerning God according to the phantasm of bodies, or the letter of the law, or philosophical reasoning, which are received according to the sensitive powers. In another way someone is called animal as to the appetitive power, namely one who is affected only toward those things which are according to sensitive appetite, and such a one is called animal in life, who, as is said in the Gloss, follows the dissolute wantonness of his own soul, which the ruling spirit does not contain within the bounds of the natural order. Hence it is said in the canonical letter of Jude, v. 19: "these are they who separate themselves, animal, not having the Spirit." Second it must be seen why such men cannot perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God — which indeed is manifest both as to the animal in sense and as to the animal in life. For the things concerning which the Holy Spirit illumines the mind are above human sense and reason, according to that saying, Ecclus. 3:25: "many things above the sense of man have been shown to you"; and therefore they cannot be grasped by him who relies only on sensitive cognition. The Holy Spirit also kindles the affection to love spiritual goods, with sensible goods held in contempt; and therefore he who is animal in life cannot grasp spiritual goods of this kind, because the Philosopher says in Ethics IV that as each one is, such does the end appear to him. Prov. 18:2: "the fool does not receive the words of prudence, unless you speak to him the things that are turning in his heart." Ecclus. 22:9: "he speaks with one asleep, who tells wisdom to a fool." Then, when he says "for it is foolishness," etc., he makes manifest what he had said, by a sign; for when someone rejects things wisely said as though foolish, it is a sign that he does not grasp them. Because, therefore, the animal man reckons the things that are of the Spirit of God to be foolish, from this it is made manifest that he does not grasp them. And this is what he says: "for it is foolishness to him," namely to the animal man. For he judges to be foolish the things that are done according to the Spirit of God. Eccle. 10:3: "the fool walking in the way, since he himself is unwise, esteems all others fools." But that to the animal man the things that are according to the Spirit seem foolish does not proceed from rectitude of sense — just as the wise judge some things to be foolish which seem wisdom to fools, on account of a defect of intellect — because a man given over to sense cannot understand the things that are above sense, and a man affected by carnal things does not understand anything to be good except what is delightful according to the flesh. And this is what follows, "and he cannot understand." Ps. 81:5: "they have not known nor understood, they walk in darkness." But why he cannot understand, he shows by adding "because it is spiritually examined," that is, the examination of spiritual things takes place spiritually. For the lower can never examine and judge the things that belong to the higher, just as sense cannot examine the things that belong to intellect. And likewise, neither sense nor human reason can judge the things that are of the Spirit of God. And so it remains that things of this kind are examined only by the Holy Spirit, according to that saying, Ps. 17:31: "the words of the Lord examined by fire" — proved, namely, by the Holy Spirit. Because, therefore, the animal man lacks the Holy Spirit, he cannot examine spiritual things, and consequently neither understand them. Then, when he says "but the spiritual man judges all things," etc., he assigns the reason why spiritual things are handed down to spiritual men, and first he gives the reason; second he explains the cause, at "for who has known." He assigns this reason: spiritual things are to be handed down to him who is able to judge, according to that saying, Job 12:11: "the ear discerns words"; but the spiritual man is of this kind; therefore spiritual things are to be handed down to him. And this is what he says: "but the spiritual man judges all things, and he himself is judged by no one." Here first it must be seen what man is called spiritual. But it must be noted that we are accustomed to name incorporeal substances "spirit"; since, therefore, there is some part of the soul which is not the act of any bodily organ — namely the intellective part comprising intellect and will — this part of the soul is called the spirit of man, which is nevertheless illumined