1 Coríntios 1
Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Coríntios 1
Utley - The gospel reveals and channels the power of God. It produces faith. It produces repentance. It produces wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (cf. 1 Cor 1:30). The preaching of the cross does all of this. It is God’s power behind the written word (the Bible), the living word (Christ), the preached word (the gospel), and the established word (Christlikeness/the kingdom of God). (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Our salvation consists in the doctrine of the cross. -- John Calvin Zodhiates elaborates on this power of God in the Cross - Think of the characteristics of this divine power. It is invincible. It is also irrefutable, not able to be challenged. Think of God's power within you, and you will begin to realize that there is no condition, or circumstance, or opposition, or experience in your life that cannot be rectified. The full realization of this will enable you to live every moment of your life with the air of victory. This power is available and even necessary for all the children of God. "Tarry... until ye be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49+). This power of God largely works through man's faculties. It is an energy, a force working within man's personality. It is not a blind, irresistible force, something like the wind, but rather a dynamic urge, creatively impelling men to do God's will, and to refuse the wrong. It never destroys man's personality or suppresses his character and gifts, but rather fulfills them. Paul links the power of God to the cross of Christ or to the Christ of the cross. In doing this he shows that Christ alone grants this power. It is not impersonal. God does not hire out His attributes or rent His power. It is not power like electricity. It cannot be detached from His presence. He strengthens us by indwelling us. He is not a Giver of power but the Gift of power itself. Christ is power in a person. We need Him, not "it." (Ibid) The saving power of the cross does not depend on faith being added to it; its saving power is such that faith flows from it. -- J. I. Packer Arnold - This message of Christ brings deliverance from the guilt of sin. It breaks the chains of the bondage of sin in daily living, and it promises complete deliverance from the presence of sin the future. It is the Cross which releases all the spiritual blessings of life; it is the basis for all true peace and joy. The gospel is not simply good advice to men, telling them what they should do, nor is it a message about God’s power. It is God’s power! Schreiner - We expect Paul to say that the message of the cross is ‘wisdom’ to contrast with the word foolishness in the first line. Instead, he surprises readers by claiming that the message of the cross is the power of God. The parallel with Romans 1:16 stands out: ‘the gospel … is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.’ Perhaps our minds are drawn to Marx’s famous words that the goal is not to understand the world but to change it; the gospel effects such a change. Paul does not concentrate on the wisdom of the gospel, for he wants to deflect the Corinthians from their adulation of human cleverness and virtuosity. Paul instead reminds the Corinthians that the message about Jesus as the crucified Lord transformed their lives. It brought them to salvation so that they will escape God’s wrath on the day when the wicked perish. What the world deems to be foolish actually saves people from death. (1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary) A T
1 Coríntios 1
Utley - There are only two kinds of people; those who are perishing and those who are being saved (cf. 2 Cor. 2:15; 4:3). The term “perishing” does not mean physical annihilation, but permanent loss of fellowship with God, for which they were created. Modern interpreters have taken the Hebrew euphemisms and literalized them. Two examples are 1. “sleep” = death, not unconsciousness until resurrection 2. “perish” = spiritual loss, not annihilation Some say that annihilation (cessation of life) is more humane than a permanent hell. The problem arises when the same word used to describe hell is used of heaven (“eternal,” cf. Matt. 25:46). Yet it is not God who sends people to hell, but their own rejection of (1) the light they have (Ps. 19:1–6; Rom. 1–2) or (2) the gospel (the unpardonable sin and the sin unto death). Unbelief in this life affects eternity. The NT describes salvation as a (See also Three Tenses of Salvation) 1. past decisive volitional act (AORIST TENSE, Acts 15:11; Rom. 8:24; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5) 2. a process which continues through life (PRESENT TENSE, 1 Cor. 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor. 2:15) 3. a past event which becomes a state of being (PERFECT TENSE, Eph. 2:5, 8) 4. a future consummation (FUTURE TENSE, Rom. 5:9, 10; 10:9; 13:11; 1 Cor. 3:15; Phil. 1:28; 1 Thess. 