The Power And Wisdom Of God

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

1 Corinthians 1:22-24 

Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. As Paul preached Christ on his missionary journeys, he encountered all manner of people, both Jews and Gentiles, or ‘Greeks.’ These cultural groups had vastly different perspectives. Because they did, they responded differently to the preaching of Christ. Paul remarks, ‘Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom.’ Each of these generic groups brought their expectations to the table as they heard Paul preach. Paul’s answer for them was Christ crucified. To the Jews this was a stumbling block, because they expected a Messiah Who would break the Roman yoke and destroy the enemies of Israel. They wanted signs and wonders. To the Greeks, the preaching of Christ was foolishness because they were used to the likes of Socrates, Plato, and the other moral philosophers. By contrast, the Gospel, is alarmingly straight-forward. As Paul put it, ‘For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.’ Paul’s message was, ‘Christ the Power of God and the wisdom of God.’ We reiterate that message. If we would know the power and wisdom of God we must look to Christ. 

Our Great God and our Savior, 
we rejoice in Christ, the wisdom and power of God. 
We praise You that we have the privilege daily, 
to look to Him, to impart these things to us. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning