Age Debater Discussion Disputer Expounder Foolish Foolishness Hasn't Investigator Law Lawyer Love Philosopher Present Questions Scholar Scribe Shown Utter Wisdom Wise World's
1:20 Where [is] the wise? where [is] the {o} scribe? where [is] the {p} disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
(o) Where are you, O you learned fellow, and you that spend your days in turning your books?
(p) You that spend all your time in seeking out the secret things of this world, and in expounding all hard questions: and thus he triumphs against all the men of this world, for there was not one of them that could so much as dream of this secret and hidden mystery.
1:20 Where [is] the wise? The Greek philosophers. In Greek, the term philosopher means a lover of wisdom.
The scribe? The scribes were the Jewish learned class.
The disputer of this world? Probably the Greek teachers who disputed daily in the public places (Ac 19:9).
Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? All their worldly wisdom is excluded from the gospel.
1:20 Where is the wise? and c. - The deliverance of Judea from Sennacherib is what Isaiah refers to in these words; in a bold and beautiful allusion to which, the apostle in the clause that follows triumphs over all the opposition of human wisdom to the victorious gospel of Christ. What could the wise men of the gentiles do against this? or the Jewish scribes? or the disputers of this world? - Those among both, who, proud of their acuteness, were fond of controversy, and thought they could confute all opponents. Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world - That is, shown it to be very foolishness. Isaiah 33:18
1:17-25 Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully applied, appears foolishness to those in the way to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, and ambitious, alike see that the gospel opposes their favourite pursuits. But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified, than in all his other works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of man's boasted reason, and the event has shown that human wisdom is folly, and is unable to find or retain the knowledge of God as the Creator. It pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. By the foolishness of preaching; not by what could justly be called foolish preaching. But the thing preached was foolishness to wordly-wise men. The gospel ever was, and ever will be, foolishness to all in the road to destruction. The message of Christ, plainly delivered, ever has been a sure touchstone by which men may learn what road they are travelling. But the despised doctrine of salvation by faith in a crucified Saviour, God in human nature, purchasing the church with his own blood, to save multitudes, even all that believe, from ignorance, delusion, and vice, has been blessed in every age. And the weakest instruments God uses, are stronger in their effects, than the strongest men can use. Not that there is foolishness or weakness in God, but what men consider as such, overcomes all their admired wisdom and strength.
Age Discussion Expounder Foolish Foolishness Hasn't Lawyer Present Questions Scholar Scribe Shown Utter Wisdom Wise World World's
Age Discussion Expounder Foolish Foolishness Hasn't Lawyer Present Questions Scholar Scribe Shown Utter Wisdom Wise World World's
