Please help me to better understand what is stated in I Cor. 2:8 in that ”if they had known, they would not have crucified Christ.” “If they had known” that their actions would bring in the Gentiles to salvation, or “if they had known” that Jesus was the Savior they would not have killed him? Thank you Jack Phillips
Albert Barnes in his commentary made an excellent observation regarding 1 Corinthians 2:8. In so doing, his reference to Acts 3:17 provides a perfect divine commentary on 1 Corinthians 2:8 also.
Their ignorance arose from not understanding the prophecies, and from an unwillingness to be convinced that Jesus of Nazareth had been truly sent by God. In Acts 3:17, Peter says that it was through ignorance that the Jews had put him to death… Had they fully understood his character, and seen the wisdom of his plan, and his work… Had they seen the… fact that he was the long expected Messiah of their nation, they would not have put him to death. It is incredible that they would have crucified their Messiah, knowing and believing him to be such. They MIGHT have known it but they were unwilling to examine the evidence. They expected a DIFFERENT Messiah, and were unwilling to admit the claims of Jesus of Nazareth. For THIS ignorance, however, there was no excuse. If they did not have a full knowledge, it was their own fault. Jesus had performed miracles which were a complete attestation to his divine mission (John 5:36; 10:25); but they closed their eyes on those works, and were unwilling to be convinced – God always gives to people sufficient demonstration of the truth, but they close their eyes, and are UNWILLING to believe. This is the sole reason why they are not converted to God and saved. (Barnes)
The wisdom of the world or human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:7-8) failed to recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. “Had the human wisdom of the world’s leaders been capable of recognizing God in Christ, they would not have crucified him” (Coffman).
People living today have no more excuse for not recognizing and acknowledging Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Messiah than those Jews and Romans of the first century who were complicit in putting Him to death on the cross. Only when we obey the Word of God – the New Testament of which Jesus is the Mediator (Hebrews 8:6; 12:24) – is Jesus Christ the author of salvation (Hebrews 5:8-9).
Works Cited
Barnes, Albert. Barne’s Notes. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2005.
Coffman, James Burton. Burton Coffman’s Commentary. CD-ROM. Abilene: ACU P., 2001.
