Throughout Scripture, God frequently spoke through people who seemed unqualified, reluctant, flawed, or overlooked.
Why do you think God so often chose unexpected people to deliver important messages?
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
Great response @timf, but your quote did not go far enough to fully answer Ellenvera’s question “Why?” (IMHO).
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
The ultimate “Why” is answered in Verse 29, “that no flesh should glory in His presence”. The Gospel message is expressed through the exploits of His chosen vessels. God chooses what the world considers weak and then enables them for the work, to declare the disciple’s newly acquired abilities are not innate, but are obviously God working through their intrinsic weakness. God does not choose a person because they possess some ability or skill, as if he needs their ability to accomplish his work; God does not look for a strong person to lift something heavy, a beautiful person to attract a listening audience, or a smart person to convince a recalcitrant rebel. Rather God selects the unable to make their inability the key to seeing the hand of God in the situation. We do not bring our own wisdom, our advanced righteousness, our developed goodness, or our self-worth to God to use for His purposes, rather He puts Christ Jesus in us, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption– that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
And the LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.’ Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’ " And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained. But the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. Then it will be, that of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ the same shall go with you; and of whomever I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ the same shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.” And the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men; but all the rest of the people got down on their knees to drink water. Then the LORD said to Gideon, "By the three hundred men who lapped I will save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Let all the other people go, every man to his place." So the people took provisions and their trumpets in their hands. And he sent away all the rest of Israel, every man to his tent, and retained those three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. Judges 7:2-8
Respectfully
Kp
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To put this in context, as I am in agreement with you.
1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will set aside.”
1Co 1:20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
1Co 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.
1Co 1:22 For indeed, Jews ask for signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
1Co 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling blockN4 and to Gentiles foolishness,
1Co 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26 For considerN5 your calling, brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh,N6 not many mighty, not many noble;
1Co 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
1Co 1:28 and the insignificant thingsN7 of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that he might bring to nothing the things that are,
1Co 1:29 so that no flesh might boast in the sight of God.
1Co 1:30 But from him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
1Co 1:31 so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."N8
(ESV) aiWhere is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? ajHas not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Isa. 19:12 ch. 2:6; 3:19; Isa. 44:25; Rom. 1:22; ver. 26
(RWP)
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? ( Που σοφοσ; που γραμματευσ; που συνζητητης του αιωνος τουτου; ). Paul makes use of Isa 33:18 without exact quotation. The sudden retreat of Sennacherib with the annihilation of his officers. “On the tablet of Shalmaneser in the Assyrian Gallery of the British Museum there is a surprisingly exact picture of the scene described by Isaiah” (Robertson and Plummer). Note the absence of the Greek article in each of these rhetorical questions though the idea is clearly definite. Probably σοφος refers to the Greek philosopher, γραμματευς to the Jewish scribe and συνζητητης suits both the Greek and the Jewish disputant and doubter (Ac 6:9; 9:29; 17:18; 28:29). There is a note of triumph in these questions. **The word συνζητητης occurs here alone in the N.T.**See for yourself… and elsewhere only in Ignatius, Eph. 18 quoting this passage, but the papyri give the verb συνζητεω for disputing (questioning together).
Hath not God made foolish? ( ουχ εμωρανεν ο θεοσ; ). Strong negative form with aorist active indicative difficult of precise translation, “Did not God make foolish?” The old verb μωραινω from μωρος, foolish, was to be foolish, to act foolish, then to prove one foolish as here or to make foolish as in Ro 1:22. In Mt 5:13; Lu 14:34 it is used of salt that is tasteless.
World ( κοσμου ). Synonymous with αιων (age), orderly arrangement, then the non-Christian cosmos.
(Clarke) Verse 20 Where is the wise - the scribe - the disputer of this world? - These words most manifestly refer to the Jews; as the places (Isa 29:14; Isa 33:18; Isa 44:25) to which he refers cannot be understood of any but the Jews.
The wise man σοφος, of the apostle, is the חכם chakam of the prophet; whose office it was to teach others. The scribe, γραμματευς, of the apostle, is the ספר sopher of the prophet; this signifies any man of learning, as distinguished from the common people, especially any master of the traditions.
The disputer, συζητητης, answers to the דרש derosh, or דרשן darshan, the propounder of questions; the seeker of allegorical, mystical, and cabalistical senses from the Holy Scriptures.
Now as all these are characters well known among the Jews, and as the words αιωνος τουτου, of this world are a simple translation of עולם הזה olam hazzeh, which is repeatedly used to designate the Jewish republic, there is no doubt that the apostle has the Jews immediately in view.
This wisdom of theirs induced them to seek out of the sacred oracles any sense but the true one; and they made the word of God of none effect by their traditions. After them, and precisely on their model, the schoolmen arose; and they rendered the doctrine of the Gospel of no effect by their hypercritical questions, and endless distinctions without differences. By the preaching of Christ crucified God made foolish the wisdom of the Jewish wise men; and, after that the pure religion of Christ had been corrupted by a Church that was of this world, God rendered the wisdom and disputing of the schoolmen foolishness, by the revival of pure Christianity at the Reformation.
