For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

“Moreover, having the spirit of the world, and "in the wisdom of God by wisdom knowing not God," they seem to themselves to be wiser than God; because, as the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God, so also the wisdom of God is folly in the world's esteem. We, however, know that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." Accordingly, God is then especially great, when He is small to man; then especially good, when not good in man's judgment; then especially unique, when He seems to man to be two or more.”

“All these things, therefore, Paul bearing in mind, and being struck with astonishment, said that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men;" in relation to the Cross, speaking of a folly and weakness, not real but apparent. For he is answering with respect unto the other party's opinion. For that which philosophers were not able by means of reasoning to accomplish, this, what seemed to be foolishness did excellently well. Which then is the wiser, he that persuadeth the many, or he that persuadeth few, or rather no one? He who persuadeth concerning the greatest points, or about matters which are nothing? What great labors did Plato endure, and his followers, discoursing to us about a line, and an angle, and a point, and about numbers even and odd, and equal unto one another and unequal, and such-like spiderwebs; (for indeed those webs are not more useless to man's life than were these subjects;) and without doing good to any one great or small by their means, so he made an end of his life. How greatly did he labor, endeavoring to show that the soul was immortal! and even as he came he went away, having spoken nothing with certainty, nor persuaded any hearer. But the Cross wrought persuasion by means of unlearned men; yea it persuaded even the whole world: and not about common things, but in discourse of God, and the godliness which is according to truth, and the evangelical way of life, and the judgment of the things to come. And of all men it made philosophers: the very rustics, the utterly unlearned. Behold how "the foolishness of God is wiser than men," and "the weakness stronger?" How "stronger?" Because it overran the whole world, and took all by main force, and while men were endeavoring by ten thousands to extinguish the name of the Crucified, the contrary came to pass: that flourished and increased more and more, but they perished and wasted away; and the living at war with the dead, had no power. So that when the Greek calls me foolish, he shows himself above measure foolish: since I who am esteemed by him a fool, evidently appear wiser than the wise. When he calls me weak, then he shows himself to be weaker. For the noble things which publicans and fishermen were able to effect by the grace of God, these, philosophers, and rhetoricians, and tyrants, and in short the whole world, running ten thousand ways here and there, could not even form a notion of. For what did not the Cross introduce? The doctrine concerning the Immortality of the Soul; that concerning the Resurrection of the Body; that concerning the contempt of things present; that concerning the desire of things future. Yea, angels it hath made of men, and all, every where, practice self-denial, and show forth all kinds of fortitude. But among them also, it will be said, many have been found contemners of death. Tell me who? was it he who drank the hemlock? But if thou wilt, I can bring forward ten thousand such from within the Church. For had it been lawful when persecution befell them to drink hemlock and depart, all had become more famous than he. And besides, he drank when he was not at liberty to drink or not to drink; but willing or against his will he must have done it. What great thing was it then, to do that from necessity, which robbers and man-slayers, having fallen under the condemnation of their judges, have suffered? But with us it is all quite the contrary. For not against their will did the martyrs endure, but of their will, and being at liberty not to suffer; shewing forth fortitude harder than all adamant. This then you see is no great wonder, that he whom I was mentioning drank hemlock; it being no longer in his power not to drink, and also when he had arrived at a very great age. For when he despised life he stated himself to be seventy years old; if this can be called despising. For I for my part could not affirm it: nor, what is more, can anyone else. But show me some one enduring firm in torments for godliness' sake, as I shew thee ten thousand every where in the world. Who, while his nails were tearing out, nobly endured? Who, while his body joints were wrenching asunder? Who, while his body was cut in pieces, member by member? Who, while his bones were forced out by levers? Who, while placed without intermission upon frying-pans? Who, when thrown into a caldron? Show me these instances. For to die by hemlock is all as one with a man's continuing in a state of sleep. Nay even sweeter than