“The Foolishness Of The Message”
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesIn 1 Corinthians 1:21, the inspired writer Paul wrote: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
At first reading, this verse seems like an oxymoron. How could it be wise on God’s part to accomplish salvation using a message of foolishness? And how could any message that has the power to save the souls of lost sinners be foolish? Does this mean we who have believed in the message of the gospel are fools?
The apostle Paul uses the word “foolishness” in an accommodative sense — he uses it by the understanding of those to whom he speaks — to people who have rejected the wisdom of God, i.e., the terms of the gospel. To these folks, the very idea that God became a man, sacrificed His life for humankind, then rising from the grave to mediate man’s forgiveness, sounded foolish.
The Jews of Paul’s day didn’t want to hear what appeared to them as fanciful stories — they wanted to see concrete proof, such as miracles and wonders being worked right before their eyes which they could not disprove or dispute (1 Corinthians 1:22; cf. Matthew 12:38; Mark 8:11; John 4:48). As for the Gentiles, who were largely influenced by Greek culture — they wanted to hear lofty pontification that sounded like the wisdom of the Athenian philosophers (1 Corinthians 1:22; cf. Acts 17:16-21).
The simple and straight forward preaching of Jesus didn’t appeal to either group, as they called it “foolishness,” and moved on to more “important” matters (Acts 17:21).
Paul says that it pleased God not to cater to those who were easily impressed by flashy works or words (1 Corinthians 1:21), and so His scheme of redemption relies on neither. The idea that the resurrection of Jesus was an incredible miracle was very true, but was it attended with explosions, fireworks and fanfare? No, it happened in the early morning hours when most folks were asleep (Matthew 28:1-8). The only ones who witnessed it, were some soldiers who were not going to tell anyone for fear of their lives (Matthew 28:11-15).
And when the account of this event was circulated, was it announced by learned men who would blather on about their hypotheses about the way the world is? No, it was told in plain terms by uneducated and untrained men who were unremarkable other than in their boldness of spirit and speech, and in the fact that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). They simply preached:
“Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:1-2; Gal. 6:14).
If the majority of the religious Jews and Gentiles would not be attracted to the simple gospel message, to whom would it reach? Certainly not those of noble birth — not the worldly-wise, not the high and mighty (1 Corinthians 1:26). No, it would be the “foolish,” the “weak,” and the “base” (those insignificant or lowly folks) who would embrace the good news of salvation (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
These would recognize in Christ “the power of God and the wisdom of God” and in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, their calling to be reconciled to God (1 Corinthians 1:24 – NKJV; 2 Corinthians 5:20-21; Ephesians 2:14-18).
“Why,” we ask? — simply because:
“the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).
That which the world called foolish — the Son of God sacrificed for sin and risen from the dead — holds greater wisdom than all the philosophies man has ever concocted — all of which cannot save a single soul. That which the world calls weak — humble and obedient submission to the will of God and His commandments (Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 5:8-9; James 1:21-25) — is stronger than all the mighty deeds of men, none of which can gain anyone entrance into eternal glory (Ephesians 2:8-10).
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