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18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?. hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

PARAPHRASE.

me to deliver a rule of life originating from human reasoning; and that for this purpose, in order that the crucifixion of Christ, on which the joyful offer which I publish is founded, should not be rendered null, which in that case it would have been.

18 It is true that it is null to those who do not believe in its efficacy to salvation, yet it is not thereby rendered null. For though the doctrine of the crucifixion is in effect foolishness to those who rejecting it are lost as to the means of salvation, yet to us who by receiving it are saved from all error on that subject, it is a matter resting on the power of God, and as such, is calculated to produce a suitable beneficial influence on our minds and 19 conduct. And that it should be only so received was divinely intended; as appears from Isaiah, for in chap. xxix. v. 14. of his prophecy, wherein is described the plan which God would adopt in the gospel dispensation, it is thus written: "By what I am about to do, I will destroy the influence of the wisdom of the wise in a worldly sense, and the understanding of the intelligent in a worldly sense, I 20 will displace from its present repute." Where now is the moralist? where the scribe versed in the

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

PARAPHRASE.

literal sense of the Jewish Scriptures? where are these persons who dispute the truth of the Gospel on principles derived from the present constitution of things? do they deny the fulfilment of the prophecy? I ask you then, has not God by the plan which he has adopted in the Gospel dispensation shewn worldly wisdom, both Heathen and Jewish, to be foolishness in comparison with the principles 21 of that dispensation? This is evident from the present state of religion in the world. For since the worldly-minded did not by means of worldly-wisdom acquire a knowledge of God agreeable to the wisdom of God, it pleased God by this foolishness, which is the subject of our preaching, to deliver those who believe the doctrine from that state of error, and bring them to what you profess22 edly consider a true knowledge of himself. And since unbelieving Jews are, on the supposed authority of their prophecies, claiming from God a prince of great worldly power as their ruler, and heathen moralists are requiring a system of rules deduced from natural reason as the proper guide 23 for their conduct, and we proclaim Christ crucified as the promised Messiah and the source of all

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

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PARAPHRASE.

just principles for the regulation of the conduct, and this doctrine, though to unbelieving Jews a stumbling-block and to heathen moralists foolishness, is received by you, both Jews and Heathens, who, by divine influence, have been severally called from these states of error to a true knowledge of God as a scheme for the regulation of the conduct founded on both the power and the wisdom of God, 25 it is manifest that in your estimation the foolishness proceeding from God is wiser than the wis

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dom of men, and the weakness proceeding from 26 God is stronger than the power of men. For as a proof that it is the wisdom of God and not that of men that you have received for the guidance of your conduct, and that it is to the power of God and not that of men, that you have submitted your. selves, observe, brethren, the circumstances of your call from these several states of error, and observe as you must, that there are not many persons concerned with it who are in a worldly sense eminent for wisdom, for power, or religious knowledge. But instead of these, God has, in this case, chosen persons and things in a worldly sense

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28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption': 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

PARAPHRASE.

foolish, for the purpose of degrading those persons who are in a worldly sense wise; and, in like manner, persons and things in a worldly sense weak for the purpose of degrading persons 28 and things in a worldly sense powerful, and, in like

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manner, persons and things in a worldly sense of * no account in religious matters, and in that respect despised, and without any establishment in the world, for the purpose of rendering useless the persons and things of the religious system actually existing by his command: and he has thus acted, in order that no human creature might have the least reason for glorying in his own power. But, in this way, it is by him that you are in the profession of faith in Christ Jesus, who, by being appointed the object of faith has become to us the means from God for obtaining true wisdom, consisting as it does in justness of sentiment and action, and holiness of disposition, and being in its consequence emancipation from the power of sin; 31 and this in order that, agreeably to what is written by the prophet Jeremiah, chap. IX. v. 24, "let him who glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth God", it may be said, let the

CHAPTER II.

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power :

PARAPHRASE.

Christian who glories in his knowledge of God, glory in our Lord as the means for obtaining that knowledge.

And accordingly, brethren, when I came to you in the discharge of my apostolical commission, I came not declaring to you the testimony which Christ sent me to give respecting the dealings of God with mankind, with the supposed excellence of arguing in support of my preaching on the principles of human reasoning, or of delivering a system planned according to human wisdom. For I did not think that even among you who are distinguished for intellectual acquirements there was need of knowing any thing as a principle for regulating the conduct except that Jesus is the Messiah, and that he was as such crucified. And, accordingly, I addressed you on these considerations, which in a worldly sense are weak, with a scrupulous regard to my instructions and much anxiety * lest I should fail in a due adherence to them; and

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so also the enforcement of my doctrine was not by

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