1 Corinthians

1:26-31

1. Maintaining unity in the church, 1:1-4:21

v] God chose the weak

Paul continues to argue that human wisdom and the gospel are mutually exclusive, 1:18-2:5. In this, his second point, 1:26-31, Paul explains that the recipients of the gospel at Corinth are far from "wise" or influential in the sense understood by the world at large. So, in this passage the conflict between human wisdom and the foolishness of the cross is now illustrated in the origins and composition of the Corinthian congregation. "The act of God in Christ has brought about a reversal of human evaluations concerning status, achievement and success" (Thiselton) and this can be observed in the Corinthian fellowship.

The splits in the church at Corinth over leadership, form and theology, relate to an overdependence on human wisdom. This is why Paul was criticized for his weak gospel. So, in 1:18-31 Paul sets out to expose the difference between divine and human wisdom. The wisdom of God may not involve the powerful logic and rhetoric of the Greek and Roman intellectual system, but it is wisdom none-the-less. The truth concerning the death and resurrection of Christ in the gospel, is not only a complete system of truth about mankind and God, simple though this may be, it is also the power of God for salvation. The gospel delivers humanity from bondage. This "foolishness" of God is "wiser" than the musings of the wise; this "weakness" of God is "stronger" than the strength of the strong. In our passage for study Paul illustrates this paradox. God's seemingly weak and foolish ways are actually evident in the make-up of the Corinthian church.

blepete (blepw) pres. "think of what you were" - [for] you see. A metaphorical use of the verb expressing "giving ones attention to" so "think about".

thn klhsin (is ewV) "when you were called" - the calling. Serving as a verbal noun and therefore emphasizing function, the gospel function of calling the lost to salvation. So, the focus of attention is their calling, possibly as NIV "when you were called", but better expressing the implicit idea "the circumstances of your call", Thiselton.

oJti "-" - that. Introducing a dependent statement of perception, "for you see ..... how that ...."

ou polloi adj. "not many" - Origin argued the phrase meant "not all", ie. most were, but this sense is unlikely.

kata sarka "by human standards" - according to the flesh. The term means "human", pertaining to normal human life. From a human perspective (a societal assessment of things) the believers in Corinth were not viewed as clever ("wise"), nor influential, nor of high status ("of noble birth")

"God's calling excludes human boasting", Hayes.

exelexato (eklegomai) aor. "chose" - Paul's use of the words "called" and "chose" can be very misleading. Those who take a Calvinist line see in Paul's words an effectual call, i.e., God selecting particularly weak people for salvation. Yet, this is most likely not the meaning. In his sovereign will, God determines to gather a people to himself through the family of Abraham, even though as a family and later as a nation, weakness is its constant mark. Those who attach themselves to this "called" and "chosen" people share in the blessing of salvation. In the same way, those who attach themselves to the one true Israelite, "called" and "chosen", the crucified one, the "man of sorrows", are similarly saved. In him they become the "called" and "chosen" ones, and like him they tend to be lacking of this world's glory. Such a "calling" exhibits "the energetic action whereby God has taken to Him from the midst of the world those individuals whom no one judged worthy of attention", Godet.

ta mwra adj. "the foolish things" - foolish. Adjective as a substantive. The descriptors "foolish things", "weak things" and "the insignificant and despised, things that are nothing" are nicely balanced with "the clever", "the powerful (those in positions of power)" and "the 'somethings' (of this world, or at least those who think they are something)." The rhythm of the Greek actually translates well into English: "the foolish things of this world God chose in order to shame the clever, ........."

iJna + subj. "to" - that. Introducing a purpose clause, "in order that ...", telling us why God chose. Two other purpose clauses follow.

agenh (hV) "lowly things" - insignificant, base.

ta mh onta "the things that are not" - the things not being. The First World War phrase "he aught to be shot and his cloths burnt", usually referring to a mate who has done something stupid, carries the sense of those who should not even be recognized as existing. For Paul, such people find hope in Christ.

oJpwV mh + subj. "so that no [one]" - lest [anyone may boast]. Introducing a negated purpose clause, this time identifying God's eternal purpose in calling a people to himself, rather than the immediate purpose of the three preceding hina clauses. "He did this to ensure that no human being may have any cause for pride in the presence of God", Barclay.

kauchshtai pasa sarx "no one may boast" - [so that] all flesh may [not] boast. A rather awkward way of putting it, but influenced by the Hebrew idea, "all flesh" = humanity.

ex (ek) + gen. "it is because [of him]" - of him. The preposition + gen. may be read to convey the grounds of the Corinthians present advantage "in Christ", as in the NIV, or the source, as in the RSV/NRSV, "he is the source of your life in Christ."

de "-" - but [of him (God) you are in Christ]. The NIV has not translated the adversive de, "but" ("but as far as you are concerned"), which serves to emphasize the contrast that the following words have with the preceding words. As for the Corinthian believers, the present privileged position that they possess in their relationship with Christ is totally of God's doing.

en Cristw/ Ihsou "in Christ Jesus" - Always a difficult phrase since it can mean different things in different contexts. A locative sense (incorporation in) is to be preferred and that in relational terms. Because of our relationship in/with (in association with) Christ, we are saved. An instrumental sense is another possibility. In/by (by what Christ has done) we are saved. The point here, of course, is that God is the agent acting through Christ.

sofia hJmin apo qeou "[who has become] for us wisdom from God" - wisdom for/to us from God. The verse is often read as if God uses Christ to be a channel by which the believer becomes wise, righteous, holy and redeemed, but the text is not saying this. God has made Christ to possess wisdom on our behalf. He possesses the wisdom of God and in it is by means of our association with him that we are counted as possessing this wisdom.

dikaiosunh (h) "righteousness" - The three nouns, "righteousness, holiness and redemption", stand in apposition to the noun "wisdom", and describe different aspects of this "wisdom". Possibly either "righteousness", in the sense of Christ's ethical adherence to the law of God, which obedience is ours "in Christ", by grace through faith, or "justification", in the sense of Christ's right standing / approval in the sight of God, which approval is ours "in Christ", by grace through faith.

aJgiasmoV (oV) "holiness" - Used in a religious sense; purity, sanctification.

apolutrwsiV (iV ewV) "redemption" - release from captivity. Jesus is the redeemed / saved / released remnant of Israel, and through our association with him we share in this salvation.

iJna "therefore" - that. We are probably best to follow Lightfoot who argued that the hina clause is final (a purpose clause), "in order that", NRSV; "in order that, as it is written, let him who boasts boast in the Lord." It may be a consecutive clause expressing result, "with the result that." The sentence is possibly an ellipsis with a subjunctive verb to-be missing, "in order that it might be, as it is written ..." What then might "be"? That all ground of boasting rest upon God's anointed. "So that, as it is written, 'let him who boasts boast of the Lord'", Moffatt.

kaucasqw (kaucaomai) pres. imp. "boast" - Command: the one who boasts must boast in the Lord, Jer.9:24. Paul replaces "in this" with "in the Lord."

1 Corinthians Introduction

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