First Corinthians 1:1-31

This letter (epistle) was written by the Apostle Paul to the holy-people (sanctified-people, Christians, saints, children of the only true God) who were living in the area of Corinth. Paul had lived and preached the good-message (gospel, evangel) for eighteen months there before journeying to other areas (refer to Acts 18:1-18).

Since that time the Corinthian holy-people should have been behaving correctly in accordance with God's Word. They already knew what Paul had previously taught them. They had personal knowledge - which was a combination of the knowledge that they may have received from God or from the Lord Jesus Christ via the gift of holy spirit, and from Paul, and their knowledge of the previously revealed written Word of God.

However, after Paul traveled away from the area of Corinth he received correspondence containing some questions from them, and also he heard regarding some of the things going on in their meetings, etc.

Paul wrote this letter in accordance with the information that God and the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him via his holy spirit-life, which included answers to some of their questions plus additional information that they had not been taught previously.

I Corinthians 1:1-3:

^1:1Paul, called, an apostle of Christ Jesus by means of (the) intention of God, and Sosthenes, the brother - ^.2to the church of God, the (church) being in Corinth, (consisting of people) having been made-holy² in Christ Jesus, called, holy, together with all the (people) calling-upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to-themselves in every place, theirs and ours; ^.3grace to you and peace from God our Father and (our) Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul begins this letter by first identifying himself by name (Paul) to those to whom he is writing, and then he states his standing (called) and his working or service relationship (apostle) with Christ Jesus [some Greek texts read "Jesus Christ"].

The word "called" could also be translated as "invited" - Paul was an invited person. He had been issued an invitation by Christ Jesus and he had accepted it.

Paul’s service was to do the work of an apostle. An "apostle" is a person sent-forth or sent-away by someone on a specific mission or assignment to someone else. In the context here, we read that Paul was an apostle of Christ Jesus...

• by means of (through)
  • the intention of God (God's will, His active volition and desire).

Christ Jesus did not apostle him without this being God's will. The intention of God was the action or agency by way of which the initiated progress passed-through (for Paul to become an apostle) in order to reach its accomplishment. God's intention was interposed between the start and the result of him being an apostle of Christ Jesus.

It is clear that Paul had not decided this all by himself, nor was there some "unknown force" driving him to do the things that he was doing, nor was he deluded into thinking that he was somebody else, nor did he decide that he had reached the level of being "good enough" to be an apostle to his neighbors or to the whole world (he was not self-appointed), nor was there a committee involved in this decision, nor had he "forced" God or the Lord Jesus Christ into making him an apostle!

I Corinthians 1:1 also includes...

• and Sosthenes,
  • the brother.

Whose brother was Sosthenes? Paul is not referring to his biological/natural state of having the same mother and/or father as all the other people in the church in Corinth, nor because of his race, skin-color, or political-affiliation, nor is he referring to the fact that everyone has the same blood flowing through their veins passed-down from Adam and Eve – but Paul is referring to his spiritual relationship. Sosthenes had received the gift of holy spirit from God by means of the Lord Jesus Christ, just the same as Paul and all the other holy-people. He was their brother in the spirit category because God is the Father of all those who have holy spirit-life within them.

During the time that we live in today, which is after the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), God makes it available for mankind to receive holy spirit-life when people believe what He has given to be believed - as recorded in the Book of Romans chapter 10:

Romans 10:8(b)-10:

…This is the spoken-matter of belief which we herald-forth

^.9that if-ever you may express-agreement in your mouth (regarding the) Lord Jesus Christ and you may believe in your heart that God raised him up out-from dead-people you will be saved,

^.10for with (the) heart it is believed into righteousness and with (the) mouth agreement-is-expressed into salvation.

God gives this person His gift of holy spirit by means of the Lord Jesus Christ by His grace and he/she becomes a child of God.

Returning to I Corinthians chapter 1, Paul continues in verse 2 by addressing this letter...

• to the church of God,
  • emphatically and specifically the church being in Corinth (the word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which comes from two words meaning "out-from" and "called" and together it means "called out from"; a church is an assembly of people called out from other people for any reason; it does not refer to a particular type of building or a house, even though the church may meet in a particular type of building or in a house - in this verse Paul writes exactly why these people were called out from among other people – this church is the church that belongs to God existing in the location of the city of Corinth; he wrote "church of God" to distinguish it from any other church being in Corinth at that time which did not belong to God),
• consisting of people
  • who have already been made-holy and continue holy (sanctified people, saints, who remain sanctified, set-apart from the state of being common, defiled or unclean against God by coming into the state of corresponding to the essence of God Who is Holy Spirit) - how? -
    • within the cause and sphere of action of Christ Jesus (referring to the truth that they had previously believed that-which God has given mankind to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus these people had received God's gift of holy spirit)
    • [It is the holy spirit-life within every holy-person, which is the spirit of Christ, that made everyone in this church in Corinth holy in Christ Jesus. This church of God consisted of people having been made holy because they were in Christ Jesus - Paul did not write that it was because of the particular type of clothes they wore, nor the type of hairstyles they had, nor whether they drank coffee or not, etc. All holy-people are limbs of the one spiritual body of Christ, we are in Christ Jesus, similar to an eye or arm or leg being in the physical body; we are living to God in Christ Jesus and therefore in the spirit category we live within everything he is now - our Lord Jesus Christ.],
  • called (people who have been invited and remain in the standing of being called/invited; as verse 1 above),
  • holy (people who have been made-holy and remain in the standing of being holy/sanctified),

...together (jointly, in conjunction) with all the holy-people who are...

• calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to themselves (inviting the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Master to themselves by turning appealingly towards him; during the current age it is only the people who have already received the spirit of Christ within them who can call upon him to themselves; refer to Romans 10:8-15)
  • in every place (everywhere, in all locations that holy-people are living),
• theirs and ours (emphatically he is the Lord/Master of the holy-people in the other locations and also of us).

The name of the Lord Jesus Christ incorporates the fullness of everything involved with this name. It designates and describes his distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character, quality, workings, including all the authoritative-power, ability, etc, that God gave to Jesus when He raised him up out-from the dead-people, and gave him the name that is above every other name, designating the resurrected Jesus being Lord and Christ (refer to Acts 2:21, 36 and 38; 3:6 and 16; 4:7-12, and 30; Romans 1:3 and 4; Ephesians 1:19-23; Philippians 2:9 and 10; II Thessalonians 3:6; Hebrews 1:1-4). Regarding the name of the "Lord Jesus Christ," it includes all that:

1.     the name of "Lord" and

2.     the name of "Jesus" and

3.     the name of "Christ"

…represent and stand for.

1) The word "Lord" (Greek Kurios) refers to a master or an owner, one who has the authority or authoritative-power, the one from whom the directions and instructions are given and who is to be obeyed, the one who has the dominion over and exercises his lordship in relation to that-which his title of "Lord" or "Master" is being associated.

2) The word "Jesus" (Greek Iesous) is explained in Matthew 1:21 by the Angel Gabriel when he spoke to Joseph.

Matthew 1:21:

^.21She [Mary] will bring-forth a son and you [Joseph] will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

"Jesus" means "God saves / Jehovah (Yahweh) the Savior." The Lord Jesus Christ was given the name "Jesus" because he is the one who carried-out God's will to make it available for people to be saved, to be made-safe. It is by means of Jesus, the Christ, that people are able to be saved and thereby have a true and vital spiritual relationship with the only true God. Jesus Christ is God's son – he is alive today! He is now at God's right-hand side, second-in-command to God his Father.

Also, the Hebrew Jehoshua or Joshua is expressed in Greek as Iesous - "Jesus" in English. It is a compound of Jah (for Jehovah - the term used for God when emphasizing His covenant relationship with His people whom He has created, Yahweh) and the word meaning "to save."

3) The word "Christ" (Greek Christos) means the "anointed-one" or "Messiah." In the lands and during the time-period of the writing of the Bible, holy oil was poured on the high priest of God to begin his ministry for God, and it was also used to anoint kings. Many people and things were anointed with holy oil to signify their making holy (sanctified) for a specific purpose, etc, which can be read about in many scriptures in the Bible (refer to Exodus 30:22-33; Acts 2:32-36, 4:27, and 10:38-41). The resurrected Christ continues doing God's will today.

All holy-people (sanctified-people, Christians, saints, children of God) have already RSVP'd to God's invitation by means of the Lord Jesus Christ with a "Yes." We have believed what God says and we have received God's gift of holy spirit becoming God's children, and therefore spiritually we have all that is currently available. We have the spirit of Christ in us.

However, the state of our walk (behavior, conduct) is up to each one of us by the freedom of our own will. This is similar to the natural realm: a son/daughter of dad/mom always remains their son/daughter because it is not possible to take the sperm and the egg that made the son/daughter away from them. However the son/daughter may decide not to live according to what dad/mom tells him/her and so behaves in a manner which is not acceptable to dad/mom, even to the degree of leaving the home and moving to their 'own place' and not living within the benefits which they could have received from dad/mom. But even so, the son/daughter cannot become an un-son or an un-daughter no matter how badly they behave against their parents.

Returning to I Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 3:

I Corinthians 1:3:

^.3grace to you and peace from God our Father and (our) Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul's greeting is:

• grace to you (all of you)
  • [Grace is what is freely bestowed without any merit on the recipient's part; it includes reference to the attitude and quality of the one giving something favorable to another. Grace is not bestowed because somebody deserves a wage that is owed for something they said or did, nor because they begged so hard, nor because they forced the giver to give! Grace is bestowed because the giver wants to give by his own freedom of will to the recipient - it is completely unmerited favor from the giver to the recipient.]
• and peace
  • [Peace is tranquil harmony, tranquility, peaceful wholeness, without any strife or disagreement. We may think of peace as the opposite of war, the opposite of conflict, the opposite of being at odds with the other party. All of God's children are at peace with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ because it is given to us from God and the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore all Christians should behave peaceably with one-another too.]

...from...