sleep is this sort of death, if report say true. But if certain of them did endure torments, yet of these, too, the praise is gone to nothing. For on some disgraceful occasion they perished; some for revealing mysteries; some for aspiring to dominion; others detected in the foulest crimes; others again rashly, and fruitlessly, and foolishly, there being no reason for it, made away with themselves. But not so with us. Wherefore of the deeds of those nothing is said; but these flourish and daily increase. Which Paul having in mind said, "The weakness of God is stronger than all men." For that the Gospel is divine, even from hence is evident; namely, whence could it have occurred to twelve ignorant men to attempt such great things? who sojourned in marshes, in rivers, in deserts; who never at any time perhaps had entered into a city nor into a forum;-whence did it occur, to set themselves in array against the whole world? For that they were timid and unmanly, he shews who wrote of them, not apologizing, nor enduring to throw their failings into the shade: which indeed of itself is a very great token of the truth. What then doth he say about them? That when Christ was apprehended, after ten thousand wonders, they fled; and he who remained, being the leader of the rest, denied. Whence was it then that they who when Christ was alive endured not the attack of the Jews; now that He was dead and buried, and as ye say, had not risen again, nor had any talk with them, nor infused courage into them-whence did they set themselves in array against so great a world? Would they not have said among themselves, "what meaneth this? Himself He was not able to save, and will He protect us? Himself He defended not when alive, and will He stretch out the hand unto us now that he is dead? Himself, when alive, subdued not even one nation; and are we to convince the whole world by uttering His Name?" How, I ask, could all this be reasonable, I will not say, as something to be done, but even as something to be imagined? From whence it is plain that had they not seen Him after He was risen, and received most ample proof of his power, they would not have ventured so great a cast.”

“After the apostle had condemned the Corinthians' contention, an argument taken from the side of Baptism, here he excludes their contention, an argument taken from the side of doctrine. For some of them were glorying in the teaching of the pseudo-apostles, who by ornamented words and reasonings of human wisdom were corrupting the truth of the faith. And therefore the apostle first shows that this manner is not suited to the doctrine of the faith; second he shows that he had not used this manner of teaching among them, in chapter II, where it says, and I, when I had come to, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he proposes what he intends; second he makes manifest his proposal, at that lest the cross of Christ be emptied. He says therefore first: I said that Christ sent me to evangelize, not however in such a way that I evangelize in wisdom of word, that is, in worldly wisdom, which makes men wordy, insofar as through it men make use of many vain reasonings. Ecclesiastes VI, 11: where there are many words, they have much vanity in disputing. Proverbs XIV, 23: where there are many words, there is often want. Or he names wisdom of word as rhetoric, which teaches to speak ornately, from which men are sometimes enticed to assent to errors and falsehoods. Whence Romans XVI, 18: by sweet words they seduce the hearts of the innocent. And of the harlot it is said in Proverbs II, 16, in figure of heretical doctrine: that you may be delivered from the strange and foreign woman, who softens her words. But against this it is said in Isaiah XXXIII, 19: you shall not see the shameless people, namely in the Catholic Church, and the people of lofty speech, so that you cannot understand the eloquence of his tongue, in which there is no wisdom. But because in the Greek is put logos, which signifies both reason and speech, it could more fittingly be understood as wisdom of word, that is, of human reason, because those things which are of faith exceed human reason, according to that of Ecclesiasticus III, 25: many things above the sense of man have been shown to you. But against this it seems to be that many teachers of the Church have used wisdom and human reasonings and ornament of words in the doctrine of faith. For Jerome says in the letter to the great orator of the city of Rome, that all the teachers of the faith filled their books with the ornament of philosophy's teachings and sciences, so that you would not know which you ought first to admire in them, the erudition of the age, or the knowledge of the Scriptures. And Augustine says in the fourth book on Christian doctrine: there are churchmen who have treated the divine eloquences not only wisely, but also sweetly. It must therefore be said that it is one thing to teach in wisdom of word, in whatever way it be understood, and another to use wisdom of word in teaching. He teaches