The message of the cross being foolishness is a concept that the apostle Paul introduces in 1 Corinthians 1:18, which states “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” To understand what Paul meant by this, we need to examine the context and background of his letter to the Corinthians.
The city of Corinth in Paul’s day was a center of culture and philosophy in the Roman Empire. The people valued wisdom, knowledge, and persuasive arguments. Different schools of philosophy and rhetoric competed for followers in Corinth. When Paul came to Corinth preaching the gospel, his message centered around Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:23). For the people of Corinth, steeped in human wisdom and philosophy, this message seemed foolish or moronic.
A crucified Christ went against everything they valued. Crucifixion was a shameful, agonizing, and degrading way to die, reserved for slaves and criminals. The idea that a crucified man could be the Savior of the world and the wisdom of God seemed absurd to them. The Greeks saw the body as something to be transcended, so the idea of a bodily resurrection also seemed foolish.
In their eyes, Paul’s preaching lacked eloquent rhetoric and sophisticated philosophical argumentation. It did not mesh with any of their schools of thought. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:22-23, “Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.” This was a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.
But while the cultured people of Corinth scoffed at the cross, Paul saw it as the very power and wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:24). What looks like weakness and foolishness from a worldly perspective, is actually the greatest demonstration of God’s love, redemption, and power. As 1 Corinthians 1:25 states, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
What made the cross seem foolish to human eyes, yet so powerful and wise in God’s eyes? Here are a few key reasons:
- The cross displayed God’s scandalous grace – Saving sinners by grace, not merit, seemed foolish.
- It contradicted human pride – Humans want to earn salvation, not receive it freely.
- It overturned human wisdom – God confounded the wisdom of the world by saving through a crucified Messiah.
- It displayed radical love and forgiveness – Dying for sinners while they were still enemies of God seemed foolish.
- It encompassed mystery – The infinite God dying in place of finite sinners is beyond human wisdom.
- It demanded total allegiance to Christ – Following a crucified Savior as Lord and God appeared foolish.
Paul realized that the cross forces people to take sides. They either embrace it in faith, finding it the wisdom and power of God. Or they reject it as foolishness, stumbling over its message. As 1 Corinthians 1:18 states, it is either “the power of God” for those being saved, or “foolishness” for those perishing in unbelief.
Paul also knew from Scripture that God’s wisdom often appears as foolishness from the world’s perspective. Isaiah 29:14 declares, “…therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” Isaiah 55:8-9 similarly states that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our own.
Human wisdom is limited and short-sighted. We crave what looks impressive in the moment. But God operates according to His greater wisdom and eternal perspective. What looks foolish in human eyes contains depths of divine wisdom for those with faith and spiritual discernment. As 1 Corinthians 2:14 states, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
Paul recognized that only God could open people’s eyes to accept the saving message of Christ crucified. Left to themselves, humans in their pride will always view the cross as moronic. But those called and empowered by God’s Spirit will find in the cross true wisdom (1 Cor 1:24), salvation (1 Cor 1:18), sanctification (1 Cor 1:30), and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). What makes no sense to the mind of flesh makes perfect sense to those born of the Spirit.
This is why Paul resolved to preach only “Christ crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). He would not water down the scandal of the cross by worldly wisdom or clever argumentation. For Christ to be glorified, the cross must remain at the heart of the gospel.
As 1 Corinthians 1:31 concludes, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Salvation is accomplished not by human wisdom or effort, but by what God has done in Christ. The cross silences all human pride and demands faith in Jesus alone. This is the greatest demonstration of the power and wisdom of God for all who believe.
Though its message seems moronic from the world’s perspective, the cross reveals the deep wisdom of God’s plan of redemption. It crushes human pride and calls for radical, exclusive faith in the crucified and risen Savior. The cross stands at the center of the gospel and remains a stumbling block for many. But for those being saved, it is where God’s power and wisdom blaze most brilliantly.