What does Brother Paul mean when he says, "...we preach Christ Crucified,..." (1 Cor. 1:23)?
Christians should always be willing and ready to tell the Gospel story, which always involves the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. And many use this verse to assert their loyalty to God and Christ in doing this. Which is fine, as you know what they mean.
I believe Paul was using this in another manner. He was not asserting his determination to be faithful in preaching Jesus Christ. He was bringing an indictment against the Corinthian believers for their failure to mature and advance in the Christian faith.
In the first chapter of Corinthians Paul had identified some of their problems, division being the main one. (1 Cor. 1:10-14) He contrasts the wisdom of God with the wisdom of the world. (1 Cor. 1:18-20) He goes on to say that the simple, foolish preaching of the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles, who stand in the world's wisdom, is what saves. (1 Cor. 1:21-22)
And concerning this preaching of the Gospel to the lost Jews and Gentiles, Paul says in (1 Cor. 1:23) "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;" And in (1 Cor. 2:2) Paul tells the Corinthians, "For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." In other words, Paul is having to go back to the basics, back to the ABC's.
Paul then contrasts again the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God showing that as believers we have the Spirit of God. And because we have the Spirit of God we are able to know the great hidden mysteries of God. (1Cor. 2:5-16) These truths come from the Spirit of God and are only spiritually discerned.
Then Paul tells them why he could only preach Christ crucified to them. (1 Cor. 3:1-2) "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk,and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."
Quantrill