1 Korinther 1:14-16

      14 Ich danke Gott, dass ich keinen von euch getauft habe, außer Crispus und Gaius; 15 Damit keiner sagt, ich hätte in meinem eigenen Namen getauft. 16 Und ich taufte auch den Haushalt des Stephanas; außerdem weiß ich nicht, ob ich einen anderen getauft habe.

      Here the apostle gives an account of his ministry among them. He thanks God he had baptized but a few among them, Crispus, who had been a ruler of a synagogue at Corinth (Apostelgeschichte 18:8), Gaius, and the household of Stephanas, besides whom, he says, he did not remember that he had baptized any.

But how was this a proper matter for thankfulness? Was it not a part of the apostolical commission to baptize all nations? And could Paul give thanks to God for his own neglect of duty? He is not to be understood in such a sense as if he were thankful for not having baptized at all, but for not having done it in present circumstances, lest it should have had this very bad construction put upon it--that he had baptized in his own name, made disciples for himself, or set himself up as the head of a sect.

He left it to other ministers to baptize, while he set himself to more useful work, and filled up his time with preaching the gospel. This, he thought, was more his business, because the more important business of the two. He had assistants that could baptize, when none could discharge the other part of his office so well as himself. In this sense he says, Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not so much to baptize as to preach.

Note, Ministers should consider themselves sent and set apart more especially to that service in which Christ will be most honoured and the salvation of souls promoted, and for which they are best fitted, though no part of their duty is to be neglected. The principal business Paul did among them was to preach the gospel (1 Korinther 1:17 1 Korinther 1:17), the cross (1 Korinther 1:18 1 Korinther 1:18), Christ crucified,1 Korinther 1:23 1 Korinther 1:23.

Die Minister sind die Soldaten Christi und müssen das Banner des Kreuzes aufstellen und zeigen. Er predigte nicht seine eigene Phantasie, sondern das Evangelium – die frohe Botschaft des Friedens und der Versöhnung mit Gott durch die Vermittlung eines gekreuzigten Erlösers. Dies ist die Summe und der Inhalt des Evangeliums. Der gekreuzigte Christus ist die Grundlage all unserer Freuden. Von seinem Tod leben wir. Das ist es, was Paulus predigte, was alle Prediger predigen sollten und wovon alle Heiligen leben.