The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 1:17 Explained

1 Corinthians 1:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but -- to proclaim good news; not in wisdom of discourse, that the cross of the Christ may not be made of none effect;

Darby: For Christ has not sent me to baptise, but to preach glad tidings; not in wisdom of word, that the cross of the Christ may not be made vain.

ASV: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Corinthians 1:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Baptizing is part of the Great Commission that all Christians are responsible to carry out ( Matthew 28:19). Paul"s point was that preaching the gospel is more important than baptizing. He used a figure of speech, litotes, for emphasis. In litotes a writer makes a negative statement to emphasize the positive alternative. For example, "No small storm" ( Acts 27:20), means a very large storm. Paul would hardly have said what he did if baptism were necessary for salvation.
"Cleverness of speech" (NASB) and "words of human wisdom" (NIV) greatly impressed the Greeks.
"The Greeks were intoxicated with fine words; and to them the Christian preacher with his blunt message seemed a crude and uncultured figure, to be laughed at and ridiculed rather than to be listened to and respected." [1]
One of the features of Paul, Apollos, Peter, and Christ that made them attractive to various segments of the Corinthian church was evidently their individual oratorical styles. Later Paul pointed out that the Corinthian Christians were viewing things through carnal eyes, namely, seeing things as unsaved people do ( 1 Corinthians 3:1-4). Paul did not emphasize or place confidence in the method of his preaching but the message of the Cross. He did not want to draw attention away from the gospel message to his style of delivering that message.
"Paul represents himself as a preacher, not as an orator. Preaching is the proclamation of the cross; it is the cross that is the source of its power." [2]
"The Gospel"s appeal is not to man"s intellect, but to his sense of guilt by sin. The cross clothed in wisdom of words vitiates this appeal. The Gospel must never be presented as a human philosophical system; it must be preached as a salvation." [3]
This verse provides a transition into the next section of the epistle in which Paul contrasted God"s wisdom and human wisdom.
"With this observation Paul is fully launched on his epistle. As in Romans (cf. i16 ff.), mention of the Gospel sets his thought and language in motion." [2]
The crux of the Corinthians" party spirit lay in their viewing things as unbelievers did, specifically Christian preachers and teachers. They failed to see the important issues at stake in ministry and instead paid too much attention to external, superficial matters. This was a serious condition, so Paul invested many words in the following section to deal with it ( 1 Corinthians 1:18 to 1 Corinthians 4:21). This is still a major problem for many Christians who have been too influenced by the attention given celebrities in culture.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 1:12-25 - The Cross God's Saving Power
Apollos had gone straight from Ephesus to Corinth, Acts 19:1. A party gathered around him, especially attracted by his eloquence and intellectual brilliance. Cephas was Peter, and around his name the more conservative elements gathered. Christ, stood for the promised glory of the Messianic kingdom. Paul was filled with dismay on hearing that a fourth division of the Church called themselves by his name. He told the Corinthians that whatever any of their human teachers had done for them, they had contributed only different phases or viewpoints of truth, all of which service sank into absolute insignificance as contrasted with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The cross here implies not only the doctrine of the Atonement, but the humble bearing of the cross in daily life. There are many who wear a cross as an article of dress, but who evince nothing of its pitying, self-immolating, sacrificial spirit. Everyone needs a Calvary in the heart. Note from 1 Corinthians 1:18, r.v., margin, that being saved is a process, as well as an immediate experience. Oh to have grace to know the Cross, never to be ashamed of it, and to preach a crucified Savior in a humble, crucified spirit! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 1

1  After his salutation and thanksgiving for the Corinthians,
10  Paul exhorts them to unity,
12  and reproves their dissensions
18  God destroys the wisdom of the wise,
21  by the foolishness of preaching;
26  and calls not the wise, mighty, and noble,
28  but the foolish, weak, and men of no account

