1:23 we preach Christ crucified. Paul identifies precisely what the world finds offensive about the gospel (cf. v. 17; 2:2). Possibly these words also reflect the reason for Paul’s opposition to the gospel before his conversion. The thought that the Messiah (God’s anointed) had been hanged on a tree and had come under the divine curse (Gal. 3:13; Deut. 21:23) was intolerable to many Jews.