1 Corinthians 1:27, commentary and pictures

God deliberately chooses people and means the world calls foolish, weak, base and despised to shame those counted wise and mighty, overturning human measures of wisdom, status, strength and power so that His own wisdom and power are displayed. His choice leaves no room for human pride, so that no flesh can boast in His presence and all glory is in the Lord alone. This belongs to the calling of believers and to Christ crucified, which seems foolishness to worldly wisdom and to those who perish, but to those called is the power and wisdom of God. Christ Himself came in lowliness, born of humble parents and raised in obscurity, and chose humble fishermen rather than the learned and honored, then educated them in His own school to be His witnesses. Therefore usefulness does not depend on wealth, learning or power but on a willing, humble, obedient heart dependent on God, and the highest education is to know God and Jesus Christ.

Meaning and Context

God has deliberately chosen people and means that the world counts as foolish and weak in order to put to shame those it counts as wise and mighty, overturning human standards of wisdom, status, strength and power so that His own wisdom and power are displayed rather than human ability. His choice leaves no room for human pride, so that no flesh can boast or glory in His presence, rebuking all trust in worldly wisdom and strength, ruling out pomposity and striving for supremacy, and requiring that glory be given only in the Lord. The saying belongs to the calling of believers and to the contrast between worldly wisdom and Christ crucified, for the cross and its preaching appear as foolishness to those shaped by worldly pursuits and to those who perish, while to those who are called Christ is God's power and wisdom. Human wisdom by itself cannot know God, God has made foolish the wisdom of this world, and He will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

In that setting not many who are wise after the flesh, mighty, or noble are called, and God also chooses what is base and despised and things which are not in order to bring to nought things that are, so that faith stands not in human wisdom but in God's power. Those who are in Christ Jesus receive Him as made to them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that he who glories glories in knowing the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness. The foolish things so chosen are those whom the world pronounces unlearned and ignorant, unlearned in the traditions, customs, sophistries and manner of teaching of the rabbis and Jewish educators and without the advantages of worldly schools and cultivation, and the wise to be confounded are the wise men of the world and rabbinical teachers.

The cross of Calvary gives the proper level to the human mind by laying all desire for self-glorification in the dust and producing self-abasement, lowliness and true humility with no self-exaltation or pride. This is fulfilled in the Creator humbling Himself to human nature in meekness and lowliness, clothing divinity with humanity and becoming poor in order to make believers rich. Cherishing high-mindedness, self-trust, self-sufficiency and self-complacency therefore dishonors the Maker and will surely be humbled.

Christ and His Disciples

The gospel was introduced through Christ Himself born of humble parents in a wicked world and brought up in obscurity at Nazareth, a small town of Galilee, beginning His work in poverty and without worldly rank. At the beginning of the gospel dispensation He thereby taught His church to rely not on worldly recognition and rank and splendor but on the power of faith and obedience. The same lesson holds still, that victory is not gained by competing with worldly institutions in size and splendor and by erecting massive buildings, but by cherishing a Christlike spirit of meekness and lowliness, since the favor of God is above gold and silver and the power of His Spirit is of inestimable value.

He chose humble fishermen rather than the prophetic schools, the wealthy and honored, or the learned Jewish leaders. Those religious teachers had joined the spirit of the world and pursued its honors, and the learned leaders were confident in wisdom and self-righteousness and felt self-sufficient with no need of a Redeemer. Their pride and worldly interests would have kept them from obeying His humble mission, for He offered no worldly honor, riches, or glory to attract followers, and from receiving His teaching. Had they been chosen they would have reshaped salvation into an outwardly attractive religion that left motives and actions unchanged. The fishermen welcomed the chance to work with the Saviour and became His co-workers.

Their simple lives and freedom from ambition for wealth and status, with willingness to welcome Christ, made them ready to receive truth and be shaped by mercy, righteousness, justice, and holiness. Under Christ's refining influence and teaching for three years they were prepared for their work, so their lack of learning did not prevent God from using them. Choosing them does not condemn education or sound knowledge, for the highest culture when sanctified by love and fear of God is approved.

He did not send His chosen to worldly schools or to synagogues to learn the customs and traditions, sophistries, and manner of teaching of the rabbis and Jewish educators, for the foolish things are those the world pronounced unlearned and ignorant without the advantages of worldly schools and cultivation, while the wise to be confounded are the wise men of the world and rabbinical teachers. He ordained and appointed them by His call to follow Him and by the power of His grace, educating them in His own school by hearing His words, learning of Him the great Teacher, walking and working with Him, practicing His virtues, seeing His example with His opening of the Scriptures and His works of healing, and receiving truths of the highest character and an education of the highest order from a divine Example. By simplicity of faith and by clean, pure, humble service they learned from Christ and Scripture and put His teaching into practice, gaining practical saving power by the Holy Spirit with instruction from above. As His witnesses bearing His truth unmingled with human traditions they became fishers of men taking men out of Satan's service to teach the kingdom of God, prime ministers and representatives qualified to carry on the work He began and to transform the world.

Their wisdom and success came from learning from Jesus and not from worldly status or ability, leaving no grounds for boasting in His presence. Their words and work astonished learned and influential people because they had been with Jesus and had learned from Him. Their character and simple teaching reflected Him.

History Proves God's Choice

History shows God working through few believers who were mostly poor, with little public recognition, resources, houses of worship, publications, or facilities, scattered in highways and byways and in cities and towns and forests, yet carrying aggressively the message of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and their work grew because God gave the increase. These were mainly the poor of this world, common and humble and trustful people, since not many wise after the flesh and not many mighty and noble are called. Their calling proves success does not depend on numbers or might or power but on His Spirit working through human channels together with heaven's armies of thousands upon thousands. At Athens comparatively few received the gospel because pride of intellect and worldly wisdom counted it foolishness. Grand truths that men in pride and self-exaltation refuse to examine and cast aside as worthless are clearly apprehended and enjoyed by those who are babes in knowledge.

Conscientious observers of the Sabbath seem wild and erratic and foolish and odd and singular to unbelievers whose happiness is in worldly pleasures and vanities, and even to their own families. Great men and ministers and doctors and the learned do not see the truth because of the cross, since popularity and worldly inducements are too great to yield and their minds are darkened, yet God may touch hearts through those who choose the suffering part of religion and remain faithful to duty. In Geneva He chose a young man humble in appearance, coldly treated even by professed friends of reform, with little courage and experience, to do what the stronger and braver Farel had been forced to flee from. Through school teaching of children, drawing parents to hear the Bible explained, and distributing New Testaments and tracts, he planted the Reformation until it strengthened and extended and Protestant worship was established, showing the work succeeds by His Spirit and not by human might.

In every generation God gives a special truth requiring self-sacrifice and battle and reveals it to childlike humble believers rather than to the worldly-wise and prudent. Its few advocates are opposed and despised by great men of the world and by a world-conforming church, while religious leaders praise past planters of truth but trample its present growth. This is seen in John the Baptist alone rebuking formalism, in obscure tent-makers going to Philippi, in the aged prisoner preaching in the Caesars' stronghold, in little communities of slaves and peasants against imperial Rome, in Luther with God's word against emperor and pope, in Wesley preaching Christ's righteousness amid formalism and infidelity, and in one burdened for the heathen told to sit down. Luther applied the same truth to his solitary stand against Rome, confident because he stood with God's word though opposed by numbers and rank and wealth and scorn. Arguments from weakness against reformers are no more conclusive now than then, since worldly learning and numbers and influence and power do not prove a cause true, and being few or poor or lacking worldly learning does not disprove God's truth.

For the special last message at a time of unparalleled skepticism God chose a feeble means so His power would be manifest, calling a woman made an invalid in childhood, deprived of finished education and feeble in body, to extensive labor as speaker and writer. Had she come with health and strength and education the unbelief of the times would have credited the woman and not the Lord. Harlan Page, a humble mechanic of humble standing, likewise illustrates the choice through earnest labor to reclaim and strengthen others by letters and conversation and tracts and prayer and appeals and warnings and example, achieving much through the mighty power of grace and not worldly status or strength. A poor man who could give no reasons for the soon coming repeated, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, and the Spirit moved a learned elder to his knees in confession of pride, showing the result came through God's power and not learning or argument.

