With a renewed mind and spirit we are now looking into 1Corinthians 1 and verse 18 where my study Bibles show that this area is subtitled, "Christ the Wisdom and Power of GOD," or "The Wisdom of GOD." Notice that because of my respect for the Father that I have capitalized God to GOD just as I have also done with Lord to LORD as in the OT. When it speaks of the man Jesus as Lord I'll leave it alone but where it speaks of him as LORD I again capitalize who He is.
1Corinthians 1:18-25 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written (by Isaiah in 29:14), "'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'" Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (KJV)
1Corinthians 1:18-25 "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. For it is written (by Isaiah in 29:14), "'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.'" 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? 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. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (ESV)
1Corinthians 1:18-25 "To their own loss the message of the cross seems foolish to some; but to us who discovered our salvation there, it is the dynamic of GOD. Isaiah wrote: "'I will confuse the wisdom of the "so-called" wise and prove their experts wrong!'" (Isaiah 29:14) GOD's wisdom puts the rest out of business (out of balance, not in agreement of harmony)! They have all closed shop; the philosophers, the academics, the smooth-talkers, the lot! (When it comes to real answers to the dilemmas of humanity, GOD's wisdom, revealed in the foolishness of the cross, is the currency of this GOD's Gospel.) By suspicious scrutiny the sense-ruled world surveys the works of GOD in creation and still does not recognize or acknowledge him; in sharp contrast to this, the foolishness of this message we proclaim brings GOD's work of mans redeeming his image in us into faith's focus. (What we preach cancels out every basis for boasting in personal achievement of contribution, which seems folly to the DIY systems of the world.) The Jews crave signs (to confirm their doubts) while the Greeks revel in philosophical debate! (And the Muslim sick to their own twisted law. All groups are addicted to the same soul realm.) The crucified Christ is the message we public proclaim, to the disgust of the Jew while the Greek (and Muslim) thinks we are wacky! The dynamic of GOD's wisdom is the fact that both Jew, Muslim and Greek are equally included and defined in Christ. It seems so foolish that GOD should die humanity's death on the cross; it seems so weak of GOD to suffer such insult; yet their wisest schemes and most powerful display of genius cannot even begin to comprehend or compete with GOD in his weakest moment on the cross." (The Mirror)
Again by way of reminded I take liberty to edit the Mirror portion as needed. Until our next visit may the LORD increase your understanding of Him. Then the LORD willing we shall pick this study up again at verse 26.
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