5:8–9; Heb. 1:14; 9:28) The theological danger is to isolate any one of these as “the” essence of salvation. We must always be on guard against an easy believism which emphasizes the initial act only or perfectionism which emphasizes the product only. Salvation is an initial, volitional response to God’s free offer in Christ which issues in a daily Christlikeness. It is not only a person to welcome, but a message about that person to be received and a life in emulation of that person to live. It is not a product, an insurance policy, a ticket to heaven, but a growing relationship with Jesus. The NT does not emphasize making a decision, but being a disciple (cf. Matt. 28:19–20). The real mystery is that when the gospel is presented, some say “yes” and are saved, but some say “no” and their rebellion is reaffirmed (cf. Luke 2:34; John 9:39; 1 Pet. 2:7). It does not surprise me that people say yes, but I am amazed that with (1) the desire of God for all to be saved; (2) the finished work of Christ; (3) the wooing of the Spirit; (4) the felt guilt of humanity; and (5) the purposelessness of life without God that people say “No”! This is the mystery of election (cf. 2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4; 11:3). (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Higher Wisdom How difficult it is for some highly intelligent people to admit that in their own wisdom they can’t answer life’s ultimate questions. The well-known astrophysicist Fred Hoyle said: “A common-sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a superintellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature.” Yet he remains an unbeliever. The late Carl Sagan spoke of “some kind of force or power” that enabled the universe to create itself. But he was “opposed to any kind of revealed religion.” The majority of us as Christians may feel unqualified to debate such intellectual giants. But it’s not God’s purpose to refute human wisdom with intellectual arguments. Instead, He confounds human wisdom and power by displaying His greater wisdom and power. He does this by saving ordinary people like you and me through the “message of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The truth that Jesus died for our sins and rose again is viewed as foolishness by the world. No wisdom gained through arduous quest Can set a sinner free, But God in wisdom sent His Son To die for you and me. —D. De Haan True wisdom begins and ends with God. Controversy Of The Cross Read: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 The message of the cross is … the power of God. —1 Corinthians 1:18 A case before the US Supreme Court focused on whether a religious symbol, specifically a cross, should be allowed on public land. Mark Sherman, writing for the Associated Press, said that although the cross in question was erected in 1934 as a memorial to soldiers who died in World War I, one veteran’s group that opposed it called the cross “a powerful Christian symbol” and “not a symbol of any other religion.” The cross has always been controversial. In the first century, the apostle Paul said that Christ had sent him “to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:17-18). As followers of Christ, we see the cross as more than a powerful Christian symbol. It is the evidence of God’s power to free us from the tyranny of our sin. Christ takes each sin, each pain, each loss, And by the power of His cross Transforms our brokenness and shame So that our lives exalt His name. —D. De Haan Nothing speaks more clearly of God’s love than the Cross. A Fatal Omission When a group of churches advertised their Easter celebration, no reference was made to the cross. The omission was deliberate. One church official explained, “The cross carries too much cultural baggage.” The cross has always been offensive to some. The apostle Paul explicitly mentioned that “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Cor. 1:18). To be saved eternally by the unjust execution of a Jew centuries ago—what an offense to human pride, goodness, and self-sufficiency! Without that cross, however, the empty tomb would be meaningless. That is why Paul gratefully exclaimed, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). The empty cross and the empty tomb provide a full salvation. PLAY AND PONDER THE WORDS OF THIS OLD HYMN IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST I GLORY John Bowring (1792-1872) In the cross of Christ I glory, Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time; All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime. When the woes of life o’ertake me, Hopes deceive, and fears annoy, Never shall the cross forsake me, Lo! It glows with peace and joy. When the sun of bliss is beaming Light and love upon my way, From the cross the radiance streaming Adds more luster to the day. Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, By the cross are sanctified; Peace is there that knows no measure, Joys that through all time abide. Try Out My Tiger Read: 1 Corinthians 1:17-29 To us who are being saved it is the power of God. —1 Corinthians 1:18 There’s a Chinese tale about a young man who captured a tiger cub, brought it home, and raised it in a cage. When it was full grown, the man loved to brag about how ferocious and powerful it was. “That tiger isn’t wild anymore,” scoffed his friends. “He’s as tame as an old house cat.” This went on until a wise old man overheard them and said, “There’s only one way to know whether this tiger is ferocious or not. Open the cage!” The young man smiled, placed his hand on the latch, and challenged his friends, “Want to try out my tiger?” Many people view the gospel of Jesus Christ as a tame and powerless fantasy. Yet in 1 Corinthians 1:18 the apostle Paul called it “the power of God.” He used the Greek word dunamis, which is the root for our word dynamite. Paul said that to an unbeliever the gospel is foolishness, but anyone who is willing to believe it will experience the “dynamite” of God. A tiger’s strength, of course, is destructive and can bring death, but the power of the gospel always leads to life and freedom. It destroys guilt and breaks the stranglehold of sinful habits. Stir me now, I long to know You, Know the fullness of Your power; Help me, Lord, to yield completely Day by day and hour by hour. —Hallan To experience God's power, we must first admit that we are weak. The Foolish Way of New Life The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Today's Scripture & Insight: 1 Corinthians 1:20–31 Some things just don’t make sense until you experience them. When I was pregnant with my first child, I read multiple books about childbirth and listened to dozens of women tell their stories of labor and delivery. But I still couldn’t really imagine what the experience would be like. What my body was going to do seemed impossible! Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that birth into God’s kingdom, the salvation that God offers us through Christ, seems equally incomprehensible to those who haven’t experienced it. It sounds like “foolishness” to say that salvation could come through a cross—a death marked by weakness, defeat, and humiliation. Yet this “foolishness” was the salvation that Paul preached! It wasn’t what anyone could have imagined it would be like. Some people thought that salvation would come through a strong political leader or a miraculous sign. Others thought that their own academic or philosophical achievements would be their salvation (1 Corinthians 1:22). But God surprised everyone by bringing salvation in a way that would only make sense to those who believed, to those who experienced it. God took something shameful and weak—death on a cross—and made it the foundation of wisdom and power. God does the unimaginable. He chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the wise (v. 27). How is God surprising you today? Why is it true that God’s ways are better than your ways? God, with Isaiah I pray, as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are Your ways higher than my ways. Alan Redpath on being saved - These days the word “salvation” is rather like a well-worn coin, which is being passed from hand to hand until it is almost unrecognizable. In many instances it has been reduced to a convenient little formula, and if you fit the formula you are all right. But in the New Testament sense, the word “salvation” has both a negative and a positive implication. Negatively, it means being saved from danger, being made secure; positively, it is emancipation from sin: sanctification. It is deliverance from guilt and the forgiveness of all our sins by virtue of the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord shed for us on Calvary. Joy abounds in a forgiven sinner as he realizes the blessedness of his experience. He is very glad to be able to announce to everybody, “I have been saved!” But it is not long before such a man begins to recognize that the sins from which he has been forgiven are only the symptoms of a disease that goes far deeper. Soon he begins to cry out to God, “Is there no deliverance from this fire still burning in my life, this untamed passion in my soul?” He prays from the depths of his heart in the words of the psalmist, “Create in me a clean heart, O God!” (Psalm 51:10). Can his prayer remain unanswered? Is the man forgiven from his past sins to continue to live unsatisfied, defeated, impure? Let me remind you that the pardoned man does not change his circumstances, neither his home conditions nor his job. He does not run away from his past situation in life — if he attempts to do so, he cuts the very nerve of the refining process that would make him a saint. But in his life he begins to discover that the demands upon him as a Christian are absolutely overwhelming; they are impossible for him to meet by himself. There comes from his heart a deep cry, “O God, give me power — power over myself, power over my sin, power over what I am by nature.” He is a forgiven sinner, but he is a defeated man. Am I exposing a basic need in your life? Are you conscious of feeling that you are only half delivered? You know you have forgiveness from sins, but there is a cry in your heart, “Is there no answer to the problem of what I am?” In the New Testament sense of the word, “salvation” is not merely a negative thing, the forgiveness of sins. That which leaves a man stumbling and defeated, impure and unholy, is an incomplete and imperfect redemption. Praise God, salvation is more than this! When the Lord saves a man He does not bar the gate through which sins enter and attack him, but He opens the gate through which Holy Spirit power can come in to make him holy. When God saves a soul, He does not simply blot out the memory of past sin — it is that, thank God. Nor does He simply see that man with a righteousness that Christ imputes to him — it is that, thank God, but it is not only that! Salvation is positive: taking a man who has been twisted and bent by the disease of which sins are the symptoms and causing him to glory in complete deliverance.... One thing that will characterize the life of every genuine believer in the Lord Jesus, truly born of the Spirit of God, is growth, development. He will not talk about having arrived; he does not say he has had a tremendous second experience of sanctification; he would not boast in his holiness, nor exalt his own experience, but there are evidences of his growth in his behavior. As he is more and more filled with the Spirit, he grows more gracious, more gentle, more Christlike, and as