• God (the First, Superior or Ultimate One, the One Who has power, executes judgment, and emanates what He is, His power and light)  
  • Who is our Father (the Father of all holy-people in the spirit category because we have already received the gift of holy spirit)

...and from...

• our Lord Jesus Christ.

This was not some 'nice-phrase' that Paul made-up in his own mind thinking that it sounds good or it might "bless them" - no! Paul was writing because he was receiving the information of what to write from God or from the Lord Jesus Christ via his holy spirit. Grace plus peace were being bestowed upon them from the only true God Who was also their Father, and from their Lord Jesus Christ. And, Paul uses the word "our" to remind them that God was the Father of all of them including Paul and those with him. Therefore they were all brothers from God's point of view because they all had previously received holy spirit-life. They were all children of God.

[Reference: Acts 2:21, 4:12, 9:1-19, 18:1-17; Romans 1:1 and 7, 10:8-15, 11:13; I Corinthians 6:11; II Corinthians 1:1 and 2; Galatians 1:1 and 3; Ephesians 1:1 and 2, 4:1-6; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:1 and 2; I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:2; I Timothy 1:1 and 2, 2:7; II Timothy 1:1, 2 and 9-11; Titus 1:1 and 4; Philemon 1:3.]

Verses 4-8:

^.4I thank my God always concerning you on the grace of God, the (grace) having been given to you in Christ Jesus, ^.5because in everything you were made-wealthy in him in every word and every knowledge ^.6according as the witness of the Christ was made-firm in you, ^.7so-as-for you not to be caused-to-lack in not-one gracious-gift eagerly-awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^.8who also will make you firm, complete, not-arraigned in the day of our Lord Jesus.

The verb "to thank" in the Greek comes from the same root word as the word "grace" plus the word "well" or "well-off." Therefore to thank somebody is done by the freedom of will of the recipient expressing well his gratitude to the giver of the grace (the bestowed unmerited or undeserved favor) given to and received by the recipient. It is not a forced or obligated "thank you"!

Paul writes: I express thanks (I am grateful) towards...

• my God ("my" emphasizes Paul's recognition and appreciation of God [some Greek texts omit the word "my"])
  • at all times (constantly) about you
• resting or basing my thanks on the grace of/from God (God’s bestowed/bestowing unmerited or undeserved favor to you the recipients without any merit on your part; as verse 3 above),
  • emphatically and specifically the grace that was given to you
    • within the sphere of action of Christ Jesus (as verse 2 above),

...because in all/everything you were made wealthy (caused to be rich, enriched) within Christ Jesus - specifically...

• in all/every word (within every spoken account of God's inner thoughts, which contains individual words constituting what is spoken)
• and in all/every knowledge (within every personal knowledge of/about someone or something, which is a truly active and relative knowing, having information concerning a specific situation or circumstance)

...according as (just as, according to how, in comparison to the way that)...

• the witness of/from the Christ (the attestation pertaining-to and proceeding-from the Anointed-one, the declaration which is borne by bringing the subject-matter to light or confirming it as being authentic information or knowledge regarding and issuing-from the Messiah)
  • became firm (sure, steady, definite)
    • in you (within and among all of you holy-people),

...with the consequence and result that you are not caused to lack in not-one (caused to be in want, deficient, made to fall-short or come-behind others in none, not any, not one)...

• gracious-gift (referring to any spiritual gracious-gift which emanates from the holy spirit-life within all holy-people)
  • [A gracious-gift is something freely-given with/by the grace of God and/or of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the result, product, or effect of the action of graciously giving to another so that the recipient may utilize it appropriately. Every holy-person (Christian) has already received the free-gift of holy spirit, and any added information, assignment, etc, given to any holy-person is given by grace (refer to I Corinthians 12:4). It is a gracious-gift to the recipient. It is unmerited or undeserved on the recipient’s part because it is not given as a wage or a corresponding-reward for something he/she had or had-not done.]

...during the time that you are eagerly awaiting (waiting to accept, to subjectively receive, to take to yourselves what will be presented to you, which will be)...

• the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ (his uncovering, the time of his revealing when he will come to be present to gather all holy-people together with him),
• who also will cause you to become firm (sure, steady, definite),
  • complete (people who are perfect by the ultimate arrival of the state of completeness, reaching God's fulfilling ending-issue for you by means of the Lord Jesus Christ [some Greek texts read "until completion"]),
  • not-arraigned (people who have no charge or accusation to be called or brought against you)
• in/during the day of our Lord Jesus (referring to the future time when the Lord Jesus Christ will fully exercise his lordship implementing God's wrath [some Greek texts include the word "Christ"]).

[Reference: Acts 1:5-8, 2:4; Romans 5:15, 6:23, 12:2-8; I Corinthians chapters 12-14, 15:51-58; II Corinthians 1:21 and 22, 8:7; Philippians 3:20 and 21; Colossians 1:22 and 27; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; II Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 10:14, 11:40, 12:23; I Peter 1:7 and 13, 4:10 and 13; II Peter 1:19; I John 5:6-12.]

