1 Corinthians 1:20

KJV

Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

KJV (with Strong's)

Where {G4226} is the wise {G4680}? where {G4226} is the scribe {G1122}? where {G4226} is the disputer {G4804} of this {G5127} world {G165}? hath {G3471} not {G3780} God {G2316} made foolish {G3471} the wisdom {G4678} of this {G5127} world {G2889}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Where does that leave the philosopher, the Torah-teacher, or any of today’s thinkers? Hasn’t God made this world’s wisdom look pretty foolish?

Berean Standard Bible

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

American Standard Version

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
The Apostle Paul's powerful rhetorical questions in 1 Corinthians 1:20 serve as a profound challenge to human intellect and worldly systems of thought, asserting that God's divine wisdom, uniquely revealed through the cross of Christ, utterly transcends and ultimately exposes the inadequacy and folly of all human-centered wisdom. This verse encapsulates a central theme of Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, contrasting the perceived superiority of human reasoning with the paradoxical, yet salvific, power of God's seemingly "foolish" plan.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** [1 Corinthians 1:20](/1_corinthians/1-20 "1 Corinthians 1:20 - The Message of the Cross") stands as a climactic rhetorical flourish within Paul's foundational argument concerning the nature of true wisdom and the Gospel. In the preceding verses, Paul introduces the "preaching of the cross" as "foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" ([1 Corinthians 1:18](/1_corinthians/1-18 "1 Corinthians 1:18 - The Message of the Cross")). He then quotes [Isaiah 29:14](/isaiah/29-14 "Isaiah 29:14 - The Destruction of Worldly Wisdom") in [1 Corinthians 1:19](/1_corinthians/1-19 "1 Corinthians 1:19 - God Destroys the Wisdom of the Wise"), declaring God's intent to destroy the wisdom of the wise and frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent. Verse 20 directly follows this Old Testament citation, applying the prophetic word to the contemporary context of Corinth, setting the stage for Paul's subsequent exposition on God's chosen method of salvation through the "foolishness of preaching" in [1 Corinthians 1:21](/1_corinthians/1-21 "1 Corinthians 1:21 - God Saves Through Foolish Preaching").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The city of Corinth was a bustling cosmopolitan center, renowned for its intellectual prowess, philosophical schools, and sophisticated rhetoric. Greco-Roman society highly valued eloquent speech, logical argumentation, and philosophical debate as pathways to truth and social standing. Within this environment, the Christian message, centered on a crucified Messiah, appeared utterly absurd and weak. Jewish culture, too, sought signs and wisdom, but their expectation was for a conquering Messiah, not one who died a shameful death on a cross. The Corinthian church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, was struggling with internal divisions, partly due to their tendency to align themselves with eloquent speakers or particular philosophical viewpoints, valuing human wisdom and rhetorical skill over the simple, yet profound, message of the cross. Paul's questions directly challenge these deeply ingrained cultural values and intellectual biases.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in 1 Corinthians. Foremost is the **contrast between worldly wisdom and divine wisdom**. Paul consistently argues that human reasoning, left to its own devices, is incapable of grasping God's salvific plan, which often operates in ways contrary to human expectation. The theme of **the Cross as paradox** is also central; what appears as weakness and foolishness to the world is, in fact, God's ultimate power and wisdom. Furthermore, the verse underscores the theme of **God's sovereignty and humility**, demonstrating that God actively "makes foolish" human wisdom to ensure that no one can boast in human achievements but only in the Lord, as articulated later in [1 Corinthians 1:29-31](/1_corinthians/1-29-31 "1 Corinthians 1:29-31 - Boasting in the Lord"). This sets the stage for Paul's emphasis on spiritual discernment over intellectual pride, which he develops further in [1 Corinthians 2](/1_corinthians/2 "1 Corinthians 2 - Paul's Proclamation of Christ Crucified").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Wise (Greek, _sophós'_):** This term refers to those considered intellectually astute, particularly the Greek philosophers and intellectuals who sought truth and understanding through human reason, speculation, and logical deduction. Paul's question challenges the ultimate efficacy of such wisdom in discerning divine realities.
* **Scribe (Greek, _grammateús'_):** In the Jewish context, a scribe was a learned scholar, an expert in the Mosaic Law, who copied, interpreted, and taught the Scriptures. Paul's inclusion of the scribe indicates that even those with deep religious knowledge, when relying solely on human understanding or traditional interpretations apart from God's revelation in Christ, would find themselves unable to grasp God's saving wisdom.
* **Made foolish (Greek, _mōraínō'_):** Derived from the root of the word for "fool" (μωρός), this verb signifies to make something insipid, to render it foolish, absurd, or ineffective. Paul uses this strong verb to declare God's active role in exposing the emptiness and inadequacy of worldly wisdom, rendering it impotent and ridiculous in the face of His truth revealed in the Gospel.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world?"**: These are three distinct rhetorical questions, each probing the perceived pillars of human wisdom. "The wise" points to Greek philosophers and intellectuals. "The scribe" refers to Jewish religious scholars and interpreters of the Law. "The disputer of this world" denotes the rhetoricians, debaters, and skilled arguers common in both Greco-Roman and Jewish societies. The repetition of "where" emphasizes their absence or inadequacy in the face of God's wisdom, implying that none of these human-derived categories of wisdom can provide salvation or true understanding of God. The phrase "of this world" underscores the earthly, temporal, and limited nature of their wisdom, contrasting it with God's eternal wisdom.
* **"hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"**: This is the concluding rhetorical question, serving as a declarative statement. It asserts God's sovereign act of rendering the world's wisdom absurd and ineffective. The verb "made foolish" (G3471, _mōraínō_) is emphatic, signifying that God has actively exposed the emptiness and inadequacy of human intellectual pursuits when they attempt to comprehend or circumvent His divine plan of salvation through Christ crucified. This divine action demonstrates that true wisdom does not originate from human cleverness but from God alone, often in ways that defy human logic and pride.

