The Foolishness of Preaching

The Foolishness of Preaching – 1Corinthians 1:18-31

In the latter portion of this first chapter, Paul describes the world’s view of Christianity and of the preaching of the cross.  During his time the educated Jews would have mocked the preaching of the cross and any claims of Christ’s deity; the Greeks, who prided themselves on their philosophy and humanistic mindset, would have rejected the entire idea of an absolute God and a message about him would have been considered a fable or story.  So, Corinth would have been a tough place to build a church, being only about 100 miles from Athens and Mt. Olympus.  Those were the central places of all the mythical Greek gods who supposedly had just as many, if not more flaws, as the people who worshipped them.  Men have been accepting man’s writings and summations over that of Almighty God’s for millenniums; it is not just a contemporary issue!

1 Corinthians 1:18-19. “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.“

The Jews had rejected Jesus and the Christ and were still waiting on a coming Messiah, and the Greeks thought that they had to live in fear of the wrath of their many false gods, hoping to achieve eternal life through pleasing them.  The preaching of the cross would seem “foolish” to them because it is so radically different from what they already accepted as truth. (The, “As it is written” is referring to Isaiah 29:14.)

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?”

 This is similar language to what is written in Isaiah 33:18.  I believe that Paul would have constantly made Old Testament references like this in his teaching, because he was familiar with the Word, but also because he was instructing the Church and understood the power of the Word of God!  The passage he quoted here lends itself to the teaching that these men are all mere, frail humans and can in no way match or challenge the power and sovereignty of HOLY GOD!  We know with absolute certainty that Jesus came to this earth, died on the Roman cross, and triumphantly arose from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of the Father longing for the day to come back and claim his “bride”, but what have these others, who would contradict this, to offer as evidence of truth?  All they have is speculation and the ability to cast doubt on what we believe.

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.”

 The world’s wisdom does not produce a relationship with God or a better understanding of him; because, the “father of this world”, Satan, has blinded the eyes of men and fed them lie upon lie to confound them all the more.  Then Paul uses, I believe, a little sarcasm, and says the “Foolishness of preaching” meaning, the world may consider it foolish, but it sure seems to work!

1 Corinthians 1:22-24. “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:  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.”

 It’s amazing to me how that the Jews were looking for a sign, and missed or rejected the Saviour on the cross!?  The Gospel is so foreign to the beliefs of mythology that the Greeks counted it as foolishness.  Yet, to all of us who have gone to Christ with “child-like faith” and believed in the message He came to deliver, the gospel of Christ is life-changing and unmistakable! 

1 Corinthians 1:25. “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Of course we know that God possesses NO foolishness or weakness, but is omnipotent and omniscient having all power and knowledge in His control.  Yet, by an ironic concession, Paul uses those terms to refer to the ways and actions of God that some men would deem “foolish” or “weak”, but he is not saying that they manifested in Him.  Even in these perceived circumstances of foolishness and weakness, God is still wiser and stronger than all.

1 Corinthians 1:26.  “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: “

This is a dose of humility passed down to the church at Corinth.  He is saying look around people no mighty or noble people here! I believe he is referring to the fact that rich and powerful people are often much slower to put their faith in Christ for salvation because they trust in themselves and all that they have obtained or achieved in their lives by their own power.

1 Corinthians  1:27-28.  “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: “

This is evident now in in our day and age, everyone who claims to have all of the answers, without fail also includes in their plan a way to exclude God and the Bible.  We have so many highly educated people in the world today, but they are Spiritually ignorant.  It is all about faith, and wherein that faith lies!

1 Corinthians  1:29-31. “That no flesh should glory in his presence.  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

 This is where the world’s philosophy is all wrong, they want all the glory and the spotlight, but God says, “Not in my presence!”

Believer, please allow the Scriptures and preaching to have their rightful place in your life, and in your decision making. Paul is instructing the Church in this idea, saying that you made a good choice when you chose Christ and became part of the elect, but you must keep that same faith and desire for truth and the source that brought you to salvation. It does not matter how well intentioned a person is, or how knowledgeable that person is about a given subject or religion, if their beliefs differ from the truth of the Word of God they are still wrong. Ask yourself this question, DO YOU CONSIDER PREACHING TO BE, FOOLISHNESS, OR NECESSARY WISDOM?

If you are not 100% sure that when you die Heaven will be your eternal home, please contact me and allow me to show you from the Scriptures how that our loving Heavenly Father has made it possible for us to live in the certainty of salvation.