Verse 9:

^.9God (is) believable, by means of Whom you were called into (the) sharing-in-common of His son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God was and is and will continue to be believable – He is faithful – He is trustworthy! God is the One Who makes what is described in verses 2-8 above available to us by means of His son, the Lord Jesus Christ. All holy-people can rely on the words that God, our Father, speaks and we can rely on whatever He does - His actions. There should be no doubting of God's words which He gives us to believe because He is believable. 

God is believable, and it is by means of (through) Him that you holy-people were called (invited, issued an invitation; as verse 2 above)...

• into the sharing-in-common (with a view to, directed to, and resulting in you partaking of/in/with the same thing, participation, communion with one-another of what is common to all holy-people)
  • of/with God's son,
    • who is Jesus Christ our Lord (as verses 2, 3, 7 and 8 above).

God marked Jesus Christ out as the son of God by raising him up from among the dead-people giving him his spiritual body. God gave him the name that is above every other name, designating the resurrected Jesus being Lord and Christ, and his name includes the name – SON – God’s son; he inherits everything that the firstborn son should inherit from his Father, the only true God. The word ‘son’ emphasizes origin, quality, and essence. The spirit of holiness is the spiritual essence of the resurrected Christ Jesus. Refer to Matthew 3:17, 17:5; John 17:1; Acts 2:21 and 38, 3:6 and 16, 4:7-12 and 30, 9:20, 13:33, 26:23; Romans 1:3, 4 and 9, 5:10, 8:3, 29 and 32; I Corinthians 1:9, chapter 15; II Corinthians 1:19; Galatians 2:20, 4:4 and 6; Ephesians 1:19-23, 4:13; Philippians 2:9 and 10; Colossians 1:13 and 18; I Thessalonians 1:10; II Thessalonians 3:6; Hebrews 1:1-8, 3:6, 4:14, 5:5-10, 6:6, 7:3, 21 and 28, 10:29; II Peter 1:17; I John 1:3 and 7, 2:22-24, 3:8 and 23, 4:9, 10, 14 and 15, 5:5, 9-13 and 20; II John 1:3 and 9; Revelation 2:18.

All the people calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place most definitely share spiritual fellowship with God's son, Jesus Christ our Lord/Master - because we could not call upon the Lord Jesus Christ to ourselves if we had not first received the gift of holy spirit (refer to Romans 10:8-15). And, the Lord Jesus Christ shares-in-common with all the holy-people from the moment we received holy spirit-life and forever more - because the holy spirit-life within each and every holy-person is the spirit of Christ in us, the hope of glory (refer to I Corinthians 12:12-14 and Colossians 1:27).

[Reference: Romans 8:28-30; I Corinthians 10:13, 16 and 17; II Corinthians 1:18-22; Galatians 1:6; Ephesians 4:1 and 4; Colossians 3:15; I Thessalonians 2:12, 4:7, 5:24; II Thessalonians 2:14; I Timothy 6:12; II Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 2:11-13, 9:15, 10:23; I Peter 1:15, 2:9, 5:10; I John 1:3, 7 and 9.]

Verses 10-12:

^.10But I encourage you, brothers, by means of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in order that you may all say the same-thing and there may not be division among you but you may be having been fully-equipped² in the same mind and in the same knowing; ^.11for it was made-clear to me concerning you, brothers, by the (people) of Chloe that there are strifes among you - ^.12and I say this: that each of you says, "I indeed am of Paul" and "I (am) of Apollos" and "I (am) of Cephas" and "I (am) of Christ"!

Regarding the walk (behavior, conduct) of the Corinthian holy-people, Paul writes: I encourage you (exhort you, call you beside me as a concerned father or mother would call their children close to them under their arms so as to help them to do what is right in the walk/behavior category)...

• brothers (referring to the truth that Paul and all the Corinthian holy-people were brothers in the holy spirit category; they were all children of God; as verse 1 above),

...by means of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (through all the power and authority included within the name of our Lord/Master who is Jesus Christ - again repeating his title of Lord in relation to all holy-people; as verses 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 above - Paul was not encouraging by reading an article from the local newspaper or some "how to" book - but by means of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ)...

• for the purpose and result that
  • you would all say the same-thing (every one of you would be speaking the thing itself, not necessarily the exact same individual words but words with the same end or purpose in agreement with the name of our Lord Jesus Christ)
• and
  • there would not be division among you (a schism or partition between you, a splitting among you as tearing a garment apart [some Greek texts have the plural form "divisions"])
• but
  • you would be people who have been fully equipped and are continuing fully equipped (causing yourselves to be put down in a fitting straight/right order, framing yourselves together, fitting yourselves out as a result of your correct behavior in agreement with our Lord Jesus Christ)
    • within the sphere of action of the same mind (mind-set, the organ of mental perception, mentality)
    • and within the sphere of action of the same knowing (personal knowledge following-upon your being informed and thus being of the same opinion regarding a specific subject or topic);

...for it was made clear (plain, evident) to me about you...

