How is the Message of the
Cross Stupidity, and yet
Still Be God's Power?
By Jonathan Mitchell
Comments on 1 Cor. 1:18-21
18. You see, the message (the word; the Logos) of the cross (or: the idea from, and the concept pertaining to, the execution-stake/suspension-pole) is and continues being, on the one hand, stupidity (nonsense; foolishness) to (or: for; in; with) those folks constantly, progressively destroying themselves (or, as a passive: being habitually lost or progressively undone); yet, on the other hand, it is and continues being God's power (or: the ability of and from God; the power which is God) in us, to us and for us: in the folks being presently delivered (or: for those being continually rescued, repeatedly saved and progressively restored to health and wholeness; or: with the ones being now salvaged and progressively restored).
Hans Conzelmann subtitles the section of vss. 18-25 as, "The Word of the Cross as the Judgment of the Wisdom of the World" (ibid p 40). This perception sheds light on our inquiry. In this same place he asserts that Paul's words in this section, "expound revelation itself - as something that happens to man.... [and] the object of theology is the cross, the act of salvation which actualizes itself in the word: the determination of many by the arrival of the word, and the determination of the word by the cross" (ibid pp 40-41). He posits that the section of 1:18-3:23 should be "taken as a unity" (ibid p 39).
How is "the message of the cross... God's power"? First of all take note that this "ability of, from, and which is God" is "in us, to us and for us." Jesus told His followers, "you folks will progressively receive power and will continue taking to yourselves ability: a sudden (point of time) added, full coming of the Set-apart Breath-effect (the Holy Spirit and Sacred Attitude) upon you folks" (Acts 1:8a). The Logos enters within us as we listen to the announcement of the message. Then the Logos constructs a new creation within us, and makes all things new. This is what God meant when He told John,
"Consider this! I am presently making all things new (or: habitually creating everything [to be] new and fresh; progressively forming [the] whole anew; or, reading panta as masculine: I am periodically making all humanity new, and progressively, one after another, producing and creating every person anew, while constantly constructing all people fresh and new, i.e., continuously renewing everyone)!" (Rev. 21:5) [cf Isa. 43:19-21; 65:17-25; 2 Cor. 5:17]
Now of course His power is "for us," and He gives His ability "to us." This is what "delivers" us. The parenthetical expansion of the present participle "being presently delivered," shows other aspects of the work of God within us. Observe the "divine passive" which indicates that God is the Actor: continually rescued; repeatedly saved and progressively restored to health and wholeness; now salvaged and progressively restored. These are the results of the Good News. It was happening in Paul's day, and it has continued happening to each person, in their own group or class (15:23, below). Paul put it this way, in Rom. 1:16,
"You see, God's power (or: [the] ability of God; capacity from God; or: a power which is God) is unto deliverance (or: exists [leading] into rescue, salvation, health, wholeness and restoration to the original state and condition) for everyone (or: in all; to everyone) - to, for, in and with the person continuously having faith and trusting (or: believing and relying upon [it]; being faithful): both for (to; in) [the] Jew first, also for (to; in) [the] Greek (or: = non-Jew) (or: - to not only the believing/trusting Jew, but also, firstly {or: primarily}, to the Hellenist as well)."
Peter spoke of this same power, and of a similar situation, when addressing the house of Cornelius,
"Jesus, the One from Nazareth - even as how God anointed Him with [a/the] set-apart Breath-effect (or: Holy Spirit; Sacred Attitude) even for (or: and with) power and ability - Who went throughout repeatedly doing works bringing goodness, ease and well-being, as well as constantly healing all the folks being continuously held down under power (tyrannized and oppressed) by the one that casts things through folks (the accuser, slanderer, adversary)... because God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).
Now tying these to situations with Paul's letter to Corinth, here, is the opening of the Gospel of Mark:
"A beginning of the good news, which is Jesus Christ, God's Son (or: [The] beginning of the message of goodness, ease and well-being which pertains to Jesus Christ - Son of God; or: A starting point from the evangel of [the] Anointed Jesus [= Messiah Yahshua], a son from God)" (Mk. 1:1).
Here, in vs. 18, Paul instructs us that "the good news which is Jesus" is "the message (the word; the Logos) of the cross," which is a code word for the Christ Event. In Mk. 14:62 Jesus uses the word "Power" to refer to God, when referring to His soon exaltation to be
"by habit sitting at (or: forth from the midst of) [the] right [hand; section] of the Power..."
