1 Corinthians 2:7

God's wisdom in a mystery (qeou sopian en musthriwi). Two points are here sharply made. It is God's wisdom (note emphatic position of the genitive qeou) in contrast to the wisdom of this age. Every age of the world has a conceit of its own and it is particularly true of this twentieth century, but God's wisdom is eternal and superior to the wisdom of any age or time. God's wisdom is alone absolute. See on Hebrews 2:1 for mystery. It is not certain whether in a mystery is to be taken with wisdom or we speak. The result does not differ greatly, probably with wisdom, so long a secret and now at last revealed ( Colossians 1:26 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:7 ). That hath been hidden (thn apokekrummenhn). See Romans 16:25 ; Colossians 1:26 ; Ephesians 3:5 . Articular perfect passive participle of apokruptw, more precisely defining the indefinite sopian (wisdom). Foreordained before the worlds (prowrisen pro twn aiwnwn). This relative clause (hn) defines still more closely God's wisdom. Note pro with both verb and substantive (aiwnwn). Constative aorist of God's elective purpose as shown in Christ crucified ( 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 ). "It was no afterthought or change of plan" (Robertson and Plummer). Unto our glory (ei doxan hmwn). "The glory of inward enlightenment as well as of outward exaltation" (Lightfoot).