The Chosen Key Word in this Chapter is “Wisdom” it comes from the Greek Word “sophia” which means “wisdom.”
Paul writes to a church tearing itself apart over which leader they like best. Welcome to Bible Life Basics Chapter Reviews, I am Chris and this is 1 Corinthians 1.
Paul opens by thanking God for the grace given to the Corinthian church, enriched in every way, waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He quickly addresses a serious problem reported to him, that contentions exist among them, with different factions claiming loyalty to Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ. Paul asks pointedly, “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” clarifying that he was sent to preach the gospel, “not with wisdom,” “sophia” in Greek, “of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
Paul explains that the message of the cross appears as foolishness to those perishing, but is the power of God to those being saved, quoting Isaiah that God will destroy the wisdom of the wise. He points out that God has deliberately chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak to confound the mighty, and the base and despised things, “that no flesh should glory in his presence.”
Paul reminds the Corinthians of their own makeup, that not many of them were wise, mighty, or noble by worldly standards when God called them, so that Christ Jesus alone would be their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, “that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” This foundational truth directly confronts their divisive boasting over which human leader they prefer to follow.
The Corinthians’ quarreling over which preacher they preferred completely missed the point of the gospel itself, a message specifically designed to leave no room for human boasting. Paul’s reminder that God intentionally chose the foolish and weak things of the world still challenges any tendency to build spiritual identity around impressive human leaders rather than around Christ alone.
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