God opens the lips of children to proclaim mysteries hidden from human understanding as the Holy Spirit reveals truth through the Scriptures, including Daniel and Revelation. In wicked cities He has many humble believers unknown to ministers, hidden in highways and hedges in lowly miserable places, patient and meek and gentle, suffering nakedness and hunger and cold as martyrs visited by angels, who fear God and have not bowed to Baal. The poor are chosen because they live up to feeble light and improve limited means more acceptably than those with full light and ample means who do not improve them, so the gospel must go to all sizes and conditions without passing any by. In the closing work He enlists helpers from the common people, youth and older from field and vineyard and workshop and plough or ordinary business, many with little education, and if they put heart into the work and remain learners Christ sees qualifications in them and fits them to labor, so thousands should give themselves with such preparation as they can gain.

Education and True Wisdom

The highest education is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, and it is of more value than gold and silver and precious stones, than worldly honor and the empty applause of mortals. Knowledge of God is higher than book learning, and no course of study should displace God's word. Those who are in Christ receive Him as made to them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that no one can glory in human wisdom and strength in His presence but he who glories glories in knowing the Lord. God chooses what the world regards as foolish and weak to confound what it regards as wise and mighty, overturning confidence in human ability and education.

Exalting human ideas of education and extolling men is foolishness in God's sight, because His aims for His people are higher than the study of man. The wisdom of this world does not know God, and God has made foolish the wisdom of this world, so not many wise after the flesh, mighty, or noble are called. Disloyal men exalted before the people must not be made patterns for students. Greater heights are kept before God's people through hungering and thirsting after righteousness and receiving the Holy Spirit, through whom God works through lowly believers so that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Fitness for heaven does not come from book knowledge that crowds out the Word of God, but from taking in light to give out in good works, with the highest education being the knowledge of God. God's Word is of infinite value when it finds entrance into the heart as the Word of God, with its truths applied to the soul, becoming the power of God in transformation of character. Believers become not only hearers but doers, with all conversation and action in harmony with the education received, living by every word from the mouth of God with a Divine Instructor. Of God believers are in Christ Jesus, who is made to them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that he who boasts boasts only in knowing the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, while God also chooses base and despised and nonexistent things to bring to nothing the things that are.

Intellectual education can be a blessing when governed by love and fear of God, but it is not the chief qualification for God's work and cannot by itself produce Christlike character. Outward education is not to be despised, yet it can provide only outward qualifications and cannot replace the Spirit's work. God is not dependent on learned, self-important people or human talent, but may raise up and honor people taught by His Spirit. Those who trust in themselves and turn from God lose the work He might have entrusted to them, for pride and self-sufficiency keep people from learning from Christ and serving alongside Him, while the fruits of true wisdom come from Christ and His character is imparted to those who distrust themselves.

Human wisdom unless daily controlled by the Holy Spirit proves foolishness. Learning without learning from Christ is foolishness when it comes to leading souls to Him. True wisdom comes from receiving instruction from above, and the Holy Spirit gives practical, saving power that enables consecrated people without formal schooling to speak of Him. As with disciples called from their nets, those who consecrate themselves to Him learn from Christ and the Scriptures and become able to speak to others about Him. God's work does not depend on human talent or ability, but He advances it in His own way through whomever He chooses by prayer and faith, using those who appear weak when they are humble, so workers who cannot go everywhere and see imperfections need not be anxious and troubled.

In the last days the greatest scholars, statesmen, and eminent men turn from the light, because human wisdom cannot know God and the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish. God instead chooses those the world counts as foolish and weak and base and despised to shame and bring to nothing those the world counts as wise and mighty. Unlearned and ignorant men and babes and children in Christ are chosen as teachers because they are willing to learn as well as to teach. They stand far ahead of men learned in worldly wisdom in explaining the mysteries of the gospel, and their work proves that the power that gives success is of God and not of themselves.

Ministry and Humble Service

Usefulness in God's work does not depend chiefly on wealth, learning, or power, but on a willing mind, devotion to Christ, and dependence on God. Through humble workers' letters, tracts, personal appeals and warnings, and godly lives, grace can turn people from error to truth and from transgression to obedience. Even a few imperfect, broken sentences from a humble, lowly, illiterate Christian can, with God's blessing, be wholly successful in reaching a sinner's heart, and God's name is wholly glorified thereby.

Those laboring to win people must preach Christ crucified rather than try to please listeners with impressive speech or enticing words of human wisdom. He must be made the center, with self kept out of sight and Christ exalted, and preaching must be in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. In this way faith stands not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God, for the work does not depend on worldly wisdom or strength so that no one can boast or glory in His presence. The cross reveals the limits of worldly wisdom, and all engaged in the various branches of God's work are to learn this lesson from the first and second chapters of First Corinthians.

