1Corinthians 1:26,27 – God’s strange preference

For you are observing your calling brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh; not many powerful, not many noble, but the stupidity of the world God chooses, that He may be disgracing the wise and the weakness of the world God chooses, that He may be disgracing the strong…

It is God’s wisdom that the world could not know God by its wisdom. Hence it has pleased God to save by “the stupidity of the heralding” (:21). Pau also sees this confirmed in the result of that preaching. Not the scholars or academics, not those with titles and respects were called. At least, “not many”. And if they were already there, it was not thanks to that, but despite of that status.

God chooses those who are foolish and weak in the eyes of the world. That is not because God would hate intelligence. On the contrary, because you are truly intelligent when you do not trust human knowledge and strength (Proverbs 3:5). Because you realize how completely laughable the self-esteem of the world is in God’s eyes. Here arguments are hopelessly vain, because the starting point is not right. For “the fear of YAHWEH is the beginning of all wisdom”. Only that will hold.

Delen: