Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [1 Corinthians: Chapter 1].
Greek philosophy and Jewish theology that failed to know God. Has
modern philosophy done better? There is today even a godless
theology (Humanism). "Now that God's wisdom has reduced the
self-wise world to ignorance" (Findlay). {Through the foolishness
of the preaching} (\dia t•s m•rias tou k•rugmatos\). Perhaps
"proclamation" is the idea, for it is not \k•ruxis\, the act of
heralding, but \k•rugma\, the message heralded or the
proclamation as in verse 23. The metaphor is that of the herald
proclaiming the approach of the king (Mt 3:1; 4:17). See also
\k•rugma\ in 1Co 2:4; 2Ti 4:17. The proclamation of the Cross
seemed foolishness to the wiseacres then (and now), but it is
consummate wisdom, God's wisdom and good-pleasure (\eudok•san\).
The foolishness of preaching is not the preaching of foolishness.
{To save them that believe} (\s•sai tous pisteuontas\). This is
the heart of God's plan of redemption, the proclamation of
salvation for all those who trust Jesus Christ on the basis of
his death for sin on the Cross. The mystery-religions all offered
salvation by initiation and ritual as the Pharisees did by
ceremonialism. Christianity reaches the heart directly by trust
in Christ as the Saviour. It is God's wisdom.
1:22 {Seeing that} (\epeid•\). Resumes from verse 21. The
structure is not clear, but probably verses 23,24 form a sort
of conclusion or apodosis to verse 22 the protasis. The
resumptive, almost inferential, use of \de\ like \alla\ in the
apodosis is not unusual. {Ask for signs} (\s•meia aitousin\). The
Jews often came to Jesus asking for signs (Mt 12:38; 16:1; Joh
6:30). {Seek after wisdom} (\sophian z•tousin\). "The Jews
claimed to _possess_ the truth: the Greeks were seekers,
_speculators_" (Vincent) as in Ac 17:23.
1:23 {But we preach Christ crucified} (\h•meis de k•russomen
Christon estaur•menon\). Grammatically stated as a partial result
(\de\) of the folly of both Jews and Greeks, actually in sharp
contrast. We proclaim, "we do not discuss or dispute"
(Lightfoot). Christ (Messiah) as crucified, as in 2:2; Ga 3:1,
"not a sign-shower nor a philosopher" (Vincent). Perfect passive
participle of \stauro•\. {Stumbling-block} (\skandalon\). Papyri
examples mean trap or snare which here tripped the Jews who
wanted a conquering Messiah with a world empire, not a condemned
and crucified one (Mt 27:42; Lu 24:21). {Foolishness}
(\m•rian\). Folly as shown by their conduct in Athens (Ac
17:32).
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