"For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."
1 Corinthians 1:18-21
Part 1
Today: What do You Think? Is the Cross of Jesus Foolish or Powerful?
“The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, HSB[1]).
“For the preaching of the cross.”
The phrase “the message of the cross” to us today sounds pretty harmless. After all, we see crosses everywhere. Often we see them in churches, cemeteries, and hospitals. Still, they are such common symbols today you even see them on bumper stickers and as popular jewelry. In Paul’s day, in the areas where the Greeks lived, such as Corinth, the symbol of the Cross was something to mock. They had trouble understanding how believing in the death of a man on a cross could save a soul – to them, this is foolishness! We might better understand their thinking if someone said, “We need to listen to the ‘message of the hangman’s noose,’ or ‘the message of the guillotine.’” To us, these instruments of death are offensive.
To the Greeks, who were all about wisdom and having the perfect body, the message of the Cross to save their souls sounded ridiculous. Doesn’t this sound similar to many in our society today? Many believe the message of the Cross is too simplistic a message for today’s modern humanity. Paul, just before he mentioned the preaching of the Cross, said this –
“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
Notice how he contrasts “preach the gospel” with “wisdom of words.” If we use the wisdom of words to preach the Gospel, the message of the Cross will have no effect. Rather than preaching the philosophies of the world, Paul powerfully proclaimed the message of the Gospel.
“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
The wisdom of men never saved anyone’s soul. But the power of the Gospel transforms people’s hearts and lives every day.
“Is to them that perish.”
Mankind’s wise words appeal most to those who are perishing. “Perishing” means “to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed” (Thayer). That is the end punishment of all who follow after man’s wisdom and not the message of the Cross.
“them that perish—rather, ‘them that are perishing,’ namely, by preferring human ‘wisdom of words’ to the doctrine of the ‘cross of Christ.’ It is not the final state that is referred to, but ‘them that are in the way of perishing’”[2] (JFB).
The word perish is the same word that is used in the best-known salvation verse there is. Those who believe in the message of Jesus Christ and His cross “should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
“Foolishness.”
Sadly, to those who are in the process of perishing, Jesus’ wonderful message of redemption is scoffed at as being nothing but foolishness.
“God’s provision of salvation through the crucifixion of a messiah appeared to be foolishness according to the wisdom of the world. The Romans used the Cross as a humiliating form of execution reserved for the worst criminals—insurrectionists. The Greeks believed that the gods operated above the limitations of people and would not have allowed themselves to be treated as Jesus was. Jews regarded the Cross as a shameful punishment and even a curse from God”[3] (FSB).
“And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, … and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).
Jesus Christ became a curse for us to bring us His redemption. Blessed be His name!
“But unto us which are saved.”
Believers, we have an entirely different outlook on sin, salvation, and the message of the Cross. The lost disagree with how that message should be delivered to mankind — to them, it should never be mentioned. They hate the preaching of the Cross. The lost world tries in vain to make themselves okay, after their own image, by the ability of their own minds. They ignore the glorious message of the Cross that makes all the difference. We who have put our faith in Jesus Christ understand there is no way that we could ever save ourselves. Our salvation is only by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on Calvary for us.
“It is the power of God.”
The preaching of the Cross is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). What is more critical to our salvation, man’s wise words or God’s power?
The “power of God—’which includes in it the wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24). The preaching of the Cross is God’s powerful instrument of salvation; it is the highest exhibition of God’s power (Romans 1:16). What seems to the world to be ’weakness,’ God’s plan of salvation (1 Corinthians 1:25), and Paul’s preaching of it (1 Corinthians 2:3), is really His mighty ‘power.’ What seems ‘foolishness’ because it lack’s man’s ‘wisdom of words’ (1 Corinthians 1:17), is really the highest’ wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24)”[4] (JFB, rephrased – JLH).
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).
Come back tomorrow as we take a look at God “destroying the wisdom of the wise.”
Quote: “Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it holds out some promise of happiness. That promise enslaves us until we believe that God is more to be desired than life itself (Psalm 63:3). Which means that the power of sin’s promise is broken by the power of God’s”[5] (John Piper).
[1] HSB is the Harvest Study Bible from Harvest Ministries in Guam.
[2] JFB, Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 264). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. The emphasis is his.
[3] FSB, Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (1 Co 1:18–21). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] JFB, ibid. JFB’s words in this paragraph have been paraphrased by me. Edited to help our understanding. The emphasis is his.
[5] Piper’s quote Downloaded: Wednesday, October 28, 2020. From: https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/power-of-god.html. This is from John Piper’s book, Future Grace, Revised Edition: The Purifying Power of the Promises of God, p.1, Multnomah, 2012.