In 2:1 Paul says, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, came not with excellence of speech or wisdom, announcing to you the testimony of God.” Paul did not come to Corinth to display excellent speech or philosophical wisdom in proclaiming the testimony of God. This does not mean that Paul did not have excellence of speech or wisdom; it means that he deliberately dropped those things. In verse 2 he goes on to say, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and this One crucified.” Paul deliberately decided not to know anything other than the crucified Christ. This implies that Paul came to the Corinthians as a crucified person. He was willing to appear foolish and not knowledgeable because he had made such a determination.
In verse 6 Paul tells the Corinthians, “But we speak wisdom among those who are full-grown, yet a wisdom not of this age, neither of the rulers of this age, who are being brought to nought.” Here Paul seems to be saying, “Don’t think that we do not have wisdom. We have wisdom and we can speak wisdom, but we speak wisdom only to those who are full-grown. You Corinthians are still babes. How is it possible for me to speak this wisdom to you?”
In verse 7 Paul goes on to say, “But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom which has been hidden, which God predestined before the ages for our glory.” The expression “wisdom in a mystery” implies that the wisdom is the mystery. This wisdom, this mystery, is Christ. Furthermore, Christ as the wisdom in a mystery has been predestined by God before the ages for our glory. Christ as the wisdom and the mystery will be our portion in glory.
Christ as God’s wisdom in a mystery is even the depths of God. In verse 10 Paul says, “For God has revealed them to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” Christ Himself is the deep things of God. Every genuine Christian knows that Christ is the Savior who died on the cross for our sins. However, to know Christ in this way is to know only superficial things. What, then, are the depths? Christ as the depths of God includes such matters as God’s wisdom and mystery.
Before you were saved, did you know the purpose of the universe, and did you know the meaning of human life? Certainly you did not know these things. You did not know the purpose of your life on earth or what your destiny would be. Both the purpose of the universe and the meaning of your life were a mystery. Only when we receive a vision concerning Christ and experience God’s salvation can we understand the mysteries of the universe and of our life on earth. Many Christians have received Christ’s salvation, but they have not seen the vision concerning Christ. As a result, they still do not know the meaning of life. But when we see the vision of Christ in God’s economy, we begin to realize that Christ Himself is the purpose of the universe and also the meaning of our human life. We were created by God for Christ, and today we are living for Christ. Christ is our life, the purpose of our life, and also the goal of our living. Furthermore, Christ is our destiny; we are heading toward Him. When we receive such a vision concerning Christ, we begin to know the mystery of the universe and of human life. Spontaneously we become wise, for we have Christ as God’s wisdom. Then, little by little and step by step, we begin to know Christ as the depths of God.