1 Corinthians 1:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If we offer them not only something other than what they demand, but the opposite of it, and still they are persuaded by this opposite, is this not the work of the ineffable power of the One preached?

For according to reason, the Cross appears not only not to be a sign, but something contrary to a sign. It appears not a mark of power, but a mark of weakness; not an expression of wisdom, but proof of madness.

If someone storm-tossed and seeking a harbor were shown not a harbor but a still more dangerous place in the sea, and yet were persuaded to sail there with gratitude, this would be a work of great power.

Or if a physician approached a wounded man who expected medicines, and came not with medicines, but promised to heal him by burning, and yet persuaded him, this too would be a work of great power.

So the Apostles conquered not only without signs, but by what appeared contrary to signs. Christ acted in the same way with the blind man. Wishing to grant him healing, He destroyed blindness by what causes blindness: He "put clay" on his eyes (Jn 9:15).

As He healed the blind man by clay, so He drew the universe to Himself by the Cross, by what increased the scandal rather than removed it.

He did the same in creation, arranging opposites by opposites. He enclosed the sea with sand, restraining the strong by the weak. He hung the earth upon the waters, establishing the heavy and solid upon the fluid and flowing.

Again, through the prophets He made iron float up from water by a small piece of wood (4 Kgs 6:6). So too He restored the universe by the Cross.

As water holds the earth, so the Cross holds the universe. Thus persuading by opposites is a sign of great power and wisdom. The Cross appears to produce scandal, and yet it not only does not scandalize, but draws.

15. Jesus Christ is called by the Apostle the power of God and the wisdom of God: "But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

Blasphemers of Christ's name may conclude from these apostolic words that Jesus Christ is not consubstantial with the Father and the Holy Spirit, because the wisdom of God does not signify God Himself.

Explanation. In God there is nothing accidental. Therefore the power and wisdom of God are not some external perfection of His, but signify the very essence of God.

Therefore, when Christ is called the wisdom of God, by this name one Person is distinguished from another Person.

Christ is called the wisdom of God for three reasons.

First, with respect to His Person. Everything the Son has, He has from the Father through eternal generation. For this reason He is called the Wisdom begotten of the Father.

Second, with respect to His office. He revealed to the world the Father's wisdom, unknown to men, and the mystery of God, hidden from the ages.

Third, with respect to Christian teaching, which is nothing other than the wisdom of God, instructing us in the way to the Kingdom of Heaven.

In a similar sense Christ is called the power of God. This name is ascribed to Christ because He has the same might as the Father.

The heavenly Father shows His power through His Only-begotten Son, both in the creation of the world, according to the saying: "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (Jn 1:3), and in the governance of the world: "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

The Father also reveals His power in His Son and through the final Judgment of the whole world, for authority to execute judgment upon the world has been given to the Son (cf. Jn 5:27).

All that has been said is not contrary to the true and perfect Godhead of Jesus Christ. Rather, it reveals and confirms it for us still more.

Thus the common meaning of the name Christ is divided into two distinct meanings, wisdom and power.

By turning our gaze to the greatness of the ordering of all that exists, we understand His ineffable power through what we contemplate. By reflecting that something which did not previously exist came into being, and that the manifold nature of beings was realized by a divine nod, we worship the incomprehensible wisdom of Him Who thought this.

His thoughts are deeds.

Faith that Christ is Power and Wisdom proves by no means idle or useless for our acquisition of the good. For what the one who prays invokes, and toward what he turns the eye of the soul, that he draws to himself by prayer.

Thus the one who turns his gaze toward Power, and Power is Christ, is "strengthened with might in the inner man," as the Apostle says (Eph 3:16). The one who invokes Wisdom, by which again the Lord is meant, becomes wise, as the book of Proverbs says (Prov 2:3-5).

Therefore the one who shares the name of Christ, Who is Power and Wisdom, must also share the name of power by overcoming sin. He must manifest wisdom in himself by choosing the better.

Through the manifestation in us of wisdom and power, perfection of life is attained. Wisdom appears in the choice of the good, and power in the effort by which the rationally chosen good is preserved. Perfection is composed of both.

For these blessed souls, from Jews and Greeks, the preaching that was a stumbling block and foolishness for others presented divine power and divine wisdom. Having received it in this sense, they believed and were saved. They were truly assured of this power and wisdom when, in Baptism, they were buried together with the crucified Lord and tasted the saving power of the Cross. Yet everything received here was transfigured in faith. Therefore what had been believed was received.

“One and the same thing is both wisdom and folly, both power and weakness. It is folly and weakness to unbelievers, but wisdom and power to believers. For the sun is light to those who see, but darkness to the blind. Yet it does not bring darkness. Sickness restrains the brightness of the ray. So also the pus of unbelief prevents the light of the knowledge of God from illumining the soul” (Theodoret).

Chrysostom says: “Great power is contained in these words of the Apostle. He wishes to show how God conquered by what, in appearance, did not promise victory, and how the preaching is not a human work. His words mean the following. When we say to the Jews, ‘Believe,’ they object: raise the dead, heal the possessed, show us signs.

What, then, do we say instead? We say that the One we preach was crucified and died. In appearance, this not only cannot attract those who resist, but can drive away even those who do not resist. Yet it does not drive away. It attracts, holds, and subdues.

The Gentiles, for their part, demand eloquence and skill in argument from us. But to them also we preach the Cross. To the Jews this seems weakness, and to the Greeks foolishness. If we offer them not only something other than what they require, but even the opposite of it, what follows?

According to rational judgment, the Cross appears not only not to be a sign, but something contrary to a sign. It is not only not a mark of power, but a mark of weakness. It is not only not an expression of wisdom, but proof of foolishness.

Those who require signs and wisdom not only do not receive what they require, but even hear from us the opposite of what they require. Yet by this opposite they are persuaded. Is this not the work of the ineffable power of the One preached?

The Apostles conquered not only without signs, but by what appeared contrary to signs. Thus Christ acted with the blind man. Wishing to grant him healing, He destroyed blindness by what produces blindness: He applied clay (Jn. 9:15). As He healed the blind man with clay, so He drew the universe to Himself by the Cross, by what in appearance increased the stumbling block rather than removed it.

He acted similarly in creation, ordering opposites by opposites. He enclosed the sea with sand, bridling the strong with the weak. Through the prophets He made iron rise from the water by means of a small piece of wood (4 Kings 6:6). So also He restored the universe by means of the Cross.

Thus, to persuade by opposites is a sign of great power and wisdom. The Cross seems to produce a stumbling block, and yet it not only does not cause stumbling, but attracts. Considering all this and marveling, Paul says: