“We proclaim Christ crucified.”  (1 Corinthians 1:23)

Corinth was a great cosmopolitan city in Greece where Paul established the Church in 51 A.D.  Most of the first believers were gentiles, with only a tiny proportion being Jews.  Paul preached in Corinth for one and a half year.  In 56 A.D., shortly before Easter, Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians in Ephesus.

In the letter, Paul emphasized that Jesus’ Passion is intimately related to us.  He said, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified”.

Jesus once said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  To follow Jesus means to face life challenges courageously, instead of looking for the easy way out of difficult situations.

He became the Lamb of God out of love; He died for us so as to bring us salvation.  “The Savior on the cross” becomes the euphemism for “God’s unconditional love for humankind”.  Jesus would like us to live up to His standard – to live for others instead of for our own selves.