we stand back and watch his life, we see God working a miracle. As the clay in the hand of the potter, so the man’s life is being molded, shaped, and conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus. May I say kindly, yet firmly, that unfortunately many professing Christians show no evidence of such growth at all. In fact, do I exaggerate if I dare to say that it is the majority of them? They may have been saved, perhaps, for twenty years, but they are still as mean, hot-tempered, selfish, jealous, unkind, impure, and worldly as ever. There are no marks of maturity, no evidences of becoming more like the Lord Jesus. The moment we accept forgiveness through the blood of the Lord Jesus we are obligated by bearing His name to stand for righteousness, purity, and holiness. Our business in life is to seek to win somebody else for Jesus; the redemptive ministry of the love of God should be expressed through our lives in service to others. That is the mark of the real thing. How desperately we all need power to stand for the right, power to speak for the Lord Jesus, power to live for Him day by day. Question - What is the meaning of the cross? Answer: Simply put, the meaning of the cross is death. From about the 6th century BC until the 4th century AD, the cross was an instrument of execution that resulted in death by the most torturous and painful of ways. In crucifixion a person was either tied or nailed to a wooden cross and left to hang until dead. Death would be slow and excruciatingly painful; in fact, the word excruciating literally means “out of crucifying.” However, because of Christ and His death on the cross, the meaning of the cross today is completely different. In Christianity, the cross is the intersection of God’s love and His justice. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God points back to the institution of the Jewish Passover in Exodus 12. The Israelites were commanded to sacrifice an unblemished lamb and smear the blood of that lamb on the doorposts of their homes. The blood would be the sign for the Angel of Death to “pass over” that house, leaving those covered by blood in safety. When Jesus came to John to be baptized, John recognized Him and cried, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), thereby identifying Him and God’s plan for Him to be sacrificed for sin. One might ask why Jesus had to die in the first place. This is the over-arching message of the Bible—the story of redemption. God created the heavens and the earth, and He created man and woman in His image and placed them in the Garden of Eden to be His stewards on the earth. However, due to the temptations of Satan (the serpent), Adam and Eve sinned and fell from God’s grace. Furthermore, they have passed the curse of sin on to their children so that everyone inherits their sin and guilt. God the Father sent his one and only Son into the world to take on human flesh and to be the Savior of His people. Born of a virgin, Jesus avoided the curse of the fall that infects all other human beings. As the sinless Son of God, He could provide the unblemished sacrifice that God requires. God’s justice demanded judgment and punishment for sin; God’s love moved Him to send His one and only Son to be the propitiation for sin. Because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross, those who place their faith and trust in Him alone for salvation are guaranteed eternal life (John 3:16). However, Jesus called His followers to take up their cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24, cf Mk 8:34-38+). This concept of “cross-bearing” today has lost much of its original meaning. Typically, we use “cross-bearing” to denote an inconvenient or bothersome circumstance (e.g., “my troubled teen is my cross to bear”). However, we must keep in mind that Jesus is calling His disciples to engage in radical self-denial. The cross meant only one thing to a 1st-century person—death. “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). Galatians reiterates this theme of death of the sinful self and rising to walk in new life through Christ: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20+). There are places in the world where Christians are being persecuted, even to the point of death, for their faith. They know what it means to carry their cross and follow Jesus in a very real way. For those of us who are not being persecuted in such fashion, our job is still to remain faithful to Christ. Even if we are never called to give the ultimate sacrifice, we must be willing to do so out of love for the One who saved us and gave His life for us. GotQuestions.org James Smith - THE POWER OF THE CROSS 1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 Note the place the Cross had in Paul’s preaching (1 Cor 1:17). I. What is Meant by the Cross? The atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ. II. What is Meant by the Preaching of the Cross? Holding up Christ’s death as the Divine remedy for the sins and souls of men. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. III. What are the Effects of a Preached Cross? 1. “FOOLISHNESS” to them that believe not. 2. “POWER OF GOD” to them that believe. Power to save and satisfy. James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - THE APPEAL OF THE CROSS. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 The preaching, or message, of the Cross, is treated in these days much in the same way as Christ Himself was treated in the days of His humiliation and sorrow (v. 18). The worldly wise sneered, and official dignity denied Him. By the preaching of Christ crucified the Cross is still making its appeal. I. To them that are Perishing it is Foolishness (v. 18). A man must be sinking into the blackness of final despair who thinks God's method of salvation is "foolishness." He might as well call it foolishness to expect light from the sun. II. To them that are being Saved it is the Power of God (v. 18). To them who are being plucked out of the fire, like brands from the burning, and being delivered from the dominion of sin, and translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son, and being taught by His Holy Spirit and satisfied with His grace it is the power of God. III. To the Jew it is a Stumbling block (v. 23). The poor Jew, blinded by unbelief has been stumbling over the Cross ever since Christ rose from the dead. The Cross of Christ lies right across his path. He cannot possibly get it out of his way. Some of the things spoken of by this prophet have been literally fulfilled by the life and death of this Man called Jesus, the Christ (Isaiah 53), whom they crucified. They as a nation will go on stumbling until the Lord Comes, and they look upon Him whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10). IV. To the Greek it is Foolishness (v. 23). The Greeks seek after wisdom, but the message of the Cross, which is the embodiment of the wisdom of God, is to those worldly-wise ones "foolishness." Surely the "foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of the wisest men" (v. 25). "The age by its wisdom knew not God" (v. 21). There are many in our own day, like those Greeks, who are earnestly seeking after wisdom, and yet deliberately pausing by Him who is the wisdom of God (v. 24). V. To the Christian, whether Jew or Greek, Christ and Him Crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God (v. 24). The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to save to the uttermost of man's need, and the wisdom of God to satisfy to the uttermost man's search for truth. To know God as revealed in His Word is to be made wise unto salvation. Our view of Christ in relation to God may be a great thing, but God's view of Christ in relationship to us His people is a much greater thing. It is with His reckoning we have specially to do. For by the reckoning of Almighty Grace Christ is made of God unto us— 1. "Wisdom" for the Mind. The quality of being wise belongs more to character than to thought. He has given us capacity to understand spiritual things. He can make us to abound in this wisdom (Ephesians 1:8), so that we might be filled (Colossians 1:9). 2. "Righteousness" for the Heart. This righteousness comes not by the "works of the law," but by the reckoning of grace. "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." To get right with God means, "Not I, but Christ." 3. "Sanctification" for the Work. Set apart, not as a recluse, but as a worker-together with Him. Jesus said: "On their behalf I consecrate Myself, in order that they may become perfectly consecrated in truth" (John 17:19, Weymouth). We are not saved as a miser saves his money, but as a wise father saves his son, by giving him fitness for his life's work. 4. "Deliverance" for our Assurance. This promise may well put cheer and confidence in our hearts, that He will work deliverance for us, whether as tempted and tried pilgrims, or as warriors for the truth. "Lo, I am with you always." D L Moody - Damascen likened the cross of Christ to a key of gold which if accepted opens paradise for us; but, if unaccepted, it becomes an iron key, and opens the gates of hell before us. VERITAS CHRISTO ET ECCLESIAE - WHEN Harvard University was founded, its motto was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae—"Truth for Christ and the Church." Its crest showed three books, one face down to symbolize the limitation of human knowledge. But in recent decades that book has been turned face up to represent the unlimited capacity of the human mind. And the motto has been changed to Veritas— "Truth." The pursuit of knowledge is praiseworthy, yet learning can lead to pride and a refusal to acknowledge the limits of our mental abilities. When that happens, people ignore biblical truth. 1 Corinthians 1:19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." Amplified - For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing.
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Utley adds that "The Father and Jesus are linked grammatically as one unit (one PREPOSITION, but two OBJECTS). This is a common way for NT authors to assert Jesus’ deity (cf. 1 Thess. 1:1; 3:11; 2 Thess. 1:2, 12; 2:16). The application of the OT titles of God to Jesus is another way to assert the same truth (LORD); it is also an OT event, “Day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 8), now attributed to Jesus. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary)