• brothers (again reminding them that they were all brothers being children of God with the same holy spirit-life within each one of them [some Greek texts include the word "my"]),

...by the holy-people in Chloe's household that there are strifes (any form of strife such as rivalries, wrongful competitiveness, contentions, disputings and quarrellings) among you - and I lay this out before you:

• that each of you (by using the word "each" instead of "all" Paul emphasizes each holy-person/Christian individually, particularly, singly, distinctly - every one of you)
• says,
  • "Emphatically I indeed am of Paul"
  • and "Emphatically I am of Apollos"
  • and "Emphatically I am of Cephas (Peter)"
  • and "Emphatically I am of Christ"!

They were causing strife and division by claiming to follow or reject the various styles of the teaching of God's Word from those who had previously taught them at different times.

[Reference: Matthew 9:16; John 1:42; Acts 18:24-19:1; Romans 12:2 and 16, 13:13, 15:5; I Corinthians 3:3, 11:18, 12:25; II Corinthians 12:20, 13:11; Galatians 2:9, 5:20; Ephesians 4:23; Philippians 2:2, 4:2; Titus 3:9.]

Verses 13-16:

^.13Christ was not distributed², was he? - (no), or was Paul crucified concerning you?, or were you baptized into the name of Paul? ^.14I thank God that I baptized not-one of you, except Crispus and Gaius, ^.15in order that someone may not say that you were baptized into my name! - ^.16and I also baptized the house of Stephanas; as-to-the-rest, I did not know² if I baptized some other-person.

Paul's response to the situation described in verses 11 and 12 above is to ask some questions [the Greek texts vary a little]:

• Christ was not distributed and continues not being distributed (caused to be divided into parts, parted with the different parts of him distributed, imparted, apportioned to specific individuals only),
  • was he? - No! (the Greek construction of this question indicates that the expected answer is "no" - Christ definitely is not parted with the different parts of him distributed to different people - because if that were the case then it would mean that no holy-person had received the fullness of the gift of holy spirit which God has given by means of the Lord Jesus Christ and is being heralded-forth in the good-message),
• or was Paul crucified concerning you [some Greek texts read "on behalf of you"]? No!,
• or were you baptized (immersed, surrounded) into everything that the name of "Paul" represents? No!

I express my gratitude towards God (as verse 4 above [some Greek texts omit the word "God"]) that...

• I baptized not-one of you (I didn't baptize any of you),
  • except (if not, unless)
    • Crispus (refer to Acts 18:8 when Crispus, who was the ruler or presiding elder of the synagogue, heard what Paul was teaching and he believed regarding the Lord Jesus Christ, plus all the members of his household believed - all those who believed were baptized in holy spirit-life; they became children of God by receiving the gift of holy spirit)
    • and Gaius (refer to Romans 16:23; there are other references to holy-people having the name of "Gaius" in Acts 19:29 Macedonia, in Acts 20:4 Derbe, and in III John 1:1),

...for the purpose and result that someone would not say that you were baptized into my name (the word "my" is written in the emphatic form)!...

• and I also baptized the people in Stephanas' home (his household; refer to Acts 19:1-7);

...as to the rest (the remaining matters relative to this topic), I did not know and continue not to know (perceive, see, it has not come within my sphere of perception or circle of vision, I did not see to the end of perceiving and knowing with my mind) if I baptized some other person.

Paul did not know whether or not he had baptized anyone else because he is referring to baptism in holy spirit (not physical water). In Acts 18:8 and 19:1-7 Paul places his hands on these individuals to help them to receive and manifest holy spirit. Crispus and Gaius and the household of Stephanas had been helped by Paul on a one-to-one basis to be baptized with (immersed in and surrounded by) all that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ brings-to-pass for those who believe God's Word regarding the Lord Jesus Christ - baptism in holy spirit which is spiritual-water (refer to John 4:10-14, 7:37-39; Acts 1:5, 2:1-4 and 38, 10:47; I Corinthians 12:12 and 13; Ephesians 1:13 and 14, 5:26; Hebrews 10:22; I Peter 3:20-22; Revelation 7:17, 22:17).

[Reference: Matthew 3:12, 12:25 and 26; John 4:2; Acts 1:5, 2:1-4, 18:8, 19:1-7; I Corinthians 12:11-14, 16:15-18; Ephesians 4:5.]

Verses 17-19:

^.17For Christ did not apostle me to baptize but to good-message, not in wisdom of word in order that the cross of Christ may not be emptied, ^.18for the word of the cross to the (people) being destroyed is dullness, but to us, the (people) being saved, it is (the) ability of God, ^.19for it was written², "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise-people, and the understanding of the understanding-people I will reject."

In truth, Christ did not apostle me (he did not send me forth/away on a specific assignment or mission)...

• to baptize (to be the one to immerse or surround other people with water, H₂0, or to be the one who gives the gift of holy spirit, spiritual water, because the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who baptizes in holy spirit-life those who believe the good-message)

...but on the contrary, Christ apostled me...

