The wisdom of man or the wisdom of God

"Since the Jews ask for miracles and the Greeks seek wisdom, we preach Christ crucified, for the Jews falling, for the foolish nations, but for those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 1 Corinthians 1: 22-24

In these verses, the Apostle Paul establishes a strong contrast between human wisdom and divine wisdom. This wisdom, none of the rulers of this world knew it, for "if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Corinthians 2: 8).

The Jews ask for miracles, think that God is manifested exclusively by the power as he did by delivering them from the slavery of Egypt. The Greeks, guided by reason, do not accept that God becomes man and dies on a cross.

The statement of God in the aftermath of the fall is explicitg : "Behold, man has become as one of us, to know good and evil" (Gen. 3: 22). Clearly, man claims to define good and evil in the place of God. Centuries later, humanism intends to promote human wisdom. Based on human capabilities, it has resulted in extraordinary technical results that we benefit from. Unfortunately, it goes hand in hand with an increase in violence and corruption. Paul shows that the Gospel is a wisdom of another nature, it comes from God, it is revealed by his Spirit (1 Corinthians 2: 6-16).

The message of the cross is quite different: that of the failure of human wisdom and the necessity of salvation. The cross, considered by men as a defeat, is in reality a victory : "Having stripped away the powers and authorities, he gave them in spectacle, triumphing over them in the cross" (Col. 2:15).

At the cross, renunciation, freely accepted obedience and love, triumph over egotism, independence, and violence. Christ Jesus "did not avail himself of a rank of equality with God, but ... he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death - death on the cross" (Phil. 8, NBS). The resurrection opens the way to a new life for those who agree to die morally with him, thereby acknowledging their sinful nature.

Christians are exhorted to manifest in this world that life marked by divine wisdom : the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13, 14).

Source (To pleasing the Lord)