1 Corinthians 1:20

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? WHERE? ... - Nowhere; for God 'brings them to nought' (1 Corinthians 1:19). THE WISE - the Greek philosopher. THE SCRIBE - Jewish (cf. the Jew and Greek of this world contrasted with the godly wise, 1 Corinthians 1:22). THE DISPUTER - whether Jew or Greek. Jewish speculative disputers were called Darshan, and mystical expositions of Scripture Midrashim (cf. 'Questions;' Acts 26:3;...

20._Where is the wise? where is the scribe? _This expression of triumph is added for the purpose of illustrating the Prophet’s testimony. Paul has not taken this sentiment from Isaiah, as is commonly thought, but speaks in his own person. For the passage which they point to (Isaiah 33:18) has nothing corresponding to the subject in hand, or nearly approaching to it. For in that passage, while he promises to the Jews deliverance from the yoke of Sennacherib, that he may magnify the more this great blessing from God, he shows how miserable is the condition of those that are oppressed by the tyranny of foreigners. He says, that they are in a constant fever of anxiety, from thinking themselves beset with scribes or questors, treasurers, and counters of towers. Nay more, he says, that the Jews were involved in such difficulties, that they were stirred up to gratitude by the very remembra

17-25 Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and philosophy of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel. Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, if explained and faithfully applied, appears foolishness to those in the way to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, and ambitious, alike see that the gospel opposes their favourite pursuits. But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified, than in all his other works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of man's boasted reason, and the event has...

Verse 20. _WHERE IS THE WISE - THE SCRIBE - THE DISPUTER OF THIS_ _WORLD?_] These words most manifestly refer to the Jews; as the places (Isaiah 29:14; Isaiah 33:18; Isaiah 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...

WHERE IS THE WISE? - Language similar to this occurs in Isaiah 33:18, “Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?” Without designing to quote these words as having an original reference to the subject now under consideration, Paul uses them as any man does language where he finds words with which he or his readers are familiar, that will convey his meaning. A man familiar with the Bible, will naturally often make use of Scripture expressions in conveying his ideas. In Isaiah, the passage refers to the deliverance of the people from the threatened invasion of Sennacherib. The 18th verse represents the people as meditating on the threatened terror of the invasion; and then in the language of exultation and thanksgiving at their deliverance, saying, “where is the wise man that laid the plan of destroying the nation? Where the I

EXPOSITION The oldest superscription was probably, "To the Corinthians, the first (Πρὸς Κορινθίους πρώτη)." This is found in א, A, B, C, D. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1 _The_ _greeting. _An opening salutation is found in all the Epistles of St. Paul, and in every Epistle of the New Testament except the Epistle to the Hebrews and the first Epistle of St. John, both of which were more in the nature of treatises than letters. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1 Paul. After the beginning of the first missionary journey (A.D. 45) he seems to have finally abandoned his Hebrew name of Saul. Called. The word "called" is absent from A, D, E, and other manuscripts, but may have been omitted as superfluous. It occurs in the greeting of...

WHERE IS THE WISE? WHERE IS THE SCRIBE?.... These are the apostle's own words; though he may allude to Isaiah 33:18 where there are some phrases much like these, but the meaning is very different. Though they are interpreted by the Talmudists g in a sense pretty near the apostle's; for thus they remark upon them, "where is the Scribe? he that counts all the letters which are in the law; "where is the receiver, or weigher?" who weighs all the light and heavy things in the law; "where is he that counted the towers?" he who counts, or teaches the three hundred traditions:'' so that they understand these of their Scribes and Misnic doctors, and such that are curious searchers into the hidden senses of Scripture. The apostle also seems to allude to a distinction that obtained among the Jews, of wise men, Scribes, and mystical interpreters of the word. They had their חכמי

1. _Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,_ This brother had been put to great shame. He was beaten before the judgment-seat, if you remember, and now he has the great and lasting honour of being mentioned by the apostle with himself. God will honour those who bear dishonour for his name's sake. Be not ashamed even to be beaten for Christ; the stripes are stripes of glory. 1 Corinthians 1:2. _Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:_ The epistles were written to distinct churches, but they have a bearing upon all Christians; hence the apostle says, «With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our

THIS WORLD Age. Greek, "kosmos", means "world-system". (1 Corinthians 2:12); (John 7:7); (_ See Scofield) - (Revelation 13:8). _...

1 CORINTHIANS 1:20 ko,smou The Textus Receptus, following later witnesses (ac C3 Dc F G L Y 6 104 326 623 1739c _al_), with which some early versions agree (itd, g, r vg syrp, h, pal copsa, bo goth armmss), adds tou,tou. Influence from the preceding expression, tou/ aivw/noj tou,tou, would make the addition of the demonstrative almost a foregone conclusion; the remarkable thing is that so many copyists resisted the urge to assimilate expressions (ko,smou alone is read by î46 a* A B C* Dgr* 33 181 206...