JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED
Key verse: 2
NIV
2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom(A) as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.(B) 3 I came to you(C) in weakness(D) with great fear and trembling.(E) 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,(F) but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,(G) 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.(H)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts proclaimed to you God’s mystery
Cross references
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Proclaiming Christ Crucified
2 And I, when I came to you, brothers,[a] (A)did not come proclaiming to you (B)the testimony[b] of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except (C)Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And (D)I was with you (E)in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of (F)the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men[c] but (G)in the power of God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Or brothers and sisters
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 Some manuscripts mystery (or secret)
- 1 Corinthians 2:5 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
Cross references
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 : ver. 4, 13; [2 Cor. 1:12]; See ch. 1:17
- 1 Corinthians 2:1 : See Rom. 16:25
- 1 Corinthians 2:2 : Gal. 6:14
- 1 Corinthians 2:3 : Acts 18:1, 6, 12
- 1 Corinthians 2:3 : 2 Cor. 11:30; 12:5, 9; 13:4, 9; Gal. 4:13
- 1 Corinthians 2:4 : ch. 4:20; Rom. 15:13, 19; 1 Thess. 1:5; 2 Pet. 1:16
- 1 Corinthians 2:5 : 2 Cor. 4:7; 6:7; [Zech. 4:6; 2 Cor. 10:4; 12:9]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The gospel proclaimed without eloquence (1,2)
Paul was a Pharisee. He was very well educated and must have been very eloquent in his speech. He must have also been brilliant with an extremely sharp mind. But whenever he preached the gospel, Paul never relied on his wisdom or eloquence. It is tempting to do-to show off our knowledge of the gospel and the Bible. But Paul resolved to rely on nothing but the message of Jesus Christ and him crucified.
2. Faith based on God's power (3-5)
Why didn't Paul rely on his superior wisdom and eloquence? Not only that, Paul admitted when he spoke, he did so in much weakness and trembling. It was in order to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul knew an important secret. Christian faith is based on God's power alone. Our faith is not based on our knowledge of the Bible. It is not based on how well we speak the gospel message either. Our faith is based on God's power alone.
Prayer: Father, thank you that I don't need to be eloquent or very knowledgeable to speak your message. Help me to rely only on Jesus Christ and him crucified.
One Word: Nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified
