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1 Coríntios 1

Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 Coríntios 1

Stedman - the saved (have not) been fully saved yet; we are on the way to that final salvation yet to be realized. But to us who are being saved, the cross is the key to the release of all God's blessing in human life. It is the way to experience the healing of God in the heart, the deliverance from the reign of sin, and the entry into wholeness, peace, and joy. The cross is an inescapable part of that process. (God's Nonsense) A T

1 Coríntios 1

Stedman on grace - The interesting thing in this letter is there is no problem or wrestling with the matter of legalism. These people were not all caught up with wrong rituals (you have that in the letter to the Colossians); they were not involved with disputes over circumcision (you get that in Galatians); and there was no resting upon dead works (you get that in Philippians). Here in Corinthians the problem was license. They had accepted the grace of God to such a degree that they did not think it made any difference how they behaved, and that is what was causing the problem. Now, the apostle admits that they understood the grace of God. There are no questions raised in this letter on the deity of Christ, or the virgin birth, or the substitutionary atonement, or the incarnation of Jesus. They all understand that they were set free from their sins by the gift of God through Jesus Christ. Their entrance, therefore, is clearly based upon God's grace (The Corinthian Crisis) Grace (favor) (5485) charis from from chairo = to rejoice. Eng = charity. Beggars need "charity" just as sinners need grace, for we are all spiritual paupers outside of Christ, but "God gives where he finds empty hands"- Augustine [cp Mt 5:3+]) defies a simple definition but at its core conveys the sense of favor. Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give (see Ro 8:32+ where "freely give" is charizomai from charis = a grace gift!). Grace addresses man's sin, while mercy addresses man's misery. The grace of God is described as Glorious (Ep 1:6+), Abundant (Acts 4:33+), Rich (Ep 1:7+), Manifold (many-sided, multi-colored, variegated) (1Pe 4:10+), Sufficient (sufficing, enough, adequate - there is never a shortage) (2Cor 12:9+). Noah Webster's original definition of grace is unmerited love and favor of God which is the spring and source of all benefits men receive from Him, including especially His assistance given man for his regeneration or sanctification. (Grace is) a virtue from God influencing man, renewing his heart and restraining him from sin. John Newton - “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound / That saved a wretch like me. / I once was lost, but now am found / was blind, but now I see.” The words of this famous hymn were penned by John Newton. In the mid-1700s, Newton worked on a slave vessel and was described as the most profane man the captain had ever met. During a storm, Newton advised his fellow sailors to tie themselves to the ship to avoid being washed overboard. He begged God for mercy. God found him in his wretched state and redeemed him. Newton experienced the gift of God’s grace. Grace in the letters to Corinth - 1 Co. 1:3; 1 Co. 1:4; 1 Co. 3:10; 1 Co. 10:30; 1 Co. 15:10; 1 Co. 15:57; 1 Co. 16:3; 1 Co. 16:23; 2 Co. 1:2; 2 Co. 1:12; 2 Co. 1:15; 2 Co. 2:14; 2 Co. 4:15; 2 Co. 6:1; 2 Co. 8:1; 2 Co. 8:4; 2 Co. 8:6; 2 Co. 8:7; 2 Co. 8:9; 2 Co. 8:16; 2 Co. 8:19; 2 Co. 9:8; 2 Co. 9:14; 2 Co. 9:15; 2 Co. 12:9; 2 Co. 13:14; And peace - Paul is praying for these saints who are experiencing unpeaceful circumstances of divisions, lawsuits, immorality, etc, that they would experience supernatural peace, the fruit of God's Spirit (Gal 5:22+). Paul knew that to experience peace with one's fellow man, they had to first experience the supernatural peace from God. The root of peace (eirene) is the verb eiro which means to join or bind together that which has been separated or divided, which is what was happening to believers in Corinth (1 Cor 1:10-11+). In sum, the church of God at Corinth was in desperate need of God's grace (supernatural enablement and empowerment for daily sanctification) and peace (binding or joining together again of that which had been separated or divided and thus setting at one again). Thus Paul prayed for them to experience grace and peace! Given that grace (charis) was a Greek greeting it is reasonable to consider that peace (eirene) reflects the Hebrew greeting shalom (which was also used as a farewell), shalom including the sense of health and well-being, as well as the absence of strife. One recalls the Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:26+ which says "The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace (shalom)."

