1 Corinthians 2:3

“And I was with you in weakness, etc.] Meaning either the weakness of his bodily presence, the contemptibleness of his voice, and the mean figure he made as a preacher among them, both with respect to the matter and manner of his ministry in the eyes of many; or his lowly and humble deportment among them, not exerting the power and authority Christ had given him as an apostle; but choosing rather to work with his own hands, as he did at Corinth, to minister to his own necessities, and those of others; or the many persecutions which he endured there for the sake of preaching a crucified Christ; and which he sometimes calls “infirmities”; (see <471209>2 Corinthians 12:9,10) wherefore it is…”

“I--the preacher: as Co1 2:2 describes the subject, "Christ crucified," and Co1 2:4 the mode of preaching: "my speech . . . not with enticing words," "but in demonstration of the Spirit." weakness--personal and bodily (Co2 10:10; Co2 12:7, Co2 12:9; Gal 4:13). trembling--(compare Phi 2:12). Not personal fear, but a trembling anxiety to perform a duty; anxious conscientiousness, as proved by the contrast to "eye service" (Eph 6:5) [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].”

“And I was with you - Paul continued there at least a year and six months. Acts 18:11. In weakness - In conscious feebleness; diffident of my own powers, and not trusting to my own strength. And in fear, and in much trembling - Paul was sensible that he had many enemies to encounter Acts 18:6.; and he was sensible of his own natural disadvantages as a public speaker, 2 Corinthians 10:10. He knew too, how much the Greeks valued a manly and elegant species of oratory; and he, therefore, delivered his message with deep and anxious solicitude as to the success. It was at this time, and in view of these circumstances, that the Lord spoke to him by night in a vision, and said, “be not afraid, but…”

“And I was with you - At my first entrance. In weakness - Of body, Co2 12:7 And in fear - Lest I should offend any. And in much trembling - The emotion of my mind affecting my very body. 1 Corinthians 2:4”

“2:3-4 Human weakness is no barrier to God’s work (2 Cor 12:7-10). The real power is not in charismatic preaching, finesse of presentation, or logical persuasiveness (cp. 2 Cor 10:10), but in the message itself, centered on Christ and his death for our sins, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, who convicts the human heart.”

“Co1 4:10-13; Act 17:1, Act 17:6-12, Act 20:18, Act 20:19; Co2 4:1, Co2 4:7-12, Co2 4:16, Co2 6:4, Co2 7:5, Co2 10:1, Co2 10:10; Co2 11:29, Co2 11:30, Co2 12:5-10, Co2 13:4; Gal 4:13, Gal 4:14 1 Corinthians 2:4”