And in Eph. 3:20b we read of,
"the power and ability [which is] continuously operating (making itself effective; energizing itself; working and developing) within us, and in union with us."
Heb. 1:3b instructs us about how the Son is,
"continuously bearing (or: progressively carrying; and then repeatedly bringing) the whole (all things; everything and all existence) by the gush-effect which is His power." Then 1 Pet. 1:5 informs us about Peter's listeners who were, "being continuously garrisoned within (or: kept, maintained and guarded in the center of) God's power, in union with an ability which is God, through [His] faithfulness, into a deliverance (a rescue which brings health, wholeness and a return to your original state and condition; salvation; a [period of] rescue)..."
Also, 2 Pet. 1:16 speaks about their,
"experientially or intimately make known to you the power and presence (or: ability and [the] being alongside; parousia) of our Lord, Jesus Christ."
Peter and his associates did this through proclaiming to them
"the message (the word; the Logos) of the cross,"
for it is
"God's power (or: the ability of and from God; the power which is God) in us, to us and for us: in the folks being presently delivered."
Paul explains part two of this message in Phil.3:10 when he speaks of,
"the ability - even the power - of His resurrection and also the common existence (participation; partnership, sharing and fellowship) of the results and from the effects of His experiences." Before leaving this focus on "power and ability,"
let us visit 2 Cor. 13:3b-4, which speaks of Christ,
"not being weak, but rather continues powerful (or: capable) within and in union with you folks. For even though He was crucified from out of weakness (or: hung and put to death on a torture stake forth from the midst of weakness), yet in contrast He is continuously living from out of the midst of God's power and ability. For you see, we ourselves also continue being weak, within (or: in union with) Him, but still we will continue on living unto you, together with [other MSS: within] Him, from out of the midst of God's power and ability."
The perception of the message as being "stupidity, nonsense and foolishness" comes across this way
"to (or: for; in) those folks constantly, progressively destroying themselves (or, as a passive: being habitually lost or progressively undone)."
Recall Jesus' words in Jn. 3:16, God sent His Son so that the aggregate of humanity
"would not lose or destroy itself, or cause itself to fall into ruin, but rather can continuously have (or: would habitually possess and hold) eonian life."
Without having the Son, people can do nothing else than destroy themselves. When a person is imprisoned by an addiction, or is walking a path of self-absorbed over-desires, they are "progressively destroying themselves" and the message sounds crazy - until the Light breaks through into them. If someone is emotionally lost, or is progressively undone by ill health, their mental state of hopelessness can make "the idea from, or pertaining to, the cross" sound ridiculous. But we who have the Light, have been informed concerning the crucified Christ:
"You see, the Son of the Man (= the eschatological messianic figure) came to seek after, and then to save, deliver and restore what is existing being lost and destroyed" (Lu. 19:10).
Conzelmann (ibid p 41) points out that Paul does not contrast "stupidity/foolishness" with "wisdom," but rather with "God's power." The contrast is also between, "those folks constantly, progressively destroying themselves (or, as a passive: being habitually lost or progressively undone)," and "the folks being presently delivered (etc.)." He cites Adolf Schlatter as positing that "if the word of the cross were 'wisdom,' 'then it would instruct us as to how the community can help itself'" (ibid p 42). The dative case that is used in designating both of these groups, in Paul's argument, should be noted. Each potential function of the dative (represented by the prepositions "in; to; for; with") expresses the sphere (in), relationship (to), purpose and focus (for), and corporate association (with) between "the idea from, and the concept pertaining to, the execution-stake/suspension-pole," which points to the historic Event, and each existential group to which Paul points his arguments. It is the impartation, or the impregnation, of the Logos (the Living Word that is delivered in the message) that births faith and brings "deliverance/salvation." This is the core idea of Paul's reference to the "message" of the crucifixion. Here, once again, Paul's "second" letter to Corinth gives more detailed instruction, in 2 Cor. 4:
3. because you are and continue being those continuously set in clear light and progressively manifested: Christ's letter (a letter whose source is Christ, and which is Christ), being one dispensed in attending service by us, being one having been written (inscribed; imprinted; engraved), not in black (= not with ink), but rather, by (or: in; with) God's Spirit: One continuously living (or: in a Breath-effect which has its origin in God, Who is constantly living); not in stone tablets (or: on tablets composed of stone), but rather within tablets which are hearts made of flesh (or: on tablets in hearts composed of flesh). [cf Rom. 8:26-27]
4. Now through the Christ we continuously possess (or: So, by means of the Anointing we progressively have and hold) this sort of persuaded trust and faith-based confidence [directed and leading] toward God (or: face to face with God)
5. - not that we are competent (adequately enough; sufficiently qualified) from ourselves to logically evaluate or count anything as it were forth from out of ourselves - but to the contrary, our competency (adequacy; sufficiency; qualification) [is] forth from out of the midst of (having its source in) God. The other group, "constantly, progressively destroying themselves," are the "yet to be impregnated folks," those who are still living in the first Adam (15:45, below).
