1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Paul says this not to depreciate baptism, for he exalts it most highly (Romans 6:3). He baptized some, and would have baptized more, but that his and the apostle's special work was to preach the Gospel-to found, by their autoptic testimony, particular churches, and then to superintended the churches in general. SENT ME [ apesteilen (G649)] - literally, as an apostle. NOT TO BAPTIZE - even in Christ's name, much less in my own. NOT WITH WISDOM OF WORDS - Greek, word; speech; philosophical reasoning in oratorical language, which the Corinthians so unduly valued in Apollos, and the wan...

17._For Christ sent me not. _He anticipates an objection that might, perhaps, be brought against him — that he had not discharged his duty, inasmuch as Christ commands his Apostles to baptize as well as teach. Accordingly he replies, that this was not the principal department of his office, for the duty of teaching had been principally enjoined upon him as that to which he should apply himself. For when Christ says to the Apostles, (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15,) _Go_, _preach and baptize_, he connects baptism with teaching simply as an addition or appendage, so that teaching always holds the first place. Two things, however, must be noticed here. The _first _is, that the Apostle does not here absolutely deny that he had a command to baptize, for this is applicable to all the Apostles: Go and baptize

17-25 Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully applied, appears foolishness to those in the way to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, and ambitious, alike see that the gospel opposes their favourite pursuits. But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified, than in all his other works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of man's boasted reason, and the event has...

Verse 17. _FOR CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE_] Bp. Pearce translates thus: _For Christ sent me, not so much to baptize as to_ _preach the Gospel_: and he supports his version thus-"The writers of the Old and New Testaments do, almost every where (agreeably to the Hebrew idiom) express a preference given to one thing beyond another by an _affirmation_ of _that_ which is _preferred_, and a _negation_ of that which is _contrary_ to it: and so it must be understood here, for if St. Paul was not sent _at all_ to baptize, he baptized _without a commission_; but if he was sent, not only to baptize but to preach _also_, or to preach _rather_ than baptize, he did in fact discharge his duty aright." It appears sufficiently evident that _baptizing_ was considered to be an _inferior_ office, and though every minister of Christ might administer it, yet apostles had more _important_ work. Preparing t...

FOR CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE - That is, not to baptize as my main business. Baptism was not his principal employment, though be had a commission in common with others to administer the ordinance, and occasionally did it. The same thing was true of the Saviour, that he did not personally baptize, John 4:2. It is probable that the business of baptism was entrusted to the ministers of the church of inferior talents, or to those who were connected with the churches permanently, and not to those who were engaged chiefly in traveling from place to place. The reasons of this may have been: (1) That which Paul here suggests, that if the apostles had themselves baptized, it might have given occasion to strifes, and the formation of parties, as those who had been baptized by the apostles might claim some superiority over those who were not.

EXPOSITION The oldest superscription was probably, "To the Corinthians, the first (Πρὸς Κορινθίους πρώτη)." This is found in א, A, B, C, D. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1 _The_ _greeting. _An opening salutation is found in all the Epistles of St. Paul, and in every Epistle of the New Testament except the Epistle to the Hebrews and the first Epistle of St. John, both of which were more in the nature of treatises than letters. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1 Paul. After the beginning of the first missionary journey (A.D. 45) he seems to have finally abandoned his Hebrew name of Saul. Called. The word "called" is absent from A, D, E, and other manuscripts, but may have been omitted as superfluous. It occurs in the greeting of...

FOR CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE,.... Some think the apostle refers to his particular mission from Christ, Acts 26:16 in which no mention is made of his administering the ordinance of baptism; but no doubt he had the same mission the rest of the apostles had, which was to baptize as well as preach; and indeed, if he had not been sent at all to baptize, it would have been unlawful for him to have administered baptism to any person whatever; but his sense is, that baptism was not the chief and principal business he was sent about; this was to be done mostly by those preachers of the word who travelled with him, or followed after him: he was not sent so much about this work, BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL; for which he was most eminently qualified, had peculiar gifts for the discharge of it, and was greatly useful in it. This was what he was rather sent to do than the other, and this

1. _Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,_ This brother had been put to great shame. He was beaten before the judgment-seat, if you remember, and now he has the great and lasting honour of being mentioned by the apostle with himself. God will honour those who bear dishonour for his name's sake. Be not ashamed even to be beaten for Christ; the stripes are stripes of glory. 1 Corinthians 1:2. _Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:_ The epistles were written to distinct churches, but they have a bearing upon all Christians; hence the apostle says, «With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our

2. CONTRASTS. CHAPTER 1:10-4). CHAPTER 1:10-31. _ 1. Divisions rebuked. (1 Corinthians 1:10)._ 2. The Cross of Christ, the Power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:17). The section which begins, after the introductory words, with the tenth verse and ends with the fourth chapter, shows a number of contrasts. There is the contrast of the fact that they were called into the one fellowship. The fact of being called into the fellowship of God's Son, as members of the one body is contrasted with their divisions. There is the contrast of the preaching of the cross, which is foolishness to them that perish, but the power of God to those who are saved. The wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world are likewise contrasted. Jews and Gentiles, what they require and seek ar

THE PARTY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH. Apparently Paul had only just heard of the parties, they were, therefore, a new development and not of long standing. He deals with them first, not as the gravest abuse, but because they were uppermost in his mind. The passage raises problems of great difficulty which cannot be solved with any certainty. In Greek cities party spirit often ran high alike in politics and in sport. Probably this lay at the root of the parties in the church, rather than any doctrinal difference; though a line of cleavage which was primarily personal might naturally bring with it an accentuation of doctrinal divergence which would have its effect in the grouping of the parties. The party of Paul held loyally by the founder of the community. The party of Apollos (Acts 18:24) had been captivated by the eloquence and perhaps the philosophic gift of the brilliant Alexandrian. Since...