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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 Corinthians 1:17–31. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here,
I.The manner in which Paul preached the gospel, and the cross of Christ:
Not with the wisdom of words (Co1 1:17), the enticing words of man's wisdom (Co1 2:4), the flourish of oratory, or the accuracies of philosophical language, upon which the Greeks so much prided themselves, and which seem to have been the peculiar recommendations of some of the heads of the faction in this church that most opposed this apostle. He did not preach the gospel in this manner, lest the cross of Christ should be of no effect, lest the success should be ascribed to the force of art, and not of truth; not to the plain doctrine of a crucified Jesus, but to the powerful oratory of those who spread it, and hereby the honour of the cross be diminished or eclipsed. Paul had been bred up himself in Jewish learning at the feet of Gamaliel, but in preaching the cross of Christ he laid his learning aside. He preached a crucified Jesus in plain language, and told the people that that Jesus who was crucified at Jerusalem was the Son of God and Saviour of men, and that all who would be saved must repent of their sins, and believe in him, and submit to his government and laws. This truth needed no artificial dress; it shone out with the greatest majesty in its own light, and prevailed in the world by its divine authority, and the demonstration of the Spirit, without any human helps. The plain preaching of a crucified Jesus was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world.
II.We have the different effects of this preaching:
To those who perish it is foolishness, but to those who are saved it is the power of God, Co1 1:18. It is to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but unto those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, Co1 1:23, Co1 1:24.
1.Christ crucified is a stumbling-block to the Jews. They could not get over it. They had a conceit that their expected Messiah was to be a great temporal prince, and therefore would never own one who made so mean an appearance in life, and died so accursed a death, for their deliverer and king. They despised him, and looked upon him as execrable, because he was hanged on a tree, and because he did not gratify them with a sign to their mind, though his divine power shone out in innumerable miracles. The Jews require a sign, Co1 1:22. See Mat 12:38.
2.He was to the Greeks foolishness. They laughed at the story of a crucified Saviour, and despised the apostles' way of telling it. They sought for wisdom. They were men of wit and reading, men that had cultivated arts and sciences, and had, for some ages, been in a manner the very mint of knowledge and learning. There was nothing in the plain doctrine of the cross to suit their taste, nor humour their vanity, nor gratify a curious and wrangling temper: they entertained it therefore with scorn and contempt. What, hope to be saved by one that could not save himself! And trust in one who was condemned and crucified as a malefactor, a man of mean birth and poor condition in life, and cut off by so vile and opprobrious a death! This was what the pride of human reason and learning could not relish. The Greeks thought it little better than stupidity to receive such a doctrine, and pay this high regard to such a person: and thus were they justly left to perish in their pride and obstinacy. Note, It is just with God to leave those to themselves who pour such proud contempt on divine wisdom and grace.
3.To those who are called and saved he is the wisdom of God, and the power of God. Those who are called and sanctified, who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, discern more glorious discoveries of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified than in all his other works. Note, Those who are saved are reconciled to the doctrine of the cross, and led into an experimental acquaintance with the mysteries of Christ crucified.
III.We have here the triumphs of the cross over human wisdom, according to the ancient prophecy (Isa 29:14):
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 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? Co1 1:19, Co1 1:20, All the valued learning of this world was confounded, baffled, and eclipsed, by the Christian revelation and the glorious triumphs of the cross. The heathen politicians and philosophers, the Jewish rabbis and doctors, the curious searchers into the secrets of nature, were all posed and put to a nonplus. This scheme lay out of the reach of the deepest statesmen and philosophers, and the greatest pretenders to learning both among the Jews and Greeks. When God would save the world, he took a way by himself; and good reason, for the world by wisdom knew not God, Co1 1:21. All the boasted science of the heathen world did not, could not, effectually bring home the world to God. In spite of all their wisdom, ignorance still prevailed, iniquity still abounded. Men were puffed up by their imaginary knowledge, and rather further alienated from God; and therefore it pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save those that believe. By the foolishness of preaching - not such in truth, but in vulgar reckoning.
1.The thing preached was foolishness in the eyes of worldly-wise men. Our living through one who died, our being blessed by one who was made a curse, our being justified by one who was himself condemned, was all folly and inconsistency to men blinded with self-conceit and wedded to their own prejudices and the boasted discoveries of their reason and philosophy.
