“We Preach Christ Crucified” (1 Corinthians 1-2)

Scripture reading – 1 Corinthians 1; 1 Corinthians 2 

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* Please note that words and phrases in brackets are the author’s amplification.

Our chronological reading of God’s Word brings us to Paul’s first letter to the saints in Corinth. In a prior devotional (Acts 18), we were introduced to Corinth, the capital of Achaia, a Roman province. Corinth was a Mediterranean seaport, and by Paul’s day it had surpassed ancient Athens in commerce, culture, and wickedness. Paul’s 18-month ministry in Corinth was fruitful (Acts 18:11), and many Jews and Greeks came to believe and accept Christ as Savior (Acts 18:4, 8).

Nevertheless, some “opposed themselves and blasphemed,” and Paul declared, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles” (Acts 18:6). Paul then turned to the Gentiles and continued his ministry in the house of Justus, next to the synagogue (Acts 18:7).

For today’s Bible study, I invite you to consider a simple outline of the first chapter of “The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.”

 1 Corinthians 1

A Loving Acknowledgment: Paul’s Salutation (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

As in other epistles, Paul introduced himself as the author in the first verse (1 Corinthians 1:1). He then named his co-laborer, “Sosthenes our brother,” who was well known to the people of Corinth. Who was Sosthenes? The answer likely lies in Acts 18:9-17, where he is first mentioned not as a friend but as Paul’s adversary (Acts 18:17).

The Hellenistic Jews in Corinth (Greek-speaking Jews of the Dispersion) “made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat” (Acts 18:12), where Gallio, the deputy (Roman proconsul) of Achaia, presided. Gallio then demonstrated his prejudice toward the Jews by refusing to intervene in their religious dispute with Paul (Acts 18:13-15). When the Jews were dismissed from the judgment seat (Acts 18:16), “all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat” (Acts 18:17).

The same Sosthenes who had led the synagogue in opposing Paul became a believer and follower of Christ. His salvation transformed his life, and he became a peer of Paul in the Gospel ministry (1 Corinthians 1:1).

A Loving Affirmation and Appeal (1 Corinthians 1:4-10)

Notice that the “grace of God” is a primary theme of this passage (1 Corinthians 1:4-10), as it is throughout Scripture. Paul blessed his readers and greeted them with “grace” (God’s loving favor) and “peace” (1 Corinthians 1:3). He identified “the grace of God” as expressed in “Jesus Christ” for our salvation (1 Corinthians 1:4). Paul testified of Christ, “that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge” [i.e., the boldness to speak of one’s faith in Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:5-7a; Acts 1:8]. We are also sustained by God’s grace as we look “for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7b-9).

With God’s grace [favor] as our common ground in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10a), Paul urged the believers in Corinth to live in perfect harmony. He besought them, “that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10b).

Yet the members of the Corinthian church were far from perfect, having been saved from a morally corrupt culture. While idolatry and immorality were pervasive in Corinthian society, the congregation of believers also had its own egregious moral failures.

A Loving Admonition (1 Corinthians 1:11-17)

The rest of the first chapter addresses conflicts and divisions within the Corinthian congregation. Though the conflicts seemed petty (as most disagreements are), they had created factions in the church (1 Corinthians 1:11-16).

Some boasted, “I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:11-12). Paul challenged those contentious believers, asking, “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:13). The Corinthians focused on externals, which led to disputes. Paul responded, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17).

 A Loving Announcement (1 Corinthians 1:18-23)

Paul then declared that the church’s foremost message is the Gospel, Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:18-23). Though humanity mocks and rejects Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:18), the Gospel “is the power of God” for believers (1 Corinthians 1:18).

Though the unsaved call “the preaching of the cross…foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18), it remains the means of salvation. Thus, “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). The Jews sought “a sign,” and the Greeks loved wisdom and debated their philosophies (1 Corinthians 1:22). However, Paul declared, “We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

Closing thoughts (1 Corinthians 1:24-31) 

The world decries the preaching of Christ crucified for sin as foolishness. Yet to believers, it is “the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). Paul explained, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

God has called and “chosen the foolish things of the world to confound [shame and confuse] the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things [lowly; insignificant] of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).

We who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord have no grounds for boasting or glorying (1 Corinthians 1:29). Godly wisdom, righteousness (justification in the sight of God), sanctification (called and set apart to be holy), and redemption (freed from the bondage of sin) are from the Lord “in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Let us boast and glory only in the Lord, for Jesus Christ is Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Copyright © 2026 – Travis D. Smith 

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