1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I. I AM TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS MEANT BY "NOT KNOWING ANYTHING, SAVE JESUS CHRIST, AND HIM CRUCIFIED." By Jesus Christ we are to understand the eternal Son of God. By this word "know," we are not to understand a bare historical knowledge. It implies an experimental knowledge of His crucifixion so as to feel the power of it. II. I pass on to GIVE SOME REASONS WHY EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD, WITH THE APOSTLE, DETERMINE "NOT TO KNOW ANYTHING SAVE JESUS CHRIST, AND HIM CRUCIFIED." 1. Without this our persons will not be accepted in the sight of God. Some may please themselves in knowing the world, others boast themselves in the knowledge of a multitude of languages. The meanest Christian, if he know but this, though he know nothing else, will be accepted; so the greatest master in Israel, the most letter-learned teacher, without this, will be rejected. 2. Without this knowledge, our performances, as well as persons, will not be acceptable in the sight of God. Two persons may go up to the temple and pray; but he only will return home justified, who, in the language of our Collects, sincerely offers up his prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord. Farther: As our devotions to God will not, so neither, without this knowledge of Jesus Christ, will our acts of charity to men be accepted by Him. As neither our acts of piety nor charity, so neither will our civil nor moral actions be acceptable to God, without this experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus Christ has turned our whole lives into one continued sacrifice. III. EXHORT YOU TO PUT THE APOSTLE'S RESOLUTION IN PRACTICE, and beseech you, with him, to determine "not to know anything save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.(G. Whitfield, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.WEB: For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. |
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