Paul says that the rulers of the world did not know who Jesus was, because God's wisdom was hidden as a secret mystery, and this ignorance led them to crucify the Lord of glory.
In 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, Paul explains that the wisdom of God was a secret hidden mystery which God ordained before the world, and none of the princes of this world knew it. Because they did not know who Jesus was, they crucified the Lord of glory — and had they known, they would never have done so.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8 — This is the passage Paul wrote that directly states the rulers of the world did not know the hidden wisdom of God, so they crucified the Lord of glory.
In 1 Corinthians 2:7–8, Paul explains: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Here, Paul calls God’s wisdom a secret, hidden mystery that the rulers of the world did not possess. The consequence of this ignorance was that they crucified Jesus, who Paul calls the Lord of glory. The Bible also records that those who crucified Jesus acted in ignorance. In Acts 3:17, Peter says: “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” Peter’s words indicate that both the people of Israel and their rulers did not know the full identity of the One they were rejecting and crucifying.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the rulers of the world — both Jewish and Roman — did not know who Jesus really was. He draws from 1 Corinthians 2:7–8, where Paul says that the wisdom of God was a mystery hidden before the world, and none of the princes of this world knew it. Les underscores that “had they known who Jesus was, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” He points out that the Jewish leaders could have known because the Old Testament was full of Him, but Israel did not know. The Romans also did not know that they were crucifying the Creator, the God of the universe. Les also explains that Israel’s ignorance opened the door for mercy. He uses the Law of Cities of Refuge as an example: if someone killed another accidentally in ignorance, he could be set free. In the same way, because Israel rejected Jesus in ignorance, God did not destroy them as a nation. Peter and Stephen both stressed this ignorance in Acts, telling Israel that they and their rulers acted without knowing who He was. Yet, even in that ignorance, the crucifixion of Christ was still part of God’s eternal plan to purchase salvation for everyone who would believe.
Les teaches that the rulers of this world included both the rulers of Israel and Rome. In 1 Corinthians 2:7–8, none of the princes of this world knew who Jesus was — that meant Romans as well as Jewish leaders. The high priests of Israel did not know that Jesus was the very Creator, God of the universe, and the Roman rulers like Pontius Pilate did not know who He was either. Pilate even said, “I can find no fault in this man,” and his wife warned him to have nothing to do with Him, but he still came short of truly recognizing who Jesus was.
Les explains that Israel’s ignorance was the very thing that allowed God to continue dealing with the nation in mercy. According to the Law of Cities of Refuge, if a man killed someone unintentionally and in ignorance, he could be set free. Applying that to the cross, Israel rejected Messiah in ignorance, so God did not destroy the nation. Had they rejected Him knowing who He was, God would have had to put Israel to death as a nation.
Les points out that Peter and Stephen both stressed Israel’s ignorance in the early chapters of Acts. Peter said in Acts 3:17, “I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers,” and Stephen prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” They were giving Israel a way of escape, showing that the people and their rulers were in the same situation: they did not know who Jesus was. Peter’s great burden in early Acts was to stress to the Jew who it was that they had murdered.
No, they would not have. Paul states it explicitly: “Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Les emphasizes that this stands to reason. Had the Romans really known that Jesus was the Creator and God of the universe, they would never have put Him on the cross. Had the high priests of Israel known that He was the very Creator, God of the universe, they would not have allowed it either. Their lack of knowledge is precisely why the crucifixion happened — but it was still part of God’s eternal plan.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:7–8 that God’s wisdom is a mystery, hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world for the believer’s glory. Les explains that the mystery was that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel. That secret was not known by the princes of this world — they did not know who Jesus was. God had kept it hidden, so that through their ignorance they would crucify the Lord of glory, and through that crucifixion God would purchase salvation for every human being who would respond.
Israel's Ignorance and the Cities of Refuge
Les shows that because Israel rejected Jesus in ignorance, God did not destroy the nation, just as a man who killed unintentionally could flee safely to a city of refuge.
Israel Could Have Known But Didn't
Les teaches that Israel could have known who Jesus was from the Old Testament, but because they did not know, Paul could say the rulers would not have crucified the Lord of glory if they had known.
The Hidden Mystery of God's Wisdom
Les explains that the wisdom Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 2:7 is a mystery — that Jesus was the Christ — and the princes of this world did not know it, so they crucified Him.
Both Romans and Jews Did Not Know
Les emphasizes that none of the princes of this world — neither Romans nor Jewish rulers — knew who Jesus was, otherwise they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Pilate's Near Recognition and Israel's Leaders
Les points out that Pilate came close to seeing who Jesus was, and the Jewish leaders did not know who He really was, so they cried for His death.
What Triggers the Rapture? Romans 11:25 Explained Verse by Verse
They were looking for a king who would come in with pomp and power and circumstance, probably at least symbolically riding on a great white Arabian steed. But instead their king came riding on a lowly donkey, and they missed it. This our king? No way! Well they were ignorant of who he really was. And so Paul says, Israel did not obtain that which they were looking for.
Peter and Stephen Preach Ignorance
Les connects Peter's Acts 3 statement with Stephen's prayer, showing that both proclaimed that Israel and their rulers crucified the Lord in ignorance.
Not Knowing Jesus as the Messiah
Les clarifies that the rulers did not know Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel, and this ignorance applied to both the princes of Israel and Rome.
1 Corinthians 2:7: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Paul introduces the hidden wisdom of God as a secret mystery that was ordained before the world.
1 Corinthians 2:8: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
This verse directly states that the rulers of the world did not know who Jesus was, and that their ignorance led them to crucify the Lord of glory.
Acts 3:17: And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Peter tells the people of Israel that both they and their rulers crucified Christ in ignorance.
Acts 7:60: And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen asks God to forgive his killers, echoing the theme that they acted without knowing who Jesus was.
No. Paul writes that none of the princes of this world knew the hidden wisdom of God, and had they known who Jesus was, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Les Feldick emphasizes that this included both the Roman rulers and the Jewish leaders — neither group knew that Jesus was the Creator, the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel.
Paul describes God's wisdom as a mystery hidden before the world in 1 Corinthians 2:7. Les Feldick explains that this ignorance meant Israel did not knowingly reject their Messiah, and therefore God did not have to destroy the nation. The crucifixion was still part of God's eternal plan to purchase salvation for every human being who would respond.
Peter says in Acts 3:17, "I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." This matches Paul's teaching that the rulers of this world did not know who Christ was. Les Feldick points out that Peter was giving Israel a way of escape by emphasizing that they acted in ignorance.
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