I Corinthians 1:18-25: "Who is wise?"
Paul continues to exhort the Corinthians to Godly living. Paul will lay the foundation for them by pointing out true wisdom. This section "is a contrast between God's true wisdom and man's supposed wisdom, between God's supposed foolishness and man's true foolishness", according to MacArthur. The study of philosophy and the high view of human intellect was rampant with the Greeks in and around the city of Corinth at this time. Man was in love with coming up with all the answers. They loved debating and discussing the meaning of life and the history of the earth. However, missing in all this, was the recognition of God's truth and revelation as absolute and infallible. They would put all faith in their wisdom and their understanding of things. MacArthur writes, "Unfortunately many of the Corinthian converts carried their spirit of philosophical factionalism into the church. Some of them still held onto their former pagan philosophy. They were divided not only regarding Christian leaders (1:12) but also regarding philosophical viewpoints. They could not get over their love for human wisdom. They had trusted in Christ and recognized their redemption by grace through the cross, but they wanted to add human wisdom to what He had done for them". Paul's goal is to help his readers understand that the wisdom of man apart from what God has to say is pointless. You don't need philosophy anymore to explain the meaning of life, you have them here in the scriptures. You are now spirit-filled and have all that you need, do not look to the vanity and pride of human wisdom, for it will prove itself foolishness. Paul wants them to understand what he had said earlier, that it was not about "cleverness of speech" (1:17), but it was the power of the gospel that saved lives. This is what they were to strive after.
To begin this discussion Paul states his point, "For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God". Paul immediately differentiates between the Christian and the pagan. To those who do not have the Spirit of God and the understanding of the truth, it would seem foolish that the one true God would take the form of a human, live a humble and simple life on earth and die on the cross so that mere humans can reconcile with Him. This takes all responsibility and achievement out of salvation of the man and leaves it all with God. To the world, this would seem foolish. However, to those who are Christians, who for this very reason know they now have eternal life with Christ and their sins have been punished for on the cross, know that it is the sweetest truth they will ever hear. MacArthur points out, "to the natural mind, whether Jewish or Gentile, the cross is offensive and unacceptable. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. All men are either in the process of being saved (salvation present is not complete until the redemption of the body - Rom. 8:23; 13:11) or of being destroyed. One's view of the cross determines which". Therefore, what to the world seems foolish, to the Christian is the very thing they live by.
Paul then moves to show why God's wisdom is superior to man's. First, "For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.'" This quotation from Isaiah 29:14 shows God's superior wisdom to man. In His power he will one day reveal to man how foolish and prideful he was. He will literally destroy any so-called wisdom man may have clung to and boasted about. In fact, on that day all men will look back and recognize how foolish they really are. We will say, "where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?" And we will realize they have been shut up in their ignorance and foolishness. Prov. 14:12 says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death". Man, in his blind pride, thinks he has all the answers. However, when we stand before an all-knowing God, we will fall to our knees in humility. MacArthur writes, "This verse specifically teaches that human wisdom not only is unreliable but impermanent". Paul then quickly asks another rhetorical question, "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" The obvious answer is yes. Man may accumulate a tremendous wealth of knowledge, however, unless applied through the understanding of God's revealed truth, it is empty facts. We must be careful to seek the wisdom of God through His revealed truth in this world full of earthly wisdom.
To answer his previous question, "has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" Paul will show the power of God's wisdom. "For since 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". MacArthur writes, "With all their supposed wisdom men have never been able to know God, much less come to a personal relationship with Him. Man's increase in knowledge and philosophies tends to increase his problems, not solve them. . . . The more man looks to himself and depends on himself, the worse his situation becomes". Paul has shown that God makes the wisdom of the world foolish, for God is wisdom, and man cannot know God on his own. Man has searched throughout history for the meaning of life. He has many explanations as to what is right and what is wrong. However, blinded by their sin, man can never know God and truly know right from wrong on their own. God has made it this way that he may stand out in contrast, in glory above all mankind and his foolish attempts at gaining wisdom on his own strength. In fact, it pleases God that the only way to come to Him and to know Him, is by humbling yourself and understanding that you are nothing compared to God, and that apart from you would never understand His truth. MacArthur writes, "He chose to use that which the world's wisdom counts as moronic, or foolishness, to save those of the world who would simply believe". Everything of God goes against "earthly" wisdom. It is not until you truly recognize your bankruptcy that you can truly be rich. It is not until you come before God and recognize your ignorance and foolishness that you are truly wise. Paul is trying to drill into the heads of his readers, the stark contrast between our awesome God and our foolish little brains. Paul is trying to flush the worldly thinking from this church, that they may strive after the things of God, rather than, striving to understand more earthly knowledge. Rather than striving after achievement and human effort, to humble themselves and believe the message of Christ. MacArthur points out, "Paul is not talking about foolish preaching, of which there has always been more than enough. He is talking about the preaching of that which is foolish in the world's eyes- the simple, unadorned, uncomplicated truth of the cross of Jesus Christ that allows no place for man's wisdom or man's work or man's glory. The wisdom and work and glory are all God's. But the blessing they give can be man's".
