Paul’s main message in Corinth was Jesus Christ and Him crucified — the gospel of His death, burial, and resurrection.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul states that the gospel he delivered first of all was that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Les Feldick emphasizes that this one message — the preaching of the cross — dominated Paul’s ministry, and Paul deliberately avoided Corinth’s love of human wisdom so that nothing would distract from it.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Paul explicitly identifies the gospel he delivered to the Corinthians — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ — which is the main message he preached.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 — Paul says he was sent to preach the gospel without wisdom of words, and that the preaching of the cross is the power of God.
Paul’s own letters to Corinth identify the message he preached. He reminded the Corinthians that he was not sent to baptize but “to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17). He then summarized the response to that message: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 he defined the gospel explicitly: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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.” The Bible presents this death, burial, and resurrection as Paul’s central proclamation in Corinth.
Les Feldick says Paul’s one message in Corinth and through all his epistles was the gospel of the grace of God — that Christ died for the sins of the world, His blood was shed, and He rose from the dead. Paul did not come with intellectual degrees, philosophy, or high-sounding speeches even though Corinth was a Greek city “hung up” on philosophy. Les notes that Paul never mentioned Bethlehem, Christ’s birth, His earthly ministry, or His miracles; the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was the core of everything he preached. For Paul, the preaching of the cross had to remain central, and even the rite of baptism was not to take away from the finished work of the cross.
Paul wrote, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17). Les Feldick explains that Corinth was in Greek culture, about thirty or forty miles from Athens, and the Greeks were “hung up” on philosophy and always seeking some new idea. Yet Paul did not come with a philosophy or high intellectualism. As Les puts it, “I came with the gospel, which is the cross of Christ.” This shows why human wisdom was intentionally set aside in Paul’s preaching.
The preaching of the cross is the gospel itself. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul defines it: “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.” In 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul says this message is “foolishness” to those who perish but “the power of God” to those who are saved. Les Feldick emphasizes that this was “all Paul knows” throughout his epistles — the gospel of the grace of God, the gospel of Christ, the gospel of God.
When Paul writes to the Corinthians, he says, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel... which I preached unto you... For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” Les Feldick makes the point that Paul never mentions Bethlehem, Christ’s birth, earthly ministry, or miracles — his only message was the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Even behavioral issues among believers were addressed as a way to bring them back to that gospel.
Paul said he was sent “to preach the gospel,” and he deliberately avoided “wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” Les Feldick takes this to mean that nothing the Church does — including the rite of baptism — dare detract from the gospel of the finished work of the cross. The central focus must remain Christ crucified.
Boasting Only in the Lord
Les shows that even the true wisdom and righteousness believers have comes from Christ, so the only legitimate boasting is in the Lord — not in human attainment.
The Gospel Defined
Les defines the gospel as Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again — the one message Paul preached in all his epistles.
No Philosophy in Corinth
Les explains that Paul deliberately avoided human philosophy and intellectualism in Greek Corinth and came instead with the cross of Christ.
Paul’s Gospel Applied to Believers
Les shows that Paul used everything at his disposal to bring the carnal Corinthian believers to an understanding of his gospel — that Christ died for sins and rose from the dead.
Paul’s One Message
Les points out that Paul never mentioned Bethlehem, Christ’s birth, earthly ministry, or miracles; his only message was the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and His shed blood.
Christ the Power of God
Les contrasts the Jews seeking a sign and the Greeks seeking wisdom with the preaching of the cross, which to believers is the power of God.
The Delivered Gospel
Les highlights Paul’s statement that he delivered the one and only gospel, by which the Corinthians were saved: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
Preach the Gospel, Not Baptism
Les stresses Paul’s priority to preach the gospel and his warning that even the rite of baptism must not detract from the finished work of the cross.
1 Corinthians 1:17: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Paul defines his preaching commission and why he avoided eloquent wisdom.
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.
This is the central response to Paul's message.
1 Corinthians 1:22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
Paul describes the cultural setting of Corinth.
1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Paul states the heart of his preaching in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 1:24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
To those called, the preached Christ is God's power and wisdom.
1 Corinthians 15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Paul defines the gospel he delivered to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 15:4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
The gospel includes Christ's burial and resurrection.
Paul preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified — the gospel that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Les Feldick says this was Paul's one and only message throughout his epistles.
Corinth was Greek and valued philosophy, but Paul deliberately did not come with wisdom of words. He came with the gospel of the cross so that nothing would detract from it.
Paul said Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the gospel. Les Feldick stresses that nothing, not even the rite of baptism, should take away from the finished work of the cross.
Watch the Teaching: Why God Chooses the Foolish Over the Wise — 1 Corinthians 1:27-31