The Jews themselves allow that nothing is wise, nothing strong, nothing rich, without God. “Our rabbins teach that there were two wise men in this world; one was an Israelite, Achitophel, the other was a Gentile, Balaam; but both were miserable in this world.” “There were also two strong men in the world; one an Israelite, Samson, the other a Gentile, Goliah; but they were both miserable in this world.” “There were two rich men in the world; one an Israelite, Korah, the other a Gentile, Haman; but both these were miserable in this world. And why? Because their gifts came not from God.” See Schoettgen. In truth the world has derived very little, if any, moral good, either from the Jewish rabbins or the Gentile philosophers.
This is no excuse for biblical illiteracy.
J.
As I understand it, we are to remember the biblical story about Jesus riding the donkey in the triumphal entry into the temple.
This is Mark 11:1-11 and in verse two it says,
**2 **And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him…/KJV
The Donkey a man had never sat on and had never known a carried a load of whatnots. This speaks of us in these end times. Let’s face it, most Christians are truely the same as the Donkey, untried, unproven and Jesus intends to ride this Donkey to victory. So it’s sort of a prophetic passage. But on the bright side of being an unproven DONKEY…in my weakness is His strength! It all clicks nicly together.
Spurgeon - And, at this day, it is a great snare to the Church when she glories in her education, when she puts any confidence in the learning, or the wit, or the eloquence of her ministers, when she relies in any degree whatever upon an arm of flesh. The sword of the Spirit, if it be put into a velvet and embroidered scabbard, is all the worse for that; pull it out. The Word of God cannot cut while it is hampered with human wisdom and human learning half as well as when its keen edge alone is used. It is the Lord, by the power of his Spirit, who must make the Word effectual. Oh, for more faith and truer faith in him! (1 Corinthians 1 Commentary)
Consider (991)(blepo) basically means to have sight, to see, to look at, then to observe, to discern, to perceive with the eye, usually implying more especially an intent, earnest or special contemplation. It can also be used for intellectual or spiritual perception as in the present passage. Paul’s uses in the letters to Corinth - 1 Co. 1:26; 1 Co. 3:10; 1 Co. 8:9; 1 Co. 10:12; 1 Co. 10:18; 1 Co. 13:12; 1 Co. 16:10; 2 Co. 4:18; 2 Co. 7:8; 2 Co. 10:7; 2 Co. 12:6;
Calling (2821)(klesis from kaleo = to call. See note on “the called” kletos in 1 Cor 1:1) means a call and was used for an invitation to a banquet. In the NT the word is used metaphorically of the call or invitation to come into the kingdom of God with all its privileges. Here “klesis” refers to the divine call by which Christians are introduced into the privileges of the Gospel. God’s invitation (klesis) to man to accept the benefits of His salvation is what this calling is all about. It is God’s first act in the application of redemption according to His eternal purpose (Ro 8:28). Used 11x in NT - Ro 11:29; 1 Co. 1:26; 1 Co. 7:20; Eph. 1:18; Eph. 4:1; Eph. 4:4; Phil. 3:14; 2 Thess. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:9; Heb. 3:1; 2 Pet. 1:10
Wise (4680) see sophos = clever and skillful in ability to use acquired knowledge, but sadly not knowledge about God.
Mighty (1415)(dunatos from dunamai = referring to power one has by virtue of inherent ability and resources; see study of dunamis) means powerful, able, strong. Able describes that which has sufficient or necessary power, means, skill, or resources to accomplish an objective.
Noble (2104)(eugenes from eu = well + genos = family, race) means literally of high or noble birth in this context. In Acts 17:11 eugenes figuratively describes those who were noble minded, noble sentiments, character, morals. Eugenes is the source of the English word “eugenics” (eugenes - well-born, from eu- + genes = born) which is the study of methods of improving the quality of the human race, especially by selective breeding! The Nazi physicians took this horrible practice to demonic levels!
Jack Arnold - Election to salvation by God is a prominent biblical doctrine and it must be dealt with by every Christian. The fact of God’s election is not easy to understand, but when properly understood it will bring great peace and comfort and confidence to God’s children. We must never view election as a cold theological doctrine. The Greek literally says, “God chose you for Himself to be saved.” He is personally interested in us. He owns us by His own loving choice. For sure, there is an element of mystery between God’s sovereignty in election and man’s responsibility to believe in Christ, but if we are saved, it is because God elected us to salvation. Election cannot be understood unless it is coupled with the truth of total depravity. The Bible declares all men are sinners and deserve hell. Why? People, in their natural state, do not want Christ. They are like a barrel of apples which has been in the hot sun for several months. All are rotten; there is not a good one in the bunch; all must be buried because of their condition and stench. All men are sinners and deserve nothing from God. Why God picked some out of this rotten barrel of mankind for salvation is one of the great mysteries of the scripture. If we are Christians, we can simply raise our eyes and voices to God and say, “Thank you, God, for choosing me!”.
"I’m glad God chose me before the foundation of the world for salvation. For had He waited until I was born to choose me, I’m afraid He would have never chosen me, considering what a depraved, debased sinner I am” (Charles Spurgeon). (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Gods Call To Salvation)
My apologies to disappoint.
J.
Maybe sometimes unlikely people made the best messengers.