as to intellect by the Spirit of God, and inflamed as to affection and will. A man, therefore, is called spiritual in two ways. In one way on the part of the intellect, the Spirit of God illumining. And according to this it is said in the Gloss that a man is spiritual who, subject to the Spirit of God, knows spiritual things most certainly and faithfully. In another way on the part of the will, the Spirit of God inflaming; and in this way it is said in the Gloss that a life is spiritual by which, having the Spirit of God as ruler, one rules the soul, that is, the animal powers. Gal., last chapter: "you who are spiritual, instruct such a one," etc. Second it must be considered why the spiritual man judges all things, and he himself is judged by no one. Here it must be noted that in all things, he who is rightly disposed has right judgment concerning particulars. But he who suffers a defect of rectitude in himself also fails in judging: for one who is awake rightly judges both that he himself is awake and that another is asleep; but one who is asleep has no right judgment about himself, nor about the one who is awake. Hence things are not such as they appear to one asleep, but such as they appear to one awake. And the same reasoning holds for the healthy and the sick concerning the judgment of tastes, and for the weak and the strong concerning the judgment of weights, and for the virtuous and the vicious concerning things to be done. Hence also the Philosopher says in Ethics V that the virtuous man is the rule and measure of all human things, because indeed in human affairs the particulars are such as the virtuous man judges them to be. And according to this manner the Apostle here says that the spiritual man judges all things, because indeed a man having his intellect illumined and his affection ordered by the Holy Spirit has right judgment concerning the particulars that pertain to salvation. But he who is not spiritual has also his intellect darkened and his affection disordered concerning spiritual goods, and therefore the spiritual man cannot be judged by a man who is not spiritual, just as one who is awake cannot be judged by one who is asleep. As to the first of these, therefore, it is said, Wis. 3:8, that "the just shall judge the nations." As to the second it is said below, 4:3: "to me it is a very small thing that I be judged by you, or by man's day." Then, when he says "for who has known," etc., he makes manifest the reason he had adduced. And first he brings in an authority; second he applies it to the point at hand, at "but we," etc. It must be considered that for someone to be able to judge concerning some man, two things are required. First, that the one judging know the things that belong to the one judged, because, as is said in Ethics I: "each one judges well the things he knows, and of these he is the best judge." From which it is clear that no one can pass judgment on the mind, that is, the wisdom of God judging all things. Therefore he says, "for who has known the mind of the Lord?" As if to say: no one; because the wisdom of God exceeds every desire of man. Ecclus. 1:3: "who has searched out the wisdom of God that precedes all things?" Wis. 9:17: "but who shall know your mind, unless you give wisdom?" Second it is required that the one judging be superior to the one judged. Hence a lord has judgment concerning a servant, a master concerning a disciple. From which it is also clear that no one can judge the mind of God. On account of which there follows, "or who has instructed him?" As if to say: no one. For he does not have knowledge received from anyone, but rather is the fount of all knowledge. Job 26:3: "to whom have you given counsel? Perhaps to him who does not have wisdom?" But these words seem to be taken from what is said, Is. 40:13: "who has helped the Spirit of the Lord, or who has been his counselor and showed him? With whom did he take counsel, and who instructed him?" Then he applies what he had said to the point at hand, saying "but we" — namely spiritual men — "have the mind of Christ," that is, we receive in ourselves the wisdom of Christ for judging. Ecclus. 17:6: "he created for them the knowledge of the spirit, he filled their hearts with understanding." Lk., last chapter, it is said that "he opened their mind, that they might understand the Scriptures," and so, because the mind of Christ cannot be judged, it is fitting that the spiritual man, who has the mind of Christ, be judged by no one.”

