The word `sent' is the verb apostello and therefore nothing is clearer than that water

baptism was not an essential part of his Christ-directed apostleship or the gospel that it

contained, and makes it quite impossible that the `one baptism' of Eph. 4: 5 can be that

of water. As a contrast, Peter's ministry and that of the eleven to the circumcision was

definitely linked with baptism (Mark 16: 14-18, Acts 2: 38) and this was fitting with a

nation so long linked with type, shadow and symbol. While these two servants of the

Lord preached the same Christ and the same Saviour, yet there were differences in their

ministries which it is foolish to ignore, and only those who have an axe to grind will wish

to do so.

Whatever their attitude was to him, Paul was determined to preach to the Corinthians

the gospel with which he had been entrusted by the risen Saviour (Gal. 1: 11, 12). But he

was determined to avoid rhetorical skill (the wisdom of words) lest the cross of Christ be

emptied (literally), that is, be emptied of its significance and dwindle to nothing under the

weight of rhetorical argument. Paul does not represent himself as a brilliant orator, but a

faithful proclaimer of the good news of God in his salvation of sinners. Eloquence by

itself cannot save;  it rather misleads, and the listener can be carried away by the

personality and fluency of the speaker. Paul knew well the attraction that oratory had on

the Greek mind and he deliberately avoided it so that nothing could detract from the

power of the gospel. He now enlarges on wisdom and uses it in two ways both bad and

good, the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God. The word occurs no less than 16 times

in the passage comprising 1: 17 - 3: 19.  The section 1: 18 - 2: 5 is laid out as follows:

A | 1: 18. The Power of God.

B | 1: 19-22. The wisdom of the world.

C | 1: 23. We preach Christ crucified.

D | 1: 24-31. Object--that no flesh should boast.

C | 2: 1, 2. Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

B | 2: 3, 4. Not with . . . . . man's wisdom.

A | 2: 5. Your faith . . . . . the power of God.

The wisdom of God is entirely beyond man's intellect and lies behind the Divine

purpose of the ages. It was only the matchless wisdom of God that could have devised

such a plan and often in its outworking, the Scriptures comment on it.  In Rom. 11:,

after dealing with the "reconciling of the world" (15) and the "secret of Israel's

blindness" (25), the Apostle concludes with praise to God, specially for His wisdom (33).

In Rom. 16: 25-27 he likewise addresses praise to the only "wise God". In Eph. 3:,

after revealing the two secrets: (1) of Christ the Head and (2) the Church, His Body,

Paul refers to the fact that even principalities and powers are learning through the

out-calling of this church the manifold wisdom of God (Eph. 3: 10). God not only has

wisdom beyond the comprehension of man, but also the power to carry it out in practice.

Hence the preaching of the cross and the salvation accomplished by it, is connected with

the power of God (I Cor. 1: 18) which makes it completely effectual in those who believe,

in spite of the opposition and misunderstanding of unbelievers, who cannot frustrate its

working, however much they oppose.