Paul
the apostle referenced Isaiah twenty-nine and verse fourteen as he
shared how God would “destroy the
wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of
the prudent”,
and as he continued to share how “the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto
us which are saved it is the power of God”
unto salvation, and he questioned in
chapter one and verse twenty of First Corinthians, “where
is the wise, scribe and disputer of this world”
where we read:
has
not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
The
verse begins, “Where
is
the wise? where is
the scribe? where is
the disputer of this world?” Paul
began with the word, “Where”
which means “at what locality or whither” “is
the wise”
which refers to “the skilled, expert, cultivated and learned”?
“Where”
which means “at what locality or whither” “is
the scribe”
or “a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an
interpreter, teacher”? “Where”
or “at what locality or whither” “is
the disputer”
which means “the learned disputant or sophist” “of
this world”
or “the present age or period of time”. Paul referred to the
people of “worldly wisdom” as he mentioned “the
wise, the scribe and the disputer”
in his questions.
The verse continues, “
has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”.
Paul added
the words, “has not God made foolish”
which is the Greek phrase “mōrainō
ouchi theos mōrainō”
which means “hasn't God proved foolish, flat and tasteless” “the
wisdom” or
“the broad and full of intelligence and knowledge of very diverse
matters” “of this world”
which refers to “the aggregate of things earth such as the whole
circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages and
pleasures”. Paul rhetorically asked whether God
“made foolish”
this world's “wise ways”.
When
we think through these words from Paul, we see him question, in light
of God's superior wisdom, where are the “wise” people, or
“scribes” or “disputers” within this earthly
existence. Only God has full knowledge and is able to make “wise”
decisions based upon that complete understanding. God uses “the
foolish” things in this world, such as the “preaching of
the gospel”, to confound “wise” people. The
salvation plan through Jesus Christ is so simple, and yet many are
not wise to understand how this considers the “world's wisdom”
empty and void. Let us remember how Paul questioned “where
is the wise, the scribe and the disputer” within this
world, and when we compare the “wisdom” of God to the
world's, may we always seek to rely upon the “saving” “wisdom”
of God rather that the “foolish” “wisdom” of man.
Next
time Paul shares how “it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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