I am going to blurb, comment, discern, process through 1 Corinthians. I am not going to break each verse down as I did before, just those I NEED to. Mostly describe what I get from it.
Paul is writing to the church of Corinth. First Paul affirms God loves them and reminds them why. His opening lines are more like when we have issue with anyone we love and want to discuss, we don’t go storming in and tell em off. We let them know first that we care for them. We get in the door and start with the tea, before they get mad and spit in it.
Paul does not really butter them up though, does not say I hear good of you, like he did others in other letters. In 1:10 he jump right in, and tells them he knows they are arguing over who presented the Gospel to them basically. Some say this is over who baptized whom but I don’t think so. I read 1:14 to be more like- ‘Man ,you guys are arguing over who told you about Jesus and salvation I would hate to see what you would do if it were over baptism, I sure am glad I did not baptize many of you. ‘ He then tells them that it does not matter who preaches, teaches, baptizes, it is all about Christ and if they think their salvation is anything but about Christ then they don’t got it.
I see this like the different church denominations we have today. Christian churches. Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church Of Christ, Lutheran, Episcopal, Bible Church, Free Grace Bible church, Southern Baptist etc. So many get caught up in their way of baptizing, their membership, church attendance, all being a condition of being part of their church, when the name above the door does not matter. The 1st Whatever does not save us from our sins, our baptism does not save us from our sins, our name on the church rolls does not restore us to God, only Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection can give us eternal life with God.
Of course this is within one church though. The people are vying for ‘position’, (it goes into this in 18) using how, or from whom, they became believers through as the standard of importance. I would guess how long, and what verses of Torah/Bible they could recite and their ‘education’ and place in society was entering in. Not much different from today.
1:18 Paul pretty much tells them if they are basing their salvation on what they ‘know’ and whom they got that knowledge from they are fools. He uses the scribes, who are those who wrote the Bible down, over and over again, studied it a great deal and then the Greeks who are known for they learning to say they can not save themselves only God’s power can, and he will also destroy their wisdom. I love 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.– As if, God could be foolish or weak. 😉
26 Paul still is explaining that these people are putting too much merit into the power, prestige, and wisdom of man. God does not use the rich and famous to do his work. God uses the weak to achieve to shame the strong and mighty. God does this so we can see it IS God’s might and not ours! David was the youngest of his family. Joseph was the youngest, before Benjamin.
Genesis 37:2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah,his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Moses was the youngest. Exodus 7:7 7 Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh. David .Samuel 16:10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of theLord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
I can not think of any man God used to be a catalyst in his plan who began in a place of power or prestige. You might suggest Paul, but Paul had no power nor prestige among the Gentiles, they despised him, until he became a believer in Christ, and then he lost all the power and prestige of the Jewish leaders. And we all know Jesus, God as Man, was not looked upon by society of any one of importance, Isaiah 53:2He has no form or comeliness And when we see Him,There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
I have heard many times people being afraid or unsure to stand up for their beliefs because they think those in power must know more than they, must be closer to God than they, can quote more scripture than they.Some equate length of time going to church, ‘being a Christian’ with being ‘knowledgable of God. They are intimidated by these people of prestige. The truth is it is the ‘weak’, those who are NOT puffed up by their might (checkbooks) and wisdom (degrees) and theological teaching , that God uses, because we are humble enough to be used.
It is NOT what you know. It is not who you think you are. It IS who you know. Jesus Christ.
I'm Not So Petty 