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Utley - Paul has changed the normal term for opening a Greek letter, “greetings” (charein), to a uniquely Christian one which sounds similar, charis (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Hodge - "Grace is favour, and peace its fruits. The former includes all that is comprehended in the love of God as exercised towards sinners; and the latter all the benefits which flow from that love. All good, therefore, whether providential or spiritual, whether temporal or eternal, is comprehended in these terms: justification, adoption and sanctification, with all the benefits which either accompany or flow from them. These infinite blessings suppose an infinite Source; and as they are sought no less from Christ than from God the Father, Christ must be a divine person. It is to be remarked that God is called our Father, and Christ our Lord. God as God has not only created us, but renewed and adopted us. God in Christ has redeemed us. He is our owner and sovereign, to Whom our allegiance is immediately due; Who reigns in and rules over us, defending us from all His and our enemies. This is the peculiar form which piety assumes under the Gospel. All Christians regard God as their Father and Christ as their Lord. His person they love, His voice they obey, and in His protection they trust. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary)
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Utley adds that "Believers live and move and have their being in Christ. (IN CHRIST JESUS EXPRESSES) this intimate union, this sphere of fellowship, this vine and branch relationship (cf Jn 15:5). Believers identify with and join with Christ in His death, in His resurrection, in His obedience and service to God, and in His Kingdom!" (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Grace (favor) (5485) see preceding discussion of charis Of God - 72x in 61v in letters to Corinth - 1 Co. 1:1; 1 Co. 1:2; 1 Co. 1:4; 1 Co. 1:18; 1 Co. 1:21; 1 Co. 1:24; 1 Co. 1:25; 1 Co. 2:1; 1 Co. 2:5; 1 Co. 2:10; 1 Co. 2:11; 1 Co. 2:14; 1 Co. 3:10; 1 Co. 3:16; 1 Co. 3:17; 1 Co. 4:1; 1 Co. 4:20; 1 Co. 6:9; 1 Co. 6:10; 1 Co. 7:19; 1 Co. 7:40; 1 Co. 9:21; 1 Co. 10:31; 1 Co. 10:32; 1 Co. 11:7; 1 Co. 11:16; 1 Co. 11:22; 1 Co. 12:3; 1 Co. 14:36; 1 Co. 15:9; 1 Co. 15:10; 1 Co. 15:15; 1 Co. 15:34; 1 Co. 15:50; 2 Co. 1:1; 2 Co. 1:12; 2 Co. 1:19; 2 Co. 1:20; 2 Co. 2:17; 2 Co. 4:2; 2 Co. 4:4; 2 Co. 4:6; 2 Co. 4:7; 2 Co. 4:15; 2 Co. 5:21; 2 Co. 6:1; 2 Co. 6:4; 2 Co. 6:7; 2 Co. 6:16; 2 Co. 7:1; 2 Co. 7:9; 2 Co. 7:10; 2 Co. 7:12; 2 Co. 8:1; 2 Co. 8:5; 2 Co. 9:14; 2 Co. 10:5; 2 Co. 11:7; 2 Co. 12:19; 2 Co. 13:4; 2 Co. 13:14 Grace of God - 21x in 20v int he NT (8 uses in the Corinthian letters) - Lk. 2:40; Acts 11:23; Acts 13:43; Acts 14:26; Acts 20:24; Rom. 5:15; 1 Co. 1:4; 1 Co. 3:10; 1 Co. 15:10 (twice); 2 Co. 1:12; 2 Co. 6:1; 2 Co. 8:1; 2 Co. 9:14; Gal. 2:21; Col. 1:6; Tit. 2:11; Heb. 2:9; Heb. 12:15; 1 Pet. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:12
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Utley - Notice Paul’s use in this verse of three pas (“all” or “everything”). God is a complete provider. He does not need the ingenuity, intellect, or social standing of human beings. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) In all speech and all knowledge (gnosis) - Wuest = "this wealth being in the form of every exuberant aptitude in proclaiming the Word and in the form of every kind of experiential knowledge." Phillips paraphrases it “from the words on your lips to the understanding in your hearts.” (Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3) God was the Source of it all! These were both attributes the culture at Corinth held in high esteem (cf 1 Cor 12:8, 13:1-2, 2 Cor 8:7) Speech is the outward expression of their knowledge. Paul is saying they are fully "equipped" for God honoring ministry. Sadly he will go on to say they are not using their gifts in a God honoring way. For example, Paul uses gnosis in 1 Cor 8:1+ writing "Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge (gnosis) . Knowledge (gnosis) makes arrogant, but love edifies." And in 1 Cor 13:2+ he writes "If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all Knowledge (gnosis) ; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
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Utley observes that "This is a quote of Isa. 29:14 from the Septuagint. It is an example of OT synonymous parallelism. The emphasis is on the folly of human wisdom without God (cf. Isa. 29:13; Eccl. 1:12–18; 12:12)." (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) I WILL DESTROY (apollumi) THE WISDOM (sophia) OF THE WISE - Amplified = "will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned." This is in a sense a prophecy which will be consummated at the return of Christ when fallen man's specious wisdom will be demolished forever (cf Da 2:34-35+). Note that will destroy is apollumi which is translated perishing in the previous passage. God will "ruin" the wisdom of the wise, the very thing the Corinthians so highly prized! God will confute their wisdom. It is interesting that Paul begins and ends his argument against man's wisdom with OT quotes (nothing much has changed!), quoting here from Isaiah 29:14 (See comments above on Isaiah 29:14) and in 1 Cor 1:31 from Jer 9:24