1 Coríntios 1

Stedman - In my study of the New Testament, I have listed at least 21 different spiritual gifts that are referred to, and, according to Paul, there in Corinth every one of them was manifested. They had the gifts of miracles, the gifts of healings, the gifts of teachings, the gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues, the gifts of knowledge, and leadership. There was not a single one of the gifts of the Spirit that was lacking in this church. Can you imagine what kind of fascinating meetings they must have had when they all got together? No one wanted to miss church in Corinth! They never knew whether somebody would be healed, or some miracle would be demonstrated, or some remarkable prophetic utterance would come forth, or somebody would speak in a language they had never learned and someone else would interpret. It was an ecstatic time in the church there. (1 Corinthians 1:1-9 The Corinthian Crisis) Hodge on gift - The word (χάρισμα) gift, is used both for the ordinary and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit; most frequently for the latter. Here it includes both classes. The Corinthians had not only the inward gifts of repentance, faith and knowledge, but also those of miracles, of healing, of speaking with tongues, of prophecy, in rich abundance. No church was superior to them in these respects. The extraordinary gifts, however, seem to be principally intended. Paul’s commendation has reference to their wisdom, knowledge and miraculous gifts, rather than to their spiritual graces. Much as he found to censure in their state and conduct, he freely acknowledged their flourishing condition in many points of view. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Lacking (be inferior) (5302) hustereo from hústeros = last, latter, terminal, hindmost) has the basic meaning of come to late (in time) or to come after (in terms of space) and thus it means to fail in something, come short of, miss, not to reach. Hustereo has the basic meaning of being last or inferior. It means to be left behind in the race and so fail to reach the goal, to fall short of the end, to lack. It means to come late or too tardily. Hustereo in the Corinthians letters - 1 Co. 1:7; 1 Co. 8:8; 1 Co. 12:24; 2 Co. 11:5; 2 Co. 11:9; 2 Co. 12:11;

1 Coríntios 1

Stedman - This is the key verse of First Corinthians. The rest of the letter centers around it. It is a statement that God had called them to a very important relationship, and, by implication, here at the very beginning of this letter we learn that this is the reason for all of the problems in the Corinthian church. They had not understood the implications of their calling, and the relationship they personally and individually had with Jesus Christ himself. (The Corinthian Crisis) Robertson and Plummer on into fellowship (koinonia) - This fellowship (Ro 8:17; Phil. 3:10 f.) exists now and extends to eternity: it is effected by and in the Spirit (Ro 8:9 f.); hence κοινωνία (τοῦ) πνεύματος ("fellowship of the Holy Spirit" = 2 Cor. 13:13; "fellowship of the Spirit" = Phil. 2:1). (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary - CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY) MacArthur on fellowship with His Son - The word koinonia (fellowship) also means partnership, oneness (ED: SEE The Oneness of Covenant). We are secured to glory by being one with God’s beloved Son. We entered the kingdom by grace and we will be kept in the kingdom by grace (cf 1 Cor 1:8+). (1 Corinthians MacArthur New Testament Commentary) At the end of this chapter, Paul explains how they (WE) attained the privileged position of fellowship (koinonia) with Christ writing "by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30+) Guzik makes an excellent observation that "In these first 10 verses, Paul refers to Jesus in every verse, for a total of 11 times (using the designations Jesus, Christ or Him)(ED: CORRECTION - MY COUNT IS 27 TIMES!). In this emphasis on Jesus, Paul promotes the sure cure for the problems of the Corinthians: getting your eyes off self and on Jesus." (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary)

