Final answer:
Paul the Apostle emphasized that 'Christ crucified' was the central element of his teachings to the Corinthians, transcending the Jewish Law, apostolic approval, and even the broader teachings of Jesus. This particular focus formed the core of Paul's theology and influenced the expansion of Christianity, advocating a transformative message of faith, hope, and love.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paul the Apostle, originally known as Saul, had a profoundly transformative experience that led him to become an ardent evangelist for Christianity. In his epistles to the Corinthians, among other recipients, Paul emphasized a crucial aspect of his theology which was the notion that Jesus's crucifixion was a divine plan to redeem humanity from sin. Therefore, when asked what mattered most to Paul in his teachings to the Corinthians, the answer is unequivocally Christ crucified. Paul's focus on the crucifixion as central to Christian doctrine is evident in 1 Corinthians 2:2 where he explicitly states, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
Paul was less concerned with the strict adherence to Jewish Law or obtaining approval from other apostles, and he diverged from the traditional Jewish beliefs which were law-centered. His encounter with Greco-Roman culture as he journeyed across various cities like Ephesus and Corinth, allowed him to develop a theology that adapted to a broad audience, including Gentiles. Such adaptation favored the spread of Christianity by presenting a more inclusive doctrine. Moreover, Paul did not merely focus on Jesus's teachings; rather, he viewed Jesus's death and resurrection as the foundation for salvation, inviting both Jews and Gentiles to believe and partake in this new covenant.
Throughout his missionary journeys, Paul's interpretation of the Christian message was certainly underpinned by philosophical engagement with his Jewish heritage and Greco-Roman thought, which also shaped early Christian theology. Paul urged his audience to live in a manner worthy of the gospel—embracing values such as faith, hope, and love—concepts that were radical and transformational, especially when juxtaposed against the prevailing Roman ethos.