The Spirit teaches the believers spiritual words-the things of the Spirit of God-for spiritual communication. First Corinthians 2:13 says, “Which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, communicating spiritual things by spiritual things.” The Greek word rendered “communicating” literally means mixing or putting together, as interpreting or expounding. It is common in the Septuagint, found in verses such as Genesis 40:8; 41:12, 15. The thought here is to speak spiritual things by spiritual words. The stress is not on the person to whom the speaking is done but on the means by which the spiritual things are spoken. Paul spoke the spiritual things, which are the deep things of God concerning Christ, by the spiritual things, which are the spiritual words taught by the Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 2:13 Paul says that he did not speak the spiritual things in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit. This means that he did not speak in the words of Greek philosophy or wisdom. Rather, he communicated spiritual things by spiritual words.
In 2:13 Paul uses the same term with two meanings. First, “spiritual things” refers to the spiritual things themselves, the deep things of God concerning Christ. Second, this expression refers to spiritual words. Spiritual things are designated and communicated by spiritual words. These spiritual words are spiritual things used to designate spiritual things. The speaking that is according to man’s wisdom is not spiritual. But the words taught by the Spirit of God are truly spiritual things. Thus, spiritual things are both the things given to us by God concerning Christ as our portion and also the words taught by the Spirit of God. Paul spoke spiritual things by spiritual things. He used spiritual words that are equal to the spiritual things themselves. Like Paul, we need to speak spiritual things by spiritual things. This we may do through the working of the Spirit, who teaches us spiritual words for spiritual communication.
As the Spirit works in the believers, He speaks also with them (1 Cor. 7:40). This means that when we speak, the Spirit speaks with us. For this we need to be one with the Triune God. If we are truly one with the indwelling Spirit, the Spirit will speak in our speaking.
The matter of the Spirit’s speaking with the believers is clearly seen in 1 Corinthians 7. Paul’s teaching in this chapter is very different from that of the prophets in the Old Testament. When the prophets spoke for God in Old Testament times, the word of the Lord came to them and enabled them to speak on God’s behalf. Often the prophets would say, “Thus saith the Lord.” The New Testament way of speaking for the Lord is very different. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul never utters the words, “Thus saith the Lord.” The reason Paul does not use such an expression is that the apostles’ teaching in the New Testament is based on the principle of incarnation. According to this principle, God speaks in man’s speaking. With Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 we have an example of this principle of incarnation. Although Paul writes here that certain things he says are not the Lord’s word or commandment (v. 25), everything spoken by Paul in this chapter has nonetheless become part of the divine revelation in the New Testament. This is because Paul was a person absolutely one with God. Even when he says that he does not have a word from the Lord, the Lord speaks in his speaking. Because Paul was one with the Lord, when he spoke, the Lord spoke with him.
In verse 40 Paul says, “She is more blessed if she so remains, according to my opinion; but I think that I also have the Spirit of God.” In verse 10 the apostle says, “I charge, not I but the Lord.” In verse 12 he says, “I say, not the Lord.” In verse 25 he says, “I have no commandment of the Lord, but I give my opinion.” In verse 40 he says, “According to my opinion; but I think that I also have the Spirit of God.” All these words indicate the New Testament principle of incarnation, that is, God and man, man and God, becoming one. This differs drastically from the principle of Old Testament prophecy-speaking for God. In the Old Testament the word of Jehovah came to a prophet (Jer. 1:2; Ezek. 1:3), the prophet being simply the mouthpiece of God. But in the New Testament the Lord becomes one with His apostles and they become one with Him. Both speak together. His word becomes their word, and whatever they utter is His word. Hence, the apostle’s charge is the Lord’s charge (v. 10). What he says, though not by the Lord, still becomes a part of the divine revelation in the New Testament (v. 12). He is so one with the Lord that even when he gives his own opinion, not the commandment of the Lord (v. 25), he still thinks that he also has the Spirit of God. He does not claim definitely to have the Spirit of God, but he thinks that he also has the Spirit of God. This is the highest spirituality, a spirituality based on the principle of incarnation.
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