TEACHING NOTES Introduction The first four chapters of 1 Corinthians focuses on divisions within the church. In 1 Cor. 1:10-17 we learned that the Corinthian church was divided into “fan clubs” for various apostles and teachers. Paul’s solution to that problem is unity around Jesus, who is the only one deserving of our devotion. In this session, we will learn that there were also divisions between Jews and Greeks. More specifically, there was division between what Jews and Greeks view as important—namely, signs and wisdom (philosophy). ‌ 1 Corinthians 1:18–19 ESV 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” ‌ The word of the cross = Paul is referring to the Gospel message, which he will lay out clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 “3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” ‌ Folly to those perishing = The idea that God became human and was crucified seemed completely ridiculous—to both Jews and Greeks. Why? Because the Jews were expecting a Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and reestablish Israel’s nation, not a Messiah who would be crucified. In Greek religion, the gods represent power and might—not love and compassion. Greek gods have no love for humans and would never stoop so low as to become a human and certainly would not allow themselves to be killed by humans. ‌ Side Note: Why would people worship unloving gods? It’s natural to wonder why ancient people worshiped gods who did not love or care for them. This seems odd to modern people until we understand why they worshiped these gods. Pagans worshiped gods of power and might in hopes to be embodied with or receive the power and strength of their gods. Pagans worshiped fertility gods in hopes that they would receive fertility. They worshiped storm gods (like Baal or Zeus) in hopes for rain. In other words, pagans worshiped the gods of the things they wanted to receive. Or they worshiped for selfish gain. ‌ To the saved it is the power of God = Compare with Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” The Gospel may seem foolish to those who reject it, but to those who believe it is the power of God to save. Paul is making this point because both Jewish and Gentile unbelievers saw the Gospel as ridiculous. The Jews thought that a crucified Messiah was silly. Gentiles thought that a God who became a human was silly. ‌ It is written = Paul quotes from the Greek version (Septuagint) of Isaiah 29:14 “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” We must remember that when a New Testament author quotes from Old Testament, we are supposed to go read the entire context of the quote. In the context of Isaiah 29 God is rebuking the Israelites because “this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men” (Isa. 29:13). ‌ How would God destroy the wisdom of the wise? By saving the world in a way that was opposite of what everyone expected. God created a way of salvation that not even the wisest pagan nor the Jewish scribe could have seen coming. God did what no one was expecting. ‌ 1 Corinthians 1:20–21 ESV 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. ‌ The one who is wise = Grk. sophos - wise man. Literally, “Where is the wise guy?” Paul is referring to Greek philosophers. While Athens was the famed city of Greek philosophy, Corinth was only 52 miles away. Corinth was also known for being steeped in Greek philosophy and religion. The proconsul Gallio was the brother of the famous Greek philosopher Seneca. ‌ Scribe = Grk. grammateus - While this term can refer to a city secretary or clerk, like in Acts 19:35, it usually refers to a Jewish Torah expert. In the context of this passage, which is about division between Jews and Greeks, Paul is likely referring to a Jewish expert of Torah. A Jewish scribe was not only responsible for copying and protecting the scrolls, but they were also tasked with teaching the Torah. ‌ Debater of this age = Grk. syzetetes tou aionos - a skilled rhetorician, philosopher. The Greeks loved gathering to debate philosophy. Philosophers were trained in logic and rhetoric for the purpose of debating in search of some kind of truth. The Greek word for debater (synetetes) comes from the root zeteo, which means “to seek, look for, desire.” Greek philosophers were constantly trying to figure out how the world and morality works. While modern people tend to hold ancient Greek philosophers in high regard, their writings show that they advocated for many things that are disgusting and criminal. ‌ The world did not know God through wisdom = Greeks who were raised in Corinth would have been taught to place high value on “wisdom” or philosophy. Most of the famous philosophers of the ancient world were Greeks—like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all of whom were from Athens (100 miles from Corinth). The governor of Corinth was Gallio, who was the brother of renowned philosopher Seneca. Paul is saying that even the best human philosophies cannot lead us to knowing God. ‌ The folly of what we preach saves = The seemingly foolish Gospel is actually the only saving wisdom of God. Notice Paul is clear that only those who believe this “foolish” Gospel are saved by it. This means that those who believe the Gospel see it as wisdom rather than foolish. ‌ What’s the problem here? The problem that Paul addressing is the Jews and Greeks think they are wise. Both the Jews and Greeks were boasting about their wisdom and dividing the church. Paul wants both groups to see that the Gospel makes all their wisdom foolish. ‌ 1 Corinthians 1:22–25 ESV 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. ‌ Jews demand signs = Matthew 12:38–39 tell us, “38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” These Jewish leaders had already seen Jesus perform many “signs” or miracles, but it was never enough for them. Just as Scripture says, “those who love money never have enough” (Eccl. 5:10) so also those who love signs will never be satisfied. ‌ Greek seek wisdom = While Jews were obsessed with signs and miracles, the Greeks were obsessed with “wisdom” or really philosophy. The Greek word for wisdom is sophia, which the Greeks defined as “the capacity to understand.” Therefore, the Greeks understood wisdom as high intelligence and knowledge. This is different from how ancient Jews defined wisdom. The Hebrew word for wisdom is hokmah, which is more about experience and action than intelligence and systematic thinking. ‌ We preach Christ crucified = A crucified Savior was “a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to Gentiles.” The Greek word for stumbling block is skandalon, which is where we get our word “scandal.” A crucified Messiah scandalized the Jews who viewed a crucified person as cursed. Ironically, it was the Jewish leaders who demanded Jesus’ crucifixion in the first place. In other words, they committed the scandal and then accused the Gospel of being scandalous! ‌ To those who are called = The Greek word for “called” is kletois (from the root kaleo), which means “to be summoned or brought near.” Paul uses this word repeatedly to refer to those who have accepted God’s call to salvation and relationship. The sharing of the Gospel is how God calls people to Himself. When we believe, we have accepted God’s call to be brought into relationship. ‌ Christ is the power and wisdom of God = The idea that Christ is the wisdom of God is deeply ingrained in Paul’s Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). Proverbs 8:22-31 is the famous Old Testament passage teaching that “when He [God] marked out the foundations of the earth” wisdom was “beside Him, like a master workman” (Prov. 8:29-30). This is the same passage that John had in mind when he wrote John 1:1–3 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Jesus has been the wisdom and power of God since before creation. ‌ 1 Corinthians 1:26–27 ESV 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ‌ Consider your calling = This is Paul’s way of saying, “remember what you were called out of when you believed.” In Paul’s writings to former pagans, he often reminds them of who they used to be and urges them not to go back to their former way of life and behavior. In this context, Paul saying “don’t go back to Greek philosophy and Jewish mysticism.” ‌ Not many of you were wise, powerful, noble = Corinth was heavily populated with what we would call “blue-collar” people. In the port city of Corinth, there were many sailors, dock workers, shipping merchants, tent makers, bronze miners, blacksmiths, and stone workers/carvers. Essentially, Paul is encouraging these regular people by pointing out that the Gospel is for regular people. ‌ God chose foolishness to shame the wise = The wise in this world could have never devised God’s way of salvation (the Gospel). God used something that prideful philosophers see as foolish to show them how foolish they really are. ‌ God chose weakness to shame the strong = God shamed the strong by making His crucified and resurrected Son the Lord of all lords. ‌ 1 Corinthians 1:28–29 ESV 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. ‌ God chose what is low and despised = In the Greco-Roman culture of Corinth, class divisions were foundation to society. This is why Paul mentioned “noble birth” earlier, because in Greek culture a person’s status at birth determined their status for life in most cases. One could not “climb the ladder” in an honor-shame society. If you were born to peasant parents, you were a peasant for life. There were