1 Coríntios 1

Stedman - Fellowship with Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is His task to take the things of Christ and make them known unto us, to make the person of Jesus vivid and real in our daily experience. That is what Paul is talking about here -- Christ made real to the heart, enabling him to satisfy the thirsts of the soul; Christ providing the power that it takes to do and meet the demands of both the law and the love of God. Fellowship with Christ is not only direction in what to do, but it is dynamic -- it is how to do it.....What the church is called to is to an understanding of the presence of Christ in the human heart to supply to it that dynamic, that sense of adventure, that innovative spirit that opens doors in unusual and unanticipated ways that lends adventure and color to life. Now that was what was missing in Corinth, and as we open this letter and go on into it further, we will see how, in every case, the apostle calls them back to that: They were suffering divisions because they had lost sight of the Lordship of Jesus. They were immoral because they had forgotten that the members of their bodies were the members of Christ. They were in lawsuits with one another because they had failed to see that Jesus was judge of the innermost motives of the heart. They were quarreling because they had forgotten that others were members of Christ's body and, therefore, they were members one of another. All that the apostle does to heal the hurts at Corinth is to call them back to an awareness of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Stedman - Despite all this mighty provision, there was no manifestation of the power of God. This reminds me of Peter Marshall's very vivid description of contemporary Christians. He says, "Christians are like deep-sea divers encased in suits designed for many fathoms deep, marching bravely forth to pull plugs out of bathtubs!" What was wrong? Well, what was wrong was the Corinthians lack of understanding of what it meant to have Jesus Christ living among them. I have found that the major struggle of churches is right at this point. They have lost the sense that Jesus is among them, that they have an individual relationship to the Lord of glory himself. They no longer live their lives in the awareness and the excitement that they are partners with Christ in everything they do. When that begins to fade from the Christian consciousness, all these troubles that the Corinthians were experiencing begin to crowd in, and press in upon us. Therefore, this letter is written to call these people back, as it is written to call us back as well, to an awareness of what it means to have fellowship with Christ. F B

