Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 2:16
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Corinthian church immediately after stating that the spiritual person judges all things yet remains under no one else’s judgment. He poses a rhetorical question to establish the boundary of human understanding before declaring the believer’s access to divine perspective.
The words — νοῦν (noun) means mind, and συμβιβάσει (sumbibasei) means will instruct or inform. These terms structure the contrast between human inability to counsel the Lord and the believer’s possession of Christ’s own mental framework.
The thread — Paul quotes the rhetorical question found in Isaiah 40:13 and Romans 11:34 regarding who has known the Lord’s mind or acted as His counselor. John 16:13 continues this thread by describing the Spirit’s function of guiding believers into truth rather than leaving them to human direction.
Why it lands — The text states that no human can instruct the Lord, then declares that believers have the mind of Christ. It requires readers to abandon reliance on human wisdom for spiritual discernment and to submit to the revealed perspective of Christ.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 40:13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or informed Him as His counselor?
- Romans 11:34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?”
- John 16:13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
- John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.
- Job 15:8 Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
- Jeremiah 23:18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and obeyed it?
- Ephesians 3:3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
- Job 40:2 “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.”
- John 17:6 I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
- Job 22:2 “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?