I. INTRODUCTION
A. The contrasts between Athens and Corinth: seekers of knowledge vs. seekers of pleasure; worshipers of wisdom vs. worshipers of sensuality; home to the warriors, orators, poets, statesmen, and sages vs. home to the seekers of amusement and luxury; and the cultivated intellect vs. the provocative thinkers.
B. Paul at Corinth Christianity in contact with seekers of amusement, luxury, and sensuality. (2 Tim. 3:4)
1. Corinth a city of commerce, the crossroads between Europe and Asia and between Northern and Southern Greece. Corinth had population, wealth, and sanctioned licentiousness (Venus worship).
2. Paul was anxious about his visit to this city, (1 Cor. 2:3). From the text we see that the Lord reassured him, (vv. 9,10).
3. How would he present the gospel to such a city? (1 Cor. 2:1,2) Christ crucified is ultimately more attractive than all the artwork, splendor and vanity of Corinth; it can impart genuine happiness to the mind and soul; and it is the only effective way of turning man from sin and reconciling him back to God.
C. How would the Corinthians receive this new topic of thought? How well could this theme be adapted to accomplish his objective? In other words, what is the purpose of the Gospel and could that purpose be achieved in a place like Corinth?
II. DISCUSSION
A. Paul brings a new topic of thought to Corinth Christ, and Him crucified. How would a people such as the Corinthians regard this foreigner and his message? The answer to this question is important because we live among people that are the modern day Corinthians intent on pleasure! How the cross is naturally perceived by such minds as these can be seen in Paul's own writings to the church in Corinth. (READ: 1 Cor. 1:18-23.) The circumstances of the situation at Corinth can be outlined as follows:
1. Paul, as a Jew, would not impress the Greeks. Except for their religious books, the Jews had no literature, they had very little science, and their philosophers were not world renowned, as were the Greek philosophers.
2. Paul came to speak concerning another Jew Christ. In man's eyes: Jesus was of lowly birth, had no formal education, was a carpenter, consorted mainly with fishermen, and had been rejected as a prophet and called an impostor by His own countrymen.
3. The theme of Paul's message was not likely to hold much attraction to those who lived in Corinth.
a. The fact of Christ being crucified was not special. Many had been crucified in Judea during the Roman occupation. Why would the case of Jesus deserve universal attention?
b. Jesus was not a Roman citizen, and therefore had no immunity from crucifixion. If He was guilty, then He was "justly" executed.
c. His martyrdom would probably not appeal to the Corinthians, the Greeks had their martyrs as well.
d. To the worldly minded the subject of the cross would be repulsive, offensive, and out of place at social gatherings. While the world today at least places some sacred connection to "the cross," Paul had no such foothold as he began his ministry in Corinth. Yet, the cross was the only place Paul would seek or could find "glory," (Gal. 6:14). Today, we would be similarly repulsed by someone preaching glory in the electric chair, the gallows, the firing squad, the lethal injection or the gas chamber.
4. Paul would preach the cross as an instrument of their salvation by inducing them to forsake their worldly ways. Paul was not going to appeal to their tactile sensuality, but to their spiritual sensibility. He was bringing them a method of attaining favor with God. In doing so he would not rely on oratory or man's philosophy, but would instead rely on the Holy Spirit and power to propel his message, (1 Cor. 1:17; 2:4). The Greeks believed that man could be reformed, civilized, and even saved strictly through philosophy, teaching, and knowledge. How could thinkers such as these come to believe in "the cross?"
B. How can the subject of "the cross" be adapted to interest the minds of the worldly and secure their conversion and salvation?
1. The Gospel claims to be the only effective method for reforming and recovering sinners, (as already seen in 1 Cor. 1:23,24; see also Rom.1:16). The Gospel claims to be man's last hope.
2. Yet, the power of the cross is the most difficult of the concepts of Christian theology to explain or comprehend. The Greeks saw this preaching as "foolishness." Luckily for us as Christ's messengers, we are only obligated to bring the message; it is the power of that message (the Word) that will leads the sinner to the cross and thus to salvation by the cross.
3. However difficult the message, the fact remains that the Gospel is the Way to God.
a. The Gospel is more than "Law." Law can rebuke, punish, check, and restrain, but it does not have the power to reform and to save.
b. The Greek philosophy did not have this "saving power." (Note the lack of results at Athens.)
c. Science, literature, and art do not have this "saving power."
d. The results manifested by the Gospel cause all the man-made philosophies to pale by comparison. It worked on the Corinthians, (READ: 1 Cor. 6:9-11).
4. Some facts concerning the cross are not difficult to explain or comprehend:
a. No higher expression of love for man can be found than the sacrifice of a Son.
b. The true evil of sin is magnified when compared to the cross and the fact that sin was the sole cause of the cross: Jesus, though sinless, suffered for our sins, and we see evil more clearly when it brings calamity on the guiltless.
c. Contemplating the cross will bring the deepest sense of danger to the mind of the sinner.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. Would you be willing to devote one hour of the upcoming week to study and contemplate the cross? Please do it!
2. Why did Corinth respond to the Gospel, when Athens would not? (Mt. 21:31) That is, why did worldliness and sensuality come to Christ when intellect and philosophy would not?