Has not God made the wisdom of this world foolish?

 

Has not God made the wisdom of this world foolish?

 

1 Corinthians 1:20 "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of this world foolish?"

This means that although rabbis and scribes among the Jews are wise, a wisdom far superior to theirs has been manifested. That is precisely what is called the Logos. God's word consists of the word of the law given to sinners and the word of the gospel for salvation; the word of the gospel stands above the law, and this is the Logos.

Ho Logos is Christ, the Word. The Word includes words found in the letter, but there are also words spoken within the heart. This means that the Word of God is not entirely contained within the records of the Bible. While it is based on that, there is a Word that is much broader and deeper than that.

Paul and the other disciples of Jesus always attempted to converse with the Ho Logos in prayer, and it was evident that they heard His words and acted upon them. The words spoken by the Ho Logos are a testimony regarding the death on the cross and the resurrection. The Ho Logos instructs the disciples to convey these words. The death on the cross and the resurrection were already prepared before the creation of the world; since God came into the world in the form of the Son to accomplish this work and ascended to heaven, the disciples testify about it through conversation with Jesus, who has entered into their hearts.

While Jesus was in the flesh, He was limited to preaching the gospel only where He traveled due to physical limitations, but now, through His disciples, He is able to spread the word of God to more regions, transcending time and space.

1 Corinthians 1:21 "For since in the wisdom of God the world did not know (egno) God through its own wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching (kerygmatos)."

Egno (ἔγνω) is equivalent to the Hebrew Yada, meaning knowing through a relationship with God. Kerygmatos (κηρύγματος) signifies conveying the core essence of the Christian gospel; that is, conveying the Ho Logos who dwells within the hearts of believers. However, this method appears foolish in the eyes of the scribes. Although the scribes have studied theology for a long time, they claim that in the New Testament era, the Ho Logos enters the hearts of believers to reveal the word of truth. Therefore, when they are told to believe in and accept the Ho Logos, the Jews consider it nonsense.

When the Ho Logos is present in the heart of the saint, He makes known everything, from the secret mysteries of before the creation of the world to the death on the cross and the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5: "My speech (Ho Logos mu) and my preaching (To Kerygma) were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God."

Ho Logos Mu (ὁλόγος μου) is the word of Ho Logos that comes through the mouth of a saint. To Kerygma (τὸ κήρυγμά) is conveying the essence of the Gospel. The phrase "my words and my evangelism" means that I listen to the voice of Ho Logos present in my heart and convey the essence of the Gospel. When conveying the essence of the Gospel, it is not done doctrinally or theoretically, but rather spoken under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, centering on what he has experienced.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11 “As it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no mind of man has conceived.’ But God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows the things of man except the spirit (to pneuma) which is in him (tou anthropo)? So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”

What is recorded is a quotation of the words of the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah) mentioned in the Old Testament. Epikardian (ἐπὶ καρδίαν) means "up to the heart," and Aneveh (ἀνέβη) means "to rise." Not seeing with the eyes means not seeing the signs and wonders in which the Ho Logos works. Not hearing means not hearing the voice that is gently heard within the spirit. It means that what the Ho Logos says does not rise up to the heart.

"Tou anthropo" (τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) means not an ordinary person, but a special one (a saint). A special person refers to a saint who has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When the definite article is present in "pneuma" (πνεῦμα), it signifies the Holy Spirit. Paul states that the work described above is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Looking at the relationship between the Ho Logos and the Holy Spirit, the Ho Logos is the Counselor, and the Holy Spirit is another Counselor. The Holy Spirit enables the Ho Logos to bear witness to the Gospel. The Gospel is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross; when the Ho Logos, the Counselor, speaks, the Holy Spirit goes to those who hear the Gospel and causes them to bear witness to it. Thus, He enters into those who open the door of their hearts, moves them, causes them to believe, and enables them to realize the meaning.

He grants faith to those who open their hearts to the Gospel, gives the baptism of the Holy Spirit to those who accept that faith, and Christ, the Counselor, enters their hearts to establish the Kingdom of God. Upon receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, one becomes a child of God. Even those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit may, because they possess a flesh, sometimes do wrong things in the world; however, the Holy Spirit brings them enlightenment and guides them to the right path. There may be times when they are pierced by the Word or, at times, by the thorn of Satan.

Today, there are many believers who do not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even in the time of the early church, there were those who claimed to have never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit despite having been baptized. Acts 19:3-6 states: “Paul said to them, ‘What baptism were you received?’ They answered, ‘John’s baptism.’ Paul said to them, ‘John ​​baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people, “Believe in the one who is coming after me,” which is Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

The reality today is that baptism is being administered in the name, without Jesus. Although baptism is given in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Jesus is actually absent. The noun "name" is acting as a proxy for Jesus. Everywhere, the word "name" is becoming like an idol. The name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is Jesus.