Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
But the natural man - , The animal man - the man who is in a mere state of nature, and lives under the influence of his animal passions; for the word , which we often translate soul, means the lower and sensitive part of man, in opposition to , the understanding or rational part. The Latins use anima to signify these lower passions; and animus to signify the higher. The person in question is not only one who either has had no spiritual teaching, or has not profited by it; but one who lives for the present world, having no respect to spiritual or eternal things. This , or animal man, is opposed to the , or spiritual man: and, as this latter is one who is under the influence of the Spirit of God, so the former is one who is without that influence.
The apostle did speak of those high and sublime spiritual things to these animal men; but he explained them to those which were spiritual. He uses this word in this sense, I Corinthians 3:1; I Corinthians 9:11; and particularly in I Corinthians 2:15 of the present chapter: He that is spiritual judgeth all things.
But the natural man - The apostle appears to give this - as a reason why he explained those deep spiritual things to spiritual men; because the animal man - the man who is in a state of nature, without the regenerating grace of the Spirit of God, receiveth not the things of the Spirit - neither apprehends nor comprehends them: he has no relish for them; he considers it the highest wisdom to live for this world. Therefore these spiritual things are foolishness to him; for while he is in his animal state he cannot see their excellency, because they are spiritually discerned, and he has no spiritual mind.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
1 Corinthians 2:16
1 Corinthians 3:1
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