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Stedman - church unity is a very important matter, and, because of its significance, Paul puts it first in the list of problems he has to deal with here at Corinth. Many of the other problems were flowing out of this division within the congregation. Here in Verse 10 he briefly shows us the ground of unity, and the nature of unity in a church. The ground, of course, is the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "I appeal to you," he says, "by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Their relationship to Christ was the unifying factor of the church. There is no other name big enough, great enough, glorious enough, and powerful enough to gather everybody together, despite the diversity of viewpoint and the differences of background or status in life, than the name of Jesus. That is why the apostle appeals to it. He recognizes that we share a common life if we have come to Christ; we are brothers and sisters because we have his life in us. He is the ground, always, of unity. And more than that, we have a responsibility to obey him, to follow his Lordship. Therefore, the only basis upon which you can get Christians to agree is by setting before them the Person of the Lord Jesus, and calling them back to that fundamental base. This is what Paul does here. (Behind Divisions) HCSB note - Paul's appeal to unity is expressed in a first-century idiom translated agree in what you say. The added phrase the same conviction refers to the shared conviction about the centrality and importance of the gospel message—Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:17; 1Cor 1:18-3:4). In Paul's mind, this central conviction was the key to church unity. That you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment - NET = "be united." KJV = "perfectly joined together." Here Paul gives the antithesis and the "antidote" for disunity and divisions and pleads for them to be joined together ("fitted together," "mended") in keeping with their position which was one in Christ Jesus. Be made complete is katartizo which conveys the fundamental idea of repairing, of mending, of putting something into its appropriate condition so that it would function well. It was used of setting a fracture, so here Paul applies it to a "fracture" (so to speak) in the Body of Christ. In this case he refers to the local body of believers in Corinth pleading that they would seek to function as a unified body. Be made complete is perfect tense speaking of Paul's desire that this be their permanent state. Complete is in the passive voice, which in this context is almost certainly the divine passive, that is, a work of the Holy Spirit. Even saints in their own natural capacities cannot attain this degree of unity so this must be a supernatural work of the Spirit - cf "fellowship of the Spirit" in 2 Cor 13:14 and "unity of the Spirit" in Eph 4:3+ (note that Spirit filled believers still have a responsibility to maintain this unity, but it is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit). In Acts 4:32+ Luke writes "the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul (homothumadon = same mind/temperament). And if we examine the immediate context, Acts 4:31+, it is notable that this congregation was filled with the Spirit, which would strongly support the thought that it was the Spirit Who brought them into like mindedness. Indeed, the church was probably never more like minded than on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit fell on the believers and birthed the Church (read Luke's description of the early church in Acts 2:46-47+ -- see related discussion on a Spirit Filled Church) William Barclay on made complete or KJV "joined together" says this is “A medical word used of knitting together bones that have been fractured, or joining together a joint that has been dislocated. The disunion is unnatural and must be cured.” (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Jack Arnold - They were to be united "in mind.” This does not mean all Christians have to think alike. In fact, that would be impossible, but Christians can agree on the basic, primary things and give a united witness to the unsaved world. The Apostles’ Creed was an attempt by the early church to state a basic belief of Christians, and it would be well for us to think through this creed to keep us balanced. The Corinthians were also to be united in “judgment” (opinions); that is, they were to be of the same general convictions and opinions, being united in faith, hope and love. For Christians to be of the same mind and opinion, they must be in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and fellowship with Christ comes when we acknowledge His Lordship over our lives, giving up our rights and personal privileges, taking the place of servants. The Moravians had a motto which sums up what our attitude about unity should be: (1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Divisions Because Of Personalities) In essentials: Unity In non-essentials: Liberty In all things: Charity THOUGHT - "In all things: Charity" - this should not be misconstrued that we are to accept error that contradicts God's Word. Clearly we must confront the "errorist" but we are still to do so in "charity" (love) in the pattern of Ephesians 4:15+ which is literally "truthing" (aletheuo in present tense)" which we might render "truth-speaking" but doing so in (locative of sphere) the Spirit enabled attitude of love. Arnold's comments remind me of Paul's warning to the saints in Colossians who were "not holding fast to the Head (CHRIST), from Whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God." (Col 2:19+) The key to "church growth" and "church power" is Christ, and the division among the Corinthians was impeding the "flow" of Christ's power through His Spirit to and through the saints. Stedman on mind - the apostle says they are to be of the same mind. Now, how could that be? I think the letter to the Philippians helps us here, because in that passage I just quoted from, Paul goes on to say, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 2:5). He then goes on to describe for us the mind of Christ, which is a willingness to give up rights and personal privileges and give in and take a lower place. Then comes that great Christological passage where he describes how Christ, ...who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 RSV) That is the mind Paul is talking about. When everybody decides to put the things of Christ first, and is willing to suffer loss that the honor and glory of Christ might be advanced, that is what brings harmony in a congregation. That is always the unifying factor in a church, and that is the mind that is to be among us, the mind that does not consider itself the most important thing. (Behind Divisions) John

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Stedman writes "you do not have to be very old to recognize that that is still a problem in the church. The same viewpoints are still dividing people. There are those who are emotionally attached to some great Christian leader who has helped them, and they will only listen to him. They read only his books or listen only to his tapes. And there are others who are drawn to some speaking style that has attracted them. They love to listen to someone because he turns them on emotionally. There are still others today who follow after some school of thought (Calvinists, Arminians, Dispensationalists)....If you survey the church scene all over America today, you find people dividing up this way. Some say, "I am of Gothard," and others say, "No, I am of Bright." Still others say, "We are of Schaeffer," and others, "We are of Graham," or, "We are of C. S. Lewis."...Paul says this is all basically, fundamentally wrong. Whenever this attitude of gathering around a man is allowed to perpetuate itself, it is the source of much trouble and difficulty....it is very clear that he is deeply troubled by this. When you divide up among men you lose something, that is what he is saying. It is a serious threat to the life of a church to find people choosing favorite preachers, to the degree, at least, that they do not want to listen to anyone else. Now, we all have our favorite preacher, and up to a point that is not wrong. There are some people who minister to us better than others, and it is only natural that we should listen to them and follow them. But it is the exclusiveness that Paul is concerned about here -- people who do not even want to come to a service if someone other than their favorite is preaching. That is what Paul speaks about. (Behind Divisions) Related Resources: Who was Apollos? | GotQuestions.org Who was Peter (Cephas) in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org 1 Corinthians 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Amplified - Is Christ (the Messiah) divided into parts? Was Paul crucified on behalf of you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