• to good-message (evangelize, gospelize, preach the gospel, the message that is good),
  • not within the sphere of action of the wisdom of word (the skillful or expert application of my personal knowledge pertaining to the spoken-account without consideration of its content, as emphasizing how eloquently I speak or how intellectually learned I am)
    • for the purpose and result that
    • the cross of Christ (referring to the contents of the good-message about all that has been accomplished by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross which resulted in his resurrection by God)
    • would not be emptied (caused to be vain, nullified, emptied as to content, made void),
• for the word of the cross (the spoken-account consisting of individual words pertaining to the cross)
  • to the people who are being destroyed (being utterly-ruined or completely-lost away from the only true God - because they refuse what God says by their own choice, their own freedom of will, they are causing themselves to be destroyed having made their own decision of rejecting the contents of the good-message)
    • is dullness (foolishness, not-acute, absurdity, moronic),
  • but to us, emphatically and specifically the people who are being saved (being caused to be in safety, the standing and state of being saved, made safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction - because we believe what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ),
    • it is the ability of God (God's able-power, His capability),

...for it was written and continues written (as part of the old covenant writings)...

• "I will destroy (utterly ruin, completely loose away from Me)
  • the wisdom
    • of the wise-people (those people who are skillful or expert in the application of their personal knowledge with/by their natural abilities),
• and the understanding
  • of the understanding-people (those people who are putting things together in their mind gaining insight into those things, sagacious, with/by their natural abilities)
    • I will reject (displace, un-put, cause to put them from Me)."

This is a reference to what is written in the Book of Isaiah:

Isaiah 29:13 and 14:

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

In the King James Version and in the Greek translation of the old covenant writings (the Septuagint) the last word in verse 14 is the Greek word for "hid" or "hidden," but in I Corinthians when Paul refers to this scripture he uses a different word which means "reject" - he does this by revelation so that the people to whom he is addressing this letter will better understand God's Word addressed to them. God has done a marvelous work by means of the Lord Jesus Christ - the cross of Christ.

By referring to this scripture, Paul is helping the Corinthian holy-people to consider how they were behaving themselves - any strifes, quarrels, rivalries, contentions may have seemed wise and understanding from the world’s viewpoint, but not from God’s viewpoint.

You may be interested to know that when we read the word translated "cross" it means a "stake" and so we ought to realize that Jesus Christ was crucified on a stake, as the trunk of a tree or single log of wood stuck upright into a hole in the ground. Thus his hands would not have been out to either side nailed on another piece of wood, but they were stretched above his head and nailed in that position which made it much more difficult for him to breath, etc. "The cross" here refers to everything involved in the complete sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on that cross. God had provided this sacrifice for mankind but it was Jesus Christ's own freedom of will to do God's will and offer the sacrifice of himself to God.

The "cross" includes Jesus Christ's death and his burial and also his resurrection from the dead which proved God's having accepted his sacrifice, and his ascension into heaven, plus his being seated at this present time at the right-side of God in the heavens having shed forth the gift of holy spirit making it available to mankind (refer to Numbers 21:7-9; Isaiah 11:10-12, 62:10; Matthew 12:40, 20:19, 27:11-51, 28:1-10 and 16-20; John 3:14-17, 8:38, 12:31-36, 19:17-22; Acts 2:1-4, 26 and 33, 4:10, 5:31; Romans 1:4; I Corinthians 1:18 and 23, 2:7-9; II Corinthians 13:4; Galatians 5:24, 6:14; Ephesians 2:13-18, 4:8; Philippians 2:8-11, 3:18; Colossians 1:20, 2:14; Hebrews 2:14, 12:2, 13:12; I Peter 3:18-22).

[Reference: Exodus 4:10-12; Psalm 33:10; Matthew 11:25; John 4:2, 12:48; Acts 26:15-18; Romans 1:1-4, 15 and 16, 10:8-10, 15:15-21; I Corinthians 15:1; II Corinthians 2:15 and 16, 4:3-6, 10:10; Galatians 1:11-17, 2:20; Ephesians 2:8 and 9, 3:8; Philippians 3:18; Colossians 1:20, 2:13-15; II Thessalonians 2:10; II Timothy 1:9-11; Hebrews 12:2.]

Returning to I Corinthians chapter 1:

I Corinthians 1:20-25:

^.20Where (is the) wise-person? Where (is the) scribe? Where (is the) disputer of this age? God made the wisdom of the world dull, didn't He? - (yes.) ^.21For since-indeed in the wisdom of God the world did not know God by means of (its) wisdom (therefore) God considered-it-good by means of the dullness of the heralded-proclamation to save the people believing; ^.22since-indeed Judeans ask-for signs and Greeks seek-after wisdom, ^.23but we herald-forth Christ having been crucified² - indeed to (the) Judeans an offense and to (the) Gentiles dullness, ^.24but to the called-people themselves both Judeans and Greeks Christ (is the) ability of God and (the) wisdom of God, ^.25because the dull-thing of God is wiser-than men and the weak-thing of God (is) stronger-than men.