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 1:17

For Christ sent me not to baptize [ου γαρ απεστειλεν με Χριστος βαπτιζειν]
The negative ου — ou goes not with the infinitive, but with απεστειλεν — apesteilen (from αποστελλω αποστολος — apostellōαλλα ευαγγελιζεσται — apostolos apostle). [source]
For Christ did not send me to be a baptizer [present active infinitive, linear action)]
(present active infinitive, linear action) like John the Baptist. But to preach the gospel (ευαγγελιον — alla euaggelizesthai). This is Paul‘s idea of his mission from Christ, as Christ‘s apostle, to be a gospelizer. This led, of course, to baptism, as a result, but Paul usually had it done by others as Peter at Caesarea ordered the baptism to be done, apparently by the six brethren with him (Acts 10:48). Paul is fond of this late Greek verb from ουκ εν σοπιαι λογου — euaggelion and sometimes uses both verb and substantive as in 1 Corinthians 15:1 “the gospel which I gospelized unto you.” Not in wisdom of words Note μη — ou not απεστειλεν — mē (the subjective negative), construed with ινα μη κενωτηι ο σταυρος του Χριστου — apesteilen rather than the infinitive. Not in wisdom of speech (singular). Preaching was Paul‘s forte, but it was not as a pretentious philosopher or professional rhetorician that Paul appeared before the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Some who followed Apollos may have been guilty of a fancy for external show, though Apollos was not a mere performer and juggler with words. But the Alexandrian method as in Philo did run to dialectic subtleties and luxuriant rhetoric (Lightfoot). Lest the cross of Christ should be made void (ινα μη — hina mē kenōthēi ho stauros tou Christou). Negative purpose (κενοω — hina mē) with first aorist passive subjunctive, effective aorist, of κενος — kenoō old verb from kenos to make empty. In Paul‘s preaching the Cross of Christ is the central theme. Hence Paul did not fall into the snare of too much emphasis on baptism nor into too little on the death of Christ. “This expression shows clearly the stress which St. Paul laid on the death of Christ, not merely as a great moral spectacle, and so the crowning point of a life of self-renunciation, but as in itself the ordained instrument of salvation” (Lightfoot). [source]
But to preach the gospel [ευαγγελιον]
This is Paul‘s idea of his mission from Christ, as Christ‘s apostle, to be a gospelizer. This led, of course, to baptism, as a result, but Paul usually had it done by others as Peter at Caesarea ordered the baptism to be done, apparently by the six brethren with him (Acts 10:48). Paul is fond of this late Greek verb from ουκ εν σοπιαι λογου — euaggelion and sometimes uses both verb and substantive as in 1 Corinthians 15:1 “the gospel which I gospelized unto you.” [source]
Not in wisdom of words [ου]
Note μη — ou not απεστειλεν — mē (the subjective negative), construed with ινα μη κενωτηι ο σταυρος του Χριστου — apesteilen rather than the infinitive. Not in wisdom of speech (singular). Preaching was Paul‘s forte, but it was not as a pretentious philosopher or professional rhetorician that Paul appeared before the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Some who followed Apollos may have been guilty of a fancy for external show, though Apollos was not a mere performer and juggler with words. But the Alexandrian method as in Philo did run to dialectic subtleties and luxuriant rhetoric (Lightfoot). Lest the cross of Christ should be made void (ινα μη — hina mē kenōthēi ho stauros tou Christou). Negative purpose (κενοω — hina mē) with first aorist passive subjunctive, effective aorist, of κενος — kenoō old verb from kenos to make empty. In Paul‘s preaching the Cross of Christ is the central theme. Hence Paul did not fall into the snare of too much emphasis on baptism nor into too little on the death of Christ. “This expression shows clearly the stress which St. Paul laid on the death of Christ, not merely as a great moral spectacle, and so the crowning point of a life of self-renunciation, but as in itself the ordained instrument of salvation” (Lightfoot). [source]
Lest the cross of Christ should be made void [ινα μη]
Negative purpose (κενοω — hina mē) with first aorist passive subjunctive, effective aorist, of κενος — kenoō old verb from kenos to make empty. In Paul‘s preaching the Cross of Christ is the central theme. Hence Paul did not fall into the snare of too much emphasis on baptism nor into too little on the death of Christ. “This expression shows clearly the stress which St. Paul laid on the death of Christ, not merely as a great moral spectacle, and so the crowning point of a life of self-renunciation, but as in itself the ordained instrument of salvation” (Lightfoot). [source]
Should be made of none effect [κενωθῇ]
Lit., emptied. Rev., made void. Compare is made void, Romans 4:14, and the kindred adjective κενὸν, κενὴ vain 1 Corinthians 15:14. The nucleus of the apostolic preaching was a fact - Christ crucified. To preach it as a philosophic system would be to empty it of its saving power, a truth which finds abundant and lamentable illustration in the history of the Church. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 1:17

