For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Co 1:17–25).
So, Paul wasn't in Corinth to start a baptism showdown with his fellow kingdom workers. No, he had bigger fish to fry, or should I say, a gospel to preach! In 1 Corinthians 1:17-25, he drops some heavenly humour on the Corinthians. Paul's like, "Listen up, Corinthians! I wasn't sent here for a baptism bonanza. My mission was to spread the gospel, no fancy talk. I didn't want the power of the cross to fizzle out, you know?" Paul warns them about their obsession with worldly wisdom and boasting. He's like, "Hold your horses on the smarty-pants stuff. The gospel is all about defying worldly wisdom. It's a paradox party!"
Paul wants them to ditch the baptism battles, drop the boasting, and embrace God's mind-boggling wisdom. He's like, "Corinthians, forget the intellectual showdown. Gods got some next-level wisdom; only the Holy Spirit can unlock it." The gospel isn't about competition or fancy talk—it's about the power of the cross and wisdom that surpasses all our worldly wisdom.
Wisdom and the City of Corinth
Paul refers to wisdom frequently in 1 Corinthians because he addressed a Corinthian community that highly valued wisdom and intellectual pursuits. The city of Corinth was known for its philosophical and intellectual culture, and several notable schools of thought and philosophical movements were prevalent.
The Cynics - The Cynics believed in living a simple and self-sufficient life, rejecting societal conventions and material possessions. They emphasized personal virtue and inner freedom.
Stoics - Another influential school was the Stoics, who taught that virtue and inner peace could be achieved by aligning oneself with the universe’s natural order. They believed in self-control, resilience in the face of adversity, and the importance of reason.
Epicureans -The Epicureans were also prominent in Corinth. They advocated for a life of pleasure and happiness, but not in the hedonistic sense. Rather, they emphasized the pursuit of simple pleasures, freedom from fear, and the avoidance of pain.
Additionally, there were various philosophical movements like Sophism, which focused on rhetoric and persuasive speaking, and Platonism, which drew from the teachings of the philosopher Plato and emphasized the pursuit of knowledge and the existence of abstract ideas.
In a nutshell, these schools of thought were like flashy roller coasters, but Paul was there to remind the Corinthians that true wisdom is not found in the twists and turns of intellectual pursuits but in embracing the wisdom that comes from God. Paul’s like, "Hey, Corinthians, listen up! True wisdom doesn't come from the brainiacs of the world but from Christ. God's wisdom is like winning the lottery, while human wisdom is like finding a dollar bill on the sidewalk. Nice, but not exactly life-changing!"
In this passage, Paul swoops in to tackle the Corinthians' obsession with worldly smarts and ego trips. He's like, "Hold your wisdom hats, Corinthians! You're chasing after worldly brain candy like it's the last donut in the office break room. The real deal is God's wisdom!"
Worldly Wisdom vs. God's Wisdom
Paul's mission was to slap some sense into the Corinthians with a love stick and make them realize that chasing after human wisdom is like trying to catch a greased pig—it'll slip right through your fingers! Instead, he wanted them to embrace God's wisdom like a never-ending buffet of mind-blowing revelations.
Paul wanted to highlight the distinction between the wisdom of the world, which the Corinthians were familiar with and valued, and the wisdom of God. He argues that God's wisdom is not the same as worldly wisdom and that the wisdom of God may seem foolish to the world because the wisdom of God is rooted in the message of the cross, which appears foolish to those who do not believe, but it holds the power of salvation.
Apparently, from Paul’s response in this letter, the Corinthians were prone to boasting about their wisdom, knowledge, and eloquence. Paul challenges their pride and encourages them to boast only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). He reminds them that true wisdom is not in human achievements but in understanding and knowing God. The real deal is God's wisdom!" He introduces the concept of spiritual wisdom or "the wisdom of God" and throughout his letter. He contrasts it with the world’s wisdom and highlights that true spiritual wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). This wisdom allows believers to understand and discern spiritual truths often hidden by the worldly wise.
