1 Corinthians 1:23 kjv

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1 Corinthians 1:23 nkjv

but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

1 Corinthians 1:23 niv

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

1 Corinthians 1:23 esv

but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,

1 Corinthians 1:23 nlt

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense.

1 Corinthians 1 verses

1 Corinthians 1 23 Meaning

This verse succinctly encapsulates the essence of the apostolic message: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Paul articulates that while this message is central to their proclamation, it elicits profoundly contrasting reactions from the primary audiences of the time. For the Jews, who awaited a triumphant Messiah, the idea of a crucified one constituted an insurmountable obstacle, an offense against their theological understanding and their deeply ingrained national hopes. In contrast, for the Greeks, steeped in human reason, philosophy, and rhetoric, the concept of a divine figure undergoing such a degrading death was deemed utterly illogical and absurd.

1 Corinthians 1 23 Context

1 Corinthians 1:23 is a pivotal statement within Paul's broader argument challenging the Corinthian church's misplaced values. The believers in Corinth were prone to factions based on allegiances to charismatic leaders and an overemphasis on eloquent rhetoric and human wisdom. Paul combats this by redirecting their focus to the fundamental message of the Gospel: the Cross. He asserts that God's true wisdom and power are not found in the eloquent or sophisticated speech that appeals to worldly intellect but are paradoxically revealed in the "foolishness" and "weakness" of a crucified Christ. This sets the theological stage for Paul's subsequent elaboration on God's choice of the "lowly" and "despised" to shame the world's "wise" and "strong," demonstrating that ultimate boasting must be in the Lord alone.

Historically, first-century Corinth was a major commercial hub, notorious for its diverse philosophies (including Stoicism and Epicureanism), intellectual pursuits, and moral laxity. Eloquence and persuasive debate were highly prized skills. Within this melting pot, the nascent Christian message faced the challenge of distinct societal frameworks: the strict monotheism and messianic expectations of Judaism, and the polytheism, rationalism, and emphasis on human excellence prevalent in Greek culture. Crucifixion itself was the most brutal and humiliating form of execution in the Roman world, reserved for slaves and rebels, ensuring a public spectacle of degradation. Proclaiming a "crucified Messiah" thus confronted deep-seated assumptions of honor, power, and wisdom in both Jewish and Greek thought.

1 Corinthians 1 23 Word analysis

• but we preach (ἡμεῖς κηρύσσομεν - hēmeis kēryssomen):
  • hēmeis (we) is emphatic, setting the apostolic proclamation apart from human-centric approaches.
  • kēryssomen (preach) signifies a public, authoritative proclamation by a herald, not merely a discussion or a philosophical proposal. It implies a divinely mandated declaration that demands a response, rooted in a message delivered, not devised.
• Christ crucified (Χριστὸν ἐσταυρωμένον - Christon estaurōmenon):
  • Christon (Christ): The Greek translation of "Messiah" or "Anointed One." For Jews, this title invoked expectations of a conquering, glorious king who would restore Israel's earthly kingdom and triumph over enemies.
  • estaurōmenon (crucified): A perfect passive participle, indicating a past completed action with enduring consequences and continuing significance. This specific form of death, utterly shameful and agonizing in the ancient world, is deliberately highlighted as the core of the message, emphasizing the ignominy and perceived weakness that defied worldly notions of divine power.
• unto the Jews (Ἰουδαίοις - Ioudaiois): Refers to those of Jewish heritage who lived under the Law of Moses and held specific theological and nationalistic expectations regarding their long-awaited Messiah.
• a stumblingblock (σκάνδαλον - skandalon):
  • Originally referred to a part of a trap, like a bait stick or a trigger, that causes an animal to stumble and be snared. By extension, it means an impediment, an offense, or something that causes one to trip spiritually or morally.
  • For the Jews, a Messiah who suffered and died an accursed death (according to Deut 21:23) was an unbearable contradiction to their expectation of a victorious deliverer, creating a theological barrier they could not overcome through human reasoning or traditional understanding.
• and unto the Greeks (Ἕλλησιν - Hellēsin): Broadly represents the Gentile world heavily influenced by Hellenistic culture, prioritizing human reason, intellectual discourse, and philosophical inquiry.
• foolishness (μωρία - mōria):
  • Derived from moros, meaning dull, stupid, silly, or absurd. It denotes a complete lack of sense or rationality.
  • For the Greeks, who revered human wisdom and intellect, the concept of a divine being undergoing a humiliating execution by crucifixion was utterly nonsensical, barbaric, and beneath the dignity of any deity or truly wise person. It violated their philosophical paradigms for understanding divinity and reality.
• Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness: This phrase group emphasizes the universal opposition the cross faced. The same central truth produced antithetical yet equally negative responses from the two dominant cultural forces of the time. The very concept of a Messiah enduring such shame clashed fundamentally with Jewish pride in their Law and their promised king, and equally with Greek pride in their philosophical achievements and human reason.

1 Corinthians 1 23 Bonus section

The continuing relevance of 1 Corinthians 1:23 lies in its eternal challenge to human pride. The Cross, then as now, continues to divide. Those who rely on human merit, self-justification, or an intellectual understanding apart from God will often find the message offensive or foolish. This includes not only those outside the faith but also believers tempted to dilute the message of the Cross to make it more palatable or intellectually respectable to the world. Paul's unflinching emphasis on "Christ crucified" serves as a timeless reminder that the core of the Gospel remains unchanging, often confronting deeply ingrained societal values and individual self-reliance, inviting humility and dependence on God's "foolish" wisdom and "weak" power.

1 Corinthians 1 23 Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:23 succinctly states the universal paradox and profound challenge of the Christian gospel. Paul establishes that the message he preaches is singular: the crucified Christ. This seemingly weak and scandalous fact—a Messiah dying on a cross—was the central stumbling block for the Jews. Their deeply held messianic expectations, steeped in prophecies of a powerful, reigning king and interpreted through the lens of a Law that cursed those "hanged on a tree," made a crucified Christ an absolute contradiction and an offense. To embrace such a Messiah would be to discard centuries of tradition and nationalistic hope. Simultaneously, for the Greeks, whose culture revered intellect, philosophical debate, and the power of human reason, the idea of a deity suffering such an ignominious, physically agonizing death was not merely illogical but the height of absurdity, utterly contemptible to their concept of wisdom and perfection.

Paul uses this contrast to expose the bankruptcy of human wisdom, whether based on religious tradition or philosophical reasoning. What human logic rejects as scandalous or foolish, God uses as the very instrument of salvation and the ultimate display of His wisdom and power. The cross humbles all human pretension—it nullifies Jewish self-righteousness through the Law and demolishes Greek intellectual pride. In doing so, it forces humanity to abandon self-sufficiency and embrace a truth that can only be understood and accepted by divine revelation and faith, demonstrating that true salvation and wisdom come solely through Christ's work on the cross, not human effort or intellect.