M Paul

The verse under consideration does not just refer to being spiritual vs. carnal, but understanding the gifts of the Holy Spirit from a spiritual vs. carnal viewpoint.

Note Charles Talbert's Reading Corinthians. Paul begins this epistle noting at 1:6-8 crucial themes, which include spiritual gifts. Verse 13 presents three questions--Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptised in the name of Paul? He answers the second question in two parts: 1:18-31; 2:6-3:4. The first part sets out what Paul had preached previously at Corinth--Christ crucified--how, and why. The second part explains what he did not teach the Corinthians. At verse 2:15, we see he is defending himself from judgment by them. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

In ancient times, philosophers in the Mediterranean region taught both on exoteric and esoteric doctrines. Apparently, the Corinthians accused Paul of only having preached his exoteric doctrine, the cross, but neglecting the esoteric matters of the gifts of the Spirit. In this regard, Paul notes actually the stages commonly understood for the learning of spiritual doctrine-- the beginner, the one making progress, and the mature or perfect person, which he refers to in the first and third categories, as the babes in Christ or natural men, and the mature, or the spiritual man. He notes that the things of the Spirit man's wisdom does not teach, but the Holy Ghost teaches them himself, for the natural man regards them as foolishness. Paul could not teach them about the gifts of the Spirit, because as natural men, they were still babes in Christ. The gifts of the Spirit can only be taught to mature believers, but he had to feed them with milk. However, thereafter in the epistle he does teach more fully on the gifts of the Spirit, chapters 12-14.


Paul notes in chapter three that immature Christians, or worldy believers, create divisions when they cannot understand a spiritual view point. Therefore, he was patient with them. Note, he did not give up on them or judge them, but he gave them time. He did not tell them their relationship with God was defective or they were lesser Christians, but only that they were less mature.

M Paul