1 Corinthians 1:16-31

Jesus Christ, Wisdom from God

So, Paul said, not many of those who would be called wise, or powerful or noblemen followed Jesus. Most uprisings are successful because the upper crust leaders join and the lowly commoners follow. Christianity appealed to the lowly and spread to those wrapped up in self. Remember, the disciples were common fisherman (1 Corinthians 1:26).

God, as in the case of Gideon, used means man would not use to accomplish his purposes. Thus, man finds it harder to credit the means and seeks the power behind the means (see Psalms 8:2; James 2:5). "God has chosen" those of lowly birth. God also chose things which are not. As Pulpit Commentary points out, the word "not" means things that men did not even think of as existing. Men thought of the cross as "base" or lowly. They thought of Christ as dead, or nonexistent, but he was chosen as the one to display God to the world instead of any other fleshly messenger. McGarvey and Pendleton say "flesh" represents ministers and instruments God uses. They further suggest that "glory" means to "take pride in himself, and aspire to be head of a faction." All the glory should go to God (1 Corinthians 1:27-29; Matthew 5:16; 2 Corinthians 4:7).

We get into Christ's body by obeying God. If we listen to Jesus, great wisdom will be ours (Matthew 12:42). "Righteousness" is the right relation to God brought about by believing and obeying Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). Vine says "sanctification" is "separation to God." Vine says "redemption" is "the deliverance of the believer from the presence and power of sin, and of his body from bondage to corruption." So, as McGarvey and Pendleton point out, we should not glory in the preacher who brought the message, but in the One who planned our salvation (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; Jeremiah 9:23-24).