Paul preached in Corinth without eloquent speech, worldly wisdom, philosophy, or gimmicks—determined to proclaim only Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
In 1 Corinthians 2:1–5, Paul says he came to Corinth not with excellency of speech or wisdom, but in weakness and fear, determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul did not rely on intellectual degrees, Greek philosophy, or a magnetic personality, and that his converts were won through the working of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 — Paul directly describes how he arrived in Corinth: not with impressive speech or human wisdom, but in weakness, preaching only Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:23 — Paul explains that he preached Christ crucified, which the Greeks considered foolishness but which is the power and wisdom of God.
Paul’s own letters give a clear picture of how he approached ministry in Corinth. He wrote, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1–2). He added that he was with them “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling,” and that his speech and preaching were “not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:3–4). In the previous chapter he taught that the Greeks seek after wisdom, but “we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:22–23).
Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul walked into Corinth with none of the tools the world respects. He had no intellectual degrees, no smooth oratory, and no Greek philosophy. Corinth was a Greek city, and Les points out that the Greeks were “hung up on philosophy”—at the Bema Seat, philosophers would continually dream up some new thing. Paul did not compete with Homer, Plato, or the philosophers’ stage. Instead, he came with “the simplicity of the gospel” into that pagan, ungodly city. Les says Paul entered with “no fanfare, no advance men,” and he did not use flippant statements, gimmickry, or what today would be called Fifth Avenue advertising. Even his Jewish education was not the basis of his approach; Paul had to begin as a nobody and know nothing among the Corinthians save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. His one message was that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, and it was this simple gospel that transformed the Corinthians and, as Les puts it, “turned the Roman Empire upside down.”
Paul deliberately avoided eloquence, intellectual credentials, Greek philosophy, and marketing-style gimmicks. In Scripture he says he did not come with “excellency of speech or of wisdom,” and Les Feldick explains that Paul was not a smooth orator and did not stand on the Bema Seat with the philosophers. He did not bring the Greek classics such as Homer and Plato, and he refused to use philosophy or “some new thing.” Instead, as Les says, Paul came with the sincerity of his heart and a simple gospel, not with flippant statements or Fifth Avenue advertising.
Paul’s main message was Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He was determined to know nothing among the Corinthians “save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Les says Paul had one message that came almost without fanfare: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again. That was the only gospel Paul knew, and it was the message that brought “pagans, multitudes of them” out of their idolatry.
Les Feldick contrasts Paul with Apollos to show that Paul’s success did not come from human charisma. Apollos drew a following through magnetism and charisma, but Paul, Les says, “gained his converts strictly through the working of the Holy Spirit.” Paul did not draw people to himself by appearance or smooth speech. This is why divisions in Corinth centered on personalities rather than doctrine—some preferred Apollos’s style while others were drawn to Paul as the one who brought them out of idolatry.
Man's Wisdom vs. God's Wisdom
Les notes that Paul repeatedly contrasts man's wisdom with God's wisdom in the early chapters of 1 Corinthians, which frames why Paul did not rely on worldly intelligence when he came to Corinth.
No Degrees, No Philosophy
Les says Paul did not come to Corinth with intellectual degrees or Greek philosophy; he came with the simplicity of the gospel into a pagan, ungodly city.
Not Excellency of Speech
Paul's own words show he did not come with excellency of speech or wisdom, and Les explains Paul did not use the Greek classics or the philosophers' stage in Corinth.
Paul's Weakness and Single Message
Les emphasizes Paul came not as a smooth orator like Apollos but in weakness and fear, determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
No Fanfare, Only the Gospel
Les describes Paul entering Corinth with no fanfare or advance men, preaching Christ's death, burial, and resurrection—the only gospel Paul knew.
No Gimmickry
Les says Paul did not use flippant statements, silly ideas, gimmickry, or Fifth Avenue advertising; he came with sincerity to see pagans brought out of darkness.
One Message at Corinth
Les says Paul did not even rehearse his Old Testament knowledge at Corinth but preached a single message—that Christ died for the sins of the world, for Paul and for every believer.
Contrast with Apollos
Les says Paul did not attract people by his appearance or speech; his converts were won strictly through the Holy Spirit's working, unlike the magnetism of Apollos.
1 Corinthians 2:1: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
Paul directly describes the method he chose when he first arrived in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 2:2: For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Paul’s entire message at Corinth centered on the crucified Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:3: And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
Paul did not project personal power or confidence in human ability.
1 Corinthians 2:4: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
Paul’s effectiveness came from the Spirit, not from persuasive human rhetoric.
1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Paul’s preaching of Christ crucified ran against the wisdom the Greek world valued.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Les identifies this as the gospel message Paul preached in Corinth.
No. Paul stated that he came to Corinth “not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,” and Les Feldick says he was not a smooth orator like Apollos. Paul was with the Corinthians in weakness, fear, and much trembling, and his preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom but with the Spirit’s power.
Corinth was a Greek city, and Les notes the Greeks were “hung up on philosophy.” But Paul did not come with a new philosophy or the Greek classics; he came with the gospel—the cross of Christ. Paul told the Corinthians he determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Les says Paul entered Corinth with no fanfare and no gimmickry, and his converts were won “strictly through the working of the Holy Spirit.” The gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is what turned pagans from idolatry and, by Paul’s ministry, “turned the Roman Empire upside down.”
Les says Apollos drew people through magnetism and charisma, while Paul did not attract people by his appearance or speech. Paul’s converts were won strictly through the Holy Spirit’s working, and this personality contrast contributed to the divisions at Corinth.
Watch the Teaching: The Hidden Wisdom of God — 1 Corinthians 2:6-9 Explained