1 Coríntios 1
William MacDonald · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Coríntios 1
William MacDonald - It will help us to understand the section that follows if we remember that the Corinthians, being Greeks, were great lovers of human wisdom. They regarded their philosophers as national heroes. Some of this spirit had apparently crept into the assembly at Corinth. There were those who desired to make the gospel more acceptable to the intelligentsia. They did not feel that it had status among scholars, and so they wanted to intellectualize the message. This worship of intellectualism was apparently one of the issues that was causing the people to form parties around human leaders. Efforts to make the gospel more acceptable are completely misguided. There is a vast difference between God’s wisdom and man’s, and there is no use trying to reconcile them. Paul now shows the folly of exalting men, and emphasizes that to do this is inconsistent with the true nature of the gospel (1 Cor 1:18–3:4). His first point is that the message of the cross is the opposite of all that men consider to be true wisdom (1Cor 1:18–25). (Believer's Bible Commentary) For (gar) is a term of explanation. What is Paul explaining from verse 17? "For introduces the reason he did not come in wisdom of word. To the perishing, the cross must always appear to be foolishness." (S L Johnson) Zodhiates says that "Paul explains why he thinks some leave out the cross of Christ and consequently render it ineffective."
1 Coríntios 1
William MacDonald - Did God consult them when He devised His plan of salvation? Could they ever have worked out such a plan of redemption if left to their own wisdom? Can they rise to disprove anything that God ever said? The answer is an emphatic “No!” (Believer's Bible Commentary) Has not God made foolish (moraino) the wisdom (sophia) of the world (kosmos)? - Amplified = "Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world’s wisdom?" This question begins with a strong negative (ouchi) which calls for a resounding "Yes!" God has indeed made dumb the world's wisdom. God has exposed the foolishness of human wisdom. Johnson answers Paul's question - God has indeed done this by the startling act of redemption effected by the despised, weak Jewish carpenter who was crucified as a criminal. By this act God has reversed the world’s values. The self-styled, success-oriented, status-seeking wisdom and rhetorical skill of the wise has been dethroned and made foolish itself. So why would you want to bring this alien view of life into the church and split into factions over it? Paul might well ask. (1 Corinthians ) Schreiner - Paul is not denying the intellectual or rhetorical gifts of those under consideration. His point is that their intellectual capacities are ultimately foolish if they do not know the God of the universe, the one true God who created and sustains them. (1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary) Leon
1 Coríntios 1
William MacDonald says it this way "Actually there is neither foolishness nor weakness with God. But the apostle is saying in verse 25 that what seems to be foolishness on God’s part, in the eyes of men, is actually wiser than men at their very best. Also, what seems to be weakness on God’s part, in the eyes of men, turns out to be stronger than anything that men can produce." (Believer's Bible Commentary) And the weakness (asthenes) of God (cf power of God in v24) is stronger than men - The omnipotent God is not weak and His Gospel has the supernatural power to break the bondage of sin and the devil and set men free so that they are free indeed. The foolishness of God and weakness of God was manifest to fallen men in the Cross of Christ, but was the ultimate divine paradox for it reflected God's infinite wisdom and omnipotent power conquering sin and death! A T Robertson on weakness of God - The Cross seemed God’s defeat (ED: WHICH IS LOGICAL BECAUSE DEATH MARKS THE END FOR MORTAL MEN). It is conquering the world and is the mightiest force on earth. (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary) Leon