only a few ways to get out of your social class—like being adopted by an elite family or perhaps by exemplary military service. It is into this culture that the Gospel declares the lowly as children of God and elevated in the kingdom of God. ‌ Things that are not = God’s name, YHWH or Yahweh, literally means “He who brings into being.” Yahweh has always been the God who creates things out of nothing. Contrary to pagan creation myths which taught that the gods created the world out of things already in existence, Yahweh creates out of nothing. Yahweh also created Israel as a completely new nation/people. In the same way, God can make people who are no one and make them someone through the Gospel. ‌ Bring to nothing things that are = The nations and rulers of the world are arrogant and prideful in thinking that they have created their world out of their own power and strength. God brings their pride to ruin by making a lowly Jewish man the King of kings. ‌ So that no one can boast in the presence of God = On judgment day, no one will be able to stand in the presence of God and boast about themselves. In Christ, there is no one elevated above another. Everyone is a sinner in need of grace. The Gospel brings the exalted and the lowly to level ground. ‌ 1 Corinthians 1:30–31 ESV 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ‌ You are in Christ Jesus = Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” repeatedly in all of his writings. This is deeply relational language and speaks to being identified with Christ and being part of Christ. ‌ Christ became wisdom to us = The longer we believe and stay faithful to Jesus the more we see His wisdom and power. John’s Gospel opens with referring to Jesus as the Word (Grk. Logos), which is a reference to the wisdom of God. ‌ Righteousness = Grk. dikaiosyne - justice, relational order and peace. This is not simply doing right things, but being right with someone relationally. Christ provided the way of being reconciled and right with God. ‌ Sanctification = Grk. hagiasmos - holiness, set apart as unique, dedicated for a divine purpose. While sanctification includes moral improvement, the meaning of holiness is mostly about being different than the world and serving God alone. In the Old Testament, the furniture in the temple was called holy to the LORD. Furniture can neither be moral nor immoral, so that cannot be the meaning. The items used in the temple were set apart for divine use and were not to be used for anything else. In the same way, we are devoted to God and set apart for His will. ‌ Redemption = Grk. apolytrosis - deliverance, release, ransomed. This term is often associated with slavery. In the Israelite mind, the Exodus is the foundational concept of salvation. Therefore, salvation is about being saved from an enemy who held us captive (sin/satan, death). The cross purified us from sin and the resurrection defeated death. In early Christianity, baptism was seen as leaving Egypt (satan’s kingdom) and entering the kingdom of God. ‌ It is written = Paul is summarizing from Jeremiah 9:23–24 “23 Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’” ‌ Modern Connection: Two Extremes ‌ 1. Obsession with Theological Debates While theological debates have always existed, it became more prevalent during the middle ages in the western church. Theologians became overly interested in “explaining” the Gospel with reason and logic. This kind of thinking is referred to today as “systematic theology” and is extremely popular today. People in this camp often find themselves arguing endlessly over terms and ideas that are not even in the Bible. Many in this group tend to be guilty of pride and arrogance—thinking they are the guardians of truth/doctrine for everyone else. ‌ 2. Obsession with Signs & Wonders Just as the Jews during Jesus’ day were constantly asking Jesus to do more signs, many Christians today are doing the same. While praying for a miracle is not wrong, it can become an obsession. If we need more signs and wonders to believe or stay faithful, we have become like the Jewish leaders who rejected Jesus. Churches that have an unhealthy focus on the miraculous are often lacking in solid biblical teaching. ‌ What’s the problem? Whether the obsession is with theological debates or with signs and wonders, both groups are looking for more than what God has already said and done. Obsessive theologians can add terms and concepts to the Bible. Obsession with miracles is asking God to prove Himself. Both extremes are wrong and lead us to be constantly distracted from simple obedience and faithfulness. ‌ Conclusion What God has already said and done is more than enough for us to stay faithful. ‌ Next Week: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 ‌