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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

1 Corinthians 1:24

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Called (cf. ) - "us which are (being) saved" (): the elect called effectually (Romans 8:28).

Christ. "Crucified" is not here added, because when the offence of the Cross is overcome, "Christ" is received, not only in His Cross, but in His life and His future kingdom.

Power - so meeting the requirements of the Jews who sought "a sign." Jesus Himself is the greatest sign. The Cross (the death of a slave), which to the Jews (looking for a temporal Messiah) was a "stumblingblock," is really "the power of God" to the salvation of all who believe. These are incontrovertible "signs."

Wisdom of God - so really exhibiting in the highest degree that which the Greeks sought after-wisdom ().

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See also 1 Corinthians 1:24 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 24. _BUT UNTO THEM WHICH ARE CALLED_] τοις κλητοις. Those, both of Jews and Greeks, who were by the preaching of the Gospel _called_ or _invited_ to the _marriage feast_, and have accordingly b...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT UNTO THEM WHICH ARE CALLED - To all true Christians. See the note at 1 Corinthians 1:9. BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS - Whether originally of Jewish or Gentile extraction, they have here a common, similar...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. CONTRASTS. CHAPTER 1:10-4). CHAPTER 1:10-31. _ 1. Divisions rebuked. (1 Corinthians 1:10)._ 2. The Cross of Christ, the Power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:17). The section which begins, after the in...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 CORINTHIANS 1:18 TO 1 CORINTHIANS 2:5. THE CROSS, FOLLY TO THE WORLD, IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD. Paul now explains and justifies 1 Corinthians 1:17_ b_, which to Greek readers must have soun

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    AN APOSTOLIC INTRODUCTION (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    For the story of the Cross is foolishness to those who are on the way to destruction, but it is the power of God to those who are on the way to salvation. For it stands written, "I will wipe out the w...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THEM WHICH ARE CALLED. the called themselves....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    God's Message not intended to flatter the pride of man 18. _For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God_ Literally, TO THEM TH...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God_ His power enabled them to shake off the yoke of sin and conform their lives to the pattern of His...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    GOD’S MESSAGE NOT INTENDED TO FLATTER THE PRIDE OF MAN...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΑΥ̓ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΔῈ ΤΟΙ͂Σ ΚΛΗΤΟΙ͂Σ. BUT TO THE CALLED THEMSELVES, i.e. as opposed to all others. ΧΡΙΣΤῸΝ ΘΕΟΥ͂ ΔΎΝΑΜΙΝ ΚΑῚ ΘΕΟΥ͂ ΣΟΦΊΑΝ. He is so called, because in Him dwelt all the fulness of the Divine ma...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE PREACHING OF THE SON OF GOD 1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-24:_ The message of the cross and redemption by blood seems foolish to many that are lost. Satan lost the battle and sin was defeated by the death o...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΑΎΤΟΪ́Σ _dat. pl. от_ ΑΥΤΌΣ (G96) сам. Этический _dat._, "для них" или "для них самих" (Weiss), ΤΕ... ΚΑΊ и... и......

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1930 THE TRUE LIGHT IN WHICH THE GOSPEL IS TO BE REGARDED 1 Corinthians 1:23. _We preach Christ crucified; unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them w...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    FOR THE JEWS, &C.— _Whereas the Jews require signs, and the Gentiles seek after wisdom;_ 1 Corinthians 1:23. _We, nevertheless, preach Christ crucified,—and unto the Gentiles foolishness:_ 1 Corinthia...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    CHRIST, THE POWER OF GOD, AND THE WISDOM OF GOD— St. Paul in the 21st verse argues thus in general: "Since the world, by their natural parts and improvements, did not attain to a right and saving know...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    APPLEBURY'S COMMENTS _The Word of the Cross and the Wisdom of the World_ (18-31) _Text_ 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are save...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS Unity Operates Through the Instrumentality of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:18-25) 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    21 To this day the great, the noble, and the wise are a small minority among the true saints of God. It is a matter of extreme thankfulness that this is so. If high birth or wisdom or any other attain...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THEM WHICH ARE CALLED] those whom the message has found responsive. CHRIST THE POWER.. AND THE WISDOM OF GOD] He is the power of God because He enables the sinner to overcome his sin; and the wisdom o...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARAPHRASE. 'And this is true, as the facts declare. The Jews will not believe unless a miracle is wrought before their eyes; the Greeks will accept no truth that is not commended by philosophical spe...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    GREETING AND THANKSGIVING. PARTISANSHIP IN THE CHURCH St. Paul, after greeting the Church and giving thanks for its spiritual gifts, rebukes the preference for various teachers which was prevalent am...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    SERVANTS OF CHRIST 1 CORINTHIANS _HILDA BRIGHT_ ABOUT THIS LETTER CORINTH Corinth was an important city. It was on a very narrow section of land (called an ‘isthmus’) in the southern part of Gre...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEM WHICH ARE CALLED. — St. Paul always speaks of all Christians as “the called,” not using that word in the narrower sense to which some modern religious sects have restricted it....

