1 Corinthians 2:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus Paul gives us honor by showing that we not only learned, and learned together with the angels, but learned from the Spirit Himself. Then, showing the importance of this knowledge, he says that if the Spirit, who knows the mysteries of God, had not revealed this to us, we would not have known it. Thus God was pleased to keep this matter in mystery. Therefore we had need of such a teacher, one who knew it clearly.

“For the Spirit,” he says, “searches all things, even the depths of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of man which is in him? So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. But we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, that we might know the things given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:10-12).

Here the word searches does not mean ignorance, but exact knowledge. He uses the same expression of God when he says: “He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:27). Having spoken of the perfect knowledge of the Spirit, and having shown that it is equal to God’s knowledge, as human knowledge is equal to itself, he proved that we have learned everything from Him, and in no other way than from Him. Then he continues: “These things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Cor. 2:13).

And now the word concerns the making of the world. It is said that through Him the making of the world took place, and not the essence of the Spirit, who knows the things of God as the spirit of man knows what is in him, according to Paul’s words: “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of man which is in him?”

Therefore, if my spirit is alien to my nature, then the Spirit of God is also alien to the divine nature, because the Apostle says: “The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” But the heretic hears searches and understands the meaning badly. If the Spirit knew what is in God, he says, He would not search. This searching testifies to His ignorance.

Therefore, if the searching of the depths of God by the Holy Spirit leads to accusing Him of ignorance, then when you see that God searches the hearts of men, will you accuse Him of ignorance? Listen to what Paul says. Just as he said of the Spirit, “The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God,” so also, when theologizing about God, he says: “He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:27).

Consequently, if God searches without knowing, then the Spirit also searches without knowing. But so that you may know that searching belongs not to one who is ignorant, but to one who knows, he added: “So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” He ascribes knowledge to the Spirit, not as a reception from nature, but as knowledge from nature.

"Except the Spirit," he says, "which is from Him, so also no one knows God except His Spirit, and He searches His depths." If they say that the Spirit searches in order to learn for Himself, let them consider that the one who is searched by someone is less than the one who searches.

When He said, "Go into all the earth and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (cf. Mt 28:19), He did not say, "in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Spirit." This was to show that They are of one nature, since He named the three Persons with one name.

"You," he says, "are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you" (cf. 1 Cor 3:16). If we are the temple, how are we the dwelling of the Spirit? The following saying explains this: "You are the temple of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in you" (cf. 1 Cor 6:19).

In the Acts of the Apostles he says, "Why have you agreed to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" (cf. Acts 5:9), and, "You have not lied to men, but to God" (Acts 5:4). Therefore the Spirit is God, since He is from God.

Of course, the name of God is also applied to men, some of whom are called gods, just as we by grace receive the name of the Father and of the Son. The name of God is applied to a man, as when Moses is called "God to Pharaoh" (Ex 7:1). But Moses is nowhere called the living Spirit.

Scripture does not say of Eve that she was Adam's sister or his daughter, but that she was from him. So too concerning the Holy Spirit one must not say that He is a son or a sister, but that He is from Him and consubstantial with Him.

And if the one who searches is less than the one searched, then behold, it is written: "He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit" (Rom 8:27). If so, is God, Who searches the Spirit, less than the Spirit?

In this place the holy interpreter refutes those heretics who said that the Spirit searches God for His own learning, and that the one who searches is less than the one searched. On the basis of Rom 8:27, the holy Father shows that the one who searches need not be less than the one searched. For if God searches the thoughts of the human spirit, is God then less than the human spirit?

For then God too would turn out not to know human hearts, and the Spirit not to know the depths of God. Again, if searching is a sign of ignorance, and He searches all things, it will mean that He does not know anything at all.

But we have spoken of this more fully elsewhere. Therefore let us turn to the interpretation.

According to St. John Chrysostom, here "the Apostle Paul honors us, showing that we have not merely learned, and learned together with the angels, but have learned from the Spirit Himself. At the same time he shows the importance of this knowledge. He makes clear that if the Spirit, Who knows the mysteries of God, had not revealed it to us, we also would not have known it. ... God was pleased to keep this work in mystery. Therefore we needed such a Teacher, Who would know this work clearly. Such is the Spirit of God.

'The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.' Here the word 'searches' means not ignorance, but exact knowledge. He uses the same expression concerning God when he says, 'He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit' (Rom 8:27)."

"Having spoken of the Spirit's perfect knowledge, he showed that it is equal to the knowledge of God, just as human knowledge is equal to itself. Having proved that we have known everything from Him, the Apostle continues: 'which things we speak'..."

He shows that "we are as much wiser than the pagans as Plato the philosopher is distant from the Holy Spirit. They have rhetoricians as their teachers, but we have the Holy Spirit."

"To us." To whom? Evidently to the holy Apostles, and then, under their guidance, to all believers. For the same Holy Spirit teaches all. He arranges conversion, forms faith, strengthens for life, and through purification of heart leads every Christian into contemplation of the mysteries of God.

In this respect the Apostle sets "us" against the princes of this age with all its sons. St. Chrysostom says: "How then did we know this? 'God,' he says, 'has revealed it to us through His Spirit.' Not through external wisdom, which, like a contemptible servant, is not permitted to enter within and see the Master's mysteries.

Do you see the difference between the one wisdom and the other? One taught us what the angels did not know. External wisdom did the contrary. It not only failed to teach, but even served as an obstacle. After everything had already been accomplished, it darkened the events and disparaged the Cross.

Thus Paul honors us, showing that we have not merely learned, and learned together with the angels, but have learned from the Spirit Himself. At the same time he shows the importance of this knowledge. He makes clear that if the Spirit, Who knows the mysteries of God, had not revealed it to us, we also would not have known it.

Thus God was pleased to keep this work in mystery. Therefore we needed such a Teacher, Who would know it clearly. Such is the Spirit of God. 'For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.' Here the word 'searches' means not ignorance, but exact knowledge.

He uses the same expression concerning God when he says, 'He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit' (Rom 8:27). He knows all, that is, all things that exist and come to pass. But perhaps He does not know what is hidden in God? No. He also knows everything hidden in the secret places of the Godhead. He searches the very depths of God, so that nothing remains secret or hidden from Him."