February 20, 2008 1 Corinthians 1:20

02/20/2008

1 Corinthians 1:20 - 25 (HCSB)

²⁰Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? ²¹For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. ²²For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. ²⁴Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, ²⁵because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Corinth is a city in the southern part of Greece. It lies on an isthmus separating the mainland from the Peloponnesus. The city was sacked by Rome about 150 BC and resettled by Romans, Greeks and Jews by the time of Paul. Although the Grecian era had passed, the Greeks were still proud of their heritage. Remember, Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates were popular philosophical figures in Greece and would remain in the popular Grecian memory like Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, and Robert E Lee to us. Yes, the Greeks still prided themselves in being a philosophical people. Philosophy means love-of-wisdom, and deals with various topics from: “why are we here?” to “can a runner ever finish a race?”

Paul writes in his first letter to Corinth about wisdom and foolishness. In his letter, Paul points out that whatever the world thinks is wise is really foolishness, and what the world thinks is foolishness is the Wisdom of God. Of course, this sounds quite topsy-turvy. But the point is that those who elevate their own status as “intellectuals” or “philosophers” will get so caught up in their own inventions that they miss the point.

Indeed, I have learned that people who think of themselves as “intellectual” are the most stubborn when it comes to the gospel. They think they have things figured out and when a new idea is proposed that does not conform to their conclusions; they are slow or even hostile to change. And these same people will look on the simplicity of the gospel and scoff.

I believe this comes down to something really deeper than philosophy or intellect. I believe it has to do with arrogance.

Those people who consider themselves philosophers and intellectuals have such a high regard for their own opinions and ideas that any other idea that approaches must be inferior. Of course, God wants us to approach Him in humility (not humiliation). When we are arrogant, we find it difficult if not impossible to become humble. The two simply do not co-exist.

So, what is Wisdom to God, the intellects see as foolishness. And what the Intellects see as wise, is foolishness to God.

Don’t let yourself get caught up in your own arrogance. Of course we want to be wise and educated, but if we cannot humble ourselves before God, then we are missing the point completely.

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