NOT MANY WISE AFTER THE FLESH

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called
In our enlightened age, men and women bearing an impressive string of degrees after their names, often display their ignorance of Biblical content. Paul, the writer of this letter to the Christians at Corinth, did not flaunt his learning. He had been taught at the feet of Gamaliel, the most outstanding teacher of his time. He grew up in the city of Tarsus, which had a famous library of Greek origin. Paul valued a good education, but he recognized that nothing he had learned was able to save a single soul from eternal banishment in hell. Festus recognized him as a learned man when he cried out, ”with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” King Agrippa’s comment to him, ”Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian,“ indicates that his message was powerful. But it was neither the power of his Jewish and Greek background nor his education that made it so. The power was of God, and is available to us today.

The very things that made men powerful, as the world sees power, are the very things that mark them as doomed. To them, the Bible is an enigma, and they discard it without even reading it. Perhaps one could liken their attitude to one not reading the many pages of tiny print in an insurance policy or a contract. Not reading them, does not nullify, them at all. They still apply. An impressive doctorate degree in law, or science, or philosophy, does not qualify for an entry into Heaven. The proud, the ambitious, the covetous, the famous, and the wealthy, are as needful of the Gospel as is the naked native of a remote tribal groupThe good news, (Gospel), is that Christ died for all, and all need Him. Why all the blood sacrifices of the Old Testament? Because God was preparing mankind for the final sacrifice of His own Son or the cross of Calvary to cover the sins of believers. He died for each of us. He was buried in a borrowed tomb, and arose three days later, alive again. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the Good news. There is life after what we call death. Just as Christ ascended back to be with his Father, Christians can look forward to the same. Festus and King Agrippa heard, but did not believe. This is as true of many of the “learned” doctorate of today as it was of them. We still preach “Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called;” “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:16.