1 Corinthians 12:2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, even as you were led. Two things are here expressed — I. THE DEAD SILENCE OF THE STATE OF HEATHENISM — the idols standing voiceless, with neither mouths to speak, nor ears to hear — silent amongst their silent worshippers. "The oracles are dumb." This is contrasted with the music and speech of Christianity, "the sound of a mighty, rushing wind," "the voice of many waters," which resounded through the whole Church in the diffusion of the gifts, especially of prophesying and tongues. II. THE UNCONSCIOUS IRRATIONAL STATE OF HEATHENISM, in which the worshippers were blindly hurried away by some overruling power of fate, or evil spirit of divination or priestly caste, without any will or reason of their own to worship at the shrine of inanimate idols. This is contrasted with the consciousness of an indwelling Spirit, moving in harmony with their spirits, and controlled by a sense of order and wisdom. Possibly there is the further intention of impressing the superiority of the conscious over the unconscious gifts of the Spirit. (Dean Stanley.) Parallel Verses KJV: Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. |
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