2.The manner of preaching the gospel was foolishness to them too. None of the famous men for wisdom or eloquence were employed to plant the church or propagate the gospel. A few fishermen were called out, and sent upon this errand. These were commissioned to disciple the nations: these vessels chosen to convey the treasure of saving knowledge to the world. There was nothing in them that at first view looked grand or august enough to come from God; and the proud pretenders to learning and wisdom despised the doctrine for the sake of those who dispensed it. And yet the foolishness of God is wiser than men, Co1 1:25. Those methods of divine conduct that vain men are apt to censure as unwise and weak have more true, solid, and successful wisdom in them, than all the learning and wisdom that are among men: "You see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called, Co1 1:26, etc. You see the state of Christianity; not many men of learning, or authority, or honourable extraction, are called." There is a great deal of meanness and weakness in the outward appearance of our religion. For,
(1.)Few of distinguished character in any of these respects were chosen for the work of the ministry. God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth and power and interest in the world, to publish the gospel of grace and peace. Not the wise men after the flesh, though men would apt to think that a reputation for wisdom and learning might have contributed much to the success of the gospel. Not the mighty and noble, however men might be apt to imagine that secular pomp and power would make way for its reception in the world. But God seeth not as man seeth. He hath chosen the foolish things of the world, the weak things of the world, the base and despicable things of the world, men of mean birth, of low rank, of no liberal education, to be the preachers of the gospel and planters of the church. His thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways as our ways. He is a better judge than we what instruments and measures will best serve the purposes of his glory.
(2.)Few of distinguished rank and character were called to be Christians. As the teachers were poor and mean, so generally were the converts. Few of the wise, and mighty, and noble, embraced the doctrine of the cross. The first Christians, both among Jews and Greeks, were weak, and foolish, and base; men of mean furniture as to their mental improvements, and very mean rank and condition as to their outward estate; and yet what glorious discoveries are there of divine wisdom in the whole scheme of the gospel, and in this particular circumstance of its success!
IV.We have an account how admirably all is fitted, 1.
To beat down the pride and vanity of men. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise - men of no learning to confound the most learned; the weak things of the world to confound the might - men of mean rank and circumstances to confound and prevail against all the power and authority of earthly kings; and base things, and things which are despised - things which men have in the lowest esteem, or in the utmost contempt, to pour contempt and disgrace on all they value and have in veneration; and things which are not, to bring to nought (to abolish) things that are - the conversion of the Gentiles (of whom the Jews had the most contemptuous and vilifying thoughts) was to open a way to the abolishing of that constitution of which they were so fond, and upon which they valued themselves so much as for the sake of it to despise the rest of the world. It is common for the Jews to speak of the Gentiles under this character, as things that are not. Thus, in the apocryphal book of Esther, she is brought in praying that God would not give his sceptre to those who are not, Esth. 14:11. Esdras, in one of the apocryphal books under his name, speaks to God of the heathen as those who are reputed as nothing, 2 Esdras 6:56, 57. And the apostle Paul seems to have this common language of the Jews in his view when he calls Abraham the father of us all before him whom he believed, God, who calleth those things that are not as though they were, Rom 4:17. The gospel is fitted to bring down the pride of both Jews and Greeks, to shame the boasted science and learning of the Greeks, and to take down that constitution on which the Jews valued themselves and despised all the world besides, that no flesh should glory in his presence (Co1 1:29), that there might be no pretence for boasting. Divine wisdom alone had the contrivance of the method of redemption; divine grace alone revealed it, and made it known. It lay, in both respects, out of human reach. And the doctrine and discovery prevailed, in spite of all the opposition it met with from human art or authority: so effectually did God veil the glory and disgrace the pride of man in all. The gospel dispensation is a contrivance to humble man. But, 2. It is as admirably fitted to glorify God. There is a great deal of power and glory in the substance and life of Christianity. Though the ministers were poor and unlearned, and the converts generally of the meanest rank, yet the hand of the Lord went along with the preachers, and was mighty in the hearts of the hearers; and Jesus Christ was made both to ministers and Christians what was truly great and honourable. All we have we have from God as the fountain, and