¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. ¹⁹ For it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and I will set aside the understanding of the experts.

²⁰ Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? ²¹ For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. ²² For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. ²⁴ Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, ²⁵ because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

1) What is the message of the cross? Why is it foolishness?
The “message of the cross” is the gospel. The bold declaration that sinners can be freed from sin and attain a relationship with the Holy God, though we are sinful, simply by believing in His Name and His completed work of sacrifice, where our own “good deeds” are sin-filled. Every idea behind the gospel was foolish to the then-current-day onlookers. Life gained from death, blessing coming from the curse of “hanging on a tree” (Deut 21:23), and salvation by the one who was condemned. None of what they knew lined up with what they saw and heard preached – it was absurd and ludicrous.

2) Where does the quote in verse 19 come from? How is it significant?
In verse 19, Paul is quoting Isaiah 29:14, which had been written hundreds of years before Christ, but was intended to shine a spotlight forward to a time when all the best wisdom that could be manufactured by the wisest of the wise and most learned, would be trumped out by the far surpassing wisdom of God in the person and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The grand story of redemptive love that began in the Garden and continues even in this moment today and into eternal life is far beyond human comprehension or design.

3) Verse 21 sounds confusing. What does it mean?
Paul is making a strong point that zeros in on humanity’s weakness despite our many claims at attaining goodness or wisdom or advances in our understanding. He underscores that, no matter what our attempts at being wise are, we are still utterly far away from bringing ourselves into a relationship with the Holy God, which, in the greatest of ironies, God uses what we would view as foolishness, the “message of the cross”, to effectually bring about the otherwise impossible and reconcile us to Himself in a perfect relationship.

4) What is behind the mentioning of Jews and Greeks in verses 22-25?
The unbelieving Jews demanded a sign of Christ’s divinity, but nothing they witnessed seemed to measure up because they were waiting for a king who would overthrow Roman rule and save them from physical tyranny. The unbelieving Greeks were similar to our modern-day “new age movement”. They wanted wisdom, they sought after higher learning, sciences, and were Gnostics at their core. Of course, the cross was laughable to them because it made no scientific sense. It wasn’t reasonable. Why trust in the One who couldn’t even save Himself? BUT, to those who believe, to those who saw with eyes of faith the incredible mystery of God’s deep love hidden away in the “foolishness of the cross”, the gospel is precious life!

1) What is the message of the cross? Why is it foolishness?
The father in the story of the Prodigal Son disgraced himself, by all accounts foolishly, for an undeserving son. In that image we see the scars of the Son of God and know that we are assuredly loved. If the God of the Universe was willing to publicly disgrace himself and turn the wisdom of the world upside down to bring us into a relationship with Himself, though we ourselves are disgracefully sinful, there is absolutely nothing we could do that will separate us from His ceaseless love! God’s wisdom has brought us into a relationship of infinite power and love because we are hidden by His righteousness and not our own!

2) Where does verse 19 effect my everyday?
It can be easy to feel defeated when it comes to all the “wisdom” swirling around us. All the “proof” that seems to mount against believing in a knowable, loving God. How can we defend our faith and beliefs in the face of uncertain politics, persuasive arguments against the existence of God, and tragedies that leave our hearts hurting and our minds unsettled? Though there are plenty of very sound arguments to defend the Christian faith, we can rest soundly in knowing that, for all the wisdom the world can offer, the wisdom of our God supersedes it all. And by it, we are made secure and safe by the precious blood of the sacrificial Lamb of God!

3) Verse 21 sounds confusing. What does it mean?
Knowing that on our own we are impossibly far away from God, that we will die in our sins, and spend eternity in condemnation is endlessly hopeless. BUT at the same time, that truth combined with the unconditional loving offer of salvation from Christ, brings ultimate freedom. There is nothing we can do to attain peace with God. Blessedly. YES! All the work has been graciously done for us by a Father who was willingly disgraced for the sake of restoration; we need only to accept His work and admit our own failings without Him!

4) What is behind the mentioning of Jews and Greeks in verses 22-25?
God rarely shows up in the way we expect and always does more than we can imagine possible. But, we have to be willing to look for His ways, not ours. His understanding, not ours. His plans, not ours. When our wisdom says it’s impossible and hopeless, the Father who relentlessly loves us proves us wrong and shows up to blow us away with His grace and mercy in ways we couldn’t imagine.

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