1 Corinthians 2:4

“And my word and my message:” λόγος recalls 1 Corinthians 1:18; κήρυγμα, 1Co 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:23 (see notes). The former includes all that Paul says in proclaiming the Gospel, the latter the specific announcement of God's will and call therein.

οὐκ ἐκ πιθοῖς σοφίας λόγοις, “not in persuasive words of wisdom”: the adj [308] πιθός (= πιθανός, see txtl. note), from πείθομαι, analogous to φιδός from φείδομαι. “Words of wisdom,” substantially = “wisdom of word” (1 Corinthians 1:17); that expression accentuating the matter, this the manner of teaching “exquisita eloquutio, quæ artificio magis quam veritate nitatur et pugnet” (Cv [309]). For the unfavourable nuance of πιθός, see Colossians 2:4 (πιθανολογία), also Galatians 1:10; Matthew 28:14. Eusebius excellently paraphrases (Praep. Ev [310], i., 3), τὰς μὲν ἀπατη λὰς κ. σοφιστικὰς πιθανολογίας παραιτούμενος). “With a contemptuous touch of irony that reminds one of Socrates in the Gorgias and Apology [cf. Ev [311], as previously cited, on τὶ εἰδέναι, he disclaims all skill in rhetoric, the spurious art of persuading without instructing, held nevertheless in high repute in Cor [312] But when the Ap. speaks of the demonstration of the Spirit, he soars into a region of which Socrates knew nothing. Socr. sets σοφία against πειθώ; the Ap. regards both as being on well-nigh a common level, from the higher altitude of the Spirit” (Ed [313]); since the time of Socrates, however, Philosophy had sunk into a πιθανολογία. ἀπόδειξις, “the technical term for a proof drawn from facts or documents, as opposed to theoretical reasoning; in common use with the Stoics in this sense” (Hn [314]); see Plato, Theæt., 162 E, and Arist., Eth. Nic., i., 1; ii., 4, for the like antithesis (Ed [315]).

[308] adjective.

[309] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[310] T. S. Evans in Speaker's Commentary.

[311] T. S. Evans in Speaker's Commentary.

[312] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[313] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

[314] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[315] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

ἀποδ. πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας gathers up the force of the δύναμιν Θεοῦ of 1 Corinthians 1:24, and ἐγένετο σοφία f1κ. τ. λ. of 1 Corinthians 1:30 (see notes); the proof of the Gospel at Cor [316] was experimental and ethical, found in the new consciousness and changed lives that attended its proclamation: cf. 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 9:1 2 Corinthians 3:1 ff., 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (λόγος Θεοῦ, ὃς κ. ἐνεργεῖται ἐν ὑμῖν τ. πιστεύουσιν). πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως are not objective gen [317] (in ostendendo Spiritum, etc.), but subjective: the Spirit, with His power, gives the demonstration (similarly in 1 Corinthians 12:7, see note); cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 3:3-18; Romans 8:16; Romans 15:19, for Paul's thoughts on the testimonium Spiritus sancti; also John 15:26, 1 John 5:6 f. Δύναμις, specially associated with Πνεῦμα after Luke 24:49 (see reff. for P.), is certainly the spiritual power that operates as implied in 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11, but not to the exclusion of the supernatural physical “powers” which accompanied Apostolic preaching (see note on ἐβεβαιώθη, 1 Corinthians 1:6; also 1 Corinthians 12:1; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, And the combination of Romans 15:17 ff.): “latius accipio, nempe pro manu Dei potente omnibus modis per apostolum se exserente” (Cv [318]). The art [319] is wanting with πνεύματος, though personal, after the anarthrous ἀποδείξει, according to “the law of correlation” (Wr [320], p. 175: contrast this with 1 Corinthians 12:7, also the double art [321] of 1 with the anarthrous phrase of 1 Corinthians 1:18). The prpl [322] clause affirms not the agency by which, but the sphere of action in which, Paul's word operated.

[316] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[317] genitive case.

[318] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[319] grammatical article.

[320] Winer-Moulton's Grammar of N.T. Greek (8th ed., 1877).

[321] grammatical article.

[322]rpl. prepositional.

Supply to this verse ἐγένετο from the ἐγενόμην of 1 Corinthians 2:3.