I Corinthians 1 (final part)

The Priority of Preaching Over Baptism

As we turn our thoughts to the sacred text before us, there is a passage in part B of this series that warrants further reflection. The Apostle Paul, with great humility, thanks God that he baptized only a few in Corinth. “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius... lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name” (1 Corinthians 1:14-15). Paul’s intent here is not to diminish the sacred ordinance of baptism—far from it. Indeed, baptism holds a venerable place in the Christian tradition, as evidenced by Paul himself baptizing Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanas.

Yet, Paul’s primary concern was not to baptize but to preach the gospel with the fervor of one commissioned by Christ Himself. His calling as an apostle was to lay the foundation of faith, to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to establish churches that would stand as beacons of truth in a darkened world. Baptism, though vital, was not the centerpiece of his ministry. That sacred duty, in the regular course of church life, was entrusted to the deacons and pastors who labored alongside him. Paul’s task was to sow the seed of the Word, leaving others to water it through baptism.

The Wisdom of the Cross

We now come to the heart of our meditation—“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” (1 Corinthians 1:18). What a glorious paradox! Here we are confronted with the great divide between the wisdom of God and the folly of man. The cross, that instrument of shame and suffering, stands as the pinnacle of divine wisdom. To the unregenerate heart, it seems nothing but a scandal, an offense to all that human reason holds dear. How could the death of a Man—crucified in weakness—be the means by which God redeems the world?

Yet, for those who are being saved, the cross is the very power of God. It is at the cross that the infinite wisdom of God is made manifest. The world, in all its so-called wisdom, recoils at the thought of a crucified Savior. The philosophers and intellectuals of the age dismiss it as sheer folly, preferring their own constructs of what deity should be. But to us, the cross is the greatest demonstration of God’s love, justice, and mercy, interwoven in a plan that confounds the proud and lifts up the humble.

Human Wisdom vs. Divine Foolishness

There is a tendency in the human heart to elevate reason above revelation, to esteem logic over divine truth. Those who pride themselves on their intellectual prowess often find the simplicity of the gospel beneath their notice. When confronted with the message of the cross, they scoff and demand signs, like the Jews of old, or seek to rationalize it away, like the Greeks with their worldly wisdom.

But Paul reminds us that “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). What a rebuke to human arrogance! God’s “foolishness”—the cross—is wiser than the highest human thought, and His “weakness”—Christ crucified—is stronger than the mightiest human endeavor. The cross, in its apparent simplicity, is the wisdom of God hidden in plain sight, revealed to those who approach in humility.

Man’s Struggle for Self-Righteousness

Why does man resist the cross? The answer lies in the rebellion that began in Eden. Adam, in choosing to eat of the forbidden fruit, sought to establish his own moral autonomy, to determine good and evil apart from God. This is the essence of sin: the elevation of self above the Creator. And so, in every age, man struggles to construct his own righteousness, laboring under the delusion that he can find his way to God through his own efforts.

But when the light of the gospel shines upon the soul, it exposes the futility of these self-made constructs. All the righteousness that man has built up is revealed to be but filthy rags in the light of God’s holiness. The cross strips away every pretense, every claim to self-righteousness, leaving man with nothing but the realization that he can only be saved by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ.

God’s call to salvation, therefore, runs counter to all human expectations. It is not by the works of the law, nor by the wisdom of men, but by the foolishness of the cross that we are saved. And in this, no man can boast. The cross silences every voice but that of Christ, who alone is worthy of all honor, praise, and glory.