I used to hesitate before writing blog posts about my workouts. I no longer really hesitate, and I've made some great connections with people as a result. Today being Saturday, I was scheduled for a pretty heavy-duty session. Here I am at the end.
My workout was hard but really, really fun. I am always uneasy when things go too easy. Doing my absolute best becomes the criterion of success.
During my workout I listened to the book of 1 Corinthians in the NKJV -- one of my favorite Bible transitions.
When I was done I just had to check the Greek of 2:10 because I heard something that sounded a bit different than I was used to. Paul paints a fascinating picture of the Holy Spirit in this verse.
First he says that the Spirit searches. The verb used here can mean search, inquire, investigate, and even research. It's the word Jesus used to describe the Jews who "searched the Scriptures." The word can thus refer to diligent study and investigation -- which is what I LOVE doing during my Bible time! Moulton and Milligan in their book The Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament quote a third century papyrus in which the searchers are customs officials who rummage through our luggage whether we want them to or not. Secondly, the expression deep things became a second century technical term used by the Gnostics (an early heresy) who claimed to be entrusted with the "deep things of God." Now notice what Paul says about all this. He says that the only one who can investigate the deep things of God is the Holy Spirit, who is depicted here as a restlessly inquisitive researcher, a deep-sea diver seeking to fathom the infinite depths of Almighty God. The implications for us are at least fourfold:
1. Only God knows God -- and the one to whom God reveals himself.
2. The Holy Spirit in turn has revealed God to those who are in Christ.
3. The researching Spirit is now the revealing Spirit.
4. This Holy Spirit lives in us!
Thus Paul writes: "What we have received is not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit of God who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us."
Think of it. A double gift of God. First the Scriptures, and then the Holy Spirit to reveal the Scriptures to us.
No wonder we love to study the Bible!