1 Corinthians 1:18-21
Ps Paul Cheng
Dear Bethelites,
In 1 Corinthians 1, the word wisdom (the original word is sophia) had been used a total of 8 times. In those days, the Greeks were in love with human wisdom (or philosophy which is the love of wisdom). Philosophy was invented by man; it was man’s view about the meaning of life, relationships, purposes, values, etc. There were different philosophers who came up with their own ideologies, and people would support their own favourite philosopher. They would argue about who was the most reliable which inevitably led to groups and factions. Without absolute truth, whatever was right or wrong would be based entirely on human opinion. When divine truth and authority was rejected, one had no other options but to turn to human speculations.
In our previous pastoral chat, we had considered how Paul had dealt with the division in the Corinthian church. So, he was still focusing on the same topic about division. Most likely, some believers in the church were still holding on to the beliefs of their former philosophers, and they had brought those humanistic views into the church. Thus, the unity of the church was being threatened. Here, Paul was urging the believers that they had the Word of God, and no need for human philosophy.
We are not saying that everything about man’s knowledge and wisdom is bad. Obviously, man has made amazing and remarkable discoveries over the centuries. Science and technology have developed so many products, machines, equipment and medicine that are great contributions to human life. Many unbelievers are more educated, brilliant and experienced than the believers, and oftentimes, we need to go to the unbelievers for answers to many things (e.g. doctors, teachers and mechanics, etc). But if we want answers about sin and the solution to sin, God, heaven and hell, or what life is all about, even the best humans in this world will not be able to help us. We need to go to God and His Word!
But whenever we talk about God and the gospel, we will receive different responses; some may quietly listen, others may reject, and the vast majority will think of our message as foolish. Here are several different attitudes toward the preaching of the cross.
I. Some mocked at the cross as foolishness
1 Corinthians 1:18, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
The preaching of the cross was essentially the good news. It was about God taking human form; Jesus lived a perfect life and kept all the laws on our behalf. He was crucified, died and rose from the dead to provide for man the forgiveness of sin and it was only through Him alone that a man or a woman could enter into heaven. But to the humanistic mind, to believe in a man who died on a piece of wood in an obscure location could secure a place in heaven, was foolishness. The original word for foolishness was where the English word for “moron” was derived.
In Acts 17:18-21, when Paul was in Athens, the people laughed when they heard of the resurrection of the dead. What did Paul do? He knew the people had more than enough of philosophy in Athens, and did not want to add his own opinions to their human speculations, so he simply gave them God’s truth, the gospel.
Sometimes, in the course of sharing the gospel, we have the tendency to want to reason with the listeners and debate with them using philosophical ideas. We think that if we are able to win over the argument, we may convince them to believe in the gospel. But we should not do that because it is unnecessary and misleading. They have already heard enough of philosophies and do not need to hear more; what they need is simply the gospel, the good news, the preaching of the cross.
Nonetheless, for the unbelievers who rely on man’s wisdom, and reject the cross as foolishness, they would ultimately perish.
1 Corinthians 1:19, For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent (or clever).
The above was a quotation from Isaiah 29:14. At that time, the king of Assyria was planning to conquer Judah. But God told the prophet Isaiah not to worry or fear because the king’s plan would fail. It would fail, not because of the army of Judah or the cleverness of King Hezekiah, but solely because of God’s power. All the wisdom and cleverness of the king’s advisors came to nothing. God destroyed 185 000 Assyrians with just one angel. But that verse actually had a future and ultimate fulfilment in the last days, when all the philosophies of men would be swept away.
1 Corinthians 1:20, 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? In other words, where was the one who translated the law (the scribe), where was the one who loved to argue about philosophy (the disputer), where had all your human wisdom brought you?
Dear friends, let us take a moment and consider this. Today, with all our human wisdom; politicians, economists, scientists and great thinkers, are we better off? We may be more educated than our forefathers but are we more moral? We may have more means of communication but do we understand each other better and do we actually communicate with one another? We may be more advanced in science and technology but are we able to stop crimes and violence?
Nowadays, when there is a fatal shooting or stabbing crime, people would send images or videos of the incident everywhere. Who knows how many copycats would follow that act of violence? Man has not changed in his sins, in fact, he has gotten worse. Throughout the history of mankind, human wisdom has never been able to solve the basic problem of man, and that is sin.
1 Corinthians 1:21, 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.
According to the wisdom of God, man cannot know Him through the wisdom of the world, no matter how hard he tries. The more a man trusts in his own wisdom, the harder it is for him to come to know God. As man increases in his wisdom, his problem tends to increase; hatred, misunderstanding, jealousy, envy, conflict, immorality, family problems and so forth. They increase not only in numbers but in intensity as well. Man cannot solve his problems because he will not recognise that the source of his problem is sin, and the solution to his problem is salvation. Even if human wisdom can recognize the problem, it does not have the solution or power to change it. God alone has the solution and power, and it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
God could have used a very complicated and intelligent strategy to save His people, but He knows that when He does that, man would be proud to think that it is because of his own wisdom and ability to understand such a profound message and that is the reason why he is saved. Instead, God chose the foolishness of preaching the cross, the gospel, the good news, that even a child is able to understand and believe, and by His grace, so no man can boast. God’s salvation has no place for man’s pride or man’s glory.
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
(To be continued in the next pastoral chat)