There were some great spiritual problems in this congregation in Corinth. Paul understood the reason for these problems was because they did not understand the foundation of their faith and they had neglected or ignored the fundamentals.
v1: Brethren: Paul is speaking to believers
· I came to you: Paul reminds them that he came to them with the simple proclamation of the gospel.
· Excellence of speech or of wisdom: Paul did not go to them with some super intellectual ability or with hidden knowledge that he had uncovered. What he shared with them was something that all people should rightly understand.
· The testimony of G-d: The testimony of G-d is Yeshua. G-d testifies throughout His Word concerning the Messiah (Yeshua) as well as to the fact that the Messiah was going to suffer (die).
v2: Paul emphasises two things in this verse:
· Messiah Yeshua: Paul wanted to only focus on who Yeshua is – His identity as G-d’s anointed One (the name ‘Yeshua’ means salvation).
· Him crucified: Paul wanted to also emphasise what happened to Yeshua. Despite the prophetic Scriptures, in the Jewish mind a Messiah who dies is not a Messiah at all. One of the primary works of the Messiah is redemption. The festival of Passover deals with redemption and it can be clearly seen in Exodus that when the first Passover happened there was a death in every home – either the death of a firstborn human or the death of a lamb. In the same way as the lamb had to die, Messiah (who is the Redeemer) had to die. He was crucified in order that He would receive the curse the death and so that we could receive eternal life and the promises/blessings of G-d.
v3: Paul came to them in humility. He understood his own inadequacy.
v4: Demonstration of the Spirit and of power: The order here is significant. One of the first things we know concerning the Holy Spirit is that He brings order into our lives. It’s only when we are in that order of G-d that He will give us power – power to destroy the strongholds of the enemy, power to accomplish the purposes of G-d.
v5: Your faith…is in the power of G-d: There is a connection between faith and the power of G-d. This is an elementary principle of our faith: When we walk in the order of G-d, we are going to be recipients of the power of G-d.
· Power: The power Paul speaks of here is a power to destroy those things which are opposed to G-d, but it is also a power that builds up that which is according to the purpose/ plans/will of G-d.
v6: Mature: Literally, Perfect. It is through Messiah’s crucifixion, receiving the Holy Spirit and having access to the power of G-d that we are going to be made perfect. We need to understand this perfection in two ways – there is a declarative perfection (we are declared perfect – just like we are declared righteous – when we receive Messiah), but there is also a working out of this perfection (like sanctification) in our daily lives (Phil 1:6). The goal: To be conformed to the purposes of G-d, to be holy like He is holy.
· Not the wisdom of this age: I.e. not an earthly/human wisdom.
· (Not the wisdom of) the rulers of this age: Most people aspire to leadership – they want to rule over things.
· Coming to nothing: In the process of fading away – becoming obsolete, but not yet obsolete. This is the same word used in regard to the law (Roms 3:31). In this age we still have the rulers, just like in this age we still have the law – there is still a purpose/relevance for both of these today, BUT the word used here anticipates a change that’s coming to both of these things.
v7: The wisdom of G-d in a mystery: This mystery is the suffering Messiah (as already mentioned, a suffering Messiah is foreign/hidden to Judaism).
· Ordained: G-d saw before. What is a mystery to the world G-d had already seen and understood as a reality – before the world was even created.
· For our glory: Yeshua (the mystery of G-d) humbled Himself and became sin for us so that we could be transformed into the glory of G-d.
v8: None of the rulers of this age knew: They were (and are) Scripturally unaware of what the purposes of G-d are (which is the reason why they crucified Messiah).
· The L-rd of glory (and in v7 it speaks of “our glory”): Yeshua was crucified so that we could be glorified, that we may become the righteousness of G-d – for us to be like Him (2 Cor 5:21). Without the crucifixion none of this would have become a reality for us – we would not have reflected G-dliness and nor would we have been fit to be Kingdom inhabitants.