Proving the point he just made, Paul shows throughout history that, "Jews as for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom". In Jesus time the Jews were always asking for supernatural signs and tricks before they would believe the gospel. And as previously noted, the Greeks had searched for wisdom through debate, philosophy, education, etc. Even in providing miraculous signs, the Jews desired to kill Jesus and wouldn't believe the message. Even in searching tirelessly through books and debate, the Gentiles would only puff themselves up with knowledge rather than seek God. Paul emphasizes that as believers, "we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness". MacArthur writes, "Most of the Jews of Jesus' and Paul's day could not accept the idea of a crucified Messiah. That was a stumbling block to them (cf. Rom. 9:31-33). To them He was to come in earthly power and splendor and establish an earthly throne and kingdom. . . . The Greeks, on the other hand, wanted intellectual proof, something they could mull over and figure out with their own minds. They too were insincere. As Paul had discovered in Athens, the Greek philosophers there were not interested in discovering truth, especially not truth about God. They were interested only in hearing and arguing about exciting new ideas and problems (Acts 17:21)". These two groups are representative of all the unbelieving world. Whatever the hindrance may be, man who relies on his own wisdom and the wisdom of the world can never find God, for He will not allow them to. Paul writes, "But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God". Paul, differentiates now between the believing and unbelieving Jews and Greeks. Those who do not seek after the things of the world, but, rather, seek the wisdom of God and believe in the power of Christ, are the called, the chosen of God. And they have forsaken the true foolishness of the world for the promise of eternal life in God.
Paul concludes this section by writing, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men". MacArthur explains, "Paul is also saying that, even if God could possess any sort of foolishness, it would be wiser than man's greatest wisdom. And if God were able to have any weakness, it would be stronger than the greatest strength men could muster". Paul's point is to have contrasted the wisdom of the almighty God and the foolishness of man and their vain pursuit of worldly knowledge. His desire is for them to see the foolishness is following after worldly pursuits and so-called "wisdom" and pursue the one true living God who provides us with everything including our salvation.
To begin this discussion Paul states his point, "For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God". Paul immediately differentiates between the Christian and the pagan. To those who do not have the Spirit of God and the understanding of the truth, it would seem foolish that the one true God would take the form of a human, live a humble and simple life on earth and die on the cross so that mere humans can reconcile with Him. This takes all responsibility and achievement out of salvation of the man and leaves it all with God. To the world, this would seem foolish. However, to those who are Christians, who for this very reason know they now have eternal life with Christ and their sins have been punished for on the cross, know that it is the sweetest truth they will ever hear. MacArthur points out, "to the natural mind, whether Jewish or Gentile, the cross is offensive and unacceptable. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. All men are either in the process of being saved (salvation present is not complete until the redemption of the body - Rom. 8:23; 13:11) or of being destroyed. One's view of the cross determines which". Therefore, what to the world seems foolish, to the Christian is the very thing they live by.
Paul then moves to show why God's wisdom is superior to man's. First, "For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.'" This quotation from Isaiah 29:14 shows God's superior wisdom to man. In His power he will one day reveal to man how foolish and prideful he was. He will literally destroy any so-called wisdom man may have clung to and boasted about. In fact, on that day all men will look back and recognize how foolish they really are. We will say, "where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?" And we will realize they have been shut up in their ignorance and foolishness. Prov. 14:12 says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death". Man, in his blind pride, thinks he has all the answers. However, when we stand before an all-knowing God, we will fall to our knees in humility. MacArthur writes, "This verse specifically teaches that human wisdom not only is unreliable but impermanent". Paul then quickly asks another rhetorical question, "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" The obvious answer is yes. Man may accumulate a tremendous wealth of knowledge, however, unless applied through the understanding of God's revealed truth, it is empty facts. We must be careful to seek the wisdom of God through His revealed truth in this world full of earthly wisdom.
