1 Corinthians 1:20-25: a reflection

20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. 22For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God; 25because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Paul confronts the world's confidence in its own wisdom with the surprising way of God: We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, but to those who are called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. The message of a crucified Savior looked like weakness and folly to the world, which sought signs and clever wisdom; but this apparent foolishness and weakness was in fact God's wisdom and strength. As Paul puts it, the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. God's way in the cross surpasses all human wisdom and strength, though the world counts it folly.

Notice the paradox Paul names: what looks like foolishness and weakness in the cross is God's wisdom and strength. The world sought wisdom and signs, and the message of a crucified Savior seemed to offer neither, only weakness and folly. But in that very cross, which the world despised, God worked salvation, and showed a wisdom and strength surpassing anything human wisdom could reach. What the world called foolish was wiser than human wisdom; what it called weak was stronger than human strength. God's way did not conform to the world's measures of wisdom and strength; it surpassed them, in the very place the world saw only defeat.

That is worth taking to heart, for God's ways may look foolish or weak to the world, yet surpass all human wisdom and strength. We can be tempted to measure by the world's standards, to trust human wisdom and strength and to despise what seems foolish or weak; but God worked salvation through the cross, which the world counted folly, and his way surpassed all human wisdom. What looks foolish or weak in God's way may be wiser and stronger than anything the world offers. Do not despise God's way because it looks foolish or weak by the world's measures; the cross the world called folly is the wisdom and power of God. Trust God's way even when it looks foolish or weak to the world, for it surpasses all human wisdom and strength, as Paul says the foolishness of God is wiser than men; for God worked our salvation through the cross the world despised, and his way, which looks like folly and weakness, is in truth wiser and stronger than all that human wisdom can devise.

Lord, Paul confronts the world's confidence in its own wisdom with the surprising way of you: we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, but to those who are called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. The message of a crucified Savior looked like weakness and folly to the world, which sought signs and clever wisdom; but this apparent foolishness and weakness was in fact your wisdom and strength. As Paul puts it, the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Your way in the cross surpasses all human wisdom and strength, though the world counts it folly. Show me the paradox Paul names: what looks like foolishness and weakness in the cross is your wisdom and strength. The world sought wisdom and signs, and the message of a crucified Savior seemed to offer neither. But in that very cross, which the world despised, you worked salvation, and showed a wisdom and strength surpassing anything human wisdom could reach. Your way did not conform to the world's measures; it surpassed them, in the very place the world saw only defeat. Take that to my heart, for your ways may look foolish or weak to the world, yet surpass all human wisdom and strength. I can be tempted to measure by the world's standards, to trust human wisdom and strength and to despise what seems foolish or weak; but you worked salvation through the cross. Keep me from despising your way because it looks foolish or weak by the world's measures; the cross the world called folly is your wisdom and power, Lord. Help me trust your way even when it looks foolish or weak to the world, for it surpasses all human wisdom and strength.