The Apostle Paul is the first to clearly reveal the make-up of man’s tri-part being (spirit, soul and body) and these deeper matters to us. He offers us much understanding of spiritual matters of knowing, revelation and understanding. We might say also that he is the great psychologist of the Bible.

Spiritual Knowing (“eido” - by the sense of the spirit) Vs. Soulish Knowing (“gnosis” – learned knowledge)

1 Cor. 2:10-12 (KJV) But God hath revealed (unveiled) them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (pertaining to God).

¹¹ For what man knoweth (eido, intuitive knows) the things of a man (things pertaining to a man), save the spirit of man (pneuma anthropos, man’s human spirit) which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth (eido intuitively knows) no man, but the Spirit of God (God’s Spirit).

¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of (ek, from and with) God; that (so that) we might know (eido, know by intuition of spirit) the things that are freely given to us of (by) God.

In the preceding three verses there are two important Greek words that offer us a better understanding of the kind of knowledge we as believers possess; and also the source of that knowledge - how we come to posses that knowledge.

• The particular Greek word for “knoweth” in verse 12 again is “eido,” meaning "to intuitively sense know." “Eido” is a knowing that is had by an automatic sense; it is not learned head knowledge.
• Here in this section of Scripture the “sense knowing” is seen available on two levels by two spirits, man’s spirit, and God’s Spirit.
  • In verse 11 we have the phrase “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man.” Let’s key on “of” the spirit of a man which is in him” (v11). Humans intuitively have a co-perceptive knowledge working that is by the “conscience” of their spirit. Man’s human spirit has the potential of three (3) functions – 1.) The conscience, 2. ) the intuition of God, and 3.) Communion with God. Of these three functions, only the “conscience” still functions innately in the spirit of fallen, unregenerate mankind. The conscience is left functioning since it is used of God to convict fallen men of their hopelessness and helplessness to be righteous. Thereby they would see their need of Christ as savior from their sins and as the source of a new and eternal life.
  • In verse twelve we have the phrase “Now we have received… but the spirit which is of God.” We’ve already examined the “sense knowing” that we may gain by “the Spirit which is of God” (v12), coming into man’s spirit.
  • We must learn to listen to our innermost sense that we have of “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”  Paul tells the Hebrews that the mature in the Lord have “their senses exercised” In order to be able to discern that which is of the Lord. Hebrews 5:14 (KJV) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Here also in verse 12 the word “of” is the Greek word “ek,” meaning “from and with.” The spirit we have received is not only “from God” but it is also “with God.” The Spirit we “received” is part and parcel of God Himself in Christ as the Spirit. In other words the “spirit of God” here is God Himself coming into us.