For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:25 NET
Why the cross? And why a crucified Messiah? It does not make sense–at least not to the people of this world. And we often, even as believers, struggle to understand the significance of what Jesus did on the cross. Surely there could have been a better way? One that was not so messy.
These were some of the questions that Paul was answering in this opening chapter of his letter to the church at Corinth. Corinth was a Greek city that magnified wisdom and eloquent and polished speakers. And within the city was a Jewish population who looked for signs and miracles from God, a demonstration of his power. And both of these influences had entered the church there.
For the Greeks, the preaching of the cross was foolishness–it made no sense. For the Jews, a crucified Messiah was a failure, a sign of weakness. But, Paul said, what the Greeks considered foolishness was wiser than anything they were capable of. And the weakness the Jews saw in the cross was stronger than they could imagine.
The Power and Wisdom of God
The cross of Christ has wisdom and power beyond anything that this world can comprehend. It is the power and wisdom of God for the salvation of all who will believe (1 Cor. 1:21). The cross ensures that no one will come to salvation through their own intellectual prowess. Nor will they be convinced by a powerful miracle. Salvation comes only through faith in the apparent foolishness and weakness of the cross and the one who gave himself there for us.
The cross is still an offense to many who look for wisdom or power. They see only weakness and foolishness in the cross. But we should never soften the message of the cross to make it more appealing to people. Proclaim it boldly and without apology. It is through the weakness and foolishness of the cross that the wisdom and power of God are displayed in the creation of a new humanity, made in the image of Christ.
