Monday, April 02, 2012

The Message of the Cross

1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.”  1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? 22  Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish? 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe by the foolishness of preaching. 1:22 For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom, 1:23 but we preach about a crucified Christ,  a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 1:24 But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,  and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

-1 Corintheans 1:17-25 (NET Bible) 

[It is most striking] that Jesus made deliberate provision for how he wished to be remembered.  He instructed his disciples to take, break, and eat bread in memory of his body to be broken for them, and to take, pour out, and drink wine in memory of his blood to be shed for them.  Death spoke from both elements.  No symbolism could be more self-evident.  How did he want to be remembered? Not for his example or his teaching, not for his words or works, not even for his living body or flowing blood, but for his body given and blood shed in death.

-Stott in Through the Bible Through the Years, page 264.


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