The Spirit and the Communal Mind of Christ: Looking Again at 1 Corinthians 2:16

The role and function of 1 Cor 2:14-16 are crucial not only to Paul’s overall argument in the letter but also for current discussions on ecclesiology and Christian identity. The deeper significance of this twofold connection is better grasped when we (1) examine the ways in which Paul relates “the mind of Christ”(2:16) with the role of the Holy Spirit, specifically how the Spirit is necessary for shaping and defining community life for those “in Christ,” and (2) understand this relationship in the light of Paul’s programmatic statement in 1 Cor 1:10—that there be no divisions among believers, especially in speech, mind, and judgment.