in wisdom of word who takes wisdom of word as the principal root of his doctrine, in such a way, namely, that he approves only those things which contain wisdom of word, and rejects those things which do not have wisdom of word, and this is corruptive of the faith. But he uses wisdom of word who, having laid down the foundations of true faith, if he finds any true things in the teachings of the philosophers, takes them up into the service of the faith. Whence Augustine says in the second book on Christian doctrine, that if the philosophers have said things accommodated to our faith, these are not only not to be feared, but are to be claimed from them for our use, as from unjust possessors. And in the fourth book on Christian doctrine he says: since the faculty of eloquence is set in the middle, which avails to persuade either wicked or right things, to many, why should it not be procured by the zeal of good men, that it may serve the truth, if the wicked usurp it for the use of iniquity and error? Then, when he says lest the cross of Christ be emptied, he proves what he had said, and first indeed from the side of the matter, second from the side of those who themselves teach, at that for behold your calling, etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows that the manner of teaching which is in wisdom of word is not fitting to the Christian faith; second he proves what he had presupposed, at that for the word of the cross; third he manifests the proof, at that since the Jews seek signs. Concerning the first it must be considered, that even in philosophical teachings the same manner is not fitting to every doctrine. Whence discourses are to be received according to the matter, as is said in the first book of the Ethics. Then indeed a manner of teaching is most of all incongruous to the matter, when by such a manner that which is principal in that matter is destroyed, as for instance if someone in intellectual matters should wish to use metaphorical demonstrations, which do not transcend imagined things, to which the one who understands ought not to be led, as Boethius shows in the book On the Trinity. Now the principal thing in the doctrine of the Christian faith is salvation brought about through the cross of Christ. Whence, in chapter II, 2, he says, I did not judge myself to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. But whoever principally rests, in teaching, on wisdom of word, as far as in him lies, empties the cross of Christ. Therefore to teach in wisdom of word is not a manner fitting to the Christian faith. This therefore is what he says, lest the cross of Christ be emptied, that is, lest, if I should wish to preach in wisdom of word, the faith be deprived of the power of the cross of Christ. Galatians V, 11: then is the scandal of the cross made void. Psalm CXXXVI, v. 7: who say, lay it bare, even to the foundation therein. Then, when he says the word of the cross, etc., he proves that through the doctrine which is in wisdom of word, the cross of Christ is emptied. And concerning this he does two things: first he brings forward the proof; second he assigns the cause of what has been said, at that for it is written, etc. He says therefore first: I said this, that if the doctrine of the faith were set forth through wisdom of word, the cross of Christ would be emptied, for the word of the cross, that is, the Annunciation of the cross of Christ, is foolishness, that is, it appears to be something foolish, to them indeed that perish, that is, to unbelievers who think themselves wise according to the world, because the preaching of the cross of Christ contains something which according to human wisdom seems impossible, namely that God should die, that the Almighty should be subjected to the hands of violent men. It also contains certain things which seem contrary to the prudence of this world, as that someone should not flee confusions when he could, and other such things. And therefore Festus said to Paul as he was announcing such things, as is read in Acts XXVI, 24: you are mad, Paul, much learning brings you to madness. And Paul himself says below, IV, 10: we are fools for Christ. And lest it be believed that the word of the cross truly contains foolishness, he adds, but to them who are saved, that is, to us, namely to Christ's faithful who are saved by him, according to that of Matthew chapter I, 21: for he shall save his people from their sins, it is the power of God, because in the cross of Christ they themselves recognize the death of God, by which he conquered the Devil and the world. Apocalypse V, 5: behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered. Likewise the power which they experience in themselves, while together with Christ they die to vices and concupiscences, according to that of Galatians V, 24: they who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupiscences. Whence in Psalm CIX, 2 it is said, the Lord shall send forth the rod of your power out of Sion. Luke VI, 19: power went out from him and healed all. Then when he