Where Is the Wise Man?

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Jim Davis

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age?” Paul asked this question almost 2,000 years ago in the very heart of Greco-Roman influence on the world. The wisdom of the Greco-Roman philosophers was at its zenith. It is stunning to stand in awe of their wisdom, as we look back on their self-destruction. In spite of all their wisdom, their world came crumbling down. Isn’t it strange—with all our knowledge we seem powerless to salvage our world? Yet, it’s the simple foolish things of the world that seem to confound the minds of the worldly wise today. Reflecting back over the last two thousand years we continue to ask the same questions: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age?”  

No books of the New Testament reveal the clashing of worldly wisdom and spiritual wisdom as does the Corinthian letters. Paul challenges the wisdom of the world head on with the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: 

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; 
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."   

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 

26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  NIV

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; 
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” As we look back over civilizations we see the wisdom of the Greco-Roman world plunging the world headlong into the Dark Ages. We ask, how can this be the end of the age of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates. What happened? God’s wisdom frustrated the wisdom and intelligence of the Greek philosophers. 

Romans 8:20-21
20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. NIV

One could only hope the frustrating downward spiral of a decadent world would bottom out at some point. You would hope a world spiraling out of control would wake up looking for something better. Yet, the societal collapse after the fall of Rome plunged the world headlong into what historians call The Dark Ages.

In Romans Paul describes the battles going on in the hearts of men and women. As I read these verses, I realize it speaks of a world bent on self-destruction. 

Romans 1:28
28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. NIV

The foregoing verses describe lives, which have swung to extremes with no human way to achieve balance; lives so extreme they think they are balanced. "Almost every term used to describe this society springs from a selfish life which exploits others for personal advantage." (Richard A. Batey, The Living Word Commentary, The Letter of Paul to the Romans, Sweet Publishing Company, Austin Texas, Pg. 31) These lives are so out of focus words like love, commitment, selflessness and fellowship are no longer in their vocabulary. A society so extreme community living has died. Lives so dead isolation is the only option for living with the stench. God has given up on them. They are reaping the due penalty for their extremist lifestyle. 

I am sure you have read or heard of the story about a holy man that was having a conversation with the Lord. “One day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell is like.'
 
‘The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.  In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.’
 
‘The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.’

‘They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.’
  
‘The holy man said, 'I don't understand. 'It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other. The greedy think only of themselves.'” 

This is the source of humanities’ problem—our sense of self-sufficiency and self-importance not only displaces our fellowman-- worse yet—it displaces God. 

In Romans chapter one Paul describes a world gone wrong. In Romans chapter two Paul reminds the religious Jews that they live no better. They judge the world for its sin, but are guilty of the same. 

Romans 2:1-4
2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? NIV

The cumulative effect of the Jewish law and the Greco-Roman philosophers proved impotent to salvage the world. It was meant to be this way. God wanted the world to understand its sinfulness and hopelessness. It was necessary to prepare them for the Messiah.

Isaiah 19:12-15
12 Where are your wise men now?
Let them show you and make known 
what the LORD Almighty 
has planned against Egypt. 
13 The officials of Zoan have become fools,
the leaders of Memphis are deceived;
the cornerstones of her peoples 
have led Egypt astray. 
14 The LORD has poured into them 
a spirit of dizziness;
they make Egypt stagger in all that she does,
as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit. 

God made Egypt stagger around in her own vomit. The world was also staggering around in its vomit when Christ descended to earth. The Jews were demanding signs and the Greeks were seeking wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:21-25
22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. NIV

The Corinthian world during the zenith of the Roman world was a decadent world. Paul describes the lives of those salvaged from such a world.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. NIV

So much for human wisdom—it left the Corinthians struggling to get out of their vomit.

Corinthians 12:20-21
20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. NIV

These verses reveal the head on clash of worldly wisdom and the true wisdom of God. The wisdom of the world was making havoc of the fellowship as arrogance and jealousy abounded. They were comparing themselves with one another. They were comparing the eloquence of one teacher over against the eloquence of another. 

2 Corinthians 10:12
12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. NIV

Too often we seek to live vicarious lives. We line up behind someone we believe epitomizes greatness for us. This is what the Corinthians were doing as they lined up behind their favorite teachers. It is amazing how we live vicarious lives as we revel in the “greatness” of others. It gives us the feeling that we share in their glory as we revel in their glory. How often do we revel in their glory, while living in the mire and stench created by their mindset? We never experience life for ourselves. We only seek to live through the greatness of others as we boast of their accomplishments. The vicarious death of Christ is much different. We allow Christ to live through us. We can only boast of what God is doing through us. 

1 Corinthians 3:18-20
18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." NIV

Owen D. Young said, “When boasting ends, there dignity begins.” One thing for sure—when we get to heaven, no one there will be saying, “I am in heaven because I am wise and smart, and I am here because I was wiser and smarter than others.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 This is what the LORD says:

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom 
or the strong man boast of his strength 
or the rich man boast of his riches, 
24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
 declares the LORD. NIV

Let Him That Boasts Boast in the Lord

Too often, religion leads us to believe God has chosen us because of who we are—because of what we have to offer. Religion may lead us to think we are in right standing with God because of what we have done—we do good works—we observe the sacraments—we keep the laws—we go to church—we give 10% of our income or we have spiritual gifts. Yet, God chose us because of who he is. 

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  NIV

We are where we are in Christ because of who God is. God chose us because we are weak and foolish—unable to help ourselves. It is hard to image the powerful being whose creative power sustains this world chose to reveal his power through the despised weak things of our world. 

Paul writes, “Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart (2 Corinthians 4:1 NIV).” Paul reminds them of the Source of their gifts. He reminds them of the Source of his encouragement—it is God’s mercy working in and through him. The Corinthians were taking pride in their spiritual gifts. Instead of using their gifts to glorify God, they were using them to glorify themselves. They were measuring themselves according to the gifts they possessed. Paul was measuring the fellowship at Corinthian by how God was working through them.

1 Corinthians 4:6-7
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? NIV

We have nothing we haven’t received—life—breath—the very air we breath, all are from God. The Corinthians were endowed with spiritual gifts. Yet, they believed these spiritual gifts spoke of their personal importance. It is amazing how we still have the same problem today. We use our jobs, cars, houses, clothes, perfumes—to project an image of ourselves. We use material goods to reflect who we are. Life is about me—who I am. We cluster together in little socio-economic groups with people of the same mindset. Ultimately, we end up worshipping ourselves. This explains why many churches can’t seem to cross socio-economic and racial divides with the gospel of Christ. 

Paul’s attitude was much different. He sees his ministry as a direct result of what God is doing through him despite his personal weakness. It reflects God’s glorious power.

2 Corinthians 4:7-12
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. NIV

Paul sees himself as a fragile clay pot, into which God had poured his all-surpassing power. God poured his power into Paul’s so that Christ’s life could be revealed through his weak body. The gospel Paul preached was a message God had planted in his heart. It was God’s mercy that gave him the encouragement he needed. It was God who empowered his message. He lost sight of his personal strengths and weakness as he experienced God’s merciful power. In fact, it was God’s mercy and power that revealed his weaknesses. 

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. NIV

True religion is not something we practice to earn a righteous standing before God. God’s blessings are about who he is. They don’t make us great. It points us to the greatness of our God. God gives us that standing through Jesus Christ. Righteousness has to do with what a merciful God has done for us through Christ. We should be humbled. God gives us what we are unable to earn—he imparts his righteousness to us. He makes us holy. He redeems us. It brings glory to God.

Religion may lead us to believe holiness and sainthood is something we earn through personal purity—through virtuous living. We may believe sainthood is accomplished when we reach a state where we hear no evil, speak no evil and do no evil. Sounds more like a dead person to me. Throughout Paul’s letters he assures us that we will be tempted—this means we will think evil thoughts. We are reminded of our struggle with sinful thoughts and actions throughout the Scriptures.

Luke 11:4
Forgive us our sins, 
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. 
And lead us not into temptation.'"  NIV

Ephesians 6:11-13
 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. NIV

1 Peter 5:8-9
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. NIV

The struggle with temptation and sin is real. We rest in the fact that the words holiness and sanctification describe what God has done for us. Throughout Paul’s letters he continually reminds us of his need to buffet his body, of his weakness, of his powerlessness without God. He was the least of the least—the chief of sinners. He had much rather boast about what God had done for him and through him. It is comforting to know God does not forsake us when Satan shows up and points out our weaknesses.

God set Israel apart to make her holy, not because she was holy. They were called to be holy. Yet, holiness was something imparted upon their call. God set them apart to discipline or teach them how to live up to his holy calling. 

Deuteromy 4:32-38
32 Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? 33 Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? 34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by miraculous signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? 

35 You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other. 36 From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. 37 Because he loved your forefathers and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, 38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today. NIV

Solomon’s wisdom was always recognized as a gift from God. To the heathen nations surrounding Israel, it reflected the glory of the God Solomon worship.

1 Kings 4:27-34
27 The district officers, each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king's table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. 28 They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses. 

29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite — wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. 33 He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34 Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom , sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. NIV

There is one important lesson we learn from Solomon and the Corinthians. No matter how great God’s gifts are—no matter how smart we are—they do not insure a flawless life. God’s gifts can be used and abused. This is especially true when we use them to bring glory to self.

Conclusion:

The world of the Corinthians during the zenith of the Roman world was a decadent world. Paul describes the lives of those salvaged from such a world.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. NIV

God didn’t call them because they were saints—he called them to be sanctified them through the blood of Christ. Paul addresses his letter to the saints in Corinth—to those who had been sanctified. The Corinthians lacked no spiritual gift—they fell behind in nothing. They didn’t have to wait for a church council to declare them as saints. They were sanctified the moment their sins were washed as they were baptized into Christ. They were dealing with their problems in the fellowship while they rested in the ongoing holiness and sanctification God was providing through Christ.

When Paul visited Corinth on his first missionary journey, many of the Corinthians were baptized. 

Acts 18:7-8
7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. NIV

Baptism was symbolic of God washing their sins away as they were obedient to the word Paul preached. God initially cleansed the Corinthians by the washing of water through their obedience to the word of God. 

Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. NIV

It wasn’t the mere act of baptism that saved them. They were buried with Christ in baptism, but it was their faith in the powerful work of God through Christ’s sacrifice that raised them from that watery grave to a new life in Christ. 

Colossians 2:11-12
11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.  NIV

They had nothing to boast about. Sanctification revealed what God sought to do; not about what they had accomplished. It was supposed to be proof of God redeeming—reclaiming them as his own. As Paul writes in the opening verses of First Corinthians we understand the wisdom of God revealed through Christ makes our righteousness, holiness and redemption possible.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.   31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  NIV

Let us grasp the fact that our spiritual standing is a gift from God—that gift is his righteousness, holiness and redemption freely imparted to us in our sinful condition through Christ.