Ministry of Grace Church

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.

Truth to Learn

Paul did not depend on eloquence to get his message across.

Behind the Words

The words “when I came” are from the verb erchomai, meaning “to come” or “to go.” It is expressed here as an aorist participle, so it could be translated as “having come.”

“Excellence” is translated from the Greek word huperochē. This word is based on the verb huperechō, which is made up of huper, meaning “above” and echō, meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Huperechō, therefore, means “to hold above,” “to make prominent,” or “to hold oneself as superior to others.”

Katangellō is the verb translated “declaring.” It is made up of kata, used as an intensifier and angellō, meaning “to deliver a message.” Thus, katangellō means “to declare a message openly and with authority.”

The word translated “testimony” is marturion, which refers to “a witness” or “a testimony.” However, the best Greek texts have the word musterion. It is based on the verb mueō, which means “to close” or “to initiate.” It is an allusion to the mystery religions of the day where secret knowledge was revealed only to those who have been initiated into the religion.

Meaning Explained

Having spent the better part of chapter one on the divisions within the Corinthian church, Paul now will contrast the mode and style of his preaching with those of worldly preachers. It appears that the Christians in Corinth were attracted to eloquent, philosophical preachers who tickled the ears of the congregation with well-turned phrases and rhetorical devices.

That had not been Paul’s purpose or method, however. His own method of preaching may have seemed base or lacking in style, but he stayed true to the content of his preaching. You may recall from the introductory notes on this letter, that Corinth was an exceedingly rich and wicked city. The members of the Corinthian church had grown up amidst such worldliness and had a difficult time letting go of their worldly ways. Because of this, they were attracted to the type of people and the style of teaching that was a hallmark of Greek society.

Please don’t misunderstand the message here. Paul is not condemning those who are gifted preachers. We even noted in our discussion of 1 Corinthians 1:27, that Paul used a well-constructed rhetorical argument to refute the supposed wisdom of the Greek orators and philosophers of that day. However, what he is declaring here is that the message is far more important than the methods of preaching. Paul’s method and message are to simply and plainly declare his testimony, or witness, concerning Jesus Christ.

Paul’s preaching and teaching were singularly focused on Jesus Christ and the implication for all mankind of His death and subsequent resurrection. He avoided philosophical arguments and, as we will learn in tomorrow’s verse, preached “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

Application

What is it that you appreciate about the messages you hear at your church every week? Is it the humorous stories you hear, the captivating style of the preaching, or is it the messages centered on the truths of the Bible and Jesus Christ crucified?