#### Literary Devices
Paul masterfully employs several literary devices in this verse. The most prominent is the **Rhetorical Question**, where the questions are posed not to elicit an answer but to make a forceful, declarative statement. By asking "Where is...?" three times, Paul implies that these esteemed figures of worldly wisdom are conspicuously absent or utterly irrelevant when it comes to comprehending God's salvific plan. This is further amplified by **Parallelism**, specifically anaphora, with the repeated "Where is...?", creating a rhythmic and emphatic challenge. Finally, there is profound **Irony** at play. What the world considers wise, God declares foolish, and what the world considers foolish (the cross), God reveals as true wisdom and power. This ironic reversal highlights the radical difference between divine and human perspectives, underscoring God's ability to confound the proud and save the humble.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
[1 Corinthians 1:20](/1_corinthians/1-20 "1 Corinthians 1:20 - God Makes Worldly Wisdom Foolish") is a cornerstone of Pauline theology, asserting God's absolute sovereignty over human intellect and His unique method of salvation. It underscores the theological truth that human wisdom, left to its own devices, is inherently limited and incapable of grasping divine revelation, particularly the profound mystery of the Gospel. God, in His infinite wisdom, chose a path that would humble human pride and ensure that all glory belongs to Him. This verse establishes a fundamental distinction between the wisdom "of this world" (which is temporal, human-centered, and ultimately perishable) and the wisdom "of God" (which is eternal, divine, and salvific). It calls for a radical reorientation of values, prioritizing humble faith in God's revealed truth over reliance on human reason or intellectual achievement.

