Paul is emphasizing that the gospel message is not a what we proclaim (Greek katangello), but a Who. The full message of the gospel is Jesus Christ. He is central to all else said. He is eternal life. He is the mystery of God. He is the riches of God. He is the beginning, the middle, and the end. As believers, we must understand, accept, and live out this truth.
Paul says that his proclamations admonished (Greek noutheteo) and taught (Greek didasko) everyone he spoke to. The word to admonish here means to warn someone, so Paul said that he proclaimed Christ to warn and instruct everyone about the central and vital message of Jesus Christ. The three-fold use of the phrase “every man[1]” is used to create an emphasis on the inclusion of all that we speak to.
The message here is that it is vital to present the central warning and instruction of the gospel message to everyone – no matter the race, creed, or gender. This is important to understand so that we might be able to help others come to being complete, or mature, in both their knowledge and the life they live.
Prayer: I come in contact every day with so many people. Father, give me eyes, ears, mind, and a heart to warn and instruct everyone about their need for the Savior. Life is short, and we sometimes only have one chance. Give me the words. Give me the thoughts. Give me the instight to reach them for You. Amen.
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[1] We have an example of a synecdoche used here. It is where a universal is used to represent the individual. Bullinger, E. W. (1968). Figures of Speech used in the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich., USA: Baker Book House. Page 614.
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