Sermon Tone Analysis

The Importance of the Cross (vs.

18)

The world views the cross as folly (a ridiculous thought - a wildly mistaken or unfounded opinion)

The church views the cross as power (the controlling influence)

NOTICE: Paul calls the church “us who are being saved...”

PRES / PASS / PARTICIPLE / PL / Dative / Masc

The Strategy of the Cross (20-24)

Paul launches into four rhetorical questions, the first three each have the same answer, “nowhere.”

Question 1 - Where is the one who is wise?

NOWHERE

σοφός (sophos).

adj.

wise, skillful.

Describes one who is experienced or practiced in a particular skill or possesses knowledge or education.

Question 2 - Where is the scribe?

NOWHERE

γραμματεύς (grammateus).

n. masc.

scribe, teacher of the law

Question 3 - Where is the debater of this age?

NOWHERE

skilled rhetorician; philosopher

the first three questions in v. 20 are more derisive than taunting in tone.

They are not invitations for “all comers” to enter the fray, but cries of the victor after the battle has been fought and won.

The wise, the teacher of the law, and the philosopher of this age are nowhere to be found, for their wisdom has been destroyed and their intelligence frustrated (1:19).

They have been outsmarted and upstaged.

They have nothing more to offer.

They have slunk away in defeat.

συζητητής (syzētētēs), οῦ (ou), ὁ (ho): n.masc.; ≡ Str 4804; TDNT 7.748—LN 33.441 debater, skilled rhetorician; philosopher

the first three questions in v. 20 are more derisive than taunting in tone.

They are not invitations for “all comers” to enter the fray, but cries of the victor after the battle has been fought and won.

The wise, the teacher of the law, and the philosopher of this age are nowhere to be found, for their wisdom has been destroyed and their intelligence frustrated (1:19).

They have been outsmarted and upstaged.

They have nothing more to offer.

They have slunk away in defeat.

Paul’s language reminds us that Christian members of the cultural elite (counselors, lawyers, philosophers, and the like) must be vigilant concerning the danger of unthinkingly adopting the dominant paradigms for their work (in terms of why they do what they do, what ends it might serve, etc.).

The wisdom of the cross judges the values of the world, and Christians in all walks of life must live in ways that are consistent with it.

Question 4 - Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

ABSOLUTELY

σοφός (sophos).

adj.

wise, skillful.

Describes one who is experienced or practiced in a particular skill or possesses knowledge or education.

skilled rhetorician; philosopher

to be silly, foolish

world system, godless world standards

How has God turned the wisdom of our world into silliness or foolishness?

God designed a plan where people get to Him without using their own wisdom.

“For since the world did not know God through wisdom...”

The Message: “Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God...”

God has cancelled out all human enlightenment when it comes to the subject of salvation or redemption.

“it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

“the folly of what we preach” - According to vs. 18 we preach the cross

Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God,

God is pleased or content to use the preaching of the cross to save those who believe.

Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), .

IMPORTANT: notice the contrast in vs. 21.

The world seeks to achieve their way to God by using reason, philosophy and thinking.

Instead, God only saves those who believe.

Paul continues his line of thought by highlighting the cultural characteristics of the Jews and the rest of the world, both of which view the cross of Christ as foolishness.

“Jews demand signs” - or miracles, so that they can confirm that God is at work

“Greeks seek wisdom” - human rationality or opinions.

The goal is not so much genuine enlightenment as much as they seek the influence, honor and power that accompanies a vetted and sought after Greek philosopher.

“BUT we preach Christ crucified...”

The crucifixion of Jesus is NOT the sign / miracle that the Jews demand

The crucifixion of Jesus is NOT the wisdom / philosophy that the Greeks seek

The cross stands in opposition to the sign & wisdom than mankind longs for

And this is the strategy of the cross - an identifier.

That is why Paul finishes the verse by saying, “we preach Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to the Jew that is looking for a sign and it is moronic to the Greek looking for wisdom that will bring social clout.

So we’ve clearly seen how the cross identifies those who look negatively upon it.

What about those who accept the cross of Christ?

Those who according to verse 21, who are saved by believing in the message of the cross.

“But to those who are called...”

Who are these that are called?

Clearly they are Christians, because they have responded positively to the cross of Christ

What does it mean that God has called them?

κλητός - denoting someone whose participation or presence has been officially requested; especially a request to which refusal is not an option.

This is not teaching that God picks who will be saved and that those are the people that calls.

Remember vs. 21 we’ve already established that God in His wisdom is pleased to SAVE THOSE WHO BELIEVE what they have heard through the preaching of the cross.

It should be understood that God calls all men to be saved.

God summons every man, woman, boy or girl to kneel in submission to the cross of Christ.

However, His call or summons is only effective for those who respond by believing.

Think of it as a summons to court.

The entire population of Erie County is summoned to appear in court.

Some of us respond and we show up on our appointed day.

Others think that this idea is stupid and that there is no reason for us to have to bend our schedule to Erie County.

Who do they think they are trying to boss us around.

We’re free.

No one is in charge of me.

Now what happens to those who fail to appear?

A summons turns into what?

A charge.

And every charge receives a punishment.

God has summonsed all to cross of Christ and those that respond in faith reap the benefits of Him calling them.

Salvation is not a thing that we have found.

It was something that He called us too and we simply answered.

However, for those that ignore the summons, a charge is laid to their account and the punishment for the charge of unbelief is hell.

both Jews and Greeks, (we preach) Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

so, while the cross is foolishness to the world, to the church Christ is the power and wisdom of God.

We’ve already defined both of these terms in passage:

Power - a defining influence