He had displayed among the Corinthians no tricks of oratory, no flights of eloquence, no pretensions of philosophy, in giving them his testimony of the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus”. 2 “In every possible way Paul has tried to show them the folly of their present fascination with wisdom, which was inherent within it the folly of selfsufficiency and self-congratulation. Even the preacher whom God used to bring them to faith had to reject self-reliance” 3 1 Corinthians 2:1 “And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God” “When I came unto you”: The first time (Acts 18:1ff). “Excellency of speech”: “Lit., according to elevation or superiority” (Vincent p. 194). “Superiority of speech” (NASV). “Eloquent and persuasive oration after the fashion of the Greek orators” (Lenski p. 87). See 1:17. “Not in such a way as to distinguish myself, those who seek wisdom may sound as if they are involved in a noble affair; in reality they are engaged in various forms of self-congratulatory competition over ‘excellence’ of speech” (Fee p. 91). “Or of wisdom”: “Or to philosophy” (Knox). “Or learning” (Nor). This seems to refer to the content of the message. “Paul's preaching did not depend upon superior rhetoric or an outstanding philosophy for its success. When the manner of preaching or the argumentation of the preacher is stressed to the point that Christ is obscured, one has come with excellency of speech or wisdom” (Willis p. 58). “Proclaiming to you the testimony of God”: Preaching the gospel message. “Though Paul was educated at Tarsus, which Strabo preferred as a school of learning to Athens and Alexandria, yet he made no display of his learning (he was a well-educated man Acts 22:3). He quotes from Aratus at Acts 17:28, and Epimenides at Titus 1:12, and Menander at 1 Corinthians 15:33”. 4 1 Corinthians 2:2 “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” 2
Erdman p. 36
3
Fee p. 90
4
McGarvey p. 58 2
