1 Corinthians 1: 18-31

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God
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.”
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[a] to save those who believe. 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.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[b] 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; 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[c] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[d] 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.”


Vocabulary isn't my thing so bear with me here! :) A couple words I had to look into to make sure I fully understood what I was reading. Yes, folly means foolish. Also in verse 19 thwart is used, that's not a word I regularly use in my day to day so I looked that up too, the meaning is prevent.


I really enjoyed reading this exert speaking about verses 18-20. Paul makes it clear that there are only two categories of people: the “perishing” and the “saved.” Ultimately, all must fall into one of these two classes; there is no other.9 Paul writes that those who are perishing consider the word of the cross “foolishness.”10 Five times in eight verses, Paul will use a form of the word “foolishness.” Now it will help you to know the basic Greek word ismoria. In 1:25 it appears as an adjective—moros.11 I probably don’t have to tell you that we get the English word “moron” from this Greek word. It has the idea of something that is ridiculous, ignorant, stupid, and contemptible. If someone were to say, “You moron!” you would be insulted, and properly so. But that is the very word that Paul uses here—and not just once, but five times. What Paul is saying is this: Most people consider the cross to be moronic! Now there are countless reasons for this, but at the top of the list has to be that the cross offends our pride. The word of the cross is that salvation is freely granted by God’s grace, not human merit or intellect. Furthermore, salvation is extended to all people. This levels the ground at the foot of the cross. Everyone comes to God through faith, based upon the work of Jesus Christ. This offends man’s pride. https://bible.org/seriespage/3-wise-fool-1-corinthians-118-25
As I read through this for another time I really love that he points out the 2 categories perishing and saved. That until we are saved we are perishing. I also like that it's action verses past tense.
There is SO much packed into the last few verses but the one that stuck with me the most is verse 30: And because of him[d] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Jesus=Redemption. I needed this SO much this week.
No matter how united or divided we are it's so good to hear that we have been redeemed, forgiven and WE ARE LOVED!
Tell us about your week!


Next up: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5