Where is the wise man? 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 through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
(1 Corinthians 1:20-25, NASB)
The cross. It’s the foundation of our faith.
To some, though, it’s just something to tattoo or wear as jewelry. It doesn’t mean anything to them.
Paul knew this well. During his years of ministry, he witnessed the “wisdom of the world” that denied the truth of the cross. It was a “stumbling block” to some and “foolishness” to others.
Not much has changed. The idea of someone having to die to save them is abhorrent to some. It’s a stumbling block, something “which causes [them] to err or to stray from the truth” (bibleviews.com). And some think it’s just plain “foolishness.” If, indeed, there is a God, they say, He’s going to judge them on their good deeds. They certainly don’t need to trust someone who was executed.
And they think we who do believe are foolish as well. We’re narrow-minded. We’re not too bright. We don’t know real truth.
But we can be assured of two things, and Paul makes them very clear: “… the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Our God, the God of the Bible, is Truth. For reasons we can’t fully understand, He put a plan of salvation in place that culminated in the death of our Savior—on a cross.
And for us, it’s the “power of God and the wisdom of God.”
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