Sometimes you can get at the central meaning of a passage by noticing frequently used words: WISDOM or WISE (14), FOOLISH or FOOLISHNESS (6), POWER or POWER OF GOD (3), PREACH (4).

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." v.18

Verse 17 introduces 3 of the 4 most common words: preach, wisdom, and power.

Verse 18 is the thesis statement of the entire section.

It defines for us what the gospel is (not just any good news) but the "message of the cross."

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing"

It condemns our morality, it demeans our good efforts; it wipes them all away and says that they are totally worthless. To tell a man that all of his efforts and all it is impressive record of achievement is worth nothing in God's sight, that it does not make him one degree more acceptable, it is nothing but wasted effort. He will call that doctrine silly, absurd.

So little did St. Paul seek for popularity or immediate success, that this was the very doctrine which he put in the forefront, even at a city so responsive to the subject of human wisdom.

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life." 2 Co 2:15

"but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

A power that God excerpts upon a man or women which changes the direction of their heart, gives them victory over sin, as well as peace and joy. A whole new life begins.

"For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." v.19

Quoted from Is. 29:14

Paul illustrated his point by an example of Israel who, following humanly wise counsel, formed an alliance with Egypt as a defense against Assyria, when in fact only the miraculous intervention of God was able to save them.

The key to understanding what Paul is saying about worldly wisdom in found in verse 21, "the world through its wisdom did not know him"

Greek's couldn't, by their own wisdom, find the true God, so they invented the best god's they could think of. Zeus (King of Heaven, Sky, Weather, Fate, Kingship), Poseidon (King of the Seas, Rivers, Earthquakes, Horses), Apollo (Music, Prophecy, Education, Healing & Disease), Artemis (Hunting, Wild Animals, Children, Choirs, Disease ), Aphrodite (Love, Beauty, Pleasure, Procreation), Ares (War, Battle, Manliness).

These god's have human temperaments; anger, vindictive, jealous, revengeful. They would give birth to others god's. Where did these ideas come from? From Greek wisdom, philosophy, and human reasoning.

"What is the major fault of the wisdom of man? Well, despite his pretentious claims to have penetrated the secrets of life, he is failed to discover the knowledge the greatest fact of all -- God himself. The great being behind all that exists is God, and for man to ignore and leave out of his thinking the most important fact of all is nothing but stupidity." Ray Stedman

God always encourages the discovery of truth. He gave his minds to use. There is nothing anti-intellectual in the Scriptures. Man is given the gift of reason to search out the truth. To investigate into any realm of knowledge is perfectly right and proper. To discover the laws of physics, to investigate the wonders of the human body, of medicine, to discover the secrets of the stars, with the secrets of the workings of the human mind, these are all perfectly right.

"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" v.20

The brilliance of man cannot appreciate the plan of God

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Is 55:8-9

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." v.21

Not the "foolishness of preaching" but of what "was preached."

This foolish message is mentioned in verse 23 as, "we preach Christ crucified...foolishness to Gentiles."

"Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom 22, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles 23, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." v.22-24

An amplification of v.18

"Jews demand miraculous signs . . . a stumbling block to Jews" v.22.

They crave for some outward miraculous exhibition to call forth their belief.

They had for centuries been looking for a regal and victorious Messiah, who should exalt their special privileges. The notion of a suffering and humiliated Messiah, who reduced them to the level of all God’s other children, was to them “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence”

"Christ the power of God" v.24

J We remember the mess of Watergate and the sickening discovery of a basic phone is so deeply involved in our whole national life that it touched the highest office in the land. Associated with it was an arrogant, ruthless young lawyer named Charles Colson. Now we have the story of how the word of the crossed reach the "hatchet man" of the Nixon administration, and he is now devoting his life to the rescue of men in prison. He has been changed by the power of God.

"(Christ) The wisdom of God" v.24, see v.30

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength." v.25

The arrogance of man sets itself above God. Its reason and wisdom would judge and condemn God and his practices.

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”" Ro 11:33-34

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth" v.26.

God shows that he has not favored the wise, influential, or those of noble birth, therefore, we should not seek to connect with God through those avenues.

"At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." Luke 10:21

All this was a frequent taunt against Christians. Christianity came to redeem and elevate, not the few, but the many.

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong 27. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are 28 so that no one may boast before him." v.27-29

Spurgeon's conversion by a simple farmer, repeating "trust in the light."

So boasting will be eliminated v.9. "Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." v.31.

To humble human pride, collapsed the platform of prestige, and shatter the illusion of self-sufficiency.

The pride of man came to life at the Fall. The devil said "You shall be as gods." This pride has been the curse of man’s existence - it has separated him from God, and led to endless sinful acts. When God works in man, a first effect is the abasement of pride.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."

Eph 2:8-9

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." v.30

WISDOM

From him we learn what to choose, reject, pursue, enjoy, in daily life. He teaches how to live.

"in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" Col 2:3.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Jas 1:5

RIGHTEOUSNESS

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Co 5:21

He took our sins and gave us his righteousness.

SANCTIFICATION.

Not only is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, the character of Christ must also be reproduced in us; and this is the work of the Holy Spirit in our progressive sanctification.

Every part of the nature - spirit, soul, body; every activity of thought, affection, desire, purpose; all are transformed into the likeness of Christ.

REDEMPTION

This is the greater word encompassing both imputed righteousness and progressive sanctification.

It refers to our complete deliverance from all evil, and eternal bliss both of soul and body. He is our deliverer from guilt, from hell, from sin, from the power of Satan, from the grave.

Here the apostle plainly refers to the Jewish practice of redeeming relatives that had been sold for debt. They could be redeemed, by paying the price of redemption.

The wisest thing we can do in life is to humble submit to the Jesus Christ, both a Savior and Lord. Who will give us 1) all the real wisdom we need in life, 2) the very righteousness of Christ, 3) who change us to be like himself in this life, and will 4) redeem us out of a world of sin to be his very own for all eternity.