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Stedman explains it this way - to chop up Christ and parcel him out as though his person and his work came in various packages, thus you lose perspective of the whole of Christian theology. When you follow one man you are getting a view of Christ, but there is no teacher in the church who has ever come along -- including the Apostle Paul himself -- who has ever had a totally complete view of Christ. That is why we have four gospels, because not even one of the disciples who was with the Lord was capable of giving us a complete enough view of Christ. It took four viewpoints to report his earthly life and ministry accurately enough to us. God, therefore, has designed that there be many teachers, many preachers, many viewpoints, in a church. In the body of Christ at large there are many who can make a contribution to the understanding of Christ. If you limit yourself to one speaker or one teacher and feed only on him, you are getting a distorted view of Jesus Christ; you are chopping Christ up, dividing him and taking one little portion as one man reports it and ignoring the rest, thus your view of Christ is deficient and unable to satisfy you as it was intended to do. (1 Corinthians 1:10-19 Behind Divisions) Divided (alloted apportioned)(3307) merizo from meris= a part) means to divide, part, share, separate. 13x in NT - Matt. 12:25; Matt. 12:26; Mk. 3:24; Mk. 3:25; Mk. 3:26; Mk. 6:41; Lk. 12:13; Rom. 12:3; 1 Co. 1:13; 1 Co. 7:17; 1 Co. 7:34; 2 Co. 10:13; Heb. 7:2 Paul was not crucified for you, was he? - A negative response is expected. No man died for them. Only the God-Man could do that. Only Christ can atone for sin. This is just as contemporary today as it was 2000 years ago for we might ask "John MacArthur or John Piper were not crucified for you were they?" Popular religious leaders sadly are exalted higher than they ought to be exalted. This is what fallen flesh does, exalting finite men over the supremacy of the infinite Christ. Hodge - Was Paul crucified for you? Did Paul redeem you? Were you purchased by his blood, so that you belong to him? If not, then you are not his, and it is wrong to say, “We are Paul’s.” Believers bear no such relation even to inspired teachers as to justify their being called by their names. They are called Christians because they are the worshipers of Christ, because they belong to him, and because they are consecrated to him. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) ILLUSTRATION - Martin Luther recognized this danger toward denominationalism in his day and In his de­bate with John Eck in 1517, wrote the following... I pray you, leave my name alone, and do not call yourself Lutherans, but Christians. Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I have not been crucified for any one. Saint Paul would not that any one should call themselves of Paul, nor of Peter, but of Christ. How then does it befit me, a miserable bag of dust and aches to give my name to the children of Christ? Cease, my dear friends, to cling to those party names and distinctions -- away with them all and let us call ourselves only Christians, after Him from whom our doctrine comes. It is quite proper that the Papists should bear the name of their party; because they are not content with the name and doctrine of Jesus Christ, they will be Papists besides. Well, let them own the Pope, as he is their master. For me, I neither am, nor wish to be, the master of anyone. I and mine will contend for the sole and whole doctrine of Christ who is our sole master. C H Spurgeon in a sermon on Col 3:17 said this about cliques... The text also rebukes those Christians who do much in the name of some eminent Christian man. I shall not censure any particular denomination, but if the truth censures them, let them hear it. When George Whitfield refused to form a new sect, and said, “Let my name perish, and let Christ’s name last for ever,” he acted as his Lord would have him. Paul was not crucified for you, neither did Apollos die for you, therefore take none of these names, but let the name of Christ be named among you, and under that name be ye known. Though there is a Lutheran church, it was a good saying of Luther, though couched in rugged words, “I desire above all things that my name should be concealed, and that none be called by the name of Lutheran, but of Christian. What is Luther? My doctrine is not mine, but Christ’s. I was not crucified for any. How comes it to pass, that I, who am but a filthy, stinking bag of worms, that any of the sons of God should be denominated from my name? Away with these schismatical names; let us be denominated from Christ, from whom alone we have our doctrine.” It shall be well for all churches when they are ruled by the like spirit (ED: energized by THE Spirit - Eph 4:3+). Names which indicate their difference of doctrine will probably survive till Christ comes, but the names of men they will do well to discard. (Method and Music, or The Art of Holy and Happy Living) John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, in the pref­ace of his New Testament with Notes (1754, p. 5), wrote: “Would to God that all the party names and unscriptural phrases (ED: I LIKE THIS -- THE MODERN CHURCH IS INTRODUCING MANY NEW TERMS WHICH SOUND GOOD BUT ARE NOT FOUND IN SCRIPTURE - BEWARE! STICK TO THE PURE WORD IN YOUR DESCRIPTIONS FOR ONLY GOD'S PURE WORD HAS POWER!) and forms, which have divided the Christian world were forgot­ten, and that we might all agree to sit down together as humble loving disciples at the feet of our common Master, to hear His words and imbibe His Spirit and to transform His life into our own.” Charles Spurgeon, one of the most recognized Baptist preachers who ever lived, wrote: “I say of the Baptist name, let it perish, but let Christ’s name last forever. I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living. I hope they will soon be gone. I hope the Baptist name will soon perish; but let Christ’s name en­dure forever” (The Eternal Name). Albert Barnes, great Methodist commentator: “These divisions should be merged into the holy name Christian.” Dr Luke gives us the name by which we should be gladly known... “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26+). The apostle Peter adds “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16+).

