God Chose What Is Foolish in the World

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The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:18–31).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

“Show us a sign, Paul.” The apostle could count on those words whenever he preached in a Jewish synagogue. His fellow Jews had some specific beliefs about the Messiah. From the Old Testament, they had selected passages that describe Him as powerful, almighty, and able to heal and silence storms. Sadly, they neglected or ignored those passages that describe Him as the Suffering Servant. And under the harsh regime of the Roman Empire, they wanted a Savior who would come with signs and wonders and send Caesar packing. So, when Paul came along and declared the Savior had come, they were willing to hear him out. They hoped to hear that the Messiah had come, that He would make Israel great again. They wanted to hear about the glorious signs, miracles, and the announcement that deliverance from Roman oppression was imminent. If Paul could show proof and give them a sign, they’d believe in Jesus.

So, Paul would preach to them Christ crucified. This is the sign of Jesus. They were saved because their Savior had died for them while nailed to a cross for their sins.

This wasn’t the Savior they were looking for, though. A dead man didn’t seem like much of a Messiah. Furthermore, they were scandalized by the way He died, and you can bet that Paul heard this more than once: “You say that this Jesus was crucified on a cross to save us? That’s how He is our Savior? But the Lord said way back in Deuteronomy [21:23]. ‘Cursed is anyone who is hanged on a tree.’ If this Jesus was hanged on a cross, He was cursed by God! He can’t be the Savior!”

Paul would no doubt explain the cross a little more: God cursed Jesus on the cross. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. Jesus saved us by being cursed and judged for our sins so that God would not curse and judge us for our sins. The cross was the great sign that Jesus is the Savior because that’s where He accomplished salvation. To most of the Jews though, it was a reprehensible sign. It was a stumbling block they couldn’t get over. No self-respecting Savior would allow Himself to be hanged on a tree. It was just like the day when Jesus cleansed the temple: the leaders demanded a sign to prove His authority, and Jesus told them He would give them no sign, except He would die and rise again. It wasn’t the sign they wanted to hear. Thus, Paul’s preaching was rejected by many because Jesus won salvation by cross and death, not signs and glory.

But a few would hear and believe this seemingly foolish message, delivered by the Holy Spirit from false expectations of a false Savior who isn’t going to come. And to those who believe, Jesus is the power of God who forgave their sins and will raise them to everlasting life.

“Make your case, Paul. Make your Messiah make sense to us.” Paul undoubtedly heard this sentiment as he moved among the Greeks as an apostle. These were good people with Aristotle and Plato in their history, and Greeks liked nothing better than a good, logical argument. If Paul could prove the wisdom of following Jesus, then there was a good chance that the Greeks would be won over. The Romans, heirs of much of this wisdom, were the same. Make your case, Paul, and make it good. If you can convince our intellect, we’ll believe in your Jesus.

So, Paul would preach to them Christ crucified. Paul would declare that God’s only Son, true Wisdom from eternity, had been nailed to the cross for the sins of the world—for both Jews and Gentiles alike. Once again, Paul’s preaching would zero in on the Gospel—that saving Good News.

Once again, Paul’s audience for saving Good News was appalled. For the Greeks, with their logic, fairness, and wisdom, it didn’t make sense that God would die so that man was pardoned for sin. A dead Savior seemed rather impotent for the Romans, who valued power and authority. But there was something worse—that cross again. In the Roman Empire, only two sorts of people were ever crucified: criminals and disobedient slaves. The idea that the Son of God would submit to such a death was preposterous to the Greeks; to the Romans, it was understood that crucifixion was such a hideous death that it wasn’t to be talked about in polite company. It was like discussing torture techniques at the dinner table.

No doubt, Paul would explain further. He’d explain that Jesus had accepted a criminal’s death—to die at God’s hand for all the crimes and all the sins of all the world. He’d declare that Jesus has been sold for thirty pieces of silver—the price of a slave, and then died for all the disobedience of mankind. But again, the idea was too much for their sensibilities. Christ’s death on the cross was a stumbling block for Greeks and Romans—it was too repulsive to mention in polite conversation, much less preach as the centerpiece of the faith.

