Thoughts for the Day

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’....

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God...'

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

To understand Paul's argument above, we need to look back to when he was writing. Death by crucifixion was the usual way for the Romans to deal with trouble-makers, and the notion of death on a cross was a shameful thing. That Jesus died as a common criminal was not something to be celebrated.

The city of Corinth at this time is one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. Originally destroyed by the Romans it had been left for 100 years until Julius Caesar had it rebuilt. With three harbours it was situated at the head of the Corinth Isthmus and was an important place of safety for ships. The city had a population of about 400,000 people of all nationalities, many of them ex-slaves, but it's reputation was that of "Sin city".

Put this together and Paul's argument begins to make sense. To the Greeks, Romans, and many Jews, the news about Jesus Christ is completely ridiculous. Only idiots could belief that a convicted killer could be the Messiah, the Son of God. But Paul points out that this is God's most powerful act - His Son, Jesus, chose to give up His life to save us from our sin, and to offer us eternal life. Many still think we are deluded, but we know that all this occurs through faith, and that through that faith we are offered hope. God's wisdom is different to the world's wisdom!

Heavenly Father,
You call us to live by faith.
When the world thinks we are deluded
and mocks us,
help us to stand firm in our faith,
knowing that You are our Saviour.
Amen.