1 Corinthians 1:18-20 (WEL) The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are on the path of destruction, 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 will bring to nothing the understanding of those who understand.” [Isaiah 29:14] 20 Where are the wise? Where is the scribe? Where are the clever debaters of this world? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
V18 The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are on the path of destruction, but to us, who are being saved, it is the power of God.
The Gospel of Jesus is foolishness to non-Christians. Why? Thinking it is not logical (Why would God kill his son? I must have to do something, some ritual, etc. I’m good enough, why would I need Jesus?). There is nothing one can do. God offers salvation and after conviction and the understanding opened (John 16:8, Acts 16:14, and Acts 26:18), God expects one to believe the Gospel. After one believes then they are regenerated (Romans 1:17 (righteousness after/caused by faith), Romans 5:1 (justification after/caused by faith), Romans 9:30 (righteousness after/caused by faith), Galatians 2:16 (justification after/caused by faith), Galatians 2:20 (spiritual life after/caused by faith), and Galatians 3:2 (indwelling Holy Spirit after/caused by faith).
Path of destruction applies to both physical and spiritual things. Physically, it refers to the death of the fleshly body. Spiritually, it is eternal death in hell.
We are being saved (delivered) from the worldview, lifestyle, thinking/reason, rules, desires, attitudes, etc., of this world’s system of evil.
The Cross is the power of God, that is, the Gospel, when believed, results in a new creation, new worldview, lifestyle, thinking/reason, rules, desires, attitudes, etc. The thinking/reason refers to acceptance of reality as truth rather than our opinion.
V19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of those who understand.” [Isaiah 29:14]
The wise are philosophers. The perceptive recognize and analyze quickly. The thinking/reason of this world results in problems and contentions for people who disagree on truth. This will be destroyed. God Himself will destroy it.
The Greek word for those who understand (understanding ones) is G4908 συνετός sunetós, which means (Word Study Dictionary) “to reason out, perceive, understand. Intelligent, sagacious, discerning.”
(Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged – Little Kittel)) shares these points:
- the reference is to knowledge of the law and a pious mode of life—Luke 2:20
- in Stephen’s speech—Acts 6:3 and Acts 6:10
- Jesus’ wisdom causes astonishment—Matthew 7:29
Barclay (beware) comments: “Both to the cultured Greek and to the pious Jew, the story that Christianity had to tell sounded like the sheerest folly. Paul begins by making free use of two quotations from Isaiah (Isa 29:14; Isa 33:18) to show how mere human wisdom is bound to fail. He cites the undeniable fact that for all its wisdom, the world had never found God and was still blindly and gropingly seeking him. That very search was designed by God to show men their own helplessness and so to prepare the way for the acceptance of him who is the one true way.”
Box: “God has shown us that the wisdom of this world is foolishness. How can you tell the wise from the foolish? True wisdom comes from God and His truth. God was wise and decided not to allow the people of this world to use their wisdom to learn about Him through the gospel. Sadly, the preaching of the cross is counted by many to be foolishness because of human wisdom.”
The understanding of those who understand is a play on one Greek word.
The Greek word for understanding is a noun G4907 σύνεσις súnesis, which means (Word Study Dictionary): “to comprehend, reason out. Comprehension, perception, understanding. The word denotes the ability to understand concepts and see relationships between them.”
The Greek word for understand is an adjective G4908 συνετός sunetós, which means [a person who is able] to reason out, perceive, understand, [thus,] intelligent, sagacious, discerning.
What is the meaning of these two similar Koine Greek words σύνεσις and συνετός? Felo AI summarizes: “While both words relate to understanding, σύνεσις focuses on the process of understanding itself, whereas συνετός emphasizes the quality of being wise or prudent as a result of that understanding. In essence, σύνεσις is about the cognitive ability to comprehend, while συνετός describes the character of a person who effectively applies that understanding in a wise manner.”
V20 Where are the wise? Where is the scribe? Where are the clever debaters of this world? Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
The wise are the intellectual elites who think preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is foolishness. How did God turn worldly wisdom into foolishness? No one can understand salvation by faith by means of their reasoning abilities. It takes a work of God (prevenient grace) to free the will and convict each individual of their sin.
We learn:
- Human effort is unable to understand the Gospel.
- Only God can bring understanding (Acts 16:14).
Questions:
- Do you understand the Gospel and believe?
- Did God open your eyes and mind to your lost spiritual condition?