Continues his defence of his mode of preaching. In vs. 1–5 he shows that he acted on the principles set forth in the preceding paragraph. In vs. 6–9 he shows that the gospel is the true wisdom. The source of this knowledge, as externally revealed and as spiritually apprehended, is the Holy Spirit, vs. 10–16.
Continuation of his defence of his mode of preaching. Vs. 1–16
AS GOD had determined to save men not by human wisdom but by the gospel, Paul, when he appeared in Corinth, came neither as an orator nor as a philosopher, but simply as a witness, vs. 1, 2. He had no confidence in himself, but relied for success exclusively on the demonstration of the Spirit, vs. 3, 4. The true foundation of faith is not reason, but the testimony of God, v. 5.
Though what he preached was not the wisdom of men, it was the wisdom of God, undiscoverable by human reason, vs. 6–9. The revealer of this divine wisdom is the Holy Ghost, he alone being competent to make this revelation, because he only knows the secret purposes of God, vs. 10–12. In communicating the knowledge thus derived from the Spirit, the apostle used words taught by the Spirit, v. 13. Though the knowledge communicated was divine, and although communicated in appropriate language, it was not received by the natural man, because the things of the Spirit can be discerned only by the spiritual, vs. 14–16.
1. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
And I, i. e. accordingly I. ‘In accordance with the clearly revealed purpose of God to reject the wisdom of the world and to make the cross the means of salvation.’
Excellency of speech or of wisdom. As speech and wisdom (λόγος and σοφία) are here distinguished, the former probably refers to the manner or form, and the latter to the matter of his preaching. It was neither as a rhetorician nor as a philosopher that he appeared among them. This clause may be connected either with the word came, ‘I came not with excellency of speech;’ or with the word declaring, ‘I came not declaring with excellency of speech, &c.’ The former mode is generally preferred, not only because of the position of the words in the sentence, but also because of the sense. Paul does not mean to say merely that he did not declare the testimony of God in a rhetorical or philosophical manner; but that what he declared was not the wisdom of men, but the revelation of God.
The testimony of God may mean either the testimony which Paul bore concerning God, or God’s own testimony, i. e. what God had revealed and testified to be true. “The testimony of God” is, in this sense, the gospel, as in 2 Tim. 1:8. The latter interpretation best suits the connection, as throughout these chapters Paul contrasts what reason teaches with what God teaches. He did not appear as a teacher of human wisdom, but as announcing what God had revealed.
2. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.*
For is confirmatory. ‘I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, for I determined, &c.’ The negative particle in this sentence may be connected either with the word to know, ‘I determined not to know;’ or with the word determined, ‘I did not determine, i. e. I had no intention or purpose.’ The position of the words (οὐ γὰρ ἔκρινα) is in favour of the latter interpretation. The meaning in either case is the same.
Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Paul’s only design in going to Corinth was to preach Christ; and Christ not as a teacher, or as an example, or as a perfect man, or as a new starting point in the development of the race—all this would be mere philosophy; but Christ as crucified, i. e. as dying for our sins. Christ as a propitiation was the burden of Paul’s preaching. It has been well remarked that Jesus Christ refers to the person of Christ, and him crucified, to his work; which constitute the sum of the gospel.
3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
I came to you, ἐγενόμην πρὸς ὑμᾶς, I came to you and was with you, see John 1:2. The weakness of which he here speaks was not bodily weakness; for although he elsewhere speaks of himself as weak in body, 2 Cor. 10:10, and as suffering under bodily infirmity, Gal. 4:14, yet here the whole context shows he refers to his state of mind. It was not in the consciousness of strength, self-confident and self-relying, that he appeared among them, but as oppressed with a sense of his weakness and insufficiency. He had a work to do which he felt to be entirely above his powers.