ASSESSMENT TITLE PAGE

STUDENT ID 10112183

UNIT NO. BS221

UNIT NAME New Testament 2

ASSESSMENT
(e.g. essay)
Exegetical

DUE DATE 25 Jul 2024

WORD COUNT (number of

words in your assessment)
1999

LECTURER Peter Orr, Tom Habib

QUESTION NUMBER
(if relevant)
-

QUESTION TOPIC
(if relevant)
1 Cor 2:1-5

Assessment in Moore Theological College is anonymous.

Do not include your name anywhere within this assignment
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Context
Paul writes 1 Corinthians to correct the Corinthian church’s worldliness and
encourage them to pursue purity as God’s eschatological temple. He begins by addressing
the issue of church strife, which is most likely caused by individuals boasting about following
certain leaders as teachers of “wisdom” in order to elevate themselves above others (1:11-
12).

Paul criticised this boastfulness as being inconsistent with his preaching of the
message of the cross (1:18-25), which God uses to judge “this age” and “the wisdom of the
world” (1:20). For God deliberately manifests his power to save through a foolish message
(1:23), in order to stumble (1:23) and destroy (1:19) the wise in their wisdom. Since God’s
wisdom involves saving and judging through this message, Paul rejects preaching it with “the
wisdom of words” (1:17) because doing so nullifies its cruciform character where its
foolishness is power to those who are saved (1:18). The Corinthians are living examples of
the message’s dual effects. Few of them were wise, but God chose them to shame the wise
(1:27).

In 2:1-5, Paul returns to the theme of his rejection of the “wisdom of words” (1:17)
in preaching. He shows how his manner was shaped by the cruciform character of his
message, thus demonstrating God’s power through the Spirit.
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1 Κἀγὼ—ἐλθὼν (πρὸς ὑμᾶς), ἀδελφοί,—ἦλθον

↑οὐ (καθʼ ὑπεροχὴν λόγου ἢ σοφίας)
καταγγέλλων ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ.
2 οὐ γὰρ ἔκρινά τι εἰδέναι (ἐν ὑμῖν) εἰ μὴ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον.
3 κἀγὼ (ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ) καὶ (ἐν φόβῳ) καὶ (ἐν τρόμῳ πολλῷ) ἐγενόμην (πρὸς ὑμᾶς),
4 καὶ ὁ λόγος μου καὶ τὸ κήρυγμά μου οὐκ […] (ἐν πειθοῖ[ς] σοφίας [λόγοις])
ἀλλʼ […](ἐν ἀποδείξει πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως),
5 ↑ἵνα ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν μὴ ᾖ (ἐν σοφίᾳ ἀνθρώπων)
ἀλλʼ […] (ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ).

Structure
This passage consists of two sections, v1-2 and v3-5, each detailing how Paul came to the Corinthians: κἀγὼ… πρὸς ὑμᾶς followed by
prepositional phrases.

These prepositional phrases are οὐ καθʼ… (v1), a series of ἐν…ἐν…ἐν… (v3), and a point-counterpoint set, οὐκ ἐν… ἀλλʼ ἐν… (v4); each
describing his manner of coming.

γὰρ in v2 gives the reason for v1, whilst ἵνα in v5 gives the purpose for v3-4. Similar to v4, this ἵνα clause is also constructed as a point-
counterpoint set, μὴ ᾖ ἐν… ἀλλʼ ἐν…
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Analysis
In 1:17, Paul specifies the form of communication he rejected when preaching the
gospel, οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου. He reiterates that rejection here in two similar phrases: οὐ καθʼ
ὑπεροχὴν λόγου ἢ σοφίας (2:1), and οὐκ ἐν πειθοῖ[ς] σοφίας [λόγοις] (2:4). In all three
verses, the subject matter is Paul’s preaching: εὐαγγελίζεσθαι (1:17), καταγγέλλων (2:1), ὁ
λόγος… τὸ κήρυγμά (2:4). Also, the words σοφία and λόγος appear together to this form he
rejects.

The prepositional phrase οὐ καθʼ ὑπεροχὴν λόγου ἢ σοφίας (2:1) has to do with
speech, so it is modifying καταγγέλλων instead of ἦλθον. The noun ὑπεροχὴν only occurs
elsewhere in 1Tim 2:2, to mean “high position” (ESV). Its cognate verb ὑπερέχω consists of
the preposition ὑπέρ joined to ἔχω. Thus, the word has connotations of height and
superiority.1

What does λόγου ἢ σοφίας mean? Is λόγου referring to the form and σοφίας, the
content? A similar construction, σοφίᾳ λόγου, occurs in 1:17, where Paul rejects a certain
kind of wisdom, a “σοφίᾳ of words”. It is λόγου because the culture in Corinth sees the art of
rhetoric, where sophists use words to great effect, as a display of wisdom. Thus, σοφίᾳ
λόγου have to do with this form of communication, which Paul now refers back to using
these two words as a hendiadys, λόγου ἢ σοφίας (2:1). λόγου ἢ σοφίας relates to the head
noun ὑπεροχὴν as genitives of production, meaning “height/superiority produced by
eloquent wisdom”.2 The emphasis is on the resulting elevation of the speaker from using this
form of rhetoric. Paul’s proclamation, however, was οὐ καθʼ “not according to the standard
of” the sophists.