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Stedman explains the second rhetorical question - There he (PAUL) indicates that the problem with cliquishness is that it tends to overemphasize the significance of the human leader. It builds him up too much; it makes him a rival, to some degree, of the Lord himself. People begin to think things about him that are not true, and expect things from him that he is unable to deliver. You only have to listen around you today and you find outstanding leaders being held up by their congregations as almost the equal of the Lord himself in their value to the church. We tend to deify men, and people look at them as if they can do no wrong, can made no errors, that they know everything and can settle all questions. I have had to do some degree of battle with this myself. I have had people say to me, "Oh, Mr. Stedman, when you speak I see so clearly! I hang on every word you say. Whatever you say, I believe." (I have been trying for a long time to get my wife to accept that!) But that is a very dangerous attitude, and yet we tend to think of people as being the channel by which deliverance can come to our heart. Now, it cannot. Paul is putting his finger right on the problem when he asks, "Was Paul crucified for you?" There is not a single Christian teacher who ever lived who can help us be forgiven one single sin, not one. There is not a single teacher who ever lived who can heal the hurt of a broken heart, or supply energy and adequacy to someone who feels worthless and unable to function in society, not one. There is not a teacher among us today, or at any other time, who is able to open the mind and open the eyes of the heart and reveal to us the glory and majesty of God, not one. That is not the work of men; that is the work of God himself. He chooses various channels through which to work. We must allow him the privilege of doing that. They will not all be the same flavor; they will not all have the same characteristics. We reveal our immaturity when we insist that only those with certain characteristics are the ones we will listen to, or we feel can bless or strengthen our lives. No man is the Savior; no man can deliver us except Jesus. (1 Corinthians 1:10-19 Behind Divisions) Or were you baptized in the name of Paul - Finally a third rhetorical question which continues through the next two verses. Name stands for authority. They knew they had been baptized in the Name of Jesus. To identify with a man's name instead of the Name Jesus was clearly wrong. Paul's point is not to minimize the importance of baptism but to put it in proper perspective. Apparently the Corinthians were placing too much emphasis on baptism by a particular leader. A believer's allegiance can only be to Christ. Wiersbe makes an excellent point on baptized - Keep in mind that baptism was an important matter in the New Testament church. When a sinner trusted Christ and was baptized, he cut himself off from his old life and often was rejected by his family and friends. It cost something to be baptized in that day....I have read accounts about people who had to be baptized by a certain preacher, using special water (usually from the Jordan River), on a special day, as though these are the matters that are important! Instead of honoring the Lord Jesus Christ and promoting the unity of the church, these people exalt men and create disunity. (Be Wise 1 Corinthians) Hodge - Were you baptized into the name of Paul? That is, in reference to Paul, so that he should be the object of your faith and the one whose name you were to confess. By baptism we are brought into the number of the disciples and are followers of him into whose name, or in reference to whom, we are baptized. As, therefore, all Christians are baptized into Christ and not unto the apostles, much less any uninspired teacher, it is Christ whom they should confess, and by his name they should be called. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Arnold explains that "When these Corinthians were water baptized, they publicly swore loyalty to Jesus Christ and placed themselves under His authority alone. By following men, they were offending the confession they made when baptized." (1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Divisions Because Of Personalities)

