1 Corinthians / Question
Paul says the “natural person” does not accept the things of the Spirit of God and cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). By contrast, the “spiritual person” discerns these things, and Paul concludes, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15–16).
In 1 Corinthians 2:14–16, Paul explains why some people do not grasp his message. A “natural” person does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit and treats it as nonsense, so understanding does not happen. By contrast, a “spiritual” person is able to evaluate what is going on and cannot be finally sized up by outsiders. These verses conclude Paul’s contrast between human-style wisdom and the message he proclaimed in Corinth. Just before this, he says God’s Spirit searches and reveals what God has prepared, and only the Spirit truly knows God’s depths (1 Corinthians 2:10–13).
Paul is explaining why his message about God can land very differently with different people (1 Corinthians 2:14–16).
A common mistake is to turn the wording into a slogan. The better reading keeps the phrase tied to the passage, the speaker, and the problem the book is addressing.
Start with 1 Corinthians 2:14, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
14Now the natural man doesn`t receive the things of the God`s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can`t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.