The Wise Foolishness

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraclous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
1 Corinthians 1:20-25

In this passage, Paul invites his readers to consider two kinds of people: the student of secular genius and the student of religious doctrine.

The Greek philosphers in Paul's day relied on the weight of their ideas. 'What is Justice? What is Courage? What is the Soul?' These were the answers they looked for.

In a world of pain and sorrow, the Greeks longed for something to transcend the year to year events, fortune and, yes, even history itself!

Imagine, approaching such a person and saying, 'The only solution is a man who lived at such-and-such a time and died on a cross.'

'How foolish!' They might say. Yes, but here we have the foolishness of God.

What can equality and equitability teach a man who fails to see his indebitedness to God?

What burden do thoughts and ideas bear to show their concern for anyone? Do they even lift a finger?

In the same way, the religious scholar is undone by his wisdom.

The Jews were fully aware of God's all powerful rule over the earth. They believed He would send a Messiah to save His people.

Imagine approaching such a person and telling them, 'Yes, it is all as you say, although it must be added that this Messiah -the very one who is foretold to deliver his people- will die a criminal's death on a cross.'

In the Jewish way of viewing it, this was to say God was not powerful enough to fulfill His promises, or maybe He sometimes found injustices to be acceptable, or perhaps He was indifferent to the prayers of His people.

To the Jews, this was a stumbling block ... something that caused people to err.


The word Paul chose to describe the Jewish reaction is 'skandalon', related to our word scandal. Paul claimed that to unbelievers, the gospel seemed scandalous.

The Greek critic of the gospel and the Jewish critic of the gospel were very similar in this regard: both were offended.

As Kierkegaard noted, offense is a form of hidden admiration.

There is a well-remembered phrase from the Shakespearean tragedy, Hamlet. The Queen hears a woman contend that 'she will never remarry, even if her husband dies', to which the Queen responds, 'The lady protests too much methinks'.

The woman is offended at the suggestion she will remarry, and so, in her shock she extensively defends herself saying she will never remarry. And the Queen, who has conspired in the death of her husband and remarried, is offended with the offence of the woman and protests her protests.

Beneath the veil of offence lies concealed approval.

This covering, this mask, is the doom of those who reject the gospel. Paul notes that it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.

The world has changed little over the years. The resistence it holds against heaven is certainly unwavering.

Like every culture before it, Greek culture has fallen.

Like every temple where God does not dwell, Herod's temple has fallen.

Yet the people of this age trust in their lofty ideas and in their religious appearances.

We send our sons off to college and tell them, 'If you study hard, people will respect you, and you will prosper.' And we tell them, 'If you appear to be religious you will gain the confidence of others and prosper.'

Do we truly desire to stand on such flimsy stones?

The foolishness of God is wiser than all the wisdom of the world. It says, 'Though I may fail to find prosperity in the world, I may still find prosperity in knowing my Jesus and the foolishness which is true wisdom.'

The death Christ died is stronger than all the strength of the world and its wavering alliances. For truly, Christ did not allow even death itself to stand in the way of his obedience and devotion to the Father.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'
1 Corinthians 1:30-31