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross [ο λογος γαρ ο του σταυρου]
Literally, “for the preaching (with which I am concerned as the opposite of wisdom of word in 1 Corinthians 1:17) that (repeated article ο — ho almost demonstrative) of the cross.” “Through this incidental allusion to preaching St. Paul passes to a new subject. The discussions in the Corinthian Church are for a time forgotten, and he takes the opportunity of correcting his converts for their undue exaltation of human eloquence and wisdom” (Lightfoot). [source]
1 Corinthians 9:15 For it were good for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void [καλον γαρ μοι μαλλον αποτανειν η το καυχημα μου ουδεις κενωσει]
The tangled syntax of this sentence reflects the intensity of Paul‘s feeling on the subject. He repeats his refusal to use his privileges and rights to a salary by use of the present perfect middle indicative By the epistolary aorist Then he gives his reason in vigorous language without a copula (ην — ēn were): “For good for me to die rather than,” but here he changes the construction by a violent anacoluthon. Instead of another infinitive (κενωσαι — kenōsai) after η — ē (than) he changes to the future indicative without οτι — hoti or ινα — hina “No one shall make my glorying void,” viz., his independence of help from them. Κενοω — Kenoō is an old verb, from κενος — kenos empty, only in Paul in N.T. See note on 1 Corinthians 1:17. [source]
2 Corinthians 1:12 The testimony of our conscience [το μαρτυριον της συνειδησεως ημων]
In apposition with καυχησις — kauchēsis Sincerity of God (ειλικρινειαι του τεου — eilikrineiāi tou theou). Like δικαιοσυνη τεου — dikaiosunē theou (Romans 1:17; Romans 3:21), the God-kind of righteousness. So the God-kind (genitive case) of sincerity. Late word from ειλικρινης — eilikrinēs See note on 1 Corinthians 5:8. Not in fleshly wisdom See 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:13. Paul uses sarkikos five times and it occurs only twice elsewhere in N.T. See note on 1 Corinthians 3:3. We behaved ourselves (ουκ εν σοπιαι σαρκικηι — anestraphēmen). Second aorist passive indicative of anastrephō old verb, to turn back, to turn back and forth, to walk. Here the passive is used as in late Greek as if middle. More abundantly to you-ward They had more abundant opportunity to observe how scrupulous Paul was (Acts 18:11). [source]
2 Corinthians 1:12 Not in fleshly wisdom [ouk en sophiāi sarkikēi)]
See 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:13. Paul uses sarkikos five times and it occurs only twice elsewhere in N.T. See note on 1 Corinthians 3:3. We behaved ourselves (ουκ εν σοπιαι σαρκικηι — anestraphēmen). Second aorist passive indicative of anastrephō old verb, to turn back, to turn back and forth, to walk. Here the passive is used as in late Greek as if middle. More abundantly to you-ward They had more abundant opportunity to observe how scrupulous Paul was (Acts 18:11). [source]
2 Corinthians 10:10 Weighty and strong [πησιν]
These adjectives can be uncomplimentary and mean “severe and violent” instead of “impressive and vigorous.” The adjectives bear either sense. His bodily presence (βαρειαι και ισχυραι — hē parousia tou sōmatos). This certainly is uncomplimentary. “The presence of his body.” It seems clear that Paul did not have a commanding appearance like that of Barnabas (Acts 14:12). He had some physical defect of the eyes (Galatians 4:14) and a thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7). In the second century Acts of Paul and Thecla he is pictured as small, short, bow-legged, with eye-brows knit together, and an aquiline nose. A forgery of the fourth century in the name of Lucian describes Paul as “the bald-headed, hook-nosed Galilean.” However that may be, his accusers sneered at his personal appearance as “weak” (η παρουσια του σωματος — asthenēs). His speech of no account Perfect passive participle of ο λογος εχουτενημενος — exoutheneō to treat as nothing (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:28). The Corinthians (some of them) cared more for the brilliant eloquence of Apollos and did not find Paul a trained rhetorician (1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 11:6). He made different impressions on different people. “Seldom has any one been at once so ardently hated and so passionately loved as St. Paul” (Deissmann, St. Paul, p. 70). “At one time he seemed like a man, and at another he seemed like an angel” (Acts of Paul and Thecla). He spoke like a god at Lystra (Acts 14:8-12), but Eutychus went to sleep on him (Acts 20:9). Evidently Paul winced under this biting criticism of his looks and speech. [source]
2 Corinthians 10:10 His speech of no account [αστενης]
