Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (1 Corinthians 2:12).
which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy."
comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (2 Corinthians 10:12). WAHL (Key of the New Testament) translates, "explaining (as the Greek is translated, Genesis 40:8, the Septuagint) to spiritual (that is, Spirit-taught) men, spiritual things (the things which we ourselves are taught by the Spirit)." Spirit-taught men alone can comprehend spiritual truths. This accords with 1 Corinthians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 3:1. ALFORD translates, "Putting together (combining) spirituals with spirituals"; that is, attaching spiritual words to spiritual things, which we should not do, if we were to use words of worldly wisdom to expound spiritual things (so 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Peter 4:11). Perhaps the generality of the neuters is designed to comprehend these several notions by implication. Comparing, or combining, spirituals with spirituals; implying both that spiritual things are only suited to spiritual persons (so "things" comprehended persons, 1 Corinthians 1:27), and also that spiritual truths can only be combined with spiritual (not worldly-wise) words; and lastly, spirituals of the Old and New Testaments can only be understood by mutual comparison or combination, not by combination with worldly "wisdom," or natural perceptions (1 Corinthians 1:21-22; 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:4-9; compare Psalms 119:18).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
John 1:14
1 Corinthians 2:6-7
1 Corinthians 2:10
2 Corinthians 6:6
2 Corinthians 11:6
1 Timothy 3:16
2 Timothy 3:16
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