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“But The Natural Man…”

In 1 Corinthians 2:14, the apostle Paul states, “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.” Looking at this passage, one might ask, Who is the “natural man” that Paul is discussing in this text? To adequately answer this question, let us analyze each of the following verses in context:

1 Corinthians 2:4 – Note that Paul’s speech and preaching “was not with enticing words…..” What kind of words did Paul use? Those words that demonstrated the Holy Spirit and His power. In Romans 15:18-19, Paul identifies what those “words” consisted of. The Gentiles became obedient, “by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Those “words” that demonstrated the Holy Spirit and His power was “the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19).

1 Corinthians 2:5 – The powerful gospel is the inspired medium through which we receive our faith (Romans 1:16), and this is what Paul emphasizes in this verse.

1 Corinthians 2:7 – The “mystery” is the gospel that was revealed to the “holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (cf. Ephesians 3:4-6; Colossians 1:25-26).

1 Corinthians 2:8 – If the world rulers (princes) had known about this “mystery”, they would not have crucified the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:9 – The word “things” refers to the spiritual blessings of salvation through our Lord (Ephesians 1:3-11). Before He came to earth, no human being by human wisdom had any conception of what these spiritual blessings would be. These spiritual blessings are now revealed to us by the Holy Spirit through the medium of inspired “words” contained in the New Testament (John 14:23-26; John 15:26-27), the gospel being the core message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

1 Corinthians 2:10 – The “them” refers to the “words” which were revealed to the apostles by the Holy Spirit in (1 Corinthians 2:12-13; cf. John 16:13). The word, “us” refers to the apostles, Paul being one of them (1 Corinthians 1:1).

1 Corinthians 2:11 – It is only through man’s “spirit” that man can know what is in his mind, and thus the same is with God and His Spirit. The Holy Spirit alone knows the mind and purposes of God.

1 Corinthians 2:12 – God’s truth was revealed to the apostles through God’s Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:13 – Man’s wisdom was not allowed to furnish the words through which the mind of God was made known, but the Holy Spirit revealed the exact words that God wanted man to know through the apostles (John 16:13). The phrase, “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” refers to the Spirit’s words; those words that were suitable to the spiritual truths being made known to the apostles.

1 Corinthians 2:14 – Using his natural faculties alone, man could never have learned the will of God without inspired revelation from God through His Spirit. This is the “natural man” or the uninspired man. The Holy Spirit revealed the words in God’s mind to the apostles and they in turn revealed it to us, the “natural man” through the written (Grk. – “graphe”) inspired (God-breathed) Scriptures – the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16).

1 Corinthians 2:15 – “He that is spiritual judgeth (marginal reading – Or, discerned) all things, yet he himself is judged (marginal reading – Or, discerned) of no man.” The inspired men of God (apostles) were endowed to judge whether the things revealed were of God or not (cf. 1 John 4:5-6).

1 Corinthians 2:16 – “For who hath known the mind of the Lord….” Only those endowed with God’s Spirit (the apostles) could know the words in God’s mind that He wanted expressed to the “natural man” or the uninspired man.

Since the “natural man” now has the total revealed written truth (the Bible) from the mind of God (James 1:25; 2 Peter 1:3; Jude 1:3), men now have an inspired “standard” by which to “test” all religious teaching (1 John 4:1-6). Brethren, let us be willing to always use that standard, not taking anyone’s teaching at face value (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11).