1 Corinthians 1:22–25

Context

This passage comes from the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, which Paul sent to the church at Corinth while staying in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8). The Corinthian believers had divided into factions, saying, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos" (1:10–12). In addressing this problem, Paul states that the preaching of the gospel does not rely on "wisdom of words" (1:17). He also declares that "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1:18). Verses 22–25 summarize this contrast by applying it to two audiences, Jews and Greeks. In the verses that follow (1:26–31), Paul observes that not many of the Corinthian believers were wise or of noble birth by worldly standards, and in 2:2 he confesses that he had determined to know nothing but Christ and his cross.

The Greek word skandalon, rendered "stumblingblock," refers to a stone that causes one to trip and fall. Scholars generally explain the contrast as follows. For those who were awaiting a Messiah who would come as a victorious king, a Messiah executed on a cross was difficult to accept. In Greek culture, which prized rhetoric and philosophy, proclaiming as savior someone who had died by a punishment reserved for rebels and slaves sounded foolish.

Interpretation

• Theology of the cross: At the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, Martin Luther contrasted a "theology of glory" with a "theology of the cross." The theology of glory seeks to know God through human wisdom and achievement, whereas the theology of the cross knows God in suffering and the cross. This passage is regarded as a principal scriptural basis for the theology of the cross. This reading emphasizes that God works through weakness and shame.
• Calling (vocation): Denominations explain "them which are called" in verse 24 differently. Presbyterian and Reformed churches in the Calvinist tradition understand it as an "effectual calling" by which God actually brings the elect to faith, and they connect it with the doctrine of predestination. Methodist, Holiness, and other churches that follow Wesleyan theology hold that the gospel call is open to all people and that the expression refers to those who have responded to that call in faith.
• Wisdom and learning: A further question is whether Paul was rejecting learning or reason as such. Many commentators hold that the passage relativizes human wisdom as a way of knowing God and as a basis of salvation, without rejecting learning itself.

Debates and Issues

• Signs and spiritual gifts: Some interpreters use verse 22 to caution against a faith that seeks miracles. Those in Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement point out that in the same letter Paul speaks of the "demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (2:4). They argue that what this passage criticizes is the attitude of demanding signs as a condition of faith, not signs themselves. The passage is also cited in discussions of cessationism and continuationism.
• Manuscripts and translation: The Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Hangeul) renders verse 23 as "Gentiles," following what is today the critical text. Manuscripts of the Textus Receptus tradition, which the King James Version follows, read "Greeks," as in verse 22. The two readings do not differ significantly in meaning.
• Quotation out of context: Some have pointed out that isolating "the foolishness of God" in verse 25 to justify unfounded claims departs from the context. Here "foolishness" refers to the gospel of the cross, which appears foolish in human eyes.

In the Korean Church

The passage is frequently cited in sermons during Holy Week and in sermons on the theme of the cross. Together with the expression "the foolishness of preaching" in the immediately preceding verse 21, it is also used in sermons on evangelism.

Related Passages

• 1 Corinthians 2:2 — Paul's confession that he determined to know nothing but Christ crucified
• 1 Corinthians 2:4–5 — that faith should rest not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
• Galatians 6:14 — glorying in nothing save the cross
• 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 — strength made perfect in weakness
• Galatians 3:10–14 — the curse on one who hangs on a tree, and Christ