1 Corinthians 3:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He is also especially hinted at in the word "stubble," and in the words, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Two motives usually restrain us from sin more than all others. One is when we imagine the punishment that follows sin. The other is when we reflect on our own dignity. Thus the Apostle frightens by speaking of hay and stubble, and shames by pointing to our dignity. By the first he corrects the more insensible, and by the second the gentler. "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks himself wise in this age, let him become foolish." As he commands us to be dead to the world (Col 2:20), and this deadness not only does no harm but brings benefit, becoming a source of life, so now he commands us to be foolish to the world. In this he shows us true wisdom. The man who is foolish to the world is the one who despises external wisdom, and is convinced that it contributes nothing to his reception of the faith. Therefore, as poverty according to God leads to riches, humility to greatness, and contempt of earthly glory to glory, so this foolishness makes a man wiser than all. With us, everything is the opposite. Why did he not say, "let him leave wisdom," but, "let him become foolish"? He did this to humble external learning as much as possible. It is not the same thing to say, "leave your wisdom," and to say, "become foolish." At the same time he teaches us not to be ashamed of our lack of learning, presenting everything external as worthy of ridicule. He is not ashamed of names, because he relies on the power of the realities. As the Cross, a thing apparently shameful, became the source of countless blessings, and the cause and author of ineffable glory, so apparent foolishness becomes for us the cause of wisdom. If someone has learned something badly, he will not know sound teaching clearly unless he abandons everything, wipes it from his soul, and presents the soul clean to the one who wishes to teach him anew. So it is with external wisdom. Unless you abandon everything, purify your mind, and surrender yourself to faith like a simple man, you will know nothing good as you ought. Those with weak sight are the same. If they do not close their eyes and entrust themselves to others, but are guided by their damaged vision, they will wander far more than those who see nothing at all.

Notice that he did not say, "let him reject wisdom," but something far stronger: "let him become foolish." That is, let him reason nothing from himself, let him not trust his own arguments, but let him follow God as a flock follows its shepherd, and believe everything divine.

He renounced boasting, adding with a humble mind, "But I have lifted up my soul" (Ps 131:2). Do you see how lofty this child was, and how exalted in the virtues? The Apostle wants us also to become such children: "If anyone among you thinks himself wise in this age, let him become foolish, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God" (1 Cor 3:18-19).

Whoever avenges himself seems to accuse God of injustice. But whoever endures the sorrow that has come upon him as his own, by patience makes confession of previously committed sins, for which he undergoes suffering through the trial brought upon him.

The firmest foundation of health is humble-mindedness, which our nature teaches. For it is dust and ashes, and speaks loudly about the origin from which it came.

By this very reality it humbles the pride of those who suffer from arrogance.

In contrast to this wisdom of God, the wisdom of this world appears as foolishness before God. It is clear why. The wise men of this world seek the resolution of the questions of their existence, and the attainment of their aims, only in their own means and powers, within themselves. They neglect the means and help offered by God, often not even knowing their aim well. Of course they err in their actions and cannot attain what they seek. In such a condition they cannot be called wise.

Conversely, whoever wishes to be wise in the Christian sense should not be embarrassed that he will be considered foolish from a human point of view, one alien to higher principles and aspirations. This agrees with the Apostle's counsel to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil (Rom 16:19; cf. 1 Cor 1:19-24). According to St. John Chrysostom, the wisdom of the world fights against God. Therefore "it not only does not help in attaining the final goal of human life, but even becomes an obstacle; consequently it must be abandoned as harmful. Yet the Apostle is not content with his own proofs, but also brings a testimony: For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness' (Job 5:13). The words, 'I will destroy the wisdom,' express its complete uselessness. The words, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness,' show the power of God. When boundless Wisdom pronounces such a judgment upon them and presents them as such, what further proof of their extreme foolishness should be required? Since they used their wisdom in order to manage without God, they came to the point where they themselves did not know where to turn. Therefore by that very wisdom they were caught. They proved worse than fishermen and the unlearned, and had need of them."

He does not recognize any need for higher help. The subjects occupied by his wisdom are all external: the earth and earthly well-being.

Concern for his soul and its salvation does not enter his mind. Yet with all the perfection of his reasonings in the areas named, he only thinks he is wise. He is not.

Others may not always consider him so. But he himself regards himself only as a sage of the first rank.

His learning, worldly wisdom, and sum of knowledge may be very limited. Yet he always sets a high value on himself in wisdom.

In this he deceives himself. The delusion consists in thinking that he has what he does not have.

All who are not true Christians are entangled in this delusion. It is the clothing of pride, the cloud that surrounds it.

The Apostle dispels precisely this delusion when he says: let every such man become a fool.

That is, first let him recognize in himself that he has no wisdom at all. Then let him acknowledge that his supposed wisdom is not wisdom, but an empty phantom of wisdom.

After this, let him accept both teaching and a way of life that he himself formerly counted foolishness.

Let him accept what all who share his disposition formerly counted foolishness, and still count foolishness. Let him appear such a fool before all the wise of this age.

To be a fool means to recognize oneself as such with respect to external wisdom. It also means that others begin to regard him so, because he has changed in everything.

The Apostle commands not only that one abandon external wisdom, but also that one attach oneself to the foolishness of preaching.

Such a man cannot avoid being reviled as a fool. He believes in the Crucified One. He gives away his possessions. He mortifies the flesh. He spends nights in prayer.

He shuns amusements. If someone wrongs him, he does not defend himself. Beauties in various forms stand before him, yet he finds no taste in them.

He does not save a coin for a dark day. He is always thinking about something and awaiting for himself what neither he nor anyone else sees.

According to the wisdom of this age, this is foolishness worthy of every condemnation. Yet this is precisely what the Apostle proposes, assuring us that whoever becomes such a man will be the true wise man.

“That he may become wise” means that there is no other way to be truly wise than to appear foolish before the wisdom of this age.

For the man who appears thus has entered the realm of the wisdom that is from God and has become its possessor.

Chrysostom says about this: “As the Apostle commands one to be dead to the world in Col 2:20, and this deadness not only does no harm but even brings benefit, becoming a source of life, so now he commands one to be foolish to the world, showing us true wisdom in this.

The man who is foolish to the world is the one who despises external wisdom and is convinced that it helps him not at all in the work of faith and salvation.

Therefore, as poverty according to God leads to riches, humility to greatness, and contempt for worldly glory to glory, so this foolishness makes a man wiser than all.

For with us everything happens in the opposite way. And why did he not say, let him abandon wisdom, but let him become a fool?

It was in order to humble external learning as much as possible. For it is not the same thing to say, abandon your wisdom, and to say, become a fool.

On the other hand, he teaches us not to be ashamed of our lack of learning, for he presents everything laughable as worthy of laughter.

He is not ashamed of names, because he relies on the power of realities. The Cross, which seemed a reproachful thing, became the source of countless blessings.

It became the cause and author of ineffable glory. So also what appears to be foolishness becomes for us the cause of wisdom.

If someone has learned something badly, he will not clearly know sound teaching unless he abandons everything, erases it from his soul, and presents his soul clean to the one who wishes to teach him anew.

So it is with external wisdom. Unless you abandon everything, cleanse your mind, and present yourself to faith like a simple man, you will know nothing good as you should.

It is like a man with weak sight. If he shuts his eyes and does not entrust himself to others, but is guided by his damaged sight, he wanders far more than those who see nothing at all.

But how, you will say, can one abandon external wisdom? By not accepting its teaching.”