1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Christianity viewed in three aspects. "For the Jews require a sign," etc. Our subject is Christianity; and here we see it in three aspects. I. As associated with a GREAT FACT . "Christ crucified." This fact may be looked at: 1. Historically. As an historical fact, it is the most famous, influential, and best authenticated in the annals of time. 2. Theologically. It unfolds the Divine, it rends the veil in the great temple of theological truth, and exposes the inmost... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:25

The foolishness of God… the weakness of God; the method, that is, whereby God works, and which men take to be foolish and weak, because with arrogant presumption they look upon themselves as the measure of all things. But God achieves the mightiest ends by the humblest means, and the gospel of Christ allied itself from the first, not with the world's strength and splendour, but with all which the world despised as mean and feeble—with fishermen and tax gatherers, with slaves, and women, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:25

Because the foolishness of God - That which God appoints, requires, commands, does, etc., which appears to people to be foolish. The passage is not to be understood as affirming that it is really foolish or unwise; but that it appears so to people - Perhaps the apostle here refers to those parts of the divine administration where the wisdom of the plan is not seen; or where the reason of what God does is concealed.Is wiser than men - Is better adapted to accomplish important ends, and more... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

1 Corinthians 1:22-25. For the Jews require a sign Demand of the apostles, as they did of their Lord, more signs still, after all they have seen already. And the Greeks Or Gentiles; seek after wisdom The depths of philosophy, and the charms of eloquence. But we preach Christ crucified We proceed to bear our testimony in a plain and historical, not rhetorical or philosophical manner, to the sufferings and death of Christ, endured to expiate the guilt of mankind, and procure for them... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Contrasts in wisdom and power (1:18-31)The whole idea of salvation from sin through the death of Christ on the cross appears foolish to the average person, but to believers it shows God’s power (18). God’s way has always been different from that of people in general. Whether they be Greek philosophers, Jewish scholars, or just ordinary citizens, people always think their schemes and ideas are full of wisdom; but God shows them up to be foolish (19-20).God, in his wisdom, saves people by way of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Corinthians 1:25

foolishness . Literally foolish thing. Greek. moros men . App-123 . weakness . Literally weak thing. Greek. asthenes. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:25

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.Christ on the cross appeared to be weakness in the eyes of people; but that "weakness of God was stronger than men and everything that men could produce."[22] The sign-seeking Jews could not comprehend the mighty "sign of the prophet Jonah," enacted before their very eyes; and the wisdom-seeking Greeks could not discern the most profound wisdom in all history, not even after it had been preached to... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:25

1 Corinthians 1:25. The foolishness of God is wiser than men— As it is absolutely impossible that there should be either folly or weakness in God, so it is certain that the world did not in general believe there was; and consequently these strong phrases must be used in a very peculiar sense, and must mean that scheme which was really his, though the world, for want of understanding it, represented it as weakness and folly, unworthy of God. See Doddridge. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Corinthians 1:25

25. foolishness of God—that is, God's plan of salvation which men deem "foolishness." weakness of God—Christ "crucified through weakness" ( :-, the great stumbling-block of the Jews), yet "living by the power of God." So He perfects strength out of the weakness of His servants (1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 12:9). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

The folly of a crucified Messiah 1:18-25"This paragraph is crucial not only to the present argument (1 Corinthians 1:10 to 1 Corinthians 4:21) but to the entire letter as well. Indeed, it is one of the truly great moments in the apostle Paul. Here he argues, with OT support, that what God had always intended and had foretold in the prophets, he has now accomplished through the crucifixion: He has brought an end to human self-sufficiency as it is evidenced through human wisdom and devices."... read more