LESSON 3
(1:18 - 2:5)

GOD’S WISDOM

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  19 For it is written, 
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart.”
20 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?  21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your call brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; 27 but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  30 He is the source of your life in Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; 31 therefore, as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord.”
2 When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom.  2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  3 And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling; 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

The division over men was unwise, not God’s way.  Paul now turns to discussion of the Christian way of thought compared to man’s way of thought.
1:18 ‑- word of the cross ‑- This means the message of Christ which Paul preached, 2:2.  As with many words, “cross” means the Christ who died upon it, knowing no sin, but becoming sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him, II Cor. 5:21.  The message of the cross is God’s power (means, method) to save.
those who are perishing ‑- Correctly translates the terms in Greek.  While it is true that at any given moment, a person is either in Christ (and thus saved) or not in Christ (and thus unsaved), has either eternal life or God’s wrath, Jn. 3:36, yet it is also true that while life remains hope remains.  Hence, Paul described people as in the state of perishing or being saved.  As Romans 1:17 reveals, the righteous/just have life by their faith.  Consequently, the issue revolves around faith in Christ.  The subsequent text will disclose that some believed the message and others disbelieved, considering it foolish, etc.
us who are being saved ‑- includes all in Christ, regardless of “where” they are in respect to spiritual growth.  One may be in need of growth (who isn’t?) more than another, but it is Jesus’ righteousness that makes the difference -- if a person is in Christ, that person is saved, whatever else may be true.
V. 19 - wisdom of the wise ‑- Quoting from Isa. 29:14, Paul begins this long section that contrasts what men think wise in regard to salvation versus what God chose.  The gospel message is a many-splendored thing, but the essence of it is that men must accept Christ as a savior and lord, depending solely upon Jesus’ righteousness for their righteousness.  No other way will do (see John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-8).  This runs counter to the wisdom of men, who want to be independent, do things man’s way, believe that they have done thus and so which puts God in their dept.  However, grace is not a debt that can be collected; it is a gift.  Faith does not put God in obligation to anyone but puts men in His favor (and He will honor His promises because of faith), for faith (= trust) indicates that the one believing has ceased trusting in himself and is trusting in Christ.  It is a wonderful truth but it runs counter to the world’s wisdom.
V. 20 ‑- God made the wisdom of the world foolish in that His choice of the means of salvation wasn’t of men in an y way; it was His place from the beginning, I Peter 1:20.  Notice Paul’s contrast of wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God.
V. 21 ‑- Developed more in 2:6ff., God’s plan of redemption through Jesus’ death was revealed to men.  God decided that men would not and could not know it apart from revelation.
the folly ‑- The same Greek term was in v. 18 (folly) and in v. 20 (made foolish).  See also v. 23, 25, 27.
the folly of what we preach – This means the word of the cross, v. 18; Christ crucified, 2:2; the gospel, 15:1-4 .
The King James version has this text translated in such a way that most people misread it and thus misuse it.  Preachers rather regularly quote this verse from the King James to “prove” that men think preaching is foolish.  It may be so that some do, but few people think that public proclamation is foolish (and preaching is included in a public proclamation).  What men mean is what they have always meant: preaching Christ is foolish to their way of thinking.  The actual meaning of the verse is this: what God decreed as wise men think foolish, but God’s “foolishness” is the only wise thing, for believing it saves.  The smart thing is God’s way, not men’s way.  However, Paul pointed out in II Cor. 4:4-6 that Satan’s power can blind men’s eyes so that they can’t see the light of the gospel.. If they do “see” it but allow Satan to guide them, they think what they see is foolish rather than wise.  Read Acts 26: 18-19 and II Tim. 2:24-26
those who believe – Same idea as in v. 18.: the ones believing.
V. 22 – Jews . . . signs, Greek . . . wisdom – That is, the Jews and Greeks who were not saved were characterized by foolishness.  Having rejected God’s wisdom, they opted for something else.  Most of the Jews in Antioch thought Paul’s message foolish, Acts 13, and turned away.  So also in Athens, Acts 17.
