1 CORINTHIANS 2
And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimonyof God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”– 1 Corinthians 2:1-9
1 CORINTHIANS 2 THE FUTILITY OF HUMAN WISDOM
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If you believe in Christ, you will not rely on your own knowledge
Boast only on the work of Jesus on the cross, it is complete
Don’t depend on human effort and the system of this world
Human wisdom is nothing compared to God’s word
It is futile to pay attention to human reasoning and arguments
Only God’s Spirit gives you power to understand and be discerning.
In this letter, Paul reminds the church in Corinth that he is not bringing the gospel to them with impressive words or brilliant speeches, but he brings it to them with simplicity. He focuses on what Jesus did on the cross and the grace that comes from knowing and believing in the work of Christ. He cautions them not to be easily swayed by rhetorics, persuasive speeches or philosophies of men. During those times, the Greeks emphasized the importance of rhetorics to influence and persuade people in political and legal systems. It is crucial to have such skills to access truth and knowledge. With skilled orators, they are equipped to analyze situations, construct convincing arguments and move audiences. Paul discourages these worldly human skills in proclaiming the gospel.
REFLECTION
- Why isn’t it important to be eloquent in proclaiming the Good News?