says for it is written, he shows the cause of the aforesaid things, and he sets down first why the word of the cross is foolishness to men; second he shows why this foolishness is the power of God to those who are saved, at that for since in the wisdom of God, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he brings forward the authority foretelling what is sought; second he shows this to have been fulfilled, at that where is the wise? Concerning the first it must be considered that that which is in itself good cannot seem foolish to anyone, except on account of a defect of wisdom. This therefore is the cause why the word of the cross, which is salvation-bringing to believers, seems to some foolishness, because they themselves are deprived of wisdom. And this is what he says, for it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject. Now this can be taken from two places. For in Abdias it is said: I will destroy wisdom out of Idumea, and prudence out of the mount of Esau. But it is had more expressly in Isaiah XXIX, v. 14: the wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden. Now wisdom and prudence differ. For wisdom is the knowledge of divine things; whence it pertains to contemplation, Job XXVIII, v. 28: the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; but prudence properly is the knowledge of human things, whence it is said in Proverbs X, 23: wisdom is prudence to a man, because, namely, the knowledge of human things is called prudence. Whence also the Philosopher in the sixth book of the Ethics says that prudence is right reason of things to be done, and thus prudence pertains to reason. Now it must be considered that men, however evil, are not totally deprived of the gifts of God, nor in them are the gifts of God rejected, but in them is rejected and lost what proceeds from their own malice. And therefore he does not say simply, I will destroy wisdom, because all wisdom is from the Lord God, as is said in Isaiah XXIX, 14 and following, but I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, that is, which the wise of this world have devised for themselves against the true wisdom of God, because, as is said in James III, 15, this wisdom is not one descending from above, but earthly, animal, devilish. Likewise he does not say, I will reject prudence, for true prudence the wisdom of God teaches, but he says the prudence of the prudent, that is, which those who esteem themselves prudent in worldly matters reckon as prudence, namely that they should cling to the goods of this world. Or because, as is said in Romans VIII, v. 6, the prudence of the flesh is death. And thus, on account of a defect of wisdom, they reckon it impossible for God to become man, to suffer death according to human nature; but on account of a defect of prudence they reckon it unfitting that a man should endure the cross, despising the shame, as is said in Hebrews XII, 2. Then when he says where is the wise, etc., he shows that what had been proved concerning the rejection of human wisdom and prudence has been fulfilled. And first he sets down the middle term under a question; second he draws the conclusion, at that has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world, etc. He says therefore first, where is the wise? As if he were to say: he is not found in the congregation of the faithful who is saved. By the wise he understands the one who searches out the hidden causes of nature. Isaiah XIX, 11: how will you say to Pharaoh: I am the son of the wise? And this is referred to the Gentiles, who were devoted to the wisdom of this world. Where is the scribe? That is, one skilled in the law, and this is referred to the Jews; as if he were to say: he is not in the assembly of the faithful. John VII, 48: has any one of the rulers believed in him? Where is the disputer of this age? Namely, he who through prudence seeks out what is fitting for human life in the affairs of this age; as if he should say: he is not found among the faithful, and this is referred to both, namely Jews and Gentiles. Baruch chapter III, 23: the sons of Agar, who sought out the prudence that is of the earth. Now the apostle seems to take this question from what is said in Isaiah XXXIII, v. 18: where is the learned? In place of which he puts the wise. Where is he that weighs the words of the law? In place of which he puts the scribe. Where is the teacher of little ones? In place of which he puts the disputer of this age, because little ones are especially wont to be instructed concerning those things which pertain to the discipline of the moral life. Then when he says has not God made foolish, etc., he draws the conclusion under a question, as if he should say: since those who are reckoned wise of the world have failed from the way of salvation, has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? That is, he has shown it to be foolish, since those who excelled in this wisdom were found so foolish that they did not receive the way of salvation. Jeremiah X, 14 and LI, 17: every man has become