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Stedman has a more in depth comment on Paul's use of Isaiah 29:14 writing "If you look that up in the book of Isaiah you will find that it came at a time when Judah was being confronted with an invasion. The northern borders of the land were being attacked by the Assyrian army, and all the statesmen and politicians of the day, including King Hezekiah, were trying to find a way out of this dilemma. (It reads very much like the present day crisis in the Middle East.) They were trying to find a way by human ingenuity and political scheming to either make a mutual defense treaty with Egypt, or somehow turn off the wrath of the Assyrian army and escape imminent invasion. But God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and announced that he would deliver his people without any help from the politicians. This is the way he put it, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart," (Isaiah 29:14). The book of Isaiah goes on to record how God did that very thing, (Isaiah 37). The Assyrian army came right up to the gates of Jerusalem and surrounded the city. King Hezekiah could see the hordes of Assyrians, their tents surrounding the city, mocking and taunting the Israelites. Their leader, Sennacherib, sent a letter to the king ordering him to surrender, but the king spread it out before the Lord and prayed over it. And God answered. He sent an angel who in one night slew 185,000 of the Assyrian soldiers. (History says that a plague broke out in the Assyrian camp and overnight 185,000 died. The Authorized Version puts it in a rather remarkable way: "When they woke up in the morning, behold, they were all dead," (Isaiah 37:36 KJV).) God did exactly what he said he would do. He did not ask for any human help. He did it, and the land was delivered. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 God's Nonsense) THE FOLLY AND FINALITY OF HUMAN WISDOM! For (gar) is a term of explanation. What is Paul explaining. In context he is quoting the OT to emphasize the final outcome of human wisdom. It will not be good as they say! HCSB Study note says "Paul supported this truth by quoting Isa 29:14, where God warned the unbelieving leaders of Jerusalem who considered themselves wise. God's judgment will expose all pretensions to human wisdom not anchored in Christ." Hodge - 1 Cor 1:18 contains the reason why Christ sent the apostle to preach, and why Paul preached the doctrine of the cross, and not human wisdom. That reason is: only the doctrine of the cross effects salvation. He proceeds to establish this proposition by a series of arguments designed to prove that the wisdom of the world cannot save people. His first argument is derived from the express declaration of the Word of God to this effect. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary)

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Stedman - What is the major fault of the wisdom of man? Well, despite his pretentious claims to have penetrated the secrets of life, he has failed to discover and acknowledge the greatest fact of all -- God Himself. The great Being behind all that exists is God, and for man to ignore and leave out of His thinking the most important fact of all is nothing but stupidity!...No wonder T. S. Elliot says,"All our knowledge only brings us closer to our ignorance, and all our ignorance closer to death, but closer to death, no nearer to God." Then he asks the question that hangs over this whole generation: "Where is the life we have lost in living?" (ED: Of course the answer is that real life is found only in belief in the real death of the real risen Christ!) (1 Corinthians 1:18-25 God's Nonsense)

