Study Content

Paul begins the letter by identifying himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ called by the will of God.

The word apostle comes from the Greek apostolos, meaning one who is sent with authority to represent another. Paul emphasizes that his calling is not self-appointed but rooted in God’s purpose.

He addresses the church of God in Corinth, describing them as those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints.

The Greek word for sanctified is hagiazō, meaning to set apart for a sacred purpose. Paul reminds the believers that their identity is grounded in what God has done for them rather than in their own achievements.

He gives thanks for the grace given to them and notes that they have been enriched in speech and knowledge.

Corinth was a city known for intellectual debate and philosophical traditions. The believers there possessed strong abilities in communication and understanding, yet those strengths were also contributing to division within the church.

Paul reassures them that Christ will confirm them to the end because God is faithful.

After this encouragement, Paul turns to a serious problem among them.

He urges the believers to speak the same thing and avoid divisions. The Greek word translated as division is schisma, meaning a tear or fracture within a community.

Members of the church were forming groups based on loyalty to different teachers. Some said they followed Paul, others Apollos, others Peter, and some claimed allegiance to Christ alone.

Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions to expose the absurdity of these divisions.

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?”

The point is clear. The Gospel centers on Christ, not on the personalities of human leaders.

Paul even expresses gratitude that he personally baptized only a few of them so that no one could claim special allegiance to him.

This statement reveals that the significance of baptism does not lie in who performs it but in the meaning it represents.

Paul then explains that Christ sent him primarily to preach the Gospel rather than to perform rituals.

The focus of his mission is the message of the cross.

Here Paul introduces one of the most profound themes in the letter.

He says that the preaching of the cross appears foolish to those who are perishing, but to those being saved it is the power of God.

The Greek word for foolishness is mōria, meaning absurdity or irrationality.

To the surrounding culture, the idea that salvation comes through the execution of a crucified man seemed illogical and humiliating.

Crucifixion was designed to be a public display of shame and defeat.

Yet Paul insists that the cross is precisely where God reveals His wisdom.

He quotes from Isaiah, where God declares that He will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring the understanding of the intelligent to nothing.

Human philosophy often attempts to reach God through intellectual effort. The Gospel reveals that true knowledge of God comes through divine revelation.

Paul asks where the wise, the scribes, and the debaters of this age are.

In the intellectual environment of Corinth, these roles were highly respected.

But Paul says that God has made the wisdom of the world appear foolish.

God’s plan intentionally disrupts human expectations.

The Jews looked for miraculous signs as evidence of divine authority, while the Greeks valued philosophical wisdom and logical argument.

Yet the message of Christ crucified satisfied neither expectation.

To many Jews it was a stumbling block because a crucified Messiah contradicted their hopes for a triumphant deliverer.

To Greeks it seemed like irrational nonsense because it lacked the elegance of philosophical reasoning.

Yet to those who are called by God, Christ becomes both the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Paul explains that God’s “foolishness” is wiser than human wisdom and God’s “weakness” is stronger than human strength.

These statements reveal the paradox of the Gospel.

What appears weak in human eyes becomes the instrument of redemption.

Paul then invites the believers to consider their own calling.

Not many of them were wise according to worldly standards. Not many were powerful or of noble birth.

God deliberately chose what the world considers foolish, weak, and insignificant to accomplish His purposes.

The Greek word translated as chosen is eklegomai, meaning to select with intentional purpose.

God’s choice reveals that salvation cannot be attributed to human merit.

If the Kingdom were built upon human achievement, people would boast about their accomplishments.

Instead, God works through those who recognize their need for Him.

Paul concludes by reminding the Corinthians that their identity is found in Christ.

Christ becomes their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

The word redemption comes from the Greek apolytrōsis, referring to liberation through the payment of a price.

Because of Christ’s work, believers possess a new standing before God.

Paul finishes with a quotation from Jeremiah: “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

This statement captures the central message of the chapter.

All human pride must give way to gratitude for what God has done through Christ.