What does 1 Corinthians 1:24 mean?

Who would not want access to the very power and wisdom of God? Paul has chosen to use key ideas sought by the cultures of his culture: Jewish spiritual power and Greek wisdom. The religious Jews and the intellectual Greeks cannot accept, however, the gospel message that it is available only through "Christ crucified." That idea is foolishness and a stumbling block. "Foolishness" or "folly" as used by Paul comes from a Greek term which means "moronic" or "idiotic."

Now Paul identifies the one group that not only accepts but fully believes that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, died on a Roman cross to pay with His own blood the penalty for human sinfulness. Jews and Greeks who are called by God believe it. Their faith gives them access, by God's grace, to the power and wisdom of God that all others are seeking.

This group, these believers, are not smarter, wiser, or better educated than those who reject the idea of a crucified Christ. They did not cleverly figure out what others could not. They believed because they responded to God's gift of calling them to faith, opening their eyes to see what others could not or would not. Faith itself is a gift from God.