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Stedman - The Greek custom of philosophizing about everything had penetrated the church and they were dividing into various factions, following certain men, quarreling, boasting, dividing, glorying in men's ability and men's power, men's insight and men's wisdom. To answer this the apostle shows us how God works. He sets it in very simple contrast and he uses these Corinthians themselves as his Exhibit A. He says, "Look at yourselves, consider your own call, look what has happened in your own life." He then points out two rather obvious, but very important, facts they were evidently overlooking in their thinking. (Not many wise, mighty, noble). (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 God's Tools) Arnold - In 1 Cor 1:26-31 Paul is going to show human wisdom had nothing to do with the salvation of the Corinthian believers. These Christians were saved by the sovereign grace of God, a way which is totally foreign and contrary to human reason. In fact, it was not human wisdom but divine wisdom which saved them. To prove his point that human wisdom, works or acts have no saving merit, Paul used the Corinthians as “Exhibit A.” He said, “Look at yourselves; consider how you were called. Take a good look at your own lives; see what kind of people you are by nature and social standing, and this will prove to you that human wisdom does not save.” The word “called” is the key to this section. This is God’s sovereign or efficacious call to salvation which deals with the divine side of salvation. To appreciate the full impact of our salvation, we must understand God called us to be saved. He took the initiative. Our salvation is gracious and supernatural from beginning to end. The Bible declares that all men are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1+) and are incapable of understanding divine truth (1 Cor 2:14+, cf Lk 24:45+). How then can men believe in Christ, love God and become Christians? They must be called by God (cf Jn 6:44, 65). The Cross will always be foolishness to a person until God irresistibly calls him or her to Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Gods Call To Salvation) For (gar) (term of explanation) - S Lewis

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Stedman says "if you are feeling that nobody recognizes you, you ought to rejoice that you are a Christian because power and influence are not necessary to be greatly used of God. God delights in setting aside the impressive things of men, oftentimes." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 God's Tools) But God - Term of contrast. This continues the discussion of God's way of salvation, contrasting the way fallen men view the worth of mankind and the way God views mankind. Has chosen the foolish (moros) things of the world (kosmos) to shame (Kataischuno) the wise - Amplified = "[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame" Has chosen (eklego) is in the aorist tense (at a point in time) an middle voice (for Himself). In context foolish things refers to people that unbelievers consider to be fools (1 Cor 1:18+) because they believe a Man dying on Cross was actually God and they compounded their foolishness with the absurd belief that He actually came back to life! "He does this so the unsaved might understand that it is not human wisdom that saves, but it is a sovereign God who saves through the Cross of Christ." (Arnold) When all is said and done, those who thought these were fools with be utterly put to shame at the revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:7+). Wanted: Ordinary people to do extraordinary work. Play and ponder the words of The Touch of the Master's Hand by Wayne Watson You know there's many a man with his life out of tune, Battered and scared with sin and he's auctioned cheap, To a thankless world much like that old violin, Oh, but then the Master comes, And that old foolish crowd they never understand, The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought, Just by one touch of the Master's hand. The lost world sees believers as foolish because they do not know us because they do not know our Father, John writing "See (aorist imperative) how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world (kosmos) does not know (ginosko) us, because it did not know (ginosko) Him." (1 John 3:1+) William

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Stedman - God sets aside the wisdom, the pride, and the boasting of man because it is based upon an illusion, a fantasy, that men have in themselves power to act. Paul then sets forth for us in another beautiful passage the secret of true wisdom. What is it? It is the ability to recognize that though you may have little of what the world thinks it takes, if you have Jesus, and have learned to count on his power moment by moment, you have the secret of true success. Now, many Christians know that in their minds, but they do not act on it when the moment for action comes, and, therefore, they act like anybody else. The whole purpose of the Scriptures is to teach us to walk in a different way, to live by a different power, and to do so with respect to everything we do. The simplest tasks are to be done in the power of Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 God's Tools) Wayne Barber on by His doing - The little word ek (OUT) is really “out of Him you are in Christ.” It is because of Him that you are in Christ. When we look at this verse on salvation and what we have in Jesus Christ, we begin to see the wisdom of boasting only in God. We don’t ever want to boast again in man because we realize now that in Him is all the aspects of our salvation. We are in Him, not by our own doing. It is by God’s plan and by God’s grace and by what God has done for us. Don’t ever attach yourself to man. A cult is always centered around a man or a person. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) Who became to us wisdom (sophia) from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption - Amplified - "Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] " Col 2:3+ says in Christ "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." We have divine wisdom because we are in Christ. "This wisdom is ours right now but we must claim and use it by faith. This is a type of wisdom the world knows nothing about. It is wisdom that causes us to look at all of life from a divine viewpoint." (Arnold) "These four qualities belong together; they both characterize Christ himself and are imparted to his people." (Johnson)