Preaching Christ and preaching Christ crucified are not the same message in Scripture.
Preaching Christ identifies Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, as Philip did in Acts 8. Preaching Christ crucified makes the cross the central saving message, which is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1. Les Feldick shows that the early Acts message was 'Jesus is the Christ,' while Paul's unique message was 'we preach Christ crucified.'
1 Corinthians 1:23 — Paul explicitly says, 'We preach Christ crucified,' which defines the cross-centered message.
Acts 8:35 — Records that Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuch without the phrase 'Christ crucified.'
Matthew 16:16 — Records Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, with no mention of the death and resurrection.
In the New Testament record, 'preaching Christ' appears in contexts where Jesus is identified as the promised Messiah and Son of God. In Matthew 16:16, Simon Peter answers Jesus, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' In Acts 8:35, Philip opens the same scripture and 'preached unto him Jesus,' and verse 37 records the eunuch's confession, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' The emphasis in these passages is on who Jesus is. By contrast, Paul's language in 1 Corinthians 1 uses the cross as the center of the message. Verse 18 says, 'For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.' Verse 23 adds, 'But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.' The same chapter also says that Christ is 'the power of God, and the wisdom of God' (1 Corinthians 1:24). In Acts 2:36, Peter's message also refers to the crucifixion: 'Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.' The biblical record thus shows the cross being mentioned in early Acts, while Paul's epistles make the preaching of the cross the defining message of his gospel.
Les Feldick draws a sharp line between these two expressions. When Philip went to the Ethiopian eunuch, Les says the text does not say Philip preached Christ crucified; rather, he 'preached unto him Jesus' (Acts 8:35). At that point in Acts, Les explains, the believers were proclaiming that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God — period. Philip did not mention His death, burial, and resurrection, which are the core of our gospel today. Les contrasts this with Paul's message. Paul says, 'We preach Christ crucified,' and in Les's words, Paul had only one message: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and His shed blood. Paul never made Christ's birth, His miracles, or His earthly ministry the subject of his preaching. When Les compares Peter and Paul, he observes that Peter's sermons said, in effect, 'You killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead' — referring to the crucifixion to show that God overruled Israel's act and could still fulfill His covenant promises. Peter was not preaching the crucifixion as the means of salvation. The difference, as Les presents it, is between announcing who Jesus is — the Christ, the Son of the living God — and proclaiming the cross as the power of God and the message of salvation. God had not yet revealed Paul's message in the early chapters of Acts; it was still a secret kept in the mind of God.
Les emphasizes that when Philip spoke to the Ethiopian eunuch, he 'opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus' (Acts 8:35). Les says the text does not say Philip preached Christ crucified. At that time, the cross message had not yet been revealed as the gospel. Philip's message was that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. The eunuch's confession was 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God' (Acts 8:37).
Les compares Peter's Acts sermons to Paul's epistles. Peter's repeated emphasis was 'you killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead' — proving that God had overcome what Israel had accomplished and could still fulfill His covenant promises. Peter spoke of the crucifixion, but not as the message of salvation. Paul, however, says, 'But we preach Christ crucified' (1 Corinthians 1:23). Les says Peter's sermon in Acts 2 ends with 'God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ' (Acts 2:36), while Paul's theme is that 'Christ died for us' — a difference Les says is as different as daylight and dark.
In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul identifies his message as 'the preaching of the cross' — to those who perish it is foolishness, but to those who are saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). Paul says plainly, 'We preach Christ crucified' (1 Corinthians 1:23). Les notes that Paul never focused on Bethlehem, Christ's birth, His miracles, or His earthly ministry. Paul's one message was the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and the shed blood.
Les points to Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi — 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew 16:16) — and says people often assume Peter added 'who died for me, and rose from the dead.' That was not what Peter said. The phrase 'Christ died for me, that He was buried and He rose from the dead' is the gospel of the grace of God, while Peter's confession belonged to the gospel of the kingdom. This helps explain why preaching Christ and preaching Christ crucified are not the same message.
The Scattered Believers Preach the Word (Acts 8:4)
Les places Acts 8:4 in its Jewish context: the scattered believers were preaching the Word—the Old Testament—to Jews only, before the narrative turns to Philip.
Philip Preaches Jesus, Not Christ Crucified
Les stresses that Acts 8:35 says Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch, not Christ crucified—the cross message was not yet revealed as gospel.
Paul Preaches the Cross
Les shows that Paul's message was 'the preaching of the cross'—the gospel that is God's power (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Peter's Confession vs. the Gospel of Grace
Les notes that Peter's confession in Matthew 16:16 stopped at 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'—it did not include 'who died for me and rose again.'
Philip's Message: The Christ, the Son of God
Les says Philip did not mention the death, burial, and resurrection; his message was that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's Crucifixion Reference vs. Paul's Preaching
Les says Peter used the crucifixion to show God raised Jesus and could still fulfill covenant promises, while Paul's message was 'we preach Christ crucified' as the saving truth.
Paul's One Message: Christ Crucified
Les explains that Paul never preached Christ's birth, miracles, or earthly ministry; his only message was the death, burial, resurrection, and shed blood.
Peter's 'You Killed Him' vs. Paul's 'Christ Died for Us'
Les contrasts Peter's theme—Israel killed Jesus—with Paul's theme—'while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'—calling the difference as different as daylight and dark.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's confession identifies Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, with no mention of His death and resurrection.
Acts 8:35: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
This is the record of what Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch — Jesus, not Christ crucified.
Acts 8:37: And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The eunuch's confession centered on Jesus being the Son of God, reflecting the 'preaching Christ' emphasis.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Paul identifies the message of the cross as the power of God to those being saved.
1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Paul explicitly states that his preaching was Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 1:24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Christ is presented as God's power and wisdom in the context of the cross-centered message.
Acts 2:36: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Peter's message told Israel they had crucified Jesus, but God made Him both Lord and Christ.
Romans 5:8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Paul's theme centers on Christ dying for us while we were sinners, in contrast to Peter's early Acts emphasis.
No. Les points out that Acts 8:35 says Philip preached Jesus, and the eunuch's confession was that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Philip did not mention Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, which are the core of the gospel message given to Paul.
It meant proclaiming that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God. Les shows that was the message delivered by Philip and confessed by converts, without the cross-centered content that Paul later preached.
Paul was referring to the message of Christ crucified — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood. Les says this was Paul's one message, and 1 Corinthians 1:18 calls it the power of God to those who are saved.
Les says no. Peter's sermons said, 'You killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead,' using the crucifixion to show God's power over Israel's rejection. Paul's unique message was that Christ died for our sins.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected the Gospel — Acts 8 Explained