The Foolishness of God

In this text, Paul explains how the foolishness of God demolishes the wisdom of men. We sometimes take this expression to mean something like, “God at his worst, on an off day, when He hasn’t had time to think things through, can still outdo the best and brightest of the world’s thinkers.” But, when we put it in such crass terms it becomes clear that something else must be meant. Paul is actually saying that God delights in using things the world finds contemptible, weak and foolish to wreck havoc with the things the world exalts and glories in. While it is important to understand this in principle, it is more important that we understand that God has actually done this in history. In fact, this is precisely what God has done in the cross.

In our text Paul draws attention to the wisdom and the rulers of this age and to the hidden wisdom of God (2:7) or the foolishness of God (1:25). What he wants us to see is that both of these came together at one particular moment in history at the cross of Christ and he wants us to see what happened when the two collided. Because God’s wisdom is hidden, especially from the proud, the wise rulers never saw it coming. If they had known, Paul tells us, they never would have crucified the Lord of glory (2:8). The question we will pursue this morning is threefold: who were these rulers, what was their wisdom, and in what sense are they coming to nothing?

Who Are The Falling Rulers – The simple answer to this question is to point out the civil and religious authorities specifically mentioned as responsible for Jesus death. This would include, Caiaphus, the majority of the Sanhedrin, and other ranking Jews among the Pharisees & Sadducees. We would also have to number the Gentile authorities represented by Pontius Pilate. Interestingly, history tells us a good deal about what became of a number of these rulers. Within six years Pilate was removed from office and overcome by misfortune, killed himself. Herod Antipas died in exile, many of the Jewish leaders were crushed by the Romans when they destroyed Jerusalem in 70AD. But if we stop here we would neglect specific refrences to another ruler who was implicated in the crucifixion of Christ. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." This He said, signifying by what death He would die (John 12:31-33). Finally, we must see that such “rulers of this world” (v. 6), represent an entire way of thinking that had dominated the world for millennia. But, in view of the cross of Jesus, Paul looked around him and said, these kinds of rulers “are coming to nothing.” Paul clearly thought in terms of a present evil age, world, creation that was passing away or being subverted by a new world, new age, a new creation in Christ.

What Was The Collapsing Wisdom – Taking our cue from the gospels, it is clear what wisdom the “rulers of this age” employed. We are given insight to the secret counsels of the ruling authorities in John 11:45-50. We also see this played out in the trial of Jesus itself. The wisdom of this age is the wisdom of self-preservation, the wisdom of accusation and condemnation, the wisdom of unbelief and disobedience, the wisdom of a calloused heart. It is a wisdom that knows only power, and the use of force to accomplish its ends.

Coming To Nothing – In the death and resurrection of Jesus, God overturned the wisdom of this age. The spread of the gospel is a public expose of the actual men involved in the injustice surrounding the death of the innocent Son of God. But Paul says it goes beyond this by exposing that same “wisdom” wherever it exists. This means that when the gospel is faithfully preached it gradually brings to nothing human arrogance, injustice and the common practice of railroading, scapegoating and every other sham that the rulers who cling to the pre-Christian era love. The public preaching of the cross is the humiliation of both the men involved in Jesus death, and of everyone before or since who employ their method. "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15).

What does this mean for us. It means we must never exchange the new life in Christ for the wisdom of the age that is passing away. We must never resort to the will to power but resolutely follow the way of the cross. We are to walk humbly before our God and deal with one another justly and even more, with grace and mercy. It means that we must oppose the “wisdom of this age” anywhere and everywhere we see it rear its ugly head.
Where does it show itself today? In politics where the wisdom of the world is still far to pervasive. The church must show the world a better way by the manner in which we seek position and rank among ourselves. In the workplace where the old ways are often manifest in the competition, the envy and the rumors we must do better, refusing to take part. In a day when families are in crisis due to the selfish ambitions, contentions and jealousies of their members, we must live in the new creation, remembering that the old way is of the Devil and are coming to nothing as surely as Christ died and rose again. What are the ways of the word? selfish ambition, pride, envy, lust for power, saving face all of which were on public display at the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Of course they disguised their hideous and disfigured forms under the guise of righteous zeal, “He is worthy of death,” “He misleads the people,” “He claims to be king” “He is a blasphemer” “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” But God exposed the whole thing for what it was when he vetoed the crucifixion with the resurrection. So, what is the cross? It is the judgment of this world; it is the casting out of the ruler of this world; it is the lifting up from the earth, the humble King who is drawing all peoples unto Himself.