* [Isaiah 33:18](/isaiah/33-18 "Isaiah 33:18 - Where is the Scribe?")
* [Romans 1:22](/romans/1-22 "Romans 1:22 - Professing Themselves to Be Wise, They Became Fools")
* [1 Corinthians 2:4-5](/1_corinthians/2-4-5 "1 Corinthians 2:4-5 - Paul's Preaching Not with Worldly Wisdom")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In an era that often elevates scientific knowledge, technological advancement, and intellectual prowess as the ultimate arbiters of truth, [1 Corinthians 1:20](/1_corinthians/1-20 "1 Corinthians 1:20 - God Makes Worldly Wisdom Foolish") remains profoundly relevant. It serves as a vital reminder that true spiritual understanding and salvation do not stem from human cleverness, academic credentials, or philosophical sophistication, but from a humble, childlike acceptance of God's revelation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to critically evaluate the philosophies and ideologies that permeate our culture, ensuring that we do not unknowingly prioritize human reasoning above divine truth. The simplicity of the Gospel message often confounds the highly educated, yet it is precisely this "foolishness" that God uses as His power unto salvation. This verse challenges us to cultivate intellectual humility, recognizing that God often chooses to work through means that the world deems insignificant or weak, thereby demonstrating that His power is made perfect in weakness and His glory is not shared with human pride. Our ultimate trust must be in God's wisdom, not our own.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life do I tend to rely more on worldly wisdom or my own intellect than on God's revealed truth?**
* **How does the "foolishness" of the cross challenge my own preconceived notions of what is powerful or wise?**
* **What specific cultural or intellectual trends today might be considered "the wisdom of this world" that God intends to make foolish?**

### FAQ
**What does Paul mean by "the wisdom of this world"?**

Answer: "The wisdom of this world" refers to human-centered knowledge, philosophical systems, rhetorical skill, and intellectual achievements that operate independently of, or in opposition to, God's revelation. It encompasses both Greek philosophical traditions (represented by "the wise" and "the disputer") and Jewish legalistic or traditional interpretations that miss the heart of God's redemptive plan (represented by "the scribe"). This wisdom is characterized by its reliance on human reason and its inability to perceive or accept spiritual truths, particularly the message of salvation through a crucified Messiah, which it deems irrational or absurd. Paul argues that this wisdom, though esteemed by humanity, is ultimately inadequate and futile for understanding divine realities and achieving true salvation, as it cannot lead to God ([1 Corinthians 1:21](/1_corinthians/1-21 "1 Corinthians 1:21 - God Saves Through Foolish Preaching")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[1 Corinthians 1:20](/1_corinthians/1-20 "1 Corinthians 1:20 - God Makes Worldly Wisdom Foolish") finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the embodiment of God's wisdom. While the world's wise, scribes, and disputers could not comprehend God's plan, God's wisdom was perfectly revealed in Christ's incarnation, life, death, and resurrection. As Paul declares in [1 Corinthians 1:24](/1_corinthians/1-24 "1 Corinthians 1:24 - Christ the Power and Wisdom of God"), Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God." The cross, which worldly wisdom deemed a sign of weakness and folly, is the very means by which God executed His profound and saving wisdom. In Christ, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden ([Colossians 2:3](/colossians/2-3 "Colossians 2:3 - In Christ Are Hidden All Treasures of Wisdom")), and He became for us "wisdom from God—and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption" ([1 Corinthians 1:30](/1_corinthians/1-30 "1 Corinthians 1:30 - Christ Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption")). Therefore, the rhetorical questions of [1 Corinthians 1:20](/1_corinthians/1-20 "1 Corinthians 1:20 - God Makes Worldly Wisdom Foolish") are answered in Christ: the true "wise one" is Christ, the true "scribe" is Christ who perfectly interprets God's will, and the true "disputer" is Christ who silences all worldly arguments by His divine authority and saving work. He is the ultimate demonstration that God has indeed made foolish the wisdom of this world, offering a salvation that transcends human understanding but is perfectly aligned with divine purpose.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Romans 1:22

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Job 12:17

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

1 Corinthians 1:19

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

1 Corinthians 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Job 12:24

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness [where there is] no way.

Isaiah 44:25

That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise [men] backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;

1 Corinthians 2:6

¶ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: