by making a doctrine which the wise of this world regarded as absurd the means of salvation. This passage in its connec- tion clearly teaches two great truths ; first, that the cross, or the doctrine of Christ crucified, is the substance of the gospel, that in which its vitality and power consist ; and secondly, that it is the preaching, or public proclamation (K^pvy/xa) of that doctrine which is the great means of salvation. To this all other means, however important, are either preparatory or subordinate. It is to be remembered, however, that preciph- ing^ in the Scriptural sense of the term, includes the inculcation of the truth, whether to an individual or to a multitude — whether by the road side, or in the school, or lecture-room, or the pulpit. Philip, as he rode in the chariot with the eimuch, "preached to him Jesus," Acts 8, 35.
22. 23. YoY the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom ; but we preach Christ crucified, imto the Jews a stumbhng-block, and unto the Greeks fool- ishness.
This passage is parallel to the preceding. ' Since the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the fool- ishness of preaching to save them that believe — and since the .Jews ask a sign and the Greeks seek wisdom, we preach, &c.' That is, since human reason in all its developments, Jewish or Grecian, had failed, we preach Christ.
The Jews require^ or, aslc (atroTJo-i) a sign* This was characteristic of the Jews. They required external superna- tural evidence as the ground of their faith. Their constant demand was, " What sign showest thou ? " Matt. 12, 39. Mark 8, 11. John 6, 30. To this disposition our Saviour referred when he said, " A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas," Matt. 16, 4. The Greeks^ on the other hand, seek after wisdom. They required rational evi- dence. They would receive nothing as true which they could not understand, and see the rational grounds of. These are types of permanent classes of men.
But we preach Christ crucified. This doctrine met the
» Instead of o-Tj/xerov, a sign, the MSB., A. B. C. D. E. F. G., besides many othesrH of later date, read arifiela, signs, which ahnogt all the modem editors adopt.