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I. THE THINGS TO WHICH IT REFERS. These are expressed under a variety of names (vers. 9, 10, 11, 14). They are —

1. Spiritual in their nature (ver. 13). They relate to God, who is a Spirit; to the soul and its spiritual concerns; to heaven, its society, employments, and pleasures, which are purely spiritual.

2. Divine in their origin: "given to us of God." All the great and good things of the gospel are in Him and come from Him.

3. Free in their communication; clearly made known, but "freely given to us." They flow to men, irrespective of human worthiness; communicated "without money and without price."

II. THE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE THINGS IS —

1. Personal. In order to its answering any useful end we must have it for ourselves.

2. Scriptural. Our acquaintance with "the things freely given to us of Godmust be according to the truer nature of these things; it must agree with the gospel.

3. Accompanied with faith. Let his views be ever so Scriptural and correct, they are of no saving worth unless he give credit to them with his whole soul.

4. Productive of fruit. Faith is known by its fruit, and the value of knowledge is determined by its influence and effects.

III. THE WAY IN WHICH THIS KNOWLEDGE IS ATTAINED. "We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God."

1. What this spirit was not. The spirit of the wise of the world was not friendly to the gospel. It was a spirit of pride, of self-sufficiency, of prejudice, and conceit. The spirit of the world is —

(1) "The spirit of error." It cannot therefore be friendly to our knowledge of the truth.

(2) "The spirit that lusteth to envy."(3) "The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." If we are true Christians we have not received but have renounced this spirit. It is "from beneath."

2. Who this Spirit was — "the Spirit which is of God." This is a good Spirit, the reverse of that which we have noticed and producing opposite effects. Observe —

(1) His names: The Holy Spirit and Spirit of holiness; the Spirit of wisdom, of grace, of truth, of Christ.

(2) His offices — to teach, guide, enlighten, enliven, comfort, purify. The text suggests His office as a Teacher; for He is received "that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God." The Father teaches by the Spirit; and His teaching invariably leads to faith and hope and rest in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:13, 14). Conclusion: What is the knowledge which you are seeking? Is it, or is it not, the knowledge of "the things which are freely given to us of God"? Acquaintance with other things is lawful and proper, but what can compensate for ignorance of the things which belong to our peace? The season of youth is most friendly to the acquisition of knowledge; and this applies to the knowledge of the gospel; but how rarely are young persons in earnest in this concern!

2. What is the proficiency which you are making? This question particularly concerns aged professors. You have long been planted in the house of the Lord, but what is your growth? Does your progress keep pace with your years?

3. What is the spirit which you have, and under which you live? Is it "the spirit of the worldor "the Spirit which is of God"?

(T. Kidd.)

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KJV: For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

WEB: For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.