God may call people with little formal learning to declare truth because they are humble and willing to be taught by Him. Their humility, obedience, and teachability make them teachable and great in His service, and through them He gives knowledge of His truth and an honor greater than earthly status or human greatness. Those who rely on creeds, theories, and theological systems and feel no need of His instruction may be passed over.

God does not depend on the most brilliant or talented for the greatest and most lasting results. If those entrusted with talents of intellect refuse to use them for His glory, after test and trial He leaves them to their own imaginings and instead chooses men who do not appear richly endowed and have no large self-confidence. He makes the weak strong because they trust Him to do for them what they cannot do for themselves, accepts their whole-hearted service, Himself makes up their deficiencies, and takes those who will be molded and uses them for His name's glory. He uses material others would pass by and works all who will be worked, opening a door in heaven through very simple means and using the simplicity of the human agent to reveal God to man.

God accomplishes a great work through weak instrumentalities who rely wholly on Him and walk and work in humility with entire surrender to Jesus. Because they do not bring self-importance into their work and put it away, they are enabled to do what more talented workers fail to do. Victory is not gained by numbers but by surrender, and God is just as willing now as anciently to work through human effort to accomplish great things.

The work and cause belong to God and He Himself steers the ship, so it does not depend on human strength and need not be feared when crisis comes. If necessary He will take a worm to thresh mountains, using the weakest instruments to accomplish great results. He is not dependent on any human instrument and sets aside those who think everything depends on them and on their say-so. He brings effectual help to His cause through unexpected channels and unthought-of ways, through the weakest of instruments, so that He is seen and acknowledged as the unchanging source of strength yesterday, today, and forever. In His own time He magnifies His name and reveals the nothingness of men, so no one in His sacred work should trust in himself or dream his mountain stands so strong it can never be moved, but must become a partaker of the pleasantness and sweetness of God's character with a heart flowing forth in grateful offerings to heaven.

Human workers cannot go everywhere and do everything that needs to be done, and imperfections appear in the work, so there is no need to be anxious and troubled. Unwavering trust in God, placing all things in His hands, lets Him do the work in His own way and according to His own will through whomever He chooses, and those who appear weak He will use when they are humble. Human wisdom unless daily controlled by the Holy Spirit proves foolishness, while prayer and faith do what no power on earth and no human devising can accomplish, and God carries His work out with success.

God works by whom He will and chooses finite, fallible men with weak mental capacities, uneloquent speech, and limited knowledge to do a certain work, so that the evidence that He works is more apparent and His power is seen more clearly than through those possessing natural and acquired abilities who have confidence in their own judgment, knowledge, and manner of address. Christ officiates through the delegated servant, and God works in and through frail instruments, so a worker must be regarded not as a mere man but as a messenger God may use to deliver a message. People must not narrow the mind to the instrument and reject the advantage because his manners and habits do not meet their exact pattern, even when he lacks deep judgment and needs a counselor yet can come close to hearts with sympathy in personal effort that penetrates barriers resisting the truth.

God fulfills the verse for all who walk humbly with Him by placing weak people in positions of trust and calling them to walk carefully before Him. His hand is on the wheel, guiding them as a ship past the rocks into the haven. Those He is leading out and preparing for translation He calls back into right lines of work, requiring standing as sentinels for God, laboring unitedly, being willing servants of all, and following in the footsteps of Jesus as the great Exemplar.

God will choose simple instruments to carry forward His great work, and they only carry out the mind and will of the great Master at the head of the work. The work is not of man but bears the marks of God's hand in it all and will go forward. In His own wise providence He raises His chosen instrument above dependence and want so testimony and influence are not crippled by dependence, to use him to speak with freedom independent of man and in His Spirit to call the people of God to arouse and help with influence, ability, judgment and substance. He spares his life amid hatred and devices, wrenches him from the enemy's power and raises him up to still act for Him, to walk out on faith, to be a succorer to the needy and to strengthen and uphold the servants called into the field. He stays him on the right hand and on the left that he should not go to extremes, and inspires confidence in the hearts of the remnant generally to confide in his integrity and judgment.

God works His practical healing power through humble people the world counts as foolish, weak, base and despised, to shame the wise and mighty. When those who minister the Word realize their privileges and increase in faith, hope and charity, humble their hearts, confess their sins, and bring the sick to God in earnest trusting prayer, reviving life-giving spiritual energy flows and the sick are healed to God's glory. Unbelief is the barrier between God and man that stops this deep moving of the Spirit.