To answer his previous question, "has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" Paul will show the power of God's wisdom. "For since 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". MacArthur writes, "With all their supposed wisdom men have never been able to know God, much less come to a personal relationship with Him. Man's increase in knowledge and philosophies tends to increase his problems, not solve them. . . . The more man looks to himself and depends on himself, the worse his situation becomes". Paul has shown that God makes the wisdom of the world foolish, for God is wisdom, and man cannot know God on his own. Man has searched throughout history for the meaning of life. He has many explanations as to what is right and what is wrong. However, blinded by their sin, man can never know God and truly know right from wrong on their own. God has made it this way that he may stand out in contrast, in glory above all mankind and his foolish attempts at gaining wisdom on his own strength. In fact, it pleases God that the only way to come to Him and to know Him, is by humbling yourself and understanding that you are nothing compared to God, and that apart from you would never understand His truth. MacArthur writes, "He chose to use that which the world's wisdom counts as moronic, or foolishness, to save those of the world who would simply believe". Everything of God goes against "earthly" wisdom. It is not until you truly recognize your bankruptcy that you can truly be rich. It is not until you come before God and recognize your ignorance and foolishness that you are truly wise. Paul is trying to drill into the heads of his readers, the stark contrast between our awesome God and our foolish little brains. Paul is trying to flush the worldly thinking from this church, that they may strive after the things of God, rather than, striving to understand more earthly knowledge. Rather than striving after achievement and human effort, to humble themselves and believe the message of Christ. MacArthur points out, "Paul is not talking about foolish preaching, of which there has always been more than enough. He is talking about the preaching of that which is foolish in the world's eyes- the simple, unadorned, uncomplicated truth of the cross of Jesus Christ that allows no place for man's wisdom or man's work or man's glory. The wisdom and work and glory are all God's. But the blessing they give can be man's".
Proving the point he just made, Paul shows throughout history that, "Jews as for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom". In Jesus time the Jews were always asking for supernatural signs and tricks before they would believe the gospel. And as previously noted, the Greeks had searched for wisdom through debate, philosophy, education, etc. Even in providing miraculous signs, the Jews desired to kill Jesus and wouldn't believe the message. Even in searching tirelessly through books and debate, the Gentiles would only puff themselves up with knowledge rather than seek God. Paul emphasizes that as believers, "we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness". MacArthur writes, "Most of the Jews of Jesus' and Paul's day could not accept the idea of a crucified Messiah. That was a stumbling block to them (cf. Rom. 9:31-33). To them He was to come in earthly power and splendor and establish an earthly throne and kingdom. . . . The Greeks, on the other hand, wanted intellectual proof, something they could mull over and figure out with their own minds. They too were insincere. As Paul had discovered in Athens, the Greek philosophers there were not interested in discovering truth, especially not truth about God. They were interested only in hearing and arguing about exciting new ideas and problems (Acts 17:21)". These two groups are representative of all the unbelieving world. Whatever the hindrance may be, man who relies on his own wisdom and the wisdom of the world can never find God, for He will not allow them to. Paul writes, "But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God". Paul, differentiates now between the believing and unbelieving Jews and Greeks. Those who do not seek after the things of the world, but, rather, seek the wisdom of God and believe in the power of Christ, are the called, the chosen of God. And they have forsaken the true foolishness of the world for the promise of eternal life in God.
Paul concludes this section by writing, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men". MacArthur explains, "Paul is also saying that, even if God could possess any sort of foolishness, it would be wiser than man's greatest wisdom. And if God were able to have any weakness, it would be stronger than the greatest strength men could muster". Paul's point is to have contrasted the wisdom of the almighty God and the foolishness of man and their vain pursuit of worldly knowledge. His desire is for them to see the foolishness is following after worldly pursuits and so-called "wisdom" and pursue the one true living God who provides us with everything including our salvation.
posted by amesfam | 10:52 AM
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