in and through Christ as the channel of conveyance. He is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (Co1 1:30): all we need, or can desire. We are foolishness, ignorant and blind in the things of God, with all our boasted knowledge; and he is made wisdom to us. We are guilty, obnoxious to justice; and he is made righteousness, our great atonement and sacrifice. We are depraved and corrupt; and he is made sanctification, the spring of our spiritual life; from him, the head, it is communicated to all the members of his mystical body by his Holy Spirit. We are in bonds, and he is made redemption to us, our Saviour and deliverer. Observe, Where Christ is made righteousness to any soul, he is also made sanctification. He never discharges from the guilt of sin, without delivering from the power of it; and he is made righteousness and sanctification, that he may in the end be made complete redemption, may free the soul from the very being of sin, and loose the body from the bonds of the grave: and what is designed in all is that all flesh may glory in the Lord, Co1 1:31. Observe, It is the will of God that all our glorifying should be in the Lord: and, our salvation being only through Christ, it is thereby effectually provided that it should be so. Man is humbled, and God glorified and exalted, by the whole scheme.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Christ did what he did in order to strengthen believers, for no one can redeem something which did not originally belong to him. Therefore, whether it is because we have been redeemed, or because we have been sanctified (i.e., purged from the works of the flesh and the filthiness of idols), or because we have been justified (for it is just to worship only the Creator and spurn everything else) or because we are wise, having learned that worldly people are unwise—all this is a gift of God through Christ. But this is our redemption—when the devil desires it, Christ offers himself to the devil so that he may cancel sin and rescue the devil’s captives.
We are taught by the knowledge that Christ is redemption, because he gave himself as an atonement on our behalf, that when he bestowed immortality on us as our own possession, he ransomed us from death with his own life.
Christ was made our sanctification, not so that he might change what he was but that he might sanctify us in the flesh.
"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
The expression "of Him," I suppose he uses here, not of our introduction into being, but with reference to the faith: that is, to our having become children of God, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh." "Think not then, that having taken away our glorying, He left us so: for there is another, a greater glorying, His gift. For ye are the children of Him in whose presence it is not meet to glory, having become so through Christ." And since he has said, "The foolish things of the world He chose, and the base," he signifies that they are nobler than all, having God for their Father. And of this nobility of ours, not this person or that, but Christ is the cause, having made us wise, and righteous, and holy. For so mean the words, "He was made unto us wisdom."
Who then is wiser than we are who have not the wisdom of Plato, but Christ Himself God having so willed.
But what means, "of God?" Whenever he speaks great things concerning the Only-Begotten, he adds mention of the Father, lest any one should think that the Son is unbegotten. Since therefore he had affirmed His power to be so great, and had referred the whole unto the Son, saying that He had "become wisdom unto us, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption;" through the Son again referring the whole to the Father, he saith, "of God."
But why said he not, He hath made us wise, but "was made unto us wisdom?" To show the copiousness of the gift. As if he had said, He gave unto us Himself. And observe how he goes on in order. For first He made us wise by delivering from error, and then righteous and holy, by giving us the Spirit; and He hath so delivered us from all our evils as to be "of Him." and this is not meant to express communication of being, but is spoken concerning the faith. Elsewhere we find him saying, "We were made righteousness in Him;" in these words, "Him who knew no sin He made to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him;" but now he saith, "He hath been made righteousness unto us; so that whosoever will may partake plentifully." For it is not this man or that who hath made us wise, but Christ. "He that glorieth," therefore, "let him glory in Him," not in such or such an one. From Christ have proceeded all things. Wherefore, having said, "Who was made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," he added, "that, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
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Summary
1 Corinthians 1:30 profoundly declares that the believer's entire spiritual standing, identity, and provision are rooted exclusively in God through Christ Jesus. This verse serves as a climactic statement, asserting that Christ Himself embodies and bestows upon us divine wisdom, imputed righteousness, progressive sanctification, and complete redemption, thereby eliminating any basis for human pride or boasting and ensuring that all glory belongs to God alone.
