Paul was a scholar and an orator of the first rank; he is not speaking out of abject humility; but saying that he would veil the power of God if, when he preached the gospel, he impressed people with his "excellency of speech."

Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the efficacy of Redemption, not by impressiveness of speech, not by wooing and winning, but by the sheer unaided power of God.

The creative power of the Redemption comes through the preaching of the Gospel, but never because of the personality of the preacher.

The real fasting of the preacher is not from food, but rather from eloquence, from impressiveness and exquisite diction, from everything that might hinder the gospel of God being presented.

The preacher is there as the representative of God - "as though God did beseech you by us." He is there to present the Gospel of God.

If it is only because of my preaching that people desire to be better, they will never get anywhere near Jesus Christ.

Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the Gospel will end in making me a traitor to Jesus; I prevent the creative power of His Redemption from doing its work.

"I, if I be lifted up . . . , will draw all men unto Me."

Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.—That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.—He that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.—That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

My speech and my preaching was . . . in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty.

We shall see him as he is.

In my flesh I shall see God.

I shall be satisfied.

Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

Jesus, . . . saw two brethren, . . . casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God.