Making Our Way to Calvary - Pt 4

 

For 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. (1 Corinthians 1:18–25 ESV).

 

Continuing our walk to Calvary, I would not do well to omit a brief look at today’s reading. John Calvin emphasized that these verses highlight the stark contrast between human wisdom and divine salvation through the cross. He reminds us that the early disciples focused on how God deliberately uses the "foolishness" of a crucified Savior to destroy human pride and demonstrate true power. In fact, Calvin issued a warning against “… letting preaching eloquence obscure the cross,” stating we must not let it "lead Christians to be taken up with an outward glitter of words... or cover over the cross of Christ with its empty show as with a veil".

 

The sterility of a message of the cross as mere doctrine denies the active, saving power of God, which seems foolish only to those who are perishing. God’s methods are purposefully designed to humble human intellect, as even the "foolishness" of God surpasses human wisdom (cf. v. 25). One of the central themes for the Reformers was that because salvation is entirely God's work through the cross, "no human being might boast in the presence of God" (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:29).

 

The Apostle Paul says the message of a crucified Messiah is a "stumbling block.” He uses the Greek word σκάνδαλον (skandalon), which literally translates “a stick for bait (of a trap), generally a snare.” This ought to give us pause when we use methods that do not directly point to the horror of the Cross. Jesus, the King of kings, the Creator of all things, the Lord above all, was executed in man’s most detestable way; and, He was innocent of any sin or transgression. It cannot be understood by anyone without faith as anything but foolishness. We cannot mask the true nature of Jesus’ sacrifice with any sort of human explanation. Only the declaration of the Scripture in all of its simplicity will do:

 

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:6–10 ESV).

 

No wonder the reformers utilized our reading to support Sola Fide (faith alone) and Soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone), reinforcing that salvation is not attained through human philosophical wisdom; it can only be given by God, Himself! Thank God for such a gift!