1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

In this passage the apostle pursues his design, and reminds the Corinthians how he acted when he first preached the gospel among them. I. As to the matter or subject he tell us (1 Cor. 2:2), He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified?to make a show of no other knowledge than this, to preach nothing, to discover the knowledge of nothing, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Note, Christ, in his person and offices, is the sum and substance of the gospel, and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

2:1-5 So, brothers, when I came to you, I did not come announcing God's secret to you with any outstanding gifts of rhetoric or wisdom, for it was my deliberate decision to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him upon his Cross. So I was with you in weakness and in diffidence and in much nervousness. My story and my proclamation were not made with persuasive words of wisdom; it was by the Spirit and by power that they were unanswerably demonstrated to be true, so that your faith... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:1

And I, brethren, when I came to you ,.... This account the apostle gives of himself is occasioned, either by what he had said in the latter part of the preceding chapter, concerning the choice God has made of the foolish, weak, base, and despicable things of the world, and of his calling them by his grace both to fellowship with the saints in common, and therefore he accommodated his ministry unto them, and in particular to the ministry of the word, of which he himself was a like instance... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:2

For I determined not to know anything among you ,.... This was a resolution the apostle entered into before he came among them, that though he was well versed in human literature, and had a large compass of knowledge in the things of nature, yet would make known nothing else unto them, or make anything else the subject of his ministry, save Christ, and him crucified : he had a spiritual and experimental knowledge of Christ himself, and which he valued above all things else; and this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:3

And I was with you in weakness ,.... Meaning either the weakness of his bodily presence, the contemptibleness of his voice, and the mean figure he made as a preacher among them, both with respect to the matter and manner of his ministry in the eyes of many; or his lowly and humble deportment among them, not exerting the power and authority Christ had given him as an apostle; but choosing rather to work with his own hands, as he did at Corinth, to minister to his own necessities, and those of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:4

And my speech, and my preaching ,.... As he determined, so he acted. As the subject matter of his ministry was not any of the liberal arts and sciences, or the philosophy and dry morality of the Gentiles, but salvation by a crucified Christ; so his style, his diction, his language used in preaching, was not with enticing words of man's wisdom ; with technical words, words of art, contrived by human wisdom to captivate the affections; and with bare probable arguments only, a show of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:5

That your faith should not stand ,.... "Or be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God". The Spirit of God directed him, and he under his influence chose, and by his assistance pursued this way of preaching, with this view, and for this reason, that faith in Christ, and in the doctrines of his Gospel, which comes by hearing, might not be attributed to the force of human eloquence and oratory; or stand upon so sandy a foundation, as that which might, if that was the case, be puffed away... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:1

When I came to you - Acting suitably to my mission, which was to preach the Gospel, but not with human eloquence, 1 Corinthians 1:17 . I declared to you the testimony, the Gospel, of God, not with excellency of speech, not with arts of rhetoric, used by your own philosophers, where the excellence of the speech recommends the matter, and compensates for the want of solidity and truth: on the contrary, the testimony concerning Christ and his salvation is so supremely excellent, as to dignify... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:2

I determined not to know any thing among you - Satisfied that the Gospel of God could alone make you wise unto salvation, I determined to cultivate no other knowledge, and to teach nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified, as the foundation of all true wisdom, piety, and happiness. No other doctrine shall I proclaim among you. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:3

I was with you in weakness - It is very likely that St. Paul had not only something in his speech very unfavourable to a ready and powerful elocution, but also some infirmity of body that was still more disadvantageous to him. A fine appearance and a fine voice cover many weaknesses and defects, and strongly and forcibly recommend what is spoken, though not remarkable for depth of thought or solidity of reasoning. Many popular orators have little besides their persons and their voice to... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:3

Group of Brands