We have all heard the phrase that one should never bring up religion or politics with other people, mainly because those can be very hot topics. People can quickly become angry, or at the very least, offended by those discussions. The discussion of Jesus and His death on the cross for our sins makes many people angry, and it also quite often brings scoffing and scorn. This is nothing new. This is not something that has only occurred in the last fifty or so years. As we read in our Scripture today, this was also the reaction that the Apostle Paul received on a regular basis.
Have you ever tried talking about Jesus, and His sacrificial death on the cross for mankind’s sins, with unsaved people? If you don’t get the angry response mentioned above, sometimes you might be told that “you’re a fool for believing such nonsense!” Retorts like that were frequently thrown at Paul, but that didn’t surprise him, nor stop him (vs. 18). As he wrote in this epistle, the cross is “foolishness” to the lost. The natural man rejects the idea that salvation comes through a crucified Savior. They don’t like to think that they can’t save themself. And the idea that a bloody form of execution is what brings salvation is repulsive to many. The message of the cross makes no sense to the unbeliever because Satan has blinded their eyes to the truth.
However, to the saved the cross is the power of God. Salvation is not some intellectual achievement, but divine intervention. The cross is God’s means of displaying His power in redemption. The Gospel message of Jesus dying on the cross for our salvation, and rising again on the third day, is the power of God. Salvation is supernatural. Human wisdom cannot produce it. Only God’s power can.
Paul proceeded to quote Isaiah 29:14, where he showed that God has always opposed proud human reasoning (vs. 19-21). Many churches today want preaching that is intellectual, sounding like a message from a PhD candidate. Other churches today want their service to be more of a rock concert and the sermons to be more like a motivational talk. Preaching about Jesus’ death on the cross, His shed Blood paying the price for our salvation, seems foolish, even offensive to them. Philosophy, education, and intellect cannot bridge the gap between sinful man and a holy God. He chose preaching as His method of getting His message to people to save sinners, not entertainment, philosophical debate, or human eloquence. Instead, He uses the clear proclamation of Christ crucified.
Such preaching, though, does not please everyone, as Paul indicated in our Scripture (vs. 22-25). The apostle indicated two typical responses that he received, and which are also often responses today, as well. First, Paul spoke how the Jewish people who heard his message wanted to see signs that Jesus was the Messiah, who Paul claimed He was. They wanted miraculous displays of power. A Messiah who was crucified looked like weakness to them. The Greek Gentiles wanted philosophical wisdom in the message. They wanted to listen to something sophisticated. A crucified Savior looked intellectually absurd to them.
I have seen both responses today, especially the scoffing intellectual response. However, the cross upon which Jesus died shows both the power of God, along with His wisdom. What they consider “foolish” is actually wiser than man, and what they consider “weakness” is stronger than they are. What the world despises is actually God’s greatest revelation.
Paul reminded the Corinthians that there weren’t many in their congregation that were wise by the world’s standards (vs. 26-29). There weren’t many who were mighty or noble. However, God deliberately chose those whom the world considered foolish, weak, base, and despised. He did this so that no one would be able to walk around bragging that God chose them because of how smart they were, or how good looking, athletic, or wealthy. He does not want anyone to glory in His presence. Salvation is designed so that God, alone, receives the glory.
Paul ends this Scripture passage with a magnificent summary (vs. 30-31). He instructed us how Jesus Christ is made to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Jesus is God’s perfect revelation. He is our justification, our holiness, and our deliverance. Everything we have spiritually is in Christ, not in ourselves.
As we look back at this passage, we see that human wisdom cannot produce our salvation, only the power of God can. He also intentionally chooses the lowly, which would include most of us, to display His grace. God’s ordained method for saving sinners is not through some spectacular entertainment display or through a motivational or philosophical message, but through the preaching of the cross. Everything is structured so that God will receive all of the glory.
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