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Verse 1 reveals his manner, verse 2 his message, "Christ crucified." A gospel without
the atonement is no gospel at all. The cross gives its title to the gospel, "The preaching of
the cross. . . . the power of God" (I Cor. 1: 18). "We preach Christ crucified. . . .
the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (verses 23 and 24). It was thus that Paul
preached that their "faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of
God" (2: 5).
The Corinthian Christians believed this blessed truth, and were saved. Yet the apostle
says that they were "carnal," that only a few could get beyond "Christ crucified," and
grasp the wonders of "Christ risen." They knew the power of the cross unto salvation,
but they could not go further into the "hidden wisdom" connected with the risen Lord. If
we read verses 2 and 6 together, we shall get the same teaching in clearer form. "For I
determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
"Howbeit, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect."
The church at Corinth was ready for the setting up of the kingdom. The gospel
preached before unto Abraham had been received; miraculous gifts abounded; the Lord's
supper was prominent in its anticipation of the marriage supper of the Lamb. In
I Cor. 10: we have the camp and "our fathers" (see Hebrews). Chapter 10: 2 affords a
parallel with the two baptisms of pentecostal times. Baptism in water and cloud unto
Moses typified the baptism in water and spirit unto Christ, waiting to enter the promised
land and take the kingdom. The question of I Cor. 10: 18, "Behold Israel after the flesh:
are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" is echoed in Heb. 13: 10,
"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." Failure
to recognized that the kingdom is "not yet" means failure to "go outside the camp."
The teaching of Heb. 13: 7-9 should be carefully studied in conjunction with
Eph. 4: 13, 14. In the one case the "end of the conversation" of the elders is "Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," the result being "not carried about
with divers and strange doctrines." In Eph. 4: the gifts of pastors and teachers, etc.,
were given:--
"Till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, that we be no
more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine."
In both cases stability in the believer is connected with the fulness and perfectness of
the Lord. Those who are carried about are "babes" (nepios), and we shall see presently
that this was the character of the Corinthian and Hebrew saints in connection with their
inability to receive the teaching of the mystery. Rightly understood, Hebrews is a link
between the epistles to the Corinthians and to the Ephesians, written after the kingdom
had been set aside, exhorting them to leave the things of the kingdom and go outside the
camp unto Christ, to be numbered perchance among the members of His body.
We will now endeavour, as grace is given, to show the wonderful parallel which exists
between I Cor. 3: and Heb. 5: and 6: To whom did the apostle communicate the
mystery in I Cor. 2:? To the "perfect," the full-grown Christian. In chapter 3: he
writes:--