In this chapter the apostle magnifies the cross of his Lord, as God's greatest gift to the world; and as the highest glory of God's self-revelation to men. He praises God that the Corinthian Christians have experienced the saving grace that comes by faith in the sinner's sacrifice on Calvary. He rejoices, too, that that same grace has taught them to look forward to the Saviour's return in glory. But he is compelled to reprove them for some divisions and rivalries that sprang from their glorying in gifts rather than graces. This leads him to remind them how God had disparaged mere worldly wisdom by saving mankind by the death of Jesus. And he brings all to a very practical application in the verses that we now ponder.
1 Corinthians 1:25. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
And yet you will perceive that the church is always looking after wise men after the flesh. If it can find these, it straightway cringes before them, and asks these learned doctors to teach it something more than the simplicities of Christ. This is the old disease of the church. May God cure her yet.
1 Corinthians 1:26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
There are a few such. Remember how the Countess of Huntingdon used to say that she was very thankful for that letter «m,» for it does not say «not any noble,» but «not many noble are called.»
1 Corinthians 1:27-28. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not,
Seem scarcely to have an existence, not worth notice, not put down in the list of existences.
1 Corinthians 1:28-29. To bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.
This is what flesh always likes to do. Proud flesh we speak of, and all flesh is such. Flesh has a great tendency to swell, to corrupt; it is easily puffed up; but God will not have it so. What is flesh to God? Did not he make all things? Shall the thing formed boast itself against the Former?
1 Corinthians 1:30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
In fact, we have everything in Christ; we have in his prophetic office wisdom, in his priestly office righteousness and sanctification, and in his royal office, in which he paid the price of our salvation, we have redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:31. That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Here is room for glorifying, and it is our duty to glory in God. Let us do so more and more!
This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 103:1; 1 Corinthians 1:25-31.