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord - Who that is still an animal man can know the mind of God? so as to instruct him, viz. the spiritual man, the same that is spoken of, Co1 2:15. But the words may be better understood thus: How can the animal man know the mind of the Lord? and how can any man communicate that knowledge which he has never acquired, and which is foolishness to him, because it is spiritual, and he is animal? This quotation is made from Isa 40:13. But we have the mind of Christ - He has endowed us with the same disposition, being born again by his Spirit; therefore we are capable of knowing his mind and receiving the teachings of his Spirit. These teachings we do receive, and therefore are well qualified to convey them to others. The words, that he may instruct him, ὁς συμβιβασει αυτον, should be translated that he may teach It: that is, the mind of God; not instruct God, but teach his mind to others. And this interpretation the Hebrew will also bear. Bishop Pearce observes: "The principal questions here are,, what συμβιβασει signifies, and what αυτον is relative to. The Hebrew word which the Septuagint translate by these two is יודיענו yodiennu: now, since ידיע yodia signifies as well to make known as to know, (and indeed this is the most frequent sense of it in the Old Testament), the suffix (postfix) נו nu, may relate to a thing, as well as to a person; and therefore it may be rendered not by him, but by it, i.e. the mind of the Lord. And in this sense the apostle seems to have used the words of the Seventy; for, if we understand αυτον here to be the relative to Κυριου, Lord, this verse contains no reason for what went before; whereas, if it be a relative to νουν, mind, it affords a reason for what had been said before, Co1 2:14." The true translation of the passage, as used by the apostle, appears to be this: For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should Teach It? And this translation agrees with every part of the context, and particularly with what follows. 1. This chapter might be considered a good model for a Christian minister to regulate his conduct by, or his public ministry; because it points out the mode of preaching used by St. Paul and the apostles in general. This great apostle came not to the people with excellency of speech and of wisdom, when he declared unto them the counsel of God. They know little, either of the spirit of St. Paul or the design of the Gospel, who make the chief excellence of their preaching to consist in the eloquence of language, or depth of human reasoning. That may be their testimony, but it is not God's. The enticing words of man's wisdom are seldom accompanied by the demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit. 2. One justly remarks, that "the foolishness of preaching has its wisdom, loftiness, and eloquence; but this consists in the sublimity of its truths, the depth of its mysteries, and the ardour of the Spirit of God." In this respect Paul may be said to have preached wisdom among those which were perfect. The wisest and most learned men in the world, who have seriously read the Bible, have acknowledged that there is a depth and height of wisdom and knowledge in that book of God which are sought in vain any where else: and indeed it would not be a revelation from God were it not so. The men who can despise and ridicule this sacred book are those who are too blind to discover the objects presented to them by this brilliant light, and are too sensual to feel and relish spiritual things. They, above all others, are incapable of judging, and should be no more regarded when employed in talking against the sacred writings than an ignorant peasant should be, who, not knowing his alphabet, pretends to decry mathematical learning. 3. A new mode of preaching has been diligently recommended, - "Scriptural phraseology should be generally avoided where it is antiquated, or conveys ideas inconsistent with modern delicacy." St. Paul did not preach in the words which man's wisdom teacheth- such words are too mean and too low for a religion so Divine. That which the Holy Spirit alone can discover, he alone can explain. Let no man dare to speak of God in any other way than he speaks of himself in his word. Let us take care not to profane his truths and mysteries, either by such low and abject ideas as are merely human, or by new and worldly expressions altogether unworthy of the Spirit of God. 4. It is the glory of God, and ought to be ours, not to be acceptable to carnal men. The natural man always finds some pretense to excuse himself from believing, by looking on the mysteries of religion as being either too much above man or too much below God; the spiritual man judges them to be so much the more credible, the less credible they are to the natural man. The opposition, contempt, and blindness of the world, with regard to the things of God, render all its judgments concerning them liable to exception: this blindness in spiritual things is the just punishment of a carnal life. The principal part of the above is extracted from the reflections of the pious Quesnel.”

“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.”

“For--proof of Co1 2:15, that the spiritual man "is judged of no man." In order to judge the spiritual man, the ordinary man must "know the mind of the Lord." But "who of ordinary men knows" that? that he may instruct him--that is, so as to be able to set Him right as His counsellor (quoted from Isa 40:13-14). So the Septuagint translates the Greek verb, which means to "prove," in Act 9:22. Natural men who judge spiritual men, living according to the mind of God ("We have the mind of Christ"), are virtually wishing to instruct God, and bring Him to another mind, as counsellors setting to right their king. we have the mind of Christ--in our degree of capability to apprehend it. Isa 40:13-14 refers to JEHOVAH: therefore, as it is applied here to Christ, He is Jehovah. Next: 1 Corinthians Chapter 3”