Context
Literary Context
This verse stands as the triumphant conclusion to Paul's initial argument in 1 Corinthians 1, where he contrasts human wisdom with God's divine wisdom, particularly as revealed in the "foolishness" of the cross. Paul has just explained how God deliberately chooses the "foolish," "weak," "lowly," and "despised" things of the world to shame the wise and the strong, ensuring that no human can boast in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). The Corinthian church, known for its intellectual pride and factionalism, needed this direct challenge to their self-reliance. Verse 30 directly addresses these issues by pointing to Christ as the sole, all-sufficient source of all true spiritual blessings, thus redirecting all glory to God and dismantling any basis for human boasting. It sets the stage for Paul's subsequent discussion on spiritual gifts, unity, and the nature of true Christian wisdom.
Historical & Cultural Context
The city of Corinth was a bustling, cosmopolitan hub, renowned for its wealth, trade, and diverse philosophical schools. Greek culture highly valued rhetoric, intellectual prowess, and philosophical debate, often leading to a sense of superiority among those who considered themselves "wise." This cultural backdrop influenced the Corinthian church, causing divisions as members aligned themselves with different teachers (Paul, Apollos, Cephas) or philosophical viewpoints, believing their intellectual understanding gave them an advantage. Paul's emphasis on God's "foolish" wisdom and the "weakness" of the cross directly challenged these prevailing cultural values and the intellectual pride that permeated the Corinthian community, asserting that true wisdom and spiritual standing come not from human achievement but from divine revelation and imputation through Christ.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes in 1 Corinthians and Pauline theology. It underscores the sovereignty of God as the ultimate source of salvation and spiritual provision, emphasizing that our standing is "of Him." It highlights the centrality of Christ as the mediator and embodiment of all spiritual blessings, contrasting with the world's reliance on human wisdom or achievement. The verse also develops the theme of justification by faith, asserting that our righteousness is not earned but imputed through Christ. Furthermore, it introduces the theme of sanctification, the ongoing process of being made holy, which is also a gift in Christ. Finally, it reinforces the crucial theme of humility and the rejection of boasting, which Paul introduces in 1 Corinthians 1:29 and reiterates in 1 Corinthians 1:31, ensuring that all glory is directed to the Lord.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primary particle serves as an adversative conjunction, indicating a strong contrast or transition. Here, it introduces a pivotal statement that stands in direct opposition to the preceding discussion about human boasting and the world's perceived wisdom. It signals a shift from what humans are not (wise, mighty, noble in themselves) to what believers are in Christ, by God's doing.
This primary preposition denotes a fixed position, state, or instrumentality. In the phrase "in Christ Jesus," it signifies a profound spiritual union and identification. Believers are not merely with Christ or like Christ, but they are spiritually located within Him. This "in Christ" union is the sphere and source of all the blessings that follow, emphasizing that our spiritual reality is entirely dependent on and derived from our relationship with Him.
This verb means "to cause to be," "to become," or "to come into being." In this context, it highlights God's active role in bringing about Christ's identity and function for believers. Christ becomes or is constituted for us these essential spiritual realities (wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption) by divine decree and action. It underscores that these provisions are not inherent in us but are sovereignly appointed and given by God through Christ.
Verse Breakdown
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus"
This opening clause immediately establishes the divine origin and the positional reality of the believer. "Of him" (God) asserts that our very existence and standing as believers are not self-generated but are entirely from God. The phrase "in Christ Jesus" signifies a profound spiritual union; believers are not merely associated with Christ but are spiritually integrated into Him, making Him the sphere and source of their new identity and all subsequent spiritual blessings.
"who of God is made unto us wisdom"
This clause introduces the first of four spiritual provisions. Christ is not merely a source of wisdom, but He is wisdom itself, constituted by God for our benefit. This "wisdom" is not worldly intellectual prowess but divine insight and understanding, leading to salvation and a true knowledge of God's ways, contrasting sharply with the "foolishness" of human wisdom previously discussed.
"and righteousness"
The second provision, "righteousness," refers to our justified standing before God. This is not a righteousness earned by human effort or obedience, but Christ's perfect righteousness, which is imputed to believers by God. Through Christ, we are declared righteous in God's sight, receiving a right standing that we could never achieve on our own.
"and sanctification"
The third provision, "sanctification," speaks to the process of being set apart for God's purposes and progressively made holy. In Christ, believers are positionally sanctified (set apart at conversion) and are also enabled and empowered for ongoing practical sanctification, growing in conformity to His character through the work of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the means and the goal of our holiness.
