Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:28

ἀγενῆ. Low born. Men of no family, as we should say.

ἐξουθενημένα. The perfect participle intensifies the contempt.

τἀ μὴ ὄντα, i.e. ‘things which by comparison are non-existent’—things which by the side of other things of higher importance in our human eyes appear to us as nothing. Yet these, in the counsels of God, are to change places, and more than change places, with things that are highly regarded in the sight of men. It we omit καί (see Critical Note) we make these words not the climax of the sentence, but merely a clause in apposition to the rest. Thus internal evidence is in favour of the retention of καί.

καταργήσῃ. This word is frequently used by St Paul. But except in his Epistles it only occurs twice in the N. T., and this, it is worthy of remark, in writers under his influence. See Luke 13:7; Hebrews 2:14. The first of these passages gives the exact sense of the word. Derived from α privative and ἔργον (κατὰ denoting completeness) it means to render useless, to make of none effect. It is variously translated in the A.V. Here the idea is of reducing to insignificance things which hitherto were in high regard. Cf. ἄργην φιλίαν Arist. Nic. Eth. IX. 5.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:28

Old Testament

New Testament