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The Acts of the Apostles
of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
1
Corinthians 2:2, 4
.
Jesus, whom Paul was about to present before the Greeks in Corinth
as the Christ, was a Jew of lowly origin, reared in a town proverbial
for its wickedness. He had been rejected by His own nation and at last
crucified as a malefactor. The Greeks believed that there was need of
elevating the human race, but they regarded the study of philosophy
and science as the only means of attaining to true elevation and honor.
Could Paul lead them to believe that faith in the power of this obscure
Jew would uplift and ennoble every power of the being?
[245]
To the minds of multitudes living at the present time, the cross of
Calvary is surrounded by sacred memories. Hallowed associations are
connected with the scenes of the crucifixion. But in Paul’s day the
cross was regarded with feelings of repulsion and horror. To uphold as
the Saviour of mankind one who had met death on the cross, would
naturally call forth ridicule and opposition.
Paul well knew how his message would be regarded by both the
Jews and the Greeks of Corinth. “We preach Christ crucified,” he
admitted, “unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness.”
1 Corinthians 1:23
. Among his Jewish hearers there were
many who would be angered by the message he was about to proclaim.
In the estimation of the Greeks his words would be absurd folly. He
would be looked upon as weak-minded for attempting to show how
the cross could have any connection with the elevation of the race or
the salvation of mankind.
But to Paul the cross was the one object of supreme interest. Ever
since he had been arrested in his career of persecution against the
followers of the crucified Nazarene he had never ceased to glory in
the cross. At that time there had been given him a revelation of the
infinite love of God, as revealed in the death of Christ; and a marvelous
transformation had been wrought in his life, bringing all his plans and
purposes into harmony with heaven. From that hour he had been a new
man in Christ. He knew by personal experience that when a sinner
once beholds the love of the Father, as seen in the sacrifice of His Son,
and yields to the divine influence, a change of heart takes place, and
henceforth Christ is all and in all.
[246]
At the time of his conversion, Paul was inspired with a longing
desire to help his fellow men to behold Jesus of Nazareth as the Son