foolish by his own knowledge. Isaiah XLVII, 10: your wisdom and your knowledge, this has deceived you. But it can also be understood otherwise, what has been said, as if he should say: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the prudence of the prudent I will reject, that is, I will choose it in my first preachers, according to that of Proverbs XXX, 1: the vision which the man spoke with whom God is; and below: I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me. Where is the wise? As if he should say: he is not found among the preachers of the faith. Matthew XI, 25: you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to little ones. Has not God made foolish, that is, shown to be foolish, the wisdom of this world? By doing what was reckoned impossible to them, namely that a dead man should rise, and other such things. Then when he says for since in the wisdom of God, etc., he assigns the reason why the faithful are saved through the foolishness of preaching. And this is what was said, that the word of the cross is indeed foolishness to them that perish, but the power of salvation to believers; for it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching, that is, through the preaching which human wisdom reckons foolish, to save those who believe; and this because the world, that is, worldly men, did not know God through wisdom taken from the things of the world, and this in the wisdom of God. For divine wisdom, making the world, instructs its judgments in the things of the world, according to that of Ecclesiasticus I, 10: he poured her out upon all his works; so that the creatures themselves, made through the wisdom of God, stand to the wisdom of God, whose judgments they bear, as the words of a man stand to his wisdom which they signify. And just as the disciple comes to know the master's wisdom through the words which he hears from him, so man was able to come to know the wisdom of God through beholding the creatures made by him, according to that of Romans chapter I, 20: the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. But man, on account of the vanity of his heart, deviated from the rectitude of divine knowledge. Whence it is said in John I, 10: he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. And therefore God led the faithful, through certain other things, to a saving knowledge of himself, which are not found in the very natures of creatures, on account of which they are reckoned foolish by worldly men, who consider only the reasons of human things. And such are the teachings of the faith. And it is similar, as if some master, seeing that his meaning is not received by his hearers through the words which he has uttered, strives to use other words, through which he can manifest what he has in his heart. Then when he says since also the Jews, etc., he manifests the proof of the things premised, and first as to what he had said: the word of the cross is foolishness to them that perish. Second as to what he had said: to them who are saved, it is the power of God — but to them who are called, etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down the differing zeal and intention of those who perish; second from this he assigns the reason for what he had said, at that but we preach Christ. Now of those who perish, that is, the unbelievers, some were Jews, some Gentiles. He says therefore: it was said that the word of the cross is foolishness to them that perish, and this because the Jews seek signs. For the Jews were accustomed to be instructed by divine means, according to that of Deuteronomy chapter VIII, 5: he taught him and instructed him. Which teaching indeed, since it had been manifested by God through many wonders, according to that of Psalm LXXVII, 12: he did wonders in the land of Egypt, and therefore they sought signs from those bringing any teaching whatsoever, according to that of Matthew chapter XII, 38: master, we would see a sign from you. And in Psalm LXXIII, 9 it is said: we have not seen our signs. But the Greeks seek wisdom, as being exercised in the pursuit of wisdom — I mean the wisdom which is received through the reasonings of worldly things, of which it is said in Jeremiah IX, 23: let not the wise man glory in his wisdom. By the Greeks he gives to understand all the Gentiles, who received worldly wisdom from the Greeks. They sought therefore wisdom, wishing to judge every doctrine proposed to them according to the rule of human wisdom. Then he concludes why the word of the cross is to them foolishness, saying, but we preach Christ crucified, according to that below in chapter XI, 26: you shall show forth the death of the Lord until he come. To the Jews indeed a scandal, because indeed they were desiring a power that works miracles, and they saw an infirmity suffering the cross; for, as it is said in II Corinthians, last chapter: he was crucified from weakness. But to the Gentiles foolishness, because it seems contrary to the reason of human wisdom that God should die and that a just and wise man should voluntarily