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Timothy: I Corinthians 1:18-31
Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18 For the Word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved, it is the power of God.

19 For it has been written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the understanding ones.” Isa. 29:14

20 Where is the wise? Where the scribe? Where the lawyer of this world? Did God not make the wisdom of this world foolish?

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save the ones believing.

22 And since Jews ask for a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom,

23 we, on the other hand, preach Christ crucified (truly an offense to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks),

24 but to the called out ones, both to Jews and to Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;

25 because the foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and the weak thing of God is stronger than men.

26 For you see your calling, brothers, that there are not many wise according to flesh, nor many powerful, not many wellborn.

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world that the wise might be put to shame, and God chose the weak things of the world so that He might put to shame the strong things.

28 And God chose the low-born of the world, and the despised, and the things that are not, so that He might bring to nothing the things that are,

29 so that no flesh might glory in His presence.

30 But of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

31 so that even as it has been written, “He that glories, let him glory in” the “Lord.” Jer. 9:24

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I offer my gratitude and praise to You. Thank You for granting me another day of peace and contentment in Your grace. Thank You for giving me a tiring but fulfilling day of weeding, tilling, and planting vegetables. Whenever I see the wild grasses and thorns growing so vigorously without any cultivation, while the edible vegetables that require care are not as robust, I remember the reason. It is due to the sin of humanity that people have to toil and sweat for their sustenance. I contemplate that perhaps in the Millennium Kingdom, there will be no more wild grasses and thorns, only plants that serve as food for humans and animals. They will grow naturally and vigorously, just like today’s wild grasses. I eagerly anticipate that time. Now, I pray to Christ for renewed physical strength and to the Holy Spirit for wisdom for my spirit. I am grateful for Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Dear Father, I would like to present my understanding of I Corinthians 1:18-31.

Dear Father, I understand verse 18 as follows: The message of the cross is the proclamation of Christ’s atonement for the sins of humanity on the cross. It is the preaching of the Gospel. For those who do not accept God, the message of the Gospel is foolishness because they cannot understand why a Jew was crucified and how it can redeem all of humankind’s sins. However, for those who accept God and believe in His salvation, the message of the Gospel is the power of God to save them from the power and consequences of sin. After truly repenting of their sins and accepting the Gospel, they experience victory over sin and peace in their souls. They gain a deeper understanding of God and His Word, the Bible.

Dear Father, I understand verse 19 as follows: You Yourself said that You would destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent. In fact, human wisdom and intelligence are gifts from You. You created humans in Your image, granting them characteristics like Your own, such as cognition, reasoning, understanding, affection, and decision-making ability. However, humans have abused these gifts and committed sins. I understand that the wise and intelligent people referred to in this verse are the philosophers and scientists who do not recognize Your truth.

Dear Father, I understand verse 20 as follows: Paul is talking about people who are intelligent in the world but do not have faith in God; Jewish teachers who specialize in interpreting the Bible but do not truly believe in God; and people who are skilled in rhetoric and argumentation in the world because they have accumulated a lot of knowledge, but do not believe in God. Paul asks where they are if they are not among those who accept the Gospel and understand its depth. This is because God has made their minds foolish, unable to understand the Gospel in order to believe it.

Dear Father, I understand from verses 21 to 23 as follows: The wisdom of mankind has been corrupted by sin, so humans cannot understand the Gospel of God until the Holy Spirit grants them the wisdom that comes from God. The Gospel and the preaching of the Gospel are considered foolishness by the people of the world, but You use what the world considers foolishness to extend Your grace of salvation to mankind. The Jews demand miraculous signs, and the Greeks look for wisdom, but the reality is that Christ was crucified, buried for three days and three nights, and then rose again, appearing to many people, even to more than 500 at one time, which is a miracle. However, most of the Jews still do not believe the Gospel, and to the Greeks, who are knowledgeable in philosophy and other cultures influenced by Greek philosophy, the preaching of the Gospel seems neither high nor rational according to their intellect. Therefore, the Jews consider the crucifixion of Christ contemptible, and the Greeks think that the preaching of the Gospel is foolishness.

Dear Father, I understand that verses 24 and 25 mean that among the Israelites and Greeks, there are still some people who believe in the Gospel. For them, Christ is the power of God to save humanity from the power and consequences of sin. The grace of God’s salvation has been given and carried out according to the wisdom of God, the Almighty. What humans consider foolish and weak is actually the absolute wisdom and omnipotent power of God.

Dear Father, I understand verse 26 to mean that among those who believe in the Gospel and are baptized into the Church of God, the majority are ordinary people, less educated, or uneducated, not wealthy, and do not have a high social status. Even Peter and John, two apostles of Christ, were uneducated. To the world, they are not wise according to the flesh, without power, and not luxurious. But You called them, and when they answered Your call, You chose them.

Dear Father, I understand from verses 27 to 29 that the foolish people You have chosen are those who do not possess worldly wisdom, but they make those who possess worldly wisdom ashamed when they live a life of love, holiness, and righteousness. The weak people You have chosen may be weak physically and in terms of power, but they endure difficulties, trials, and injustices that the strong and powerful cannot endure. All this is to demonstrate that Your power is greater than human power, and that salvation comes from You alone.

Dear Father, I understand verses 30 and 31 to mean that You bestow everything upon those who believe in the Gospel and are united with Christ. Because of Your grace, we are enlightened, declared righteous, able to live a righteous and holy life, and saved. Therefore, we rejoice and boast that You, God the Father, love us and have blessed us with every spiritual blessing from heaven. Christ loves us and sacrificed Himself for us so that we can be saved. The Holy Spirit loves us and has given us all the grace we need to live a happy and satisfying life in this world and the next.

I thank You, Father. I ask You to keep me forever in Your salvation through Christ. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
04/19/2023