As God's husbandry, God's building, and God's temple, such chosen instruments are God's property, in Christ Jesus who is made unto them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that he that glories let him glory in the Lord. They are to place themselves in right relation to God by obeying the laws of health and caring for body and mind to build for time and for eternity, since not many wise after the flesh, mighty, or noble are called, but God has chosen the foolish to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty, and base and despised things, yea things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. God enables the weakest workers to do the work of the learned, so self-supporting missionaries who begin in a small, humble way have their work enlarged under the guidance of the Spirit, many are called to work in this way, and no one should lay a hand on them or question why they do so.

The gospel succeeds among the poor rather than depending on the favor of the rich and powerful, and it calls people to help those who are destitute, despised, forsaken, and afflicted. Its power does not depend on scientific skill, human ability, eloquence, extensive theological learning, or outward organizations. Through grace it transforms people and gives ordinary, consecrated, humble, diligent people power and understanding to serve, bring others to salvation, and shine as lights for Christ. Worldly rank, wealth, learning, and power are not what gives Christian influence, for God works through people who are willing and devoted to Christ even in humble roles, and by His grace servants in every sphere can serve faithfully and show a Christian character.

Christ's abundant grace makes feeble disciples strong and mighty, and every ability that enables acceptable service comes from Him. Those fully consecrated to God depend wholly on Him and give Him all the credit for success, for God chooses the means by which His power, rather than human ability, receives the glory. Being few, poor, or lacking worldly learning does not disprove God's truth, just as numbers, influence, and human learning do not prove a claim, so truth is not measured by human standing and must not be dismissed because the multitude or respected leaders reject it. Christ's convincing teaching was not accepted by the multitude, His humble unpretending life shows servants are not above their Lord, and those who advance in reform may face opposition, while arguments from weakness against reformers are no more conclusive now than then.

The verse warns against judging by appearances, since God searches the heart and judges rightly. His Spirit can stir the faculties and abilities of those who seem rough, dull, clumsy, weak, or unpromising into vigorous action. People who appear rough or unimpressive may prove precious and steadfast, for God sees precious potential where people see roughness.

Because God's people are just His little children, all pomposity and all masterly effort to gain supremacy are unbecoming to them and are ruled out, leaving no grounds to glory in His presence, for glory belongs to the Lord. This is a plain word spoken so there may be no misunderstanding, rebuking pride, self-exaltation, and spiritualistic sentimentalism that undermines faith and turns affections to improper objects, and calling to humble, obedient, faithful love to God and to marriage vows. Human learning and talent cannot replace reliance on God the source of wisdom and power, while those who depend on Him and remain faithful, truthful, good, and clear in conscience can serve where the more capable, learned, and self-reliant are set aside. Even the weakest follower joined to infinite power can serve through His power, and the way to become truly wise is to give up pride in worldly wisdom and rely on God.

God honors a poor despised company by choosing what the world regards as weak and insignificant, overturning the world's judgments of power and worth. He can use obscure and unlearned people, moved by His Spirit, to carry out His purposes and give the last message of mercy, for the work is accomplished by His Spirit, not by human might, power, or eloquence. He calls the lowly and humble rather than those who exalt themselves above others, so people who consider themselves too refined to serve the poor and unfortunate display selfishness and pride, not true greatness.

Keeping eyes on Christ as Leader in troublous times means denying self and taking up the cross to follow Him, bearing much fruit so the Father is glorified as His disciples, walking as Christ gave example, and seeking to draw minds in the darkness of error to Christ. His choice shows strength comes through dependence on Him, not self-exaltation, extending to what is base, despised, and regarded as nothing, so that no one can boast before God.

Strength Through Dependence

God can use people who appear weak when they are humble, rather than relying on human talent or ability. Human wisdom apart from the daily control of the Holy Spirit proves foolishness. His work does not depend on human ability or talent, but He carries it forward through whomever He chooses and in His own way. Human workers cannot go everywhere and do everything that needs to be done, and imperfections appear in the work, so there is no need to be anxious and troubled. Unwavering trust in God, placing all things in His hands, lets Him do the work in His own way and according to His own will. Prayer and faith accomplish what no power on earth and no human devising can accomplish, and through them He carries His work out with success.