expose himself to the most shameful death. Then, when he says but to them who are called, he manifests what he had said: but to them who are saved, it is the power of God. And first he manifests this; second he assigns the reason, at that because that which is foolish, etc. He says therefore first: it was said that we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a scandal and to the Gentiles foolishness, but we preach Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, that is, to those who from among the Jews and the Gentiles have been called to the faith of Christ, who in the cross of Christ recognize the power of God, through which both the devils are overcome and sins are forgiven and men are saved. Psalm XX, 14: be exalted, O Lord, in your own power. And this he says against the scandal of the Jews, who were scandalized at the infirmity of Christ, and they recognize in the cross the wisdom of God, insofar as through the cross he frees the human race in the most fitting manner. Wisdom IX, 19: by wisdom they were healed, whosoever have pleased you from the beginning. Now he is called the power of God and the wisdom of God by a certain appropriation. Power indeed, insofar as through him the Father works all things, John I, 3: all things were made through him; but wisdom, insofar as the Word itself, which is the Son, is nothing other than wisdom begotten or conceived. Ecclesiasticus chapter XXIV, 5: I came out of the mouth of the most High, the firstborn before all creatures. But it is not to be understood in this way, that God the Father is strong and wise by a begotten power or wisdom, because, as Augustine proves in the sixth book On the Trinity, it would follow that the Father would have his being from the Son, because this is for God to be, namely to be strong and wise. Then when he says because that which is foolish of God, he assigns the reason for what he had said, saying how that which is weak and foolish can be the power or wisdom of God, because that which is foolish of God is wiser than men, as if he should say: now something divine seems to be foolish, not because it falls short of wisdom, but because it surpasses human wisdom. For men are accustomed to reckon foolish what exceeds their own understanding. Ecclesiasticus III, 25: many things above the sense of man have been shown to you. And that which is weak of God is stronger than men, because indeed nothing is called weak in God on account of a defect of power, but on account of an excess over human power, just as also he is called invisible, insofar as he exceeds human sense. Wisdom XII, 17: you show your power, who are not believed to be perfect in power. Although this can be referred to the mystery of the Incarnation: because that which is reckoned foolish and weak in God, on the part of the assumed nature, transcends all wisdom and power. Exodus XV, 11: who is like you among the strong, O Lord?”

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. That is, say Ambrose and Anselm, the foolishness and weakness of God, or what men think is foolishness and weakness in God and in Christ incarnate and suffering, as eg.. His humanity, mortality, Passion and Cross, was just that by which Christ, when seemingly conquered, yet most wisely and most powerfully conquered men, Satan, and the whole world. In other words, God’s wisdom and power were most plainly seen in His overcoming all wisdom and strength by what was foolish and weak, viz., the Cross. And therefore Jerome and S. Augustine vol. 1. B l8 FIRST EPISTLE TO TIIE explain the passage of Habakkuk (iii. 4) was it not to us the way of prudence , the form of righteousness , the example of holiness t Therefore the Apostle also adds , i The foolishness of God is wiser than men . 9 Death then set us free from deaths life from error , grace from sin. And truly His death won the victory through His righteousness ; because the Just One , by paying what he never took 9 rightly recovered all that He had lost : 9 Hence it is that Francis and the greatest Saints have sought to be considered foolish by the world, in order that they might the rather please God. Some religious Orders, indeed, so regard this as the height of perfection and Christian wisdom that they enjoin their members to love, desire, and embrace contempt, ridicule, insults, and injuries, and to long to be considered fools, just as eagerly as worldly men seek for a reputation for wisdom, for honour, and renown. They do this to teach them in this way (1.) to utterly despise the world ; (2.) to humiliate themselves and uproot their innate desire of honour, praise, glory, and high position ; (3.) to be more like Christ, and to clothe themselves with His garments and His marks, who for our sakes, and to give us an example of virtue and perfection, chose these things Himself, willed to be considered foolish, and became a scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. They say, therefore, with S. Paul, “ God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world.” All this does the Cross of