Paul continues developing his argument about what seems to be stupidity, in the following verses:
19. For it has been written, and thus stands, "I will undo (untie and loose-away; destroy) the wisdom and cleverness of the wise ones, and I will set aside (or: displace; invalidate) the intelligence (comprehension; understanding) of the intellectual (intelligent; comprehending) people." [Isa. 29:14]
Just what did this prophecy from Isa. 29 mean? "Undo the wisdom?" "Loose-away the cleverness?" "Set aside (displace; invalidate) the intelligence?" Who were these wise folks and intellectual people? Paul is taking something from Isaiah's day, applying it to the group in first century Corinth, and setting it forth as the proof of his thesis. Conzelmann makes this astounding observation: "The God of the OT speaks immediately through this book today" (ibid p 42). Every culture has had its "wise folks." So has every age and time. But what would "undo, destroy, displace and invalidate" human wisdom and intelligence? Paul gives the answer in vs 21, below:
"the wisdom of God, or, Wisdom from, and which is, God."
Verse 24, below, asserts that this Wisdom is manifested and embodied in Christ.
But still, who were the wise folks, and the intellectuals? For his listeners in Corinth, Plato and Socrates might first come to mind. The folks who questioned Paul in Athens (Acts 17) might also come to mind, as well as the schools of philosophy with which they might have been acquainted. Yet how about the Jewish listeners? Would Paul have been referring to such as Hillel or Gamaliel, or the authors of all the Jewish "wisdom literature"? Was he contrasting the Wisdom which was revealed in Christ with the traditions of the elders, or even the everyday wisdom of their cultures? If we look back to what Jesus taught, then I think we will have to answer, "Yes." What sort of wisdom advocates taking up one's execution stake and following a crucified Messiah? Christ's wisdom turned conventional wisdom on its head. This verse in Isa. is completely counter-cultural. Conzelmann posits that "wisdom" and "intelligence" also have reference to "attitude" (ibid), and so here we submit that these arise from spirit, and Spirit.
But just as Christ was rooted in the OT (Rom. 11:17; Lu. 24:27), God's wisdom was also found there. Richard Rohr ("Daily Meditation," March 26, 2018) offers these insights:
"[In] the Wisdom Literature (many of the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Wisdom, and the Book of Job)... you discover the language of mystery and paradox. This is what the second half of life is supposed to feel like. You are strong enough now to hold together contradictions in yourself, others, and the universe. And you can do so with compassion, forgiveness, and patience. You realize that your chosenness is for the sake of letting others know they are chosen too! I call this classic pattern of spiritual transformation 'order-disorder-reorder.' Paul calls it 'the foolishness of the cross' (see 1 Cor. 1:18-25). There is no nonstop flight from order to reorder. We have to go through a period of disruption and disordering. What we first call 'order' is almost always too small and too self-serving. The nexus point, the crossover moment, is one that neither conservatives nor liberals like or even understand. It will always feel like folly."
It is Christ, as the Wisdom of God, that both initiates and fulfills this transformation. We read of this wisdom in Jas. 3:17,
"But the wisdom from above is (constantly exists being) indeed first (or: primarily) pure, thereafter peaceable (or: peaceful; pertaining to peace and harmonious joining), suitable (fair; reasonably lenient; yielding; unassertive; considerate), compliant (easily persuaded; receptive; reasonable; willing to yield), full of mercy (= practical help) and good fruits, non-separating (not discriminatory; undivided in evaluating; unwavering; unprejudiced), unpretending (or: not hyper-critical; not judging from a low point of view; not focusing on tiny distinctions; not overly judgmental; not under-estimating of reality)."
