Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 1:6

"even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:" — 1 Corinthians 1:6 (ASV)

As is characteristic of Paul in his other letters (cf. Romans 1:8; Colossians 1:3–8; et al.), he begins by thanking God for those whom he is addressing. He realizes that God has given them his grace through their union with Christ, enriching their lives by their ability to speak about God and by their knowledge of him (v.5). He is thankful that the testimony he gave them was confirmed in their lives. The form of the verb “I thank” (GK 2373) indicates that Paul regularly interceded for the believers at Corinth as well as thosewherever he preached the Gospel (cf. Ephesians 1:16; et al.).

Greeks naturally put emphasis on knowledge and wisdom (cf. 1:18–25), and they certainly were good at expressing their thoughts. However, God had so enriched the lives of these Christians in Corinth in spiritual perception and expression that they had been given increased ability in speaking. The extent of their enrichment is seen in the use of the adjective “all” with both “speaking” and “knowledge” (v.5). These two terms are interrelated, for Paul uses a single preposition “in” to unite them. He is convinced that this was a real work of God’s grace because he saw his witness about Christ established in their lives at the time of their conversion and had heard about it since then.

The reference to “knowledge” (GK 1194) in v.5 should not be construed to mean that the Corinthians possessed some hidden mystical knowledge by which they could, without the cross of Christ, somehow reach God and be saved (cf. Php 3:8, 10). While it is true that in the later heresy known as Gnosticism some thought they could do this, Paul is speaking about concrete knowledge based on the reality of Christ’s person and his death on the cross.