The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1861-12-28
Misapplied Texts.
"Jesus Christ and him cruoifed. - Cor. H. {

"Jesus Christ and hun cruoihed. - COR IL <
The resolution which the Apostle Paul
records in this verse was characteristic
and noble one: "For | determined" he
says, ''to know nothing among you save Je-
sus Christ, and him crucifed." As worthy
motto for every Christian minister, these
words are very often quoted. While the
sense of them is too plain to admit OF any
grave error in applying them, yet there are
two particulars in which their precise force
often fails to be unprecedented. The first is
a mere grammatical blunder. Forgetting
the connection with the preceding words,
and disregarding the case of the pronoun
chin" some use the words, "Jesus Christ,
and him crucifed," as the subject of sem
tence, az in the following example: "Christ,
and him crucifed, is the great subject of
my preaching" 1t is only necessary to call
attention to this grammatical impropriety.
If we wish to use this apostolic language to
express the idea that Christ and his cross
are all our theme" we must either put the
whole clause in the objective case, as the
Apostle does, or else, if we wish TO put it
in the nominatye, we must change the pro-
noun and say, Christ, and he cruciGed."
The other misrepresentation relates to the
emphasis of the expression. The words
Christ, aud him cruciGed," are very often
quoted as if they meant no more than
"Chrst the crucfed." But the Apostle
does not mean merely to say, that he de-
termined to know nothing among the CO.
rinthians but Him who is the Christ aud the
crucjGed. He means rather to lay very
significant stress upon the last two words.
II determined to preach among you only
Christ, and lin crucifcd." Not only Christ
cruciGed in distinction from all other per-
sons or subjects, bnt Christ cr0cifrd in dis
tinction from all other aspects of Christ S
character and work. He might have preach
ed Christ as perfect pattern of every hu-
man virtue and excellence, "holy, harmless,
and undtftd." He might have preached
Christ as the wisest of teachers, who spake
as never man spake. He might have preach
ed Christ as worker Of mighty miracles,
for whose power nothing is too hard. He
might have preached Christ as the glorious
Son of God, az whose name every knee
should bow; but instead of making it his
principal work to set forth the Saviour in
any Of these aspects, be was alike prompted
by his sense Of duty and his feelings, to
speak Of him rather as in a state of humilia-
ton and suffering, as tried, condemned,
Knocked, scourged, and crUcifed. The ORR
ginal will admit no other sense; neither, on
"a careful observation, will the English
For, on any other Interpretation, the word
would not adclit of being applied to one
and the same individual. When we speak
Of "Chrst, and him crucifed," the form of
expression must either denote two separate
persons, or else the words, 'and him cruel
fed" must have the strong emphasis indi-
Gated above. Il determined to kpow moth
ing among YOU but Jesus Christ, and even
him in no other character than as the Cru
cited Oue." The pre-eminence which this
passage is always understood to give to the
suferings and death of Christ, becomes
greatly intensified, when the precise empha-
sis of the last two words is fully brought
out F. TV1tcbto0U 1ud ReHect0r