Paul emphasizes that God's wisdom is revealed in the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. He explains that God chose to save humanity through the seemingly foolish act of Christ's crucifixion, which demonstrates the depth of God's wisdom and power. This divine wisdom surpasses human understanding and reveals God's redemptive purposes (1 Corinthians 1:21-24).
The wisdom that is from above, as the Apostle James put it, is like trading in your dictionary for a direct line to the celestial Google of wisdom! In this text, we can almost picture Paul waving his hands, shouting, "Listen up, Corinthians! True wisdom isn't about strutting your intellectual feathers. It's about recognizing the mind-blowing genius hidden in the message of the cross. It's a wisdom showstopper!" So, Paul encourages the Corinthians to ditch their prideful pursuit of worldly smarts and dive headfirst into the divine pool of wisdom. It's like trading in your old smartphone for the latest model with an unlimited data plan of celestial insights. So, here's the deal: Paul sees those Corinthians flaunting their worldly smarts and ego trips like it's a wisdom Olympics, and in doing so, Paul addresses both their pride and arrogance in the pursuit of what the world deemed as wisdom, but Paul is not saying ignorance is a fruit or gift of the spirit, so don't throw your dictionaries out just yet!
Ignorance is not a spiritual gift or the fruit of the Spirit.
Using Paul's argument on wisdom to justify ignorance as a spiritual virtue is as absurd as thinking eating pizza will make you a world-class chef. And yet, it is amazing how many people do. Some will justify laziness to sustain wilfully fortified ignorance around the bible, history and yes, even philosophy. Paul may have been a man of faith, but he wasn't anti-intellectual. His writings and the book of Acts prove his appreciation for intellectual pursuits.
First, in Acts 17:22-31, we see Paul engaging with the philosophers in Athens. He strolls into the Areopagus and starts dropping knowledge bombs left and right. He quotes their own poets, engaging in thoughtful dialogue with the city’s intellectuals. Paul wasn't shy about engaging with the intellectual climate of his time.
Regarding his writings, oh boy, we've got some intellectual gems! In Colossians 2:8, Paul warns against being taken captive by empty philosophy and deceit. But hold on; he’s not saying all philosophy is bad! No, no. Paul is simply cautioning against those philosophies that contradict the teachings of Christ. He acknowledges the importance of discernment and critical thinking.
And let's remember the intellectual feast in Paul's letter to the Romans. He dives into deep theological concepts, unravelling the mysteries of God's plan of salvation. Paul's logical reasoning and theological arguments in Romans showcase his intellectual prowess.
In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the Corinthians' obsession with worldly wisdom. But it's not a blanket rejection of all knowledge. In 1 Corinthians 1:30, he acknowledges that Jesus Christ has become our wisdom. Paul recognizes that true wisdom is found in Christ, not in the empty philosophies of the world.
Even Peter jumps in on the action, urging believers to grow in knowledge like a well-tended garden. So, let's put this idea of embracing ignorance to rest, shall we? The Bible is like a treasure chest of wisdom waiting to be opened, so let's grab a map and start digging!
We can learn from this text that it is all about seeking wisdom and knowledge found in Christ, not playing hide-and-seek with the truth. Proverbs 1:7 practically shouts, "Hey, fools! Wisdom is where it's at, so don't despise it like a soggy sandwich." And let's not forget God's exasperated sigh in Hosea 4:6, saying, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten your God’s law, I will also forget your children.”
Seriously, friends, ignorance is not bliss—it's a recipe for disaster!
Wrapping it up
Don't let anyone tell you that Paul was anti-intellectual. He engaged with philosophers, employed logical reasoning, and valued discernment. He knew that faith and intellect could go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly, or like Paul and his trusty pen.
It is important to be clear. The Bible does not promote pursuing, stupidity, Ignorance, Intelligence, or intellect! The scriptures encourage those who read them to pursue one thing Christ and his Kingdom. The straight-up warning here is against pride. Paul addresses prideful thinking and shows how worldly wisdom will never make sense of the Cross. We would all do well to heed his words.
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