But to those who believed, this foolishness of Christ crucified was indeed their salvation. This was God’s wisdom, granting mercy and grace for the sake of His Son’s suffering and death.

Make no mistake, when Paul preached Christ crucified, it wasn’t a popular message. It sounded foolish and weak, even scandalous. But Paul continued to proclaim it; no matter how foolish it sounded to unbelievers, Jesus Christ—crucified and risen—was Christ the power of God and wisdom.

It’s still the same. “Show me a sign,” many demand. Many say they would believe in Jesus if only He would work this wonder or perform that miracle. If only He would heal disease, deliver from debt, or end all wars right now, then many more would believe in Him. Why doesn’t He just show us a sign that He loves us and wants to help us?

Of course, one might respond: as He has already sacrificed Himself on the cross to save you, isn’t it rather disrespectful to demand more of a sign than that?

“Show us the wisdom of Jesus, why He’s helpful for me right now.” That’s another challenge thrown at the Church today. Far too many books and articles I’ve read declare that we must make Jesus relevant to the world so that the hearer can use what He’s learned about Jesus on Sunday when he gets to work on Monday. If it’s not practical to the unbeliever, goes the argument, then it’s not a good message.

Again, one might respond: What could be more relevant and practical than the only cure for eternal death?

And do we want unbelievers to determine what we should proclaim as believers?

You’ll demand signs and wisdom. It’s neither easy nor fun to live by faith. Immersed in some trial, Old Adam will work you over, and you’ll be tempted to say, “This whole Jesus-died-on-the-cross-to forgive-me message is all very nice, but now I need some real help!” (Sigh) Or, frustrated with this or that aspect of life, you’ll want to murmur, “I get it. I get the whole Gospel message, so can we just move on to something more immediately pertinent?”

Let’s face it: up against all the problems and temptations in this world, the Gospel message sounds weak and foolish. It’s the big challenge to the confirmand the week after confirmation: Why return? Up against the temptations and angst of being a teenager, the Small Catechism seems foolish. When visiting someone who is seriously ill, it can sound ridiculous to remind them of their Baptism. When worn down by the daily grind, Absolution and a Law-Gospel sermon look more quaint than adequate—not because it is, but because we consider our daily hassles more of a concern than our sinfulness. When a visitor desires the Lord’s Supper, and we ask them to refrain for the time being, it seems like a needless barrier—I mean, what harm can a human rite do? Ah, but such thoughts show our sinfulness and frailty and doubt. They demonstrate that the cross remains a stumbling block for us, too.

And so—for us and the world—we preach Christ-crucified, even though it isn’t, never has been, and never will be a popular message. By faith, we acknowledge that what we believe is foolishness to those who are perishing. Christ crucified for sinners is foolishness apart from faith. But we proclaim it anyway.

Why? For all sorts of reasons. We preach Christ-crucified because we can—because the Lord has given us the privilege of declaring His praises. We preach Christ-crucified because, even though it’s foolishness to the unbeliever, it is the power and wisdom of God for salvation to all those who believe. We preach Christ-crucified and risen for our salvation—because God cursed him in our place, because He died for our enslavement to sin, and because He suffered the cross for our crimes. We point to Holy Baptism and gladly declare, “That isn’t water only; Christ, crucified and risen, is present to wash away our sins. We proclaim the Gospel in the Absolution and sermons because that is how the Holy Spirit works faith. We point to the Supper and gladly declare that it is more than just a symbol or a demonstration of how we treat one another; rather, the crucified/risen Savior is present with the forgiveness of sins. And where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Christ died on the cross for your sins, and Christ is risen again. That is what we proclaim because that is the power of salvation for all who believe. The devil, the world, and your own sinful flesh will work overtime to convince you that it’s nothing but irrelevant foolishness and weakness, but by the grace of God, you know better: it is only because Christ was crucified that you are forgiven for all your sins.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.