Paul asks some questions:

• Where is the wise-person (as verse 19 above)?
• Where is the scribe (the writer, one who copies and claims to interpret what is written)?
• Where is the disputer of this age (the debater, one who seeks or inquires together with others into things pertaining to this specific and limited lifetime)?
• God made the wisdom of the world (the wisdom emanating from those living in the ordered-arrangement who refuse God's wisdom)
  • dull (as verse 18 above),
  • didn't He? – yes (the Greek construction of this question must receive an affirmative answer: "yes, that is correct").

The written answers with explanation from God's viewpoint are:

In truth, since emphatically it is within God's wisdom that the world did not know God (those living in the word who reject God did not have personal knowledge of God) through its own wisdom (no matter how wise anyone thought they were) - therefore...

• God supposed it was a good-thing (a willing purpose with good design, well)
  • through the dullness (which is the opinion of the world's wisdom)
    • of the heralded-proclamation (the proclamation being heralded forth)
• to save the people who are believing (presently and actively having faith, trusting the belief that God makes known regarding the Lord Jesus Christ);

...since emphatically Judeans (people of the Israeli/Judean background, descendants of Israel/Jacob)...

• continue asking for signs (they are presently requesting signals or standards of designation and authentication from God - because they refuse to believe what God has already given all people to believe regarding His son, the Lord Jesus Christ - the sign that God made available)

...and Greeks (people of the Gentile background, belonging to nations other-than Israel/Judah, different ethnic groups)...

• continue seeking after wisdom (they are presently looking for the skillful or expert application of personal knowledge, what to do as the most appropriate action concerning a specific situation or circumstance - because they refuse to believe what God has already given all people to believe regarding His son, the Lord Jesus Christ - the wisdom that God made available),

...but emphatically we (myself and those with me; in Greek there is a definite word for “we” plus the following verb giving emphasis – we ourselves)...

• proclaim Christ who was crucified (the cross of Christ; refer to verses 17-19 above) and that truth has not changed -
  • indeed to the Judeans (in their opinion what we proclaim is)
    • an offense (a stumbling, a trap-stick, as when bait is fastened to a stick whereby if it is struck/hit against the trap is sprung, a cause for stumbling, an offense if a person does not take heed to it)
  • and to the Gentiles (in their opinion what we proclaim is)
    • dullness (foolishness, not-acute, absurdity, moronic; as verses 18, 20 and 21 above),
  • but to the called-people themselves (emphatically those who were invited and who accepted the invitation and thereby have already been saved to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction) - people from both the Judean/Israeli and the Greek/Gentile background who have become holy-people (as verses 1 and 2 above) - in their opinion
    • Christ (the Anointed-one, the Messiah who was crucified) is the evidence and proof of
    •  the ability of God (God's able-power, His capability; as verse 18 above)
    • and the wisdom of God (God's skillful or expert application of His personal knowledge, the most appropriate action done by God concerning mankind),
• because
  • the dull-thing of God (referring to the heralded proclamation regarding the Lord Jesus Christ) is
    • wiser than men (more wise than the wisdom that all men together have)
  • and the weak-thing of God (referring to the crucifixion of Jesus) is
    • stronger than men (more inherently strong than the physical strength that all men together have).

[Reference: Isaiah 44:24-28; Matthew 11:25 and 26, 12:38-41, 16:1-4, 27:42, 28:5; Luke 2:34; Acts 2:36, 4:10, 6:9, 8:5, 17:18-21 and 32, 28:31; Romans 1:4, 16 and 22, 9:33, 10:8-10, 11:33-36, 16:25-27; I Corinthians 1:18, 2:1-14, 10:22, 12:7-14; II Corinthians 1:19, 4:5, 13:4; Galatians 5:11, 6:14 and 15; Ephesians 1:19-23, 3:10 and 11; Philippians 4:13; Colossians 2:2 and 3; II Timothy 1:7, 4:17; Titus 1:3; Hebrews 1:3, 4:15, 7:25; I Peter 1:5, 2:8, 4:11; Jude 1:24 and 25.] 

Verses 26-29:

^.26For you must observe your calling, brothers, that (there are) not many wise-people according to (the) flesh, not many able-people, not many well-genus-people, ^.27but the dull-things of the world God selected-for-Himself in order that He may bring-down-shame-upon the wise-people, and the weak-things of the world God selected-for-Himself in order that He may bring-down-shame-upon the strong-things, ^.28and the things-without-genus of the world and the-things having been despised² God selected-for-Himself, the-things not being, in order that He may render the-things being ineffective - ^.29so-that all flesh may not boast before God.

Paul continues: in truth, you must observe (look at, mentally envision, be mentally aware of, contemplate)...

• your calling (the invitation issued to you to/for salvation in Christ and which you accepted when you believed what God says regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and you received the gift of holy spirit; as verses 2, 9 and 24 above),
  • brothers (again reminding them that they are all brothers in the holy spirit category; as verses 1, 10 and 11 above),

...that there are...

