1 Corinthians 1:17

The injury done to the Cross by human wisdom, 17-31.

1 Corinthians 1:17. not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void. Thus easily, in the middle of a verse, does the apostle here slide into the great theme of this and the three following Chapter s, namely, the place which ‘Christ crucified' should hold in the esteem of all who believe, forgetfulness of which was the cause, as a due regard to it would be the effectual cure, of all their miserable dissensions. ‘Wisdom of word' here comprehends more than the mere rhetorical tricking out of the message, indeed, more or less of the substance of the message itself, as will presently appear. To a people thoroughly vitiated in their taste, to what temptation would the preacher of the Gospel be more open than that of shading off those features of it which are repulsive to the pride of the heart, and of urging the reception of it rather on the ground of its own ‘sweet reasonableness' than of its being an authoritative message from heaven, as on Mars hill the apostle dealt it forth at Athens.