V. 23 – Christ crucified – God’s wisdom and power, v. 24, but a death trap to Jesus generally (for they stumbled over the stumbling stone, Rom. 9:32-33) and intellectual nonsense unworthy to be accepted by most of the Gentile world.  How strait the gate and narrow the way that leads to life!  Yet it is also true that God’s love included everyone, Jn. 3:16, and was designed so that not even one person perish, II Pet. 3:9.
V. 25 – God’s wisdom: seemingly foolish and weak (for a discussion of “weak,” see 8:7), but in truth the opposite: the epitome o wisdom and the acme of power.  He did it once for all in Christ, Jude v. 3, bringing into being a new covenant that could take away sins and make men righteous (the whole book of Hebrews on this point).  As John stated about Jesus, what was written about Jesus, if accepted and continually held by faith, would give life in his name, John 20:30-31.
V. 26 – This verse through v. 29 shows how God’s choice about the means of redemption was actually reflected among them.  Most in Corinth who had heard were not believers.  If the reason be given, it would be that they thought the message foolish rather than wise.  There were some (Cripus, Sosthenes, Dionysius, Erastus) and others who were “noble” and also wise, in Greece.  For the most part, most of the wise were fools, and also lost.
In meditation on this point, we must always be alert of the world’s way of thinking.  It is so omnipresent that we often reflect it.  We think that displays of money (or things money will do), fine clothes, buildings, culture, education, numbers, or whatever, will “win” the lost.  While God made everything we have mentioned possible, and nothing is of itself bad, we must not put our trust in things but in God.  We argue about status and performance, that we ought to do the “best for Jesus” – and we had – but we must also know that the simple message of Jesus delivered in love and humility is the way of God.  Let us not in any way judge the conduct of others in respect to the above things.  Let’s just keep our mind set on Christ and our trust squarely on God.
V. 30 – God is our only savior, I Tim. 2:3, and only source of Christ the total expression of His wisdom.  God’s wisdom has made Jesus the one through whom 1) righteousness, 2) sanctification and 3) redemption are available.  While these three terms can be discussed separately, they are but various aspects of salvation.  Jesus provides the purchase price fr our redemption, I Peter 1:18-19.  If we accept His death for ours our sins are washed away and a new creation comes into being, just/righteous in nature.  A corollary result is sainthood (from the root for sanctify) which is both a state of being and a process continued.  Heb. 2:11 tells us that Jesus is the one who sanctifies and Christians are those who are being sanctified (same idea as in I Cor. 1:18; being saved, and John 20:31, believing, a continual mind-set).  The natural and correct response of each Christian is in v. 31.
V. 31 – boast – This terms reflects a Greek word that brings to mind flag-waving, drum-beating, horn-tooting, the sort of thing we do when we are happy and not ashamed of our happiness.  It is the sentiment of Paul in Rom. 1:16, and that of the disciples in Acts 5:42.  Note Gal. 6:14-15.  It isn’t wrong as a Christian to glory or to boast (note II Cor. 7:4; I Thess. 2:19); just make sure what is the reason for and intent of the boast, where the heart is and upon what we look with pride.  Check II Cor. 10:17-18.
2:1 – Having discussed their own status, and the desirable stat of mind for them, Paul now turns their eyes upon his thinking and conduct, as additional explanation and by way of example.  
lofty words of wisdom – The same idea as in 1:17 (eloquent wisdom of 2:4, plausible words) what the Greeks desired, v. 22.   His message and manner of presentation were so designed as to turn the attention away from him to Jesus.  Insofar as possible, all of us must daily strive to do the same, so that all will, as it were, leave our presence, believing in and loving the message of Jesus rather than marveling at and complimenting the messenger of Jesus.
testimony – Some versions will have “mystery” or something else.  The Greek word is must_rion which has the idea of that which is a secret or unknown.  God chose to reveal the gospel to men, since they could not have know it otherwise, as Paul pointed out in 2:6-10.  For other occurrences of the Greek term, see Mk. 4:11; Rom. 11:25; 16:25; I Cor. 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Eph. 3:3-11; Col. 1:26-27; 4:3; I Tim. 3:16; Rev. 1:20; 17:7.
V. 2 – As is evident from Luke’s history, Paul at once began to preach Christ, Acts 9:20-22.  We have no indication that he ever swerved from that.  He may have dealt with people where they were (culturally, theologically, philosophically, etc.) as is seen in I Cor. 9:19-23, yet the crux of the message was Christ rather than great oratory or clever argument (see v.4)
I decided – Paul had judged the alternatives, and decided to reject all except Jesus.