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Utley - The Jews rejected Christ because of the crucifixion (cf. Deut. 21:23). They were expecting the Messiah to be a conquering military leader (and He will be when He returns!) The Jews did not recognize a Suffering Messiah (cf. Ge 3:15; Ps. 22; Isa. 52:13–53:12) and a two-stage coming (incarnation and glorious return). (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Gordon Fee - It is hard for those in the christianized West, where the cross for almost nineteen centuries has been the primary symbol of the faith, to appreciate how utterly mad the message of a God who got himself crucified by his enemies must have seemed to the first-century Greek or Roman. But it is precisely the depth of this scandal and folly that we must appreciate if we are to understand both why the Corinthians were moving away from it toward wisdom and why it was well over a century before the cross appears among Christians as a symbol of their faith.” (The First Epistle to the Corinthians ) Crucified (stauroo) is in the perfect tense which describes Christ's crucifixion at at point in time on that historical day on Calvary and now with the continuing effect of His crucifixion. Praise God that Christ's crucifixion is eternally efficacious! In other words, even the ascended Lord Jesus remains the "Crucified One!" As Isaiah 53:5+ declared "He was pierced through for our transgressions," and those scars remain on Him. John alludes to this in Rev 5:9+ where "they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain (sphazo - AT A POINT IN TIME IN THE PAST), and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation." And again in Rev 5:12+ John records the praise in all heaven declaring “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain (sphazo IN THE PERFECT TENSE) to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” In short, Jesus bears and will bear forever the marks of His crucifixion as testimony to the eternality of the New Covenant in His blood. And to Gentiles (Greeks) foolishness - TEV = “nonsense to the Gentiles” Christ crucified was considered foolish, folly, intellectually weak, irrational. In truth, Christ crucified is paradoxically the only "foolishness" which will save a soul! As stated earlier notice that by mentioning Jews and Gentiles Paul includes all of mankind as rejecting the crucifixion of Christ, the exception of course being those who are the called (1 Cor 1:24). Recall their reaction in Acts 17:32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” Sneer is chleuazo (from chleúe = joke, jest related to cheilos = a lip) means to throw out the lip and thus to mock, scoff, deride or sneer. To sneer stresses insulting another by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice. To scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision. It means to make fun of someone by joking or jesting. In truth these Greeks are the ultimate fools for one day in the future " at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE (INCLUDING MOCKING GREEK PHILOSOPHERS) WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Php 2:10-11+) THOUGHT - Who is Christ to you? A stumbling block, a scandalous name? Or is He foolishness? Belief today and bow while today is still today (2 Cor 6:2), for one day you will bow and sadly then "burn" forever in eternal punishment. Arnold - To the intellectual Greek, a crucified Christ was a brainless superstition, pure madness, moronic. Any belief in a miraculous death and a supernatural resurrection was folly to the closed Greek mind. The whole story of the Cross was absurd. Until the intellectual skeptic humbles himself and gives up reliance on his own insight and understanding, the gospel will always be nonsense. The message of Christ trips up the religious man and it is absurd to the rational man. If the gospel was a stumbling block and foolishness, why didn’t Paul water it down and get rid of the offensive elements? Why didn’t he make it attractive so he could have a big church? If he would have watered it down, then it would not have been a means of salvation to sinners. To compromise the gospel is to give up the gospel. To give up the gospel is to give up Christianity. (1 Corinthians 1:17-24 The Foolishness Of The Cross) Utley has an interesting thought - The Greeks rejected Christ because the concept of resurrection did not fit their preconceived philosophical ideals. This statement of Paul also shows that the supposed “dying and rising redeemer” of the fertility cults and mystery religions was not a major tenet of Greek thought and surely not the source of Paul’s view of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary)
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Utley - This passage was not meant to be a put down to the early church and its leaders, but an affirmation of the love and power of God. It was meant to shatter the pride of this arrogant church. The early church was made up mostly of the “have nots” of society. However, one of the factions in Corinth was apparently made up of Roman patrons and the culturally elite. By using these who have no worldly status, God magnifies His power. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) That there were not many wise (sophos) according to the flesh (sarx) - Notice he does not say "not any" but "not many." According to the flesh reflects the world's human (imperfect) standards (cf "worldly wisdom"), which are far different than God's (perfect) standard. Paul is reminding the saints of Corinth that when God called most of them out of spiritual darkness and death they were not from the upper echelons of society in brain power, political power or social power. The wise, mighty and noble are not interested in the foolishness of the Cross, for they are focused on all the things they possess in this world. They think the Cross is for losers, when paradoxically the Cross is for the only ones who in the end will be "winners" (sinners made winners at the Cross!) They were not called by God based on any merits or prestige they may have with other men, because basically they did not have any merits or prestige. The point is that God saved them in spite of who they were (or perhaps better "who they