20. Where [is] a wise one? Where [is] a scribe (one learned in the Scriptures; [the] scholar or theologian)? Where [is] a collaborating seeker (a co-investigator; a learned sophist; a reasoner; a dialectician) of, or from, this age? Does not God prove (or: make) stupid (foolish; nonsensical) the wisdom (attitude; cleverness; learned skill) of this ordered arrangement (aggregate of humanity; domination System; world of culture, society, religion)? [cf Isa. 19:11f; 33:18; Bar. 3:15f, 23 (LXX)]
To have Paul's questions (and the situation at Corinth) addressed, we again turn to Jas. 3:
13. Who [is] wise and understanding (adept) among you? Let him at once exhibit (show; present to the sight and demonstrate) his works and actions out of beautiful behavior (fine, ideal, excellent and appropriate conduct) in gentleness of (or: considerateness from) wisdom.
14. Yet if you folks continuously have bitter rivalry (or: jealousy) and selfish ambition (or: faction) in your heart, do not habitually boast (exult) and lie (speak falsely or deceitfully) concerning the truth or reality (or: are you not now vaunting against and falsifying the truth?).
15. This is not the wisdom continuously coming down from above, but rather [is] upon the earth (or: earthly; terrestrial), pertaining to or proceeding from the soul (soulful; having the mind, will and emotions as its source; = natural), pertaining to, or proceeding from, or having the characteristics of demons [Hellenistic term and concept; = influences thought of in that period and culture as being animistic or personified]. [comment: note that the three adjectives "earthly," "natural/soulish," and "demonic" are tied together to this same context, as being of the same sphere of being - or, fruit of the same tree]
16. For where [there is] jealousy (rivalry) and selfish ambition (faction; intrigue), in that place [is] instability (disorder; an unsettled state) and every ignoble (base; vile; worthless) practice.
Notice that it is not "this ordered arrangement, aggregate of humanity, or world system" that God reveals to be "stupid; foolish." No, it is the thinking and attitude (the "wisdom") of humanity with its systems and philosophical schools that are foolish. Paul put it this way in Rom. 1:
22. [So] continuously claiming (asserting; alleging with pretense) to be wise ones, they were made to be dull (sluggish; moronic; stupid; foolish) [*vs. 23, below: cf Ps. 106:19-20; Ex. 32:4]
23. and they at once changed (or: exchange in barter; make other than it is) the glory (or: splendor and praise-inducing manifestation; or: esteem; opinion; imagination; supposition; thought; appearance; honorable consideration) of the imperishable (un-ruinable; unspoilable and incorruptible; non-decayable) God within the result of a likeness (resemblance; conformed similarity; copy-effect) of an image (form; appearance) of a perishable (corruptible; spoilable) human, as well as of flying things and of four-footed [animals]* and of creeping things.
24. Wherefore (or: On which account) God gave (or: hands) them over (or: delivered or transfers them into another's power), within the full passions (or: rushing passionate cravings; added earnest desires, wants and wishes; or: compiled angers and complete wrath) of their hearts, into uncleanness (or: ritual impurity), to be continuously dishonored and shamed - with respect to (or: pertaining to) their bodies - among (or: within) themselves,
25. whichever folks altered or exchange God's truth (or: the reality from and which is God, and which pertains to God) to and for something else, within (or: in union with) The Lie, then they were adored and venerated with dread, and next rendered religious service to and for the creation (or: creature; or: forming, framing, founding and settling which brought order from chaos) alongside (or: to the side of; parallel to; or: = rather than) the Creator (The One framing and founding) Who is (continuously exists being) well spoken-of (praised; blessed; eulogized; or: is One filled with thoughts of goodness and well-being) on into the ages. It is so (Amen)!
Returning to Paul phrase, "the wisdom (attitude; cleverness; learned skill) of this ordered arrangement (aggregate of humanity; domination System; world of culture, society, religion)," it is possible that Paul had not only the Greek philosophers, but also the Jewish Platonism schools of Alexandria and the teachers such as Philo of Alexandria, or the wisdom literature generated by Second Temple Judaism, in general. Cf 2:1, 4-7, 13; and 3:19, below, where Paul again addresses the topic of the two kinds of wisdom. But the keys lie here, in 1:24 and 30, below.