1
Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature, ed. Frederick William Danker, 1st edition. (Chicago: *University of Chicago
Press, 2001), 1033; Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand
Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 2013), 208.
2
Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New
Testament with Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes, Enlarged edition. (Grand
Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Academic, 1997), 104–5.
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Where οὐ καθʼ ὑπεροχὴν emphasises the effect on the speaker, the following phrase
οὐκ ἐν πειθοῖ[ς] σοφίας [λόγοις] (2:4) emphasises the effect on the hearers using πειθοῖ[ς],
meaning “persuasive”.3 It is not words, λόγοις, that Paul is rejecting per se. Instead, the
adjective πειθοῖ[ς] and the genitive σοφίας qualify λόγοις, and what Paul rejects is the fact
that this speech is “persuasive” because it is “of wisdom”. The genitive σοφίας in v4 should
be understood as a subjective genitive, “persuasive words directed by wisdom”4 because, in
v5, σοφίᾳ appears as an active antithetical force to δυνάμει θεοῦ. Its use here is more like in
1:18-25, where σοφία is a power of this age rather than a form of speaking (2:1 cf 1:17),
although the two are related.

Thus, the contrast between the two prepositional phrases οὐκ ἐν… ἀλλʼ ἐν… (v4) is
that one represents the activity of worldly wisdom and the other the activity of Spirit and
power. πνεύματος καὶ δυνάμεως should be understood as a hendiadys, meaning “Spirit’s
power” since both terms are nearly interchangeable.5

So, what does ἀποδείξει of the Spirit’s power refer to? The word ἀπόδειξις comes
from the world of rhetoric, meaning “proof”. Could this “proof” of the Spirit’s power refer to
signs and wonders that accompany Paul’s preaching? After all, Paul later mentions that he
performed signs and wonders amongst them as signs of a true apostle (2Cor 12:12).
Furthermore, the Greek term for “mighty works” there has the same root as δυνάμεως
(1Cor 2:4). However, it is doubtful that Paul has miraculous signs in mind. Firstly, δυνάμεις
“mighty works”, is always in the plural, whereas δυνάμεως is in the singular. Secondly, Paul
would be contradicting himself, given that he has just associated God’s power with the
foolish message of the cross as opposed to signs (1:22-24).

The ἀπόδειξις then is not miraculous signs but has to do with “your faith” in v5. That
is, their conversion itself evidences the Spirit’s power. 1Thes 1:5 supports this, where “power
and…Spirit” is associated with “conviction”. The ἵνα clause (1Cor 2:5) gives us the purpose
for why Paul rejects “persuasive words of wisdom”. He does this so that if anyone responds
in faith at all, it could not have come from his persuasive ability but happens solely because

3
Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature, 791.
4
Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 113; C. K. Barrett, The First Epistle to the
Corinthians (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1968), 65.
5
Gordon D. Fee, First Epistle to the Corinthians, 2 Revised edition. (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing, 2014), 100.
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of God’s power. Thus, for Paul, there is an inseparable connection between the form of
communication (v4) and the result (v5).

However, he also sees a connection between the form of communication and the
content of the message. In 2:1, he rejects the form which the sophists use. In v2, the
conjunction γὰρ introduces the reason why. It has to do with the content of his message.
Paul says, “I did not resolve to know”, followed by “τι…εἰ μὴ”, thus emphatically excluding all
things except one thing alone, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον. The καὶ is not
coordinating two things, for both refer to the same person. Instead, it is explicative, thereby
rendering it as “Jesus Christ, namely him crucified”. This explicative καὶ, plus the use of the
demonstrative pronoun τοῦτον, puts the emphasis on Christ’s identity as the crucified one.
Furthermore, the participle ἐσταυρωμένον being in the perfect emphasises the continued
effects of Jesus’ past crucifixion.6 Though he has resurrected, his present identity remains
stamped by the weakness and folly of the cross.7 And it is this weakness of the cross that
Paul seeks to embody in his ministry. Paul’s logic is this: if the gospel is of a crucified
Messiah, then the form of communication must conform to that message. If he were to
proclaim the gospel in self-elevating rhetoric, then his packaging would contradict the
content of this message.

This is why in the next verse, he says he came “in weakness”, “in fear”, and “in
trembling” (v3). In what way was Paul “in weakness”? Fee sees it as referring to a sickness
Paul had.8 This is unconvincing because although Paul uses ἀσθενεῖς to refer to those who
were sick (11:30), that was in the adjective. He uses the noun ἀσθένεια however, to speak
about the weakness of the cross (1:25). Given his emphasis on the cross aspect of his
message (2:2), it is best to understand Paul’s manner of “weakness” in this way, as the
quality of being despicable and unimpressive in the sight of the world, something which he
then ascribes to the Corinthians themselves (1:27). For Paul, this “weakness” (4:10)
encompasses even all kinds of afflictions (4:9-13) which makes him look like “scum” to the
world.

