1 Corinthians 1:27-28
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's not just that God uses the weak and foolish; he chooses them precisely to expose the futility of human wisdom and strength. He deliberately picks the unlikely to dismantle our pride in what we think makes us important.
Paul is addressing a church struggling with division and boasting in human wisdom and status, rather than in Christ. He's showing them that God’s way of salvation through a crucified Messiah, which seemed like weakness and foolishness to the world, is actually God's powerful and wise plan to humble the proud and elevate the humble. This idea sets the stage for his argument that God's power is made perfect in human weakness.
Ever feel like you're not the sharpest tool in the shed? Or that your efforts seem a bit… unlikely to succeed? Paul flips this on its head.
The World's Values vs. God's
Paul is talking to the Corinthian church, a place known for its focus on worldly wisdom, eloquence, and power. The 'foolish,' 'weak,' and 'lowly' things God chooses aren't actually foolish or weak in God's eyes. They are simply things the world dismisses.
By choosing these 'foolish' and 'weak' things, God reveals the ultimate inadequacy of human wisdom and strength, putting His own power on full display.
There's a profound sense of divine justice here. God isn't just building up the weak; He's actively discrediting the strong.
The Purpose of God's Choice
Paul's point isn't merely that God has a soft spot for the underdog. It's that God deliberately uses the seemingly insignificant to expose the vanity of human pride and self-reliance.
This is about God redirecting all glory to Himself. When He saves through the 'foolishness' of the cross, no one can boast in their own cleverness or might.
Understand the original words
eklegomai · Greek Verb
The act of God selecting individuals or a people for a specific purpose or relationship, demonstrating His sovereign grace and initiative in salvation.
mōros · Greek Adjective
That which lacks understanding, discernment, or worldly approval. In God's economy, the 'foolish' things of the world are those which He uses to confound the pride of human systems.
asthenēs · Greek Adjective
The state of being without strength or resources. In Scripture, human weakness is the arena where God’s power is most effectively displayed.
kataischynō · Greek Verb
To humble or cause someone to feel disgrace. Biblically, God shames the proud by exalting those whom the world deems insignificant.
This passage shows David, a seemingly weak and foolish shepherd boy, defeating the mighty giant Goliath, illustrating God's pattern of using the unexpected to overcome the powerful.
Judges 7:7Here, Gideon's small, outnumbered army is chosen by God to defeat the vast Midianite forces, highlighting how God deliberately selects the weak to demonstrate His strength.
2 Corinthians 12:9Paul directly speaks to God's power being made perfect in weakness, echoing the core idea of 1 Corinthians 1:27 that God's strength is most evident when human strength is absent.
Matthew 11:25Jesus rejoices that God has hidden His wisdom from the wise and understanding and revealed it to little children, paralleling the foolishness of God being wiser than men.
It's not just that God uses the weak and foolish; he chooses them precisely to expose the futility of human wisdom and strength. He deliberately picks the unlikely to dismantle our pride in what we think makes us important.
Paul is addressing a church struggling with division and boasting in human wisdom and status, rather than in Christ. He's showing them that God’s way of salvation through a crucified Messiah, which seemed like weakness and foolishness to the world, is actually God's powerful and wise plan to humble the proud and elevate the humble. This idea sets the stage for his argument that God's power is made perfect in human weakness.
Paul is addressing a church struggling with division and boasting in human wisdom and status, rather than in Christ. He's showing them that God’s way of salvation through a crucified Messiah, which seemed like weakness and foolishness to the world, is actually God's powerful and wise plan to humble the proud and elevate the humble. This idea sets the stage for his argument that God's power is made perfect in human weakness.
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agenēs · Greek Adjective
Being of low status or common. It suggests things that are looked down upon or considered unimportant by the standards of the world.
exoutheneō · Greek Adjective/Participle
Regarded with contempt or as having no worth. It highlights the contrast between worldly evaluation and God’s sovereign valuation.
"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are," — It's not just that God uses the weak and foolish; he chooses them precisely to expose the futility of human wisdom and strength. He deliberately picks the unlikely to dismantle our pride in what we…
