Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Corinthians 1

All Christians are by baptism dedicated and devoted to Christ and are under strict obligations to be holy. But in the true church of God are all who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, and who call upon him as God manifest in the flesh for all the blessings of salvation—those who acknowledge and obey him as their Lord, and as Lord of all. The church includes no other persons. Christians are distinguished from the profane and atheists in that they dare not live without prayer; and they are distinguished from Jews and pagans in that they call on the name of Christ. Observe how often in these verses the apostle repeats the words "Our Lord Jesus Christ." He did not fear to make too frequent or too honorable mention of him.

To all who called upon Christ, the apostle gave his usual salutation, desiring on their behalf the pardoning mercy, sanctifying grace, and comforting peace of God, through Jesus Christ. Sinners can have no peace with God, nor any from him, except through Christ. He gives thanks for their conversion to the faith of Christ and for the grace given to them by Jesus Christ. They had been enriched by him with all spiritual gifts. He speaks of utterance and knowledge. And where God has given these two gifts, he has given great power for usefulness.

These were gifts of the Holy Spirit, by which God bore witness to the apostles. Those who wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be kept by him to the end; and those who are so kept will be blameless in the day of Christ, made so by rich and free grace. How glorious are the hopes of such a privilege: to be kept by the power of Christ from the power of our corruptions and Satan's temptations!

In the great things of religion, be of one mind; and where there is not unity of belief, still let there be union of affection. Agreement in the greater things should extinguish divisions about the lesser. There will be perfect union in heaven, and the nearer we approach it on earth, the nearer we come to perfection.

Paul and Apollos both were faithful ministers of Jesus Christ and helpers of their faith and joy; but those disposed to be contentious broke into factions. So liable are the best things to be corrupted, and the gospel and its institutions to be made instruments of discord and contention. Satan has always endeavored to stir up strife among Christians, as one of his chief schemes against the gospel.

The apostle left it to other ministers to baptize, while he preached the gospel, as a more useful work.

Paul had been educated in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the pagan world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by His death we live.

The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully applied, appears as foolishness to those on the path to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, and the ambitious alike see that the gospel opposes their favorite pursuits.

But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified than in all His other works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of humanity's boasted reason, and the result has shown that human wisdom is folly, and is unable to find or retain the knowledge of God as the Creator.

It pleased Him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save those who believe. By the foolishness of preaching—not by what could justly be called foolish preaching. But the thing preached was foolishness to the worldly-wise. The gospel always was, and always will be, foolishness to all on the road to destruction. The message of Christ, plainly delivered, has always been a sure touchstone by which people may learn what road they are traveling.

But the despised doctrine of salvation by faith in a crucified Saviour—God in human nature, purchasing the church with His own blood, to save multitudes, even all who believe, from ignorance, delusion, and vice—has been blessed in every age. And the weakest instruments God uses are stronger in their effects than the strongest that humans can employ. Not that there is foolishness or weakness in God, but what humans consider as such overcomes all their admired wisdom and strength.

God did not choose philosophers, orators, statesmen, or men of wealth, power, and influence in the world to publish the gospel of grace and peace. He best judges what people and what measures serve the purposes of his glory. Although not many noble individuals are usually called by Divine grace, there have been some such in every age who have not been ashamed of the gospel of Christ; and people of every rank are in need of pardoning grace. Often, a humble Christian, though poor in this world, has more true knowledge of the gospel than those who have made the letter of Scripture the study of their lives but who have studied it more as the witness of men than as the word of God.

And even young children have gained such knowledge of Divine truth as to silence unbelievers. The reason is, they are taught by God; the design is that no flesh should glory in his presence. That distinction, in which alone they might glory, was not from themselves. It was by the sovereign choice and regenerating grace of God that they were in Jesus Christ by faith. He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—all we need, or can desire.

And he is made wisdom to us, so that by his word and Spirit, and from his fullness and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, we may receive all that will make us wise for salvation and fit for every service to which we are called.

We are guilty and liable to just punishment; and he is made righteousness, our great atonement and sacrifice.

We are depraved and corrupt, and he is made sanctification, so that he may in the end be made complete redemption; he may free the soul from the being of sin and release the body from the bonds of the grave.

And this is so that all flesh, according to the prophecy by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 9:23–24), may glory in the special favor, all-sufficient grace, and precious salvation of Jehovah.