weren't!"). As Jesus said ""It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Mt 10:25+). In God’s service, our greatest ability is our avail-ability! Dear follower of Jesus, your Owner, are you available to Him for His use? As an aside Paul is describing human attributes/accolades (wisdom, power, nobility) that effectively impede or prevent fallen men from falling on their face before the cross. This speaks to me for I was a successful, well-off physician at age 39 when God called me out of darkness (My Testimony). I was the proverbial "camel" that the Holy Spirit "threaded" through the eye of God's "salvation needle." (cf Acts 13:7,12+ Acts 17:34+, cf Sosthenes and Crispus who had been chief rulers in the synagogue. Erastus was city treasurer.) ILLUSTRATION - THE RICH YOUNG RULER - Luke 18:18-27+ A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 “You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. (cf Mt 19:22) 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” (Mk 10:27+) Comment - He wanted eternal life but not at the expense of his riches and reputation. And so we see 1 Cor 1:16 played out in some many lives around us in wealthy America. Just look at Jesus' ministry as the prototype -- the elites for the most part rejected Him, but the social outcasts and downtrodden were open to His message of Good News. Things have not changed beloved. Share the Gospel with your wealthy, successful friends and praise God if one of them receives Jesus as Lord and Savior, for you have just witnessed an incredible miracle! Related Resources: 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 Why Did God Choose the "Foolish Things of the World to Shame the Wise"? - Question/Answer from John MacArthur 1 Corinthians 1 Conversions of the Rich and Famous - Question/Answer from John MacArthur Arnold - Not many of these kinds of upper-class people are called because they see no need for a Savior from sin as they exalt themselves in their own efforts and attainments. Paul’s point was that the things which elevate men in the world, knowledge, influence and rank, are not the things which motivate God to call men to salvation. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Lk. 4:18+). The Apostle James taught the same truth: “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him" (Jas. 2:5+)?...The privileged classes are less likely to admit they are sinners and need someone to save them. They want to save themselves by working their way to heaven, but they cannot do it. God calls the sinner not the righteous. He chooses to work His marvels through people who are, from a human viewpoint, the most unpromising. He takes hell-deserving sinners and makes them trophies of His grace, transforming them into the image of Christ. This is contrary to all human logic and reasoning. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Gods Call To Salvation) Craig Blomberg makes an interesting point - "Of course, it is possible to be rich and Christian, but frequently at the times the church has been least compromised with culture and politics, the majority of believers have not come from the upper classes of the world. From the pre-Constantinian era to the Radical Reformation, from religiously motivated immigration to America in the past centuries to the rapid spread of Christianity in the Two-Thirds World today, this trend has proved surprisingly recurrent. For it is precisely the well-to-do who are often likely not to sense any need for God, because they believe they can buy or manipulate their way into meeting all their needs" Conversely, Scripture nowhere guarantees salvation for all people under a certain socioeconomic level. But it does consistently reflect God’s special concern for the poor, oppressed, and marginalized people of the world. James 2:5 parallels 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 in pointing out the sociological makeup of much of early Christianity. But when God “chose the poor” they were also “those who loved him,” who recognized their need for help and their personal inadequacy and hence turned to the true and living God. One of the key Hebrew terms for “poor,” the anawim, combines precisely these two elements—material poverty and spiritual piety. Historically, Christians have had to guard against the twin errors of spiritualizing “the poor,” as if they could include the materially wealthy, and of politicizing the term, as if salvation could be claimed apart from explicit faith in Christ. (NIV Application Commentary - 1 Corinthians Lowell
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Utley writes "God calls and uses those people of whom the world takes no notice!" And the despised (exoutheneo) God has chosen (eklego aorist tense middle voice), the things that are not - God's election has purpose here which is to effectively show that the traits the world values are of no value in His plan of redemption. The despised are those viewed with or treated with contempt and scorn. These are those about whom others say they will never amount to anything. They are looked down upon by others and written off as no account nobodys. In other words those who see themselves as superior show by their attitude or manner of treatment that those socially lower than themselves have no worth or merit in their opinion. The NLT has a good paraphrase of the thing that are not rendering it "things counted as nothing at all." These are the "forgotten ones," those who are completely overlooked, the ultimate "nobodies." As Lowell