"and redemption"
The final provision, "redemption," signifies our complete liberation from the bondage, penalty, and power of sin and death. This freedom is secured through the payment of a ransom—Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. It encompasses past deliverance from sin's penalty, present deliverance from its power, and future deliverance from its very presence in glorification.
Literary Devices
Paul employs several potent literary devices in this concise verse. The most prominent is Anaphora, the repetition of the conjunction "and" ("and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption"). This repetitive structure creates a sense of accumulating blessings, emphasizing the comprehensive and multifaceted nature of Christ's provision for believers. The verse also functions as a powerful Climax, building from the foundational "wisdom" to the ultimate "redemption," which encompasses the full scope of salvation from beginning to end. Furthermore, Paul uses Metaphor by stating that Christ is these qualities ("is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption"), rather than merely providing them. This highlights Christ's essential identity as the embodiment of these divine attributes. Finally, the verse is framed by a strong Contrast with the preceding verses, using "But" to pivot from human inadequacy and boasting to God's all-sufficiency in Christ.
Theological and Thematic Connections
1 Corinthians 1:30 is a theological cornerstone, articulating the profound truth of the believer's complete spiritual sufficiency found exclusively in Christ. It underscores that all essential aspects of salvation—from understanding God's truth to ultimate liberation from sin—are not earned by human merit or wisdom but are divinely bestowed gifts through our union with Jesus. This truth dismantles human pride and redirects all glory to God, emphasizing that our identity, standing, and spiritual resources are entirely derived from Him and embodied in His Son. It provides a foundational understanding of both positional and progressive aspects of salvation, establishing Christ as the singular source for every spiritual need.
Reflection and Application
1 Corinthians 1:30 offers profound assurance and a radical call to humility for every believer. It reminds us that our spiritual achievements, our perceived wisdom, or our inherent worth are entirely irrelevant to our standing before God. Everything we need for salvation, for a right relationship with God, and for a life of holiness is already fully provided and embodied in Christ Jesus. This truth liberates us from the exhausting pursuit of self-justification or the anxiety of proving our spiritual adequacy. Instead, it calls us to rest in the finished work of Christ, to embrace our identity as those "in Christ Jesus," and to live out the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption that are already ours by divine grace. Our boasting, therefore, must never be in ourselves or our accomplishments, but solely "in the Lord," who has given us everything.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that we are "of him" in Christ Jesus?
The phrase "of him" (Greek: ek autou) emphasizes that our spiritual existence and union with Christ originate entirely from God. It signifies divine initiative and sovereignty. It means that our being "in Christ Jesus" is not a result of our own striving, merit, or decision alone, but is fundamentally a gracious act of God. He is the ultimate source and author of our salvation and our new identity in His Son. This concept reinforces the idea that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works, so that no one can boast.
How is Christ "made unto us" these four things: wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption?
Christ is "made unto us" these four essential spiritual realities because God has sovereignly appointed Him to embody and impart them to believers through our union with Him. It's not that Christ gives us wisdom, but that He is our wisdom—the ultimate revelation of God's truth and purpose. Similarly, His perfect life and atoning death are the basis for our imputed righteousness, our positional and progressive sanctification, and our complete liberation from sin's power and penalty. These are not separate gifts from Christ, but aspects of who Christ is for us, fully realized in our spiritual union with Him.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
1 Corinthians 1:30 stands as a powerful declaration of Christ's comprehensive fulfillment of all spiritual needs, echoing themes woven throughout the New Testament. In Christ, the ultimate revelation of God's wisdom is found, contrasting sharply with the world's limited understanding, as seen in Colossians 2:2-3. He is our righteousness, not merely by providing a way to be declared just, but by becoming our very justification through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, a truth profoundly expounded in Romans 5:18-19. Christ is also our sanctification, the one who sets us apart for God and progressively transforms us into His likeness, a process initiated by His Spirit and leading to holiness, as affirmed in Hebrews 10:10. Finally, He is our complete redemption, having paid the ultimate ransom with His own blood to free us from the bondage of sin and death, securing our eternal liberty and future glorification, a promise beautifully captured in Ephesians 1:7. Thus, in every aspect of salvation and spiritual life, Christ is not merely the means but the very embodiment of God's gracious provision, ensuring that all glory belongs to Him alone, as 2 Corinthians 5:21 so clearly articulates.