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Demeaning Wisdom?
When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, he was not faulting all wisdom. If he was, then the book of Proverbs would become irrelevant and James’ admonition to ask for wisdom would require disciples to act contrary to Heaven’s will (James 1:6-8). In this context, Paul is taking issue with the wisdom of this world that seeks to bring man into a relationship with God or give meaning to life by itself without Heaven’s revelation. All such wisdom takes issue with God’s answers.
It is the plan and not the man, Paul says, for if the power to save lies within the speaker, then salvation depends on the oratorical ability of man. If that is the case, then God would have used the best educated and the most gifted speakers as apostles and preachers to take his message of salvation, because he wants all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Though Christ’s apostle Paul was highly educated, he might not have been an eloquent orator (for some say that his speech is contemptible – 2 Corinthians 10:10); however, he did not use fleshy appeals to persuade men to obey the gospel (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). He is quite different from some, more modern preachers who use manipulative methods and/or emotions to sway audiences. God used fishermen and tax collectors like Peter, James, John; and Matthew to reveal his word so men could understand that the power was in God and not in men. God used simple, uneducated men to preach, “…lest the cross of Christ be made of none effect…” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
The wise of this world frequently have complications resulting from their pride in intellectualism (James 4:6-10; 2 John 2:15-17). They see faith and religion as “superstitious ignorance.” But God chose the “weak things” – that is, things men view as weak – to confound the wise. It is by the “preaching of the cross” that men are saved. The “preaching of the cross” is not the ACT of preaching but the message preached (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21, 23). And, the message of the cross is a crucified savior. Belief in a crucified savior was to the Greeks repulsive and suggested impotence. The jeering mob of Jews beneath the cross of Jesus said, “…he saved others, let him save himself,” (Matthew 27:41-44). At least in their minds, if he did not come down, then he was really powerless. But the truth was that Jesus had to die and he was in complete control of what was taking place. The message about the cross is a message of salvation, because there is power in the perfect sacrifice made for the atonement of sins. In fact, Jesus functions as both the sacrifice slain and the High Priest (Hebrews 9:11-28) and that required his resurrection and ascension into the presence of God.
To “all who perish” the message is foolishness but to the saved it is power (1 Corinthians 1:18; Romans 1:16-17) – it is the only message by which man can be saved. Of this general classification of “all who perish,” Paul breaks it down into two classifications. First “the wise” (v. 19) means those who trust in their own wisdom (cf. Acts 17:21-31). When Paul asks, “Where is the wise? (v. 20), he means that human wisdom is deficient to save man – neither Greek philosophy nor any human philosophy can save man. But he is not demeaning education or being wise in earthly wisdom that benefits man in this life. “The wise by wisdom knew not God” (v. 21) explains that the wisdom of which he speaks is a human wisdom that seeks to give meaning to life without revelation from God – their wisdom ever stands in the way of their knowing God. The foolishness of God (that is, what men call “foolishness” because there is nothing foolish with God) is wiser than the wisdom of man.
But the Jews also perish, because they reject the message of a crucified savior – the message was a stumblingblock, because of their prejudice. They rejected Jesus and crucified him, because they desired a mighty king, a deliverer from the oppressive forces of Rome. Their prejudice and materialistic perception of God’s plans blinded them. To them their relationship with God was not just with spiritual worship but necessarily involved a civil government – they had been a powerful nation and that is what they wanted restored. There are prophecies that have to do with Jesus as King (Isaiah 9:6-7; Psalms 2:2-9). But there are also prophecies that speak of his lowliness, his suffering, and his dying (Isaiah 53:3-4, 10-11). Even today, people take the messianic prophecies of his kingship and misapply them as they promote a “millennial reign” of Christ on earth that the prophecies did not mean. Their interpretation takes issue with God’s plans to save man in which Jesus would be both King and sacrifice (Note Matthew 21:33-46) -- Jesus would both die and reign.
Then Paul says, “Look at your calling.” Why? There is something about their calling that proves God’s power was not in man but in the message (vv. 26-31) so that no man should glory in his presence. The phrase “are called” (v. 26) is italicized and supplies the elliptical part but “called you” would also be accurate and sensible in context. For instance, The Sanhedrin Court perceived that Peter and John were “unlearned and ignorant men” (Acts 4:13) and they marveled that these men were so bold and knowledgeable. It is the message of the cross that men consider foolishness that has the only power to reconcile man back to God. To reject the message is to seal one’s doom in eternal punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). – Jim R. Everett
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