Since there are many times in this book and in others that the rem or idea of judging comes up, it may be profitable to spend a bit of time with the word in Greek and English.  The Greek term is in verb form krin_, with a root meaning to decide between, to choose, to discriminate, to evaluate.  There are some twenty-one words in the N.T. with the root “kri” in them.  It runs the gamut of meanings, from a simple choice (milk over pop) to a decision rendered by a judge and/or jury (we find this person guilty).  Obviously in the simple and basic meaning of the rem, all of us judge all of the time.  We must decide many thins in respect to the Christian life (to become Christian or not, to be sectarian or not, to disfellowship or not, to sue another brother or not, to be God’s temple or not, to marry (again) or not, to eat meat or not, etc.).  The one who quotes Mt. 7:1 as a command not to judge has just judged that Mt.7:1 applies to the situation in question (thus evaluating the circumstances and also the meaning of the text), and stands self-condemned (not to mention the fact that Mt. 7:1 has been quoted out of context).  For a few of the places where the Greek term is used in the N.T., check Mt. 5:21, 25; Mt. 12:18; Lk. 6:37; 7:43; 12:57; 19:22; John 3:17; 5:22; 7:24, 51; 8:15, 16, 26, 50; Acts 3:13; 4:19; 16:11, 15; 24:25; Rom. 2:1, 3, 12, 16; 3:4; 14:3, 4, 5, 10, 13, 22, 23; I Cor. 4:5; 5:3, 12, 13; 6:1, 2, 3, 6; 7:37; 10:15; 29:11, 13, 31, 32, 35; 12:10; 14:23, 24; II Cor. 2:1; 5:14; 10:12; and on and on.  While it is true that Jesus is the judge appointed by God, Acts 17:31, and all must stand before God’s judgment seat, Rev. 20:11-15, and we must not assume their position, it is misleading to say that Christians aren’t to judge without qualifying the statement rather exactly.
V. 3 – The description of Paul as a messenger here in vv. 3-4 is seen in contrast to the way the “wise of the world” would have done it.  Thus the context of 1:10ff. is involved here.  There were those in the church who made something out of men and divided over them, or in Corinth who found fault with the wisdom of God and rejected it.  Paul made little out of men, including himself, and made everything out of the message.
You, the reader may want to read Acts 18:1-17 where Paul’s stay in Corinth is recorded.  he was anything but “weak and fearful” as some might read this text, equating it with timidity and a poor demeanor.  He may have been scared inside, but he “argued” with the Jews in the synagogue, persuading some of them.  Driven from it, he went right next door, having declared himself free from their doomed souls.  He converted the ruler of the synagogue.  God encouraged him to be bold and he stayed on to preach another eighteen months.  So, take the Corinthians text as Paul used it in the letter.  He had to learn to depend upon God, recognizing that God’s power was made evident in his weakness.  So must we.
V. 4 – of the Spirit and power – This seems best understood to mean that God strengthened him in the inner man, Eph. 3:16-21, and the observable result was a proclamation marked by power.  Check II Cor. 10:9-10.
plausible – The idea here is that of a message simply but powerfully presented, declared to all who would listen.  The sophisticated worldly people in the seaport city of Corinth, the capital of Greece, were doubtless treated to the best to be had.  There were religions of all varieties a smorgasbord of other things to tease the imagination and capture the attention.
The root of the Greek term is from peith_; ‘to persuade’ with the idea of converting.  That all intended to do (i.e., persuade others), including Paul.  The essential difference was in the context of the “wisdom” presented.
V. 5 – The end of the matter is here stated.  Paul wanted their faith upon a solid rock, not shifting sand.  The Christian message and faith must rest upon Christ, not such as clever argumentation, which always carries with it the possibility of someone arguing better.  One ought to want to do the very best in presenting the gospel to another, thinking as clearly and logically as possible.  The persuader needs to know, however, that the power must be in the message rather than the argument.  If God has spoken, then whether or not it appears to us as wise, we must accept it with out whole heart.  True faith can not be otherwise.

LESSON 3 QUESTIONS

Give some reasons why God’s wisdom might be thought foolish.

Did God’s use of Moses’ staff (Ex. 17); Gideon’s 300 (Judges 7); David’s slingshot (1 Sam. 17); becoming as a man (Heb. 2); the crucifixion of Jesus; or the “unlearned and ignorant” men (Acts 4), seem wise at the time?

3.	Does power, prestige, money, position, education, or peer pressure have a way of making anything else or anyone who differs to appear foolish?

4.	If men were going to attempt to win the allegiance of the whole world, how do you think most would go about doing it?

5.	While Paul seemed to demean education and use of the training and knowledge, did anyone ever accuse him that his learning was making him mad?

6.	Is it true that “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still?”

7.	Is it hard to draw the line between ways of presenting the good news?  that what is “too much” for some is “just right” for others?

8.	Discuss the “pros and cons” of utilizing the culture and taking advantage of another’s background to preach the message.  (By the way, how much if any did God use the Jews and their culture in His work among them?)

9.	Consider the text in Cor. 15:2 and II Cor. 6:1, and discuss how it would be possible to believe in vain.