{Which things also we speak} (ha kai laloumen). This
onomatopoetic verb lale(935c) (from la-la), to utter sounds. In
the papyri the word calls more attention to the form of utterance
while leg(935c) refers more to the substance. But lale(935c) in the
N.T. as here is used of the highest and holiest speech.
Undoubtedly Paul employs the word purposely for the utterance of
the revelation which he has understood. That is to say, there is
revelation (verse  10 ), illumination (verse  12 ), and
inspiration (verse  13 ). Paul claims therefore the help of the
Holy Spirit for the reception of the revelation, for the
understanding of it, for the expression of it. Paul claimed this
authority for his preaching ( 1Th 4:2 ) and for his epistles
( 2Th 3:14 ). {Not in words which man's wisdom teacheth} (ouk en
didaktois anthr(9370)in(8873) sophias logois). Literally, "not in words
taught by human wisdom." The verbal adjective didaktois (from
didask(935c), to teach) is here passive in idea and is followed by
the ablative case of origin or source as in  Joh 6:45 , esontai
pantes didaktoi theou (from  Isa 54:13 ), "They shall all be
taught by God." The ablative in Greek, as is well known, has the
same form as the genitive, though quite different in idea
(Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 516). So then Paul claims the help of
the Holy Spirit in the utterance (laloumen) of the words,
"which the Spirit teacheth (en didaktois pneumatos), "in words
taught by the Spirit" (ablative pneumatos as above). Clearly
Paul means that the help of the Holy Spirit in the utterance of
the revelation extends to the words. No theory of inspiration is
here stated, but it is not _mere_ human wisdom. Paul's own
Epistles bear eloquent witness to the lofty claim here made. They
remain today after nearly nineteen centuries throbbing with the
power of the Spirit of God, dynamic with life for the problems of
today as when Paul wrote them for the needs of the believers in
his time, the greatest epistles of all time, surcharged with the
energy of God. {Comparing spiritual things with spiritual}
(pneumatikois pneumatika sunkrinontes). Each of these words is
in dispute. The verb sunkrin(935c), originally meant to combine, to
join together fitly. In the LXX it means to interpret dreams ( Ge
40:8,22  41:12 ) possibly by comparison. In the later Greek it
may mean to compare as in  2Co 10:12 . In the papyri Moulton and
Milligan (_Vocabulary_) give it only for "decide," probably after
comparing. But "comparing," in spite of the translations, does
not suit well here. So it is best to follow the original meaning
to combine as do Lightfoot and Ellicott. But what gender is
pneumatikois? Is it masculine or neuter like pneumatika? If
masculine, the idea would be "interpreting (like LXX) spiritual
truths to spiritual persons" or "matching spiritual truths with
spiritual persons." This is a possible rendering and makes good
sense in harmony with verse  14 . If pneumatikois be taken as
neuter plural (associative instrumental case after sun in
sunkrinontes), the idea most naturally would be, "combining
spiritual ideas (pneumatika) with spiritual words"
(pneumatikois). This again makes good sense in harmony with the
first part of verse  13 . On the whole this is the most natural
way to take it, though various other possibilities exist.