1 Corinthians 1:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

NIV: 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.

NASB: but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

CSB: Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

NLT: Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

KJV: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

NKJV: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

Paul has asked the Christians in Corinth to take a good look at the people in their congregation, their brothers and sisters in Christ. In the previous verse, he wrote that very few of them are wise or powerful in human terms. Not many of them were born into nobility. His point is not to put them down, but to emphasize that God does not require brilliance or power to become a believer. In fact, many people rely on their intellect or wealth so much that it keeps them from trusting in God (Matthew 19:23).

Paul is continuing to reveal why so few Jews and Greeks believe in the crucified Christ. They think that any god who could or would die on a cross to save people would be foolish and weak. By extension, those who would believe such a thing would also be foolish and weak. The term used for "foolishness" here is the same one behind the English word moron.

Only those God calls to believe in the gospel can see the strength and wisdom in this act of love. Now Paul confirms that God does indeed choose foolish and weak people, as defined by human terms, to come to Him through faith in Christ. Why does God do this? He wants to shame those who consider themselves too wise or strong to believe such a thing.

Paul, of course, is not saying that the believers in Corinth—or the humble Christians in other places and times—are truly foolish and weak. The world sees them as idiots and losers, because they occupy service positions, are not well-educated, or do not have money, rank, or social standing. Even more so, the world sees them as fools for believing in Jesus. In truth, though, by God's grace, these believers are the only ones who see clearly enough to receive what is actually wise and strong.

First Corinthians 1:18–31 describes the foolishness of the gospel in the world's eyes. Both Jews and Greeks rejected the idea of Christ crucified. Any god who would die on a Roman cross, especially as a sacrifice for human sinfulness, would be seen by worldly eyes as a weak and foolish deity. God, though, will shame the wise and strong by giving the ability to believe in the cross of Christ mostly to the weak and foolish of the world, in human terms. In the end, nobody will boast before him of their own strength and wisdom.

Paul's letter to the Christians in Corinth begins with thanks for the great and powerful gifts God has given to them by His grace and through their faith in Christ. They will stand blameless before God in the end. Right now, though, they must stop dividing themselves according to which Christian teacher they follow and become unified in and around Christ. The gospel message of Christ's death on the cross is weak and foolish to the world, but God has given faith in Christ to those who believe it and find God's power and wisdom.

First Corinthians 1 begins Paul's letter to the Christians in Corinth, a big, bustling city on a major trade route. Paul knows them well, having spent a year and a half leading people to Christ and establishing the church there. He writes from Ephesus to correct some of their wrong attitudes and behaviors and to answer some of their questions. First, though, he thanks God for His grace to the Corinthians, knowing they will stand blameless before Him on the day of the Lord. Still, they must stop being divided and unite in and around Christ.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.