Free Bible Commentary
“1 Corinthians 1:18-31”
Categories: 1 Corinthians“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. it is written, ‘I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.’ Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.’”
---End of Scripture verses---
Paul is arguing in this section that the Gospel is not just another human philosophy (verse 22). The message of a crucified Savior is utter foolishness to the world, so it only stands to reason that it didn’t originate from purely human, worldly wisdom or reasoning. Paul said that “not many wise,” in terms of worldly wisdom, are called by the Gospel, because it is just not something that is appealing to a purely secular worldview. Paul’s teaching is different in every way than that which originates from human reasoning. Paul did not come to them in “cleverness of speech” (verse 17), but with the power of “the word of the cross” of Christ Jesus (verse 18).
Christ’s death on the cross is the central theme of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 2:2). There would be absolutely no “Good News,” no redemptive power, no hope for eternity without the Cross of Christ (Romans 5:6-8). Without this life-saving message, people “are perishing” (verse 18). Sin is a spiritually debilitating disease, and without Jesus and His saving power in our lives, we would be dying spiritually. Worldly living destroys people’s lives—presently, continually, eternally. We all need to continually hear, believe and obey the Gospel to cure the greatest ailment of our existence. When we choose to live our lives by and in accordance with the Gospel, we are accessing its power and “are being saved” by the blood that Christ shed on that rugged cross.
We cannot even “come to know God” without appealing to His revelation and coming to Him on His own terms (verse 21). Most of the people in the world only have the vaguest notion of who God is, and what His attributes are, and what He expects and demands of His creation. Most people’s understanding of God is what they “feel” about Him—what they think He would and would not do, and what they think He would and would not have them do. It is the height of foolishness to think that you can come to know and understand God without appealing to His chosen means of revealing himself. Three times in today’s reading Paul stressed that “God has chosen” unorthodox means to achieve His will (verses 26-28). God is the Creator and Ruler over all His creation and we can only come into His presence and His will on His terms.
Let’s make certain that we have not created our own image of God in accordance with our likeness. It is impossible to “think” and “feel” our way into heaven. Our thoughts and feelings amount to purely human reasoning and that holds no sway over the God of heaven (Proverbs 14:12). Let’s determine to read and study our Bibles daily, and to do our very best to believe what He wants us to and obey what He commands us to. Only then can we know we are “being saved” (verse 18; 1 John 5:13).
Please read 1 Corinthians 2:1-9 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
