1Cor 1:20-28 | TNotes | STEP | 1:20 In God’s eyes, the human wisdom of this world is foolish . Divine wisdom lies in the message of the cross and in Jesus Christ (see 1:24 , 30 ).

1:20 ^a In God’s eyes, the human wisdom of this world is foolish. Divine wisdom lies in the message of the cross and in Jesus Christ (see 1:24 ^b, 30 ^c).
1:21 ^d Human wisdom alone does not bring people to the true knowledge of God; that comes only through the message of the cross, which the world considers foolish, but which saves those who believe (cp. Matt 11:25 ^e).
Summary for 1Cor 1:22-24: 1:22-24 ^f Paul uses the words Greeks and Gentiles interchangeably to refer to non-Jews. 1:22 ^g Unbelieving Jews wanted to see miraculous signs to validate the message (cp. Matt 12:38-39 ^h; 16:1-4 ⁱ; John 2:18 ^j, 23 ^k; 4:48 ^l). Greeks, renowned for their schools of philosophy, were only interested in human wisdom—i.e., philosophical reasoning.
1:23 ^m Regardless of what unbelieving Jews and Gentiles desired, Paul refused to give them anything but the simple message of the cross. To many Jews, the idea of a crucified Messiah was a contradiction in terms because crucifixion expressed not the power and blessing of God but his curse (see Gal 3:13 ⁿ; cp. Deut 21:23 ^o).
1:25 ^p What the unbelieving world considers foolish and weak—Christ and the message of the cross—is in reality wiser and stronger than anything the world has to offer. It solves the world’s greatest problem, the problem of sin, and overcomes all the powers of evil that oppose human beings.
1:26 ^q Socially and culturally, most Corinthian Christians were ordinary people; few were among the elite (cp. Matt 11:25 ^r). Only a few Christians, such as Erastus, the city treasurer in Corinth (see Rom 16:23 ^s), were wealthy (or high born; cp. Jas 2:5 ^t).
Summary for 1Cor 1:27-29: 1:27-29 ^u God chose despised and humble people in order to demonstrate his judgment on human pride (cp. Rom 3:27 ^v; 4:2 ^w; 2 Cor 4:7-11 ^x; 12:8-10 ^y; Eph 2:9 ^z).