Corinthians 1:18-31

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

Corinthians 1:18-31

Life Application New Testament Commentary

The Greeks highly valued wisdom. Paul showed in the following verses, however, that there is the kind of “wisdom” that the world worships, and there is the true wisdom that comes from God alone.

1Co 1:18  The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

The message of the cross (Christ died for our sins) sounds wrong to sum. Why would someone die 2000 years ago and that would affect me? To those that choose to believe that he died for them it is your way of redemption. Since Christ rose after 3 days he proved that death was not an end but a step to be with God.

1Co 1:19  As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent."

Paul was restating Isa_29:14. We all have a level of intelligence some more than others maybe. What we are unable to do is think our way to a heavenly place for eternity. As scientists dig deeper and deeper into how life stared they still do not have the solution of something from nothing. I guess in some circles that may sound trite but it remains true.

1Co 1:20  So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.

Life Application New Testament Commentary

No human wisdom or intelligence can either discover or disprove God. No human reasoning can bring salvation…

1Co 1:21  Since God in His wisdom saw to it that the world would never know Him through human wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 1Co 1:22  It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 1Co 1:23  So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense.

Life Application New Testament Commentary

1:21 In his complete sovereignty and wisdom, God decided that people would never find him through human wisdom. Instead, he chose a crucified Savior and a message of salvation preached by weak and fallible human beings to save all who believe. This looks like absurdity to the “high and mighty” of this world. Many people of Paul’s time, and many today, mocked the message of the gospel. In their human wisdom, they wanted to reason “above and beyond” and experience more than what they felt was offered in the foolish preaching of believers. In reality, the worldly wise will not find God; those who accept the message of the cross will find him and be saved.

1:22-24 Many Jews considered the Good News of Jesus Christ to be foolish because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering king who would give them a sign from heaven. Although Jesus had performed many miracles during his ministry on earth, many Jews who observed his miracles firsthand had refused to believe (Mat_12:38-39; Mat_16:1-4; Mar_8:11-12; Luk_11:16; Joh_6:30). Jesus had not restored David’s throne in the way that they had expected. Besides, he had been executed as a criminal (Deu_21:23)—how could a criminal be the Savior? This proclamation of Christ crucified offended them.

The Greeks (also called Gentiles) did not believe in a bodily resurrection; they did not see in Jesus the powerful characteristics of their mythological gods, and they thought no reputable person would be crucified. To them, death was defeat, not victory. It did not make sense—in their own wisdom—that any god would do such a thing as come to earth to be killed. The gospel message was all nonsense.

While some Jews and Greek tripped over the message, it was a different story for those called by God to salvation—those who embraced and believed the gospel. Many people, both Jews and Gentiles, will not stumble over the message but will find that it is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God.

1Co 1:24  But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1Co 1:25  This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 1Co 1:26  Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 1Co 1:27  Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

This is a reiteration of verses 18-20. Paul is again pointing out the uselessness of trying to achieve salvation without Christ.

1Co 1:28  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 1Co 1:29  As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

This is a culmination of what Paul has been saying. You will never be in a position where you can say I did it.

1Co 1:30  God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. 1Co 1:31  Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."

Amen