• not a lot of wise-people in accordance with flesh (people who are skillful or expert in the application of their personal knowledge, who do the most appropriate action concerning a specific situation or circumstance even when complete knowledge of it may not be available, who are using wisdom in their minds - in connection with the flesh category but excluding any wisdom received from the holy spirit within all holy-people)
• not a lot of able-people (people who have able-power, ability, who are capable, dynamic - in connection with the flesh category but excluding any ability received from the holy spirit within all holy-people),
• not a lot of well-genus-people (people who are well-born, of good genealogy, of noble decent - in connection with the flesh category but excluding any good genus received from the holy spirit within all holy-people),

...but on the contrary...

• the dull-things of the world (the things which are foolish, not-acute, absurd, moronic, which are part of the world)
  • God selected for Himself (He chose them, picked them out for Himself)
    • for the purpose and result that He would bring down shame upon the wise-people (cause them to have the feeling or emotion of disgrace and guilt bringing reproach having recognized and being sorry for their own performance of an improper, ignominious or dishonorable deed from God's point of view; He would make those claiming to be wise to feel shame before another),
• and the weak-things of the world (the things without strength, feeble, which are part of the world)
  • God selected for Himself
    • for the purpose and result that He would bring down shame upon the strong-things (the things inherently and physically strong),
• and the things-without-genus of the world (without a recognized genealogical family-tree, lacking a suitable record of ancestry, and so would be considered by the world as unborn, low or vile, which are part of the world)
• and the-things having been despised and continuing despised (thought nothing of, treated with contempt, set as naught by the world, which are part of the world)
  • God selected for Himself,
    • specifically the things which are not being (non-existent, not existing, which have no meaning or logical existence, of no relevance whatsoever from the world's viewpoint),
  • for the purpose and result that He would render the-things being (the things considered to be existing realities, important things from the world's viewpoint)
  • ineffective (inactive, inoperative and useless) -
  • in such a manner that
• all flesh may not boast before God (every flesh, nobody is omitted - all flesh would not speak justifiably loudly in the sight and presence of God - no person, who consists of flesh only but lacks holy spirit-life, can boast from God's viewpoint facing Him).

[Reference: Matthew 22:14; Acts 4:11, 17:11; Romans 3:27, 5:5 and 6, 8:8, 11:29; I Corinthians 7:17-20, 15:24 and 50; Galatians 2:20, 5:24, 6:8, 13 and 14; Ephesians 1:18, 2:9 and 14, 4:1-6; Philippians 3:3 and 14; Colossians 1:22; II Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 2:14, 3:1, 7:3; James 2:5; I Peter 2:9; II Peter 1:10.]

Verses 30 and 31:

^.30But out-from Him you are in Christ Jesus who was caused-to-become wisdom to us from God, both righteousness and holiness and full-redemption, ^.31in order that according as it was written², "The (person) boasting must boast in (the) Lord."

It is originating from God (from the center or interior of God Who is the source) that emphatically you are (in Greek there is a definite word for “you” plus the verb meaning "you are" giving emphasis – you yourselves are)...

• in Christ Jesus (within the cause and sphere of action, character, and attributes of Christ Jesus  – all holy-people are limbs of the one spiritual body of Christ, similar to an eye or arm or leg being in the physical body; as verse 2 above)
  • who was caused to become (he came to pass to be, he became)
    • wisdom (God's wisdom evidenced, the skillful or expert application of God's personal knowledge, the most appropriate action done by God concerning mankind; as verse 24 above)
  • to/for/in us
  • from God (Who is the source),
    • and including
    • righteousness (justness, justice, the attributes of justification, the quality of being and doing what is just/right from God's viewpoint)
    • and holiness (the quality of being holy; the Greek word translated as "holiness" may also be translated as "sanctification" and it comes from the word hagios which means to be separated from that-which is common; "common" being the word sometimes used to denote that-which is not set-apart for God, and so is ceremonially-unlawful, unclean, or defiled; those who are holy are separated for God having come into the state of corresponding to the essence of God Who is Holy/Holiness/Sanctity)
    • and full-redemption (the complete releasing or liberation on receipt of ransom away-from captivity or bondage with its due guilt and punishment because of sin; complete-redemption is brought-about by complete-expiation; Jesus Christ is the one who paid the full-price for it, and he is now the resurrected Christ Jesus because the full-payment has been accepted by God),

...for the purpose and result that according as it was written and continues written (as part of the old covenant writings)...

• "The person who is boasting (speaking justifiably loudly)
  • must boast in the Lord."

This is a reference to what is written in the Book of Jeremiah chapter 9:

Jeremiah 9:23 and 24:

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

The words translated in these two verses as "glory" or "glorieth" are "boast" or "boasts" in the Greek Septuagint translation of the old covenant writings.

Paul references this passage to emphasize that all holy-people are to boast within the cause and sphere of action of God, including our relationship with Him, everything He is and all that He has done to/for/in us by means of His son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Reference: Jeremiah 9:23 and 24; Romans 3:24-26, 5:11, 6:22, 10:4, 11:36; I Corinthians 6:11; II Corinthians 5:21, 10:13-18; Galatians 6:14; Ephesians 1:7, 13 and 14, 3:10-12; Philippians 3:9; Colossians 1:14 and 27, 2:2 and 3; II Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 9:15; I Peter 1:2; I John 2:29, 5:1. Baptism. The Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]