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Matthew Henry

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 2:4

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 2:4

And my speech - Ὁ λογος μου , My doctrine; the matter of my preaching. And my preaching - Το κηρυγμα μου , My proclamation, my manner of recommending the grand but simple truths of the Gospel. Was not with enticing words of man's wisdom - Ενπειθοις ανθρωπινης σοφιας λογοις , With persuasive doctrines of human wisdom: in every case I left man out, that God might become the more evident. I used none of the means of which great orators avail themselves in order to become popular,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:5

That your faith should not stand - That the illumination of your souls and your conversion to God might appear to have nothing human in it: your belief, therefore, of the truths which have been proposed to you is founded, not in human wisdom, but in Divine power: human wisdom was not employed; and human power, if it had been employed, could not have produced the change. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:4

Verse 4 4.And my preaching was not in the persuasive words. By the persuasive words of man’s wisdom he means that exquisite oratory which aims and strives rather by artifice than by truth, and also an appearance of refinement, that allures the minds of men. It is not without good reason, too, that he ascribes persuasiveness ( τό πιθάνον) (109) to human wisdom. For the word of the Lord constrains us by its majesty, as if by a violent impulse, to yield obedience to it. Human wisdom, on the other... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 2:5

Verse 5 5.That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men. To be is used here as meaning to consist His meaning, then, is, that the Corinthians derived this advantage from his having preached Christ among them without dependence on human wisdom, and relying solely on the Spirit’s influence, that their faith was founded not on men but on God. If the Apostle’s preaching had rested exclusively on the power of eloquence, it might have been overthrown by superior eloquence, and besides, no one... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

A faithful picture of a true gospel preacher. "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech," etc. These words may be regarded as a faithful picture of a true gospel preacher. I. The grand subject of his ministry is the CRUCIFIED CHRIST . 1. Christ crucified, because he is the highest revelation of God's love for man. 2. Christ crucified, because he is the most thrilling demonstration of the wickedness of humanity. 3. Christ crucified,... read more

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