Perfect passive participle of ο λογος εχουτενημενος — exoutheneō to treat as nothing (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:28). The Corinthians (some of them) cared more for the brilliant eloquence of Apollos and did not find Paul a trained rhetorician (1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:1, 1 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 11:6). He made different impressions on different people. “Seldom has any one been at once so ardently hated and so passionately loved as St. Paul” (Deissmann, St. Paul, p. 70). “At one time he seemed like a man, and at another he seemed like an angel” (Acts of Paul and Thecla). He spoke like a god at Lystra (Acts 14:8-12), but Eutychus went to sleep on him (Acts 20:9). Evidently Paul winced under this biting criticism of his looks and speech. [source]
2 Timothy 4:5 Of an evangelist [εὐαγγελιστοῦ]
Here, Acts 21:8and Ephesians 4:11. In the last passage, a special function, with apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers. A traveling, minister whose work was not confined to a particular church. So Philip, Acts 8:5-13, Acts 8:26-40. A helper of the apostles. An apostle, as such, was an evangelist (1 Corinthians 1:17), but every evangelist was not an apostle. In The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (about 100 a.d.) it is prescribed that an apostle shall not remain in one place longer than two days, and that when he departs he shall take nothing with him except enough bread to last until his next station (ch. xi). [source]
2 Timothy 4:5 Suffer hardship [κακοπατησον]
See note on 2 Timothy 2:9. Do the work of an evangelist (εργον ποιησον ευαγγελιστου — ergon poiēson euaggelistou). See note on 1 Corinthians 1:17; Ephesians 4:11 for ευαγγελιστης — euaggelistēs gospelizer. Fulfil First aorist active imperative of πληροπορεω — plērophoreō for which see note on Colossians 4:12. In Colossians 4:17 Paul uses πληροω — plēroō to Archippus about his ministry as he here employs πληροπορεω — plērophoreō Both verbs mean to fill full. [source]
2 Timothy 4:5 Do the work of an evangelist [εργον ποιησον ευαγγελιστου]
See note on 1 Corinthians 1:17; Ephesians 4:11 for ευαγγελιστης — euaggelistēs gospelizer. [source]
Hebrews 13:7 Remember [μνημονευετε]
Present active imperative of μνημονευω — mnēmoneuō old verb to be mindful of (from μνημων — mnēmōn mindful) with genitive (John 15:20) or accusative (Matthew 16:9). “Keep in mind.” Cf. Hebrews 11:22. Them that had the rule over you Present middle participle of ηγεομαι — hēgeomai with genitive of the person The preaching of these early disciples, apostles, and prophets (1 Corinthians 1:17). And considering the issue of their life No “and” in the Greek, but the relative ων — hōn (whose) in the genitive case after αναστροπης — anastrophēs “considering the issue of whose life.” Present active participle of ανατεωρεω — anatheōreō late compound, to look up a subject, to investigate, to observe accurately, in N.T. only here and Acts 17:23. Εκβασις — Ekbasis is an old word from εκβαινω — ekbainō to go out (Hebrews 11:15, here only in N.T.), originally way out (1 Corinthians 10:13), but here (only other N.T. example) in sense of end or issue as in several papyri examples (Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary). Imitate their faith Present middle imperative of μιμεομαι — mimeomai old verb (from μιμος — mimos actor, mimic), in N.T. only here, 2 Thessalonians 3:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 3 John 1:11. Keep on imitating the faith of the leaders. [source]
James 3:13 Who [Τις]
Rhetorical interrogative like Luke 11:11. Common in Paul and characteristic of the diatribe. James here returns to the standpoint of James 3:1 about many teachers. Speech and wisdom are both liable to abuse (1 Corinthians 1:5, 1 Corinthians 1:17; 2:1-3:20). [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 1:17 mean?

Not for sent me Christ to baptize but to preach the gospel not in wisdom of discourse that not be emptied of power the cross of the Christ
οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέν με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν ἀλλὰ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ

ἀπέστειλέν  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
με  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Χριστὸς  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
βαπτίζειν  to  baptize 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: βαπτίζω  
Sense: to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk).
εὐαγγελίζεσθαι  to  preach  the  gospel 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle
Root: εὐαγγελίζω  
Sense: to bring good news, to announce glad tidings.
σοφίᾳ  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: σοφία  
Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters.
λόγου  of  discourse 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
ἵνα  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
κενωθῇ  be  emptied  of  power 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κενόω  
Sense: to empty, make empty.
σταυρὸς  cross 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: σταυρός  
Sense: an upright stake, esp.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Χριστοῦ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.