Christ teach if you often meditate on it ; nay, the Cross is the fount of wisdom. S. Bonaventura, when asked where he had drunk in so much wisdom, showed a crucifix almost worn away by kisses. S. Jacoponus, a man of good birth and of great learning, after having learned from the Cross of Christ to become foolish to the world, was asked by Christ, who appeared to him in a friendly and familiar way, why he was so enamoured of 20 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE this foolishness, and he answered with his customary pious pleasantry, “Because Thou, Lord, hast been more foolish than I.” In short, S. Chrysostom (. Horn , 4 on the Cross and the Robber ) sums up the power and praise of the Cross as follows : “ If you wish to know the power of the Cross , and what I have to say in its praise , listen .* The Cross is the hope of Christians , the resurrection of the dead the way of them that despair ; the staff of the lame, the consolation of the poor, the curb of the rich, the destruction of the proud, the punishment of them that live badly, victory over the demons, subjugation of the devil, the instructor of the young, nourishment of the needy, hope of the hopeless, the rudder of seafarers, haven to the storm-tost, wall to the besieged, father of the fatherless, defender of widows, counsellor of the just, rest to the weary, guardian of little ones, head of men, end of the aged, light to them that sit in darkness, the magnificence of kings, an everlasting shield, wisdom of the foolish, liberty to the slaves, a philosophy for kings, law to the lawless, the boast of martyrs, the self-denial of monks, the chastity of virgins, the joy of priests , the foundation of the Church, the destruction of temples, the rejection of idols, a stumblingblock to the Jews, perdition to the ungodly, strength to the weak, physician to the sick, bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, 1 *”

“Because the foolishness of God,.... Not that there is any such thing as "foolishness" in God, nor the least degree of weakness in him; but the apostle means that which the men of the world esteem so, and therefore, by an ironical concession, calls it by those names; by which is intended either Christ, who, as crucified, is counted foolishness; yet he "is wiser than men": yea, even than Solomon, who was wiser than all men besides; Christ is greater than he in wisdom, having all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in him; yea, in redemption by the blood of his cross, which is accounted such an egregious instance of folly, there is such a display of wisdom as surpasses all the wisdom of men and angels: and though he is, as crucified, esteemed as the weakness of God, yet in this respect, is stronger than men; stronger than the strong man armed; and has done that by his own arm, has brought salvation for his people, which neither men nor angels could ever have done: or all this may be understood of the Gospel of Christ, which is condemned as folly and weakness, and yet has infinitely more wisdom in it, than is to be found in the best concerted schemes of the wisest philosophers; and has had a greater influence on the minds and manners of men than theirs ever had; it is the manifold wisdom of God, and the power of God unto salvation. Moreover, these words may be applied to the saints, called in Co1 1:27. the foolish and weak things of the world; and yet even these, in the business of salvation, how foolish soever they may be in other respects, are wiser than the wisest of men destitute of the grace of God; and however weak they are in themselves, in their own esteem, and in the account of others, they are able to do and suffer such things, through the strength of Christ that no other men in the world are able to perform or endure. The phrases here used seem to be a sort of proverbial ones; and the sense of them is, that whatever, in things divine and spiritual, has the appearance of folly and weakness, or is judged to be so by carnal men, is wiser and stronger not only than the wisdom and strength of men, but than men themselves with all their wisdom and strength. It is very likely, that proverbial expressions of this kind, with a little alteration, were used by the Jews. The advice the young men gave to Rehoboam is thus paraphrased by the Targumist (o), , "my weakness is stronger than the strength of my father"; which is very near the same with the last clause of this verse, (o) In 2 Chron. x. 10.”

“The foolishness of God is wiser, etc. - The meaning of these strong expressions is, that the things of God's appointment, which seem to men foolishness, are infinitely beyond the highest degree of human wisdom; and those works of God, which appear to superficial observers weak and contemptible, surpass all the efforts of human power. The means which God has appointed for the salvation of men are so wisely imagined and so energetically powerful, that all who properly use them shall be infallibly brought to the end - final blessedness, which he has promised to them who believe and obey.”