21. For since, in view of the fact that - within the Wisdom of God (or: centered in the wisdom from God; in the midst of the Wisdom which is God) - the ordered arrangement and System of secular and religious culture (or: the aggregate of humanity) did not come to have an intimate, experiential knowledge of God through means of this Wisdom (or: You see, in as much as - in union with God's wisdom - the world of mankind did not recognize, or have insight into, God through means of [human] wisdom), God delights and considers it profitable (thinks it thoroughly competent and easy; imagines it well-done) to deliver (or: save; rescue; salvage and restore to health, wholeness and their original state and condition) the folks habitually trusting, repeatedly faithing, progressively believing and constantly being loyal, through the stupidity of the proclamation (or: the aforementioned foolishness of that which is proclaimed; or: the dullness of the effect of heralding; or: the "nonsense" of the result of the message preached), Cf 2:6, below
The Wisdom of God is embedded within His creation (Rom. 1:18-20), and within the Hebrew Scriptures (Lu. 24:27). Nevertheless,
"the ordered arrangement and System of secular and religious culture (i.e., the aggregate of humanity) did not come to have an intimate, experiential knowledge of God through means of this Wisdom."
For this reason, God sent His Logos, incarnated in human weakness, to be a contrast to
"the wisdom (cleverness; learned skill) of this ordered arrangement (domination System; world of culture, religion, economy and government)" (vs. 20b, above).
Conzelmann makes an astute observation: "The attitude of God, as stated in vs. 20, is now explained: it is a reaction to the attitude of the world" (ibid p 45). So the news about the incarnation and work of God's Logos was not spread abroad through philosophical arguments (the wisdom of humans), but through "the stupidity of the proclamation." It was not meant to convince through human logic, but rather, through the power and ability of the Breath-effect - the Spirit of Life - that raised folks from out the death of their carnal reasoning into the Life of Christ. It was the impartation of the Divine Logos (Jn. 1:1) into "earthen vessels" (i.e., us: 2 Cor. 4:7) that united us with the Lord, making us to be "one Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17) and a part of the Vine (Jn. 15:1ff).
We now see another aspect of God's character and attitude: He
"delights and considers it profitable (thinks it thoroughly competent and easy; imagines it well-done) to deliver (or: save; rescue; salvage and restore to health, wholeness and their original state and condition)."
As Jesus stated in Lu. 19:10,
"You see, the Son of the Man (= the eschatological messianic figure; = Adam's son) came to seek after, and then to save, deliver and restore what is existing being lost, ruined, demolished and destroyed."
Christ's faithfulness (the work of the cross) imparts
"habitual trusting, repeated faithing, progressive believing and constant loyalty [into] folks, through the stupidity of the proclamation."
It was in this way that He would
"undo (untie and loose-away; destroy) the wisdom and cleverness of the wise ones" (vs. 19, above). Likewise, it was "within the Wisdom of God [that] the world of mankind did not recognize, or have insight into, God through means of [human] wisdom."
He had a different plan. He knew that human wisdom could not rescue humanity (were that the case, the Jews had abundant wisdom literature on offer). Even
"centered in the wisdom from God, [or being] in the midst of the Wisdom which is God [as was Adam, in Eden], the ordered arrangement and System of religious culture did NOT come to have an intimate, experiential knowledge of God through means of this Wisdom."
We saw this in Heb. 7:19a, that
"the Law perfects nothing (brought nothing to its goal or destiny; finishes nothing)."
And so, Heb. 7:19b informs us that through
"a fully leading-in of a superior (stronger and better) expectation we are continuously and progressively drawing near to and in, by and with, God."
Sadly, in the centuries that followed, Paul's words went unheeded and the religious leaders that created the Christian religion turned to the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and formed theological constructs to interpret God, Christ and the writings of the sent-forth folks. Now theories determined whether or not a person was "orthodox," rather than it being their Love or the Life of Christ within them. They created boxes that shut folks in and kept others out. The "wolves" brought in hateful distortions that were laden with pagan ideas. Christianity became a false witness about God (I owe this statement to a writing by John Gavazzoni, "The Call to (Major) Repentance"). The daughters of Mystery Babylon mounted the beast of empire, once again (Eccl. 3:15).
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