6
Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, 573–74.
7
Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians Interpretation: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for
Teaching and Preaching (Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 35.
8
Fee, First Epistle to the Corinthians, 98.
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“In fear and in trembling” should be understood as one unit, as it frequently occurs
together in the LXX to depict a humble response before God’s awesome majesty. Paul is
humbled and weighed down by the immensity of his apostolic task.9 Thus, “weakness”
captures Paul’s external circumstance and how the world and Corinthians see him, whilst
“fear and…trembling” refers to his internal posture before God.

Synthesis
Paul’s proclamation does not follow worldly “wisdom” but instead manifests God’s
power-in-weakness in accordance with the cruciform character of his message.

Paul has shown that there are two kinds of wisdom that are incompatible: “the
wisdom of the world” and “the wisdom of God” (1:20-21). God’s wisdom is perfectly
manifested in a crucified Christ (1:24), which worldly wisdom considers folly and is repulsed
by. However, God is wiser than the world (1:25). He uses the world in its wisdom (1:21-22)
to bring its own judgment (1:23). Now in our passage, worldly wisdom is associated with a
form of speaking that elevates men, “lofty speech” (2:1); and appeals to men, “persuasive
words” (2:4) and thus it is summarised as the wisdom “of men” (2:5). This is antithetical to
God’s power because worldly wisdom boasts in men (1:12) whilst God’s wisdom results in
boasting in the LORD (1:31). Later on, Paul clarifies that worldly wisdom is “of this age” and
is doomed to pass away. Because of this, it cannot understand God’s wisdom, for it is secret
and hidden (2:7), needing to be revealed and taught by the Spirit.

The Spirit’s first mention in the letter occurs in this passage. Paul speaks of the
Corinthians’ conversion as evidence of the Spirit’s power (2:4). He also relates this to “the
power of God” (2:5). This suggests that the Spirit is God himself. The divinity of the Spirit
gets more explicit later when Paul says that the Spirit knows God’s thoughts (2:11). The
Corinthians’ faith is evidence of God’s power through the Spirit because the natural person
cannot understand spiritual truths without the Spirit (2:13-14).

9
Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, First Letter to the Corinthians (Nottingham:
Eerdmans Publishing, 2010), 115–16.
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Paul’s portrayal of his ministry as being in “weakness” (2:3) whilst at the same time
being a demonstration of the Spirit’s “power” (2:4) highlights the paradoxical nature of the
cross and God’s redefinition of what power is. The cross is a paradigm of God manifesting
his power in weakness. Through a foolish message, God saves people (1:18). Through those
who are weak, God shames the strong (1:27). Here, Paul explains that he conforms the
manner of his preaching to this paradigm. Therefore, the efficacy of his proclamation could
not have come from his persuasive ability but from God’s power working through the
message of the cross itself: “nothing…except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (2:2). Later, he
even speaks of his life as being conformed to the cross: “like men sentenced to death” (1
Cor 4:9 cf 2 Cor 4:10).

Integration

This passage is relevant to the practice of preaching. Paul demonstrates that there is
an unbreakable link between the content, form, and effect of preaching. What matters to
Paul is not just what he preached but also how he preached. He rejects using persuasive
words of wisdom, but he is not against persuasion itself (cf. 2Cor 5:11). Rather, he is against
a form of preaching that is associated with the effect of elevating oneself. This type of
preaching ends up being a demonstration of the preacher’s intellect, eloquence, or
personality and causes people to be persuaded by his wisdom rather than being converted
by God’s power.

The alternative model Paul gives us is a preaching style that reflects the gospel’s
cruciform character. For God’s power to save and judge is found precisely in what the world
finds offensive. To repackage the folly of the cross (content) in the eloquence of our wisdom
(form) is to empty it of its power (effect). Assuming ἀπόδειξις refers to the Corinthians’ faith
rather than miraculous signs, then the true evidence of God’s power at work is when people
are converted despite the foolishness of our message and manner because the Spirit has
transformed their minds.
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Bibliography
Barrett, C. K. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson
Publishers, 1968.
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature. Edited by Frederick William Danker. 1st edition.
Chicago: *University of Chicago Press, 2001.
Ciampa, Roy E., and Brian S. Rosner. First Letter to the Corinthians. Nottingham:
Eerdmans Publishing, 2010.
Fee, Gordon D. First Epistle to the Corinthians. 2 Revised edition. Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing, 2014.
Hays, Richard B. First Corinthians Interpretation: Interpretation: A Bible
Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2011.
Thiselton, Anthony C. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Mich:
Eerdmans, 2013.
Wallace, Daniel B. Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of
the New Testament with Scripture, Subject, and Greek Word Indexes.
Enlarged edition. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Academic, 1997.