Reflection on 1Cor 1:18

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul addresses the question of human and divine wisdom. He writes: “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the word preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are 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.” (1Cor 1:20-25)

True wisdom, that is, the true philosophy of life, reckons with death and eternity. Otherwise, human wisdom is indeed foolishness, as it ignores the most important things: the attainment of eternal life and the recognition of the reality that everything on this earth is transitory and that we did not bring here any material possessions, nor will we take them away from here. What we will take with us to eternity are our good or evil deeds. For those good deeds done in Christ and with Christ, we will receive eternal life and eternal happiness. But for the evil ones – if people do not break away from them and will only indulge in futile philosophizing – for the foolishness which consists in rejecting the way of salvation given to us by God in Jesus Christ, eternal hell awaits them. Therefore, as the Apostle Paul writes: “They perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2Thess 2:10-12)

So, when we repeat the word of the cross, it is fulfilled that the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. And then the Apostle adds: “It is the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

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