1 Corinthians 1 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

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 discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

²⁰ Where is the one who is wise? 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 calling, brothers: 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 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

 

REFLECTION

• If time allows, read the whole chapter. Then read the passage for today.
• In the first chapter, Paul expressed thanks for the Corinthian believers, but warned against divisions within the church which reflect human foolishness rather than the wisdom of the Cross. The Corinthian Christians boasted in and bragged about worldly wisdom and those who taught it. They felt intellectually and spiritually superior to others.
• Paul pointed out that those who quarreled over which group was closer to God were relying on mere human wisdom. They marshalled their arguments, completely missing the central fact that in Christianity everything must be related to Christ and His cross (vv18-25).
• Paul then pointed out (vv26-31) that the intelligence, wealth and power of the society were absolutely useless when it came to winning salvation. To bring salvation to the world, God’s Son became a poor Man, a carpenter. He lived in a backward corner of the world, died a criminal’s death, and even after His resurrection, “not many … were wise according to worldly standards,not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth” (v26) who responded to the Gospel. It follows that we Christians have nothing of which to boast, except of Jesus.
• What a rebuke for those who quarreled over mere human leaders. What a reminder of us today.

As you reflect on your own past, what reasons do you have for being humble rather than proud? Take time to thank the Lord for all he has done for you.