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 4 THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING In the preceding section of this Epistle Paul introduced the subject which was prominent in his thoughts as he wrote: the divided state of the Corinthian Churc...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    αὐτοῖς δὲ τοῖς κλητοῖς, _ipsis autem vocatis_ (Vg [239]): for the emphatic prefixed αὐτοῖς, _cf._ 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Corinthians 11:1 Thess. 16, etc.; it “marks off those alluded to from the class...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    1 Corinthians 1:22-25 open out the thought of 1 Corinthians 1:21 : “the world” is parted into “Jews” and “Greeks”; μωρία becomes σκάνδαλον and μωρία; the κήρυγμα is defined as that of Χριστὸς ἐσταυρωμ...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The ἐπειδὴ of 1 Corinthians 1:21 and that of 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 are parl [218], the second restating and expanding the first (_cf._ the double ὅταν in 1 Corinthians 15:24, and in...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    § 4. THE TRUE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. To “preach the gospel” meant, above all, to proclaim the cross of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:17 b). In Cor [189] “the wisdom of the world” scouted this message as sheer...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE CROSS GOD'S SAVING POWER 1 Corinthians 1:12 _ Apollos_ had gone straight from Ephesus to Corinth, Acts 19:1. A party gathered around him, especially attracted by his eloquence and intellectual br...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The epistle is to the Church. Its messages are only for those who have been brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ. The character of the Church is indicated in the words, "sanctified in Christ Jesu...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    The Crucified Christ Displays God's Wisdom Instead of gospel preaching, the Jews wanted a sign Jesus was the Messiah. McGarvey and Pendleton mention several examples of the Jews' demands for signs (Ma...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Jesus Christ, Wisdom from God So, Paul said, not many of those who would be called wise, or powerful or noblemen followed Jesus. Most uprisings are successful because the upper crust leaders join and...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    The Jews, in the mean time, ask for miracles, such as God formerly wrought in their favour, and the Greeks, or the Gentiles, to be converted, expect from us, what they would look upon as the highest p...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “But unto those [_of them_] which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” The αὐτοῖς δέ forcibly separates the called, Jews and Gentiles, from the mass of th...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (19) For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will brin...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    As usual, the introductory words (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) of the epistle give us no little intimation of that which is to follow. The apostle speaks of himself as such "called [to be] an apostle of Jesus...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE ‘FOOLISHNESS’ OF PREACHING_ ‘Unto the Greeks foolishness.’ 1 Corinthians 1:23 It is a good many years since St. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, spoke of the foolishness of preaching, and the...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE WISDOM OF THE CROSS_ ‘Christ … the wisdom of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:24 Mark here the strong contrast drawn by the Apostle between the wisdom of God and the so-called wisdom of men, or, as it is...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _POWER AND WISDOM_ ‘Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.’ 1 Corinthians 1:24 Be careful that you understand those words rightly. Not only that Christ is Divine ‘power’ and Divine ‘wisdom...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    24._Both Greeks and Jews _He shows by this contrast, that the fact that Christ was so unfavorably received, was not owing to any fault on his part, nor to the natural disposition of mankind generally,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    I will now turn back to take up the thread of the contents of this epistle from the beginning. Paul was an apostle by the will of God. That was his authority, however it might be with others. Moreover...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT UNTO THEM WHICH ARE CALLED,.... Effectually, by the grace of God, not merely externally, but internally; these have other sentiments of Christ, and the doctrine of salvation by him; for being call...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Ver. 24. _Christ the power of God_] Opposite to the power of miracles required by the Jews. _ An...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    1 Cor. 1:24. "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." The power of God answers to a sign or miracle, which the Jews sought after; and the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For the Jews require a sign_ Demand of the apostles, as they did of their Lord, more signs still, after all they have seen already. _And the Greeks_ Or Gentiles; _seek after wisdom_ The depths of phi...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    THEM WHICH ARE CALLED; those who are led by the Holy Spirit to see their need of Christ as a Saviour and to believe on him....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The foolishness of God wiser than men:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT UNTO THEM WHICH ARE CALLED, BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS, CHRIST THE POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Paul writes here as "a called apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God." As such, it is the authoritative word of God he communicates, that which requires the subjection and obedience of all the Chu...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    BUT UNTO THEM THAT ARE CALLED, BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS, CHRIST THE POWER OF GOD, AND THE WISDOM OF GOD. 'called' -Christians. 'But such. message was no insult to the called ones..To those who embraced...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Blessed be God, Christ is not to all the Jews a stmnblingblock, nor to all the Greeks is he foolishness; for to so many of them as _are called, _ (not by the external call of the gospel, but only by t...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book I But the teaching, which is according to the Saviour, is complete in itself and without defect, being "the power and wisdom of God; "[231] Clement of Alexandria...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 1:24 but G1161 those G846 who G3588 called G2822 both G5037 Jews G2453 and G2532 Greeks G1672

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THEY ARE THUS RATHER TO LOOK TO GOD'S WISDOM (1:22-25). ‘Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumblingblock, and to Gentiles foolis...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Corinthians 1:23. BUT WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, UNTO THE JEWS A STUMBLING-BLOCK, AND UNTO THE GENTILES FOOLISHNESS. 1 Corinthians 1:24. BUT UNTO THEM WHICH ARE (internally and efficaciously) CALLE...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    SUMMARY. ‘I beseech you, study unity. Instead of this, I hear ye are ranging yourselves into schools and parties, each contending for its favourite preacher as if your salvation hung upon him. Thus is...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    BUT TO THEM THAT ARE CALLED (αυτοις δε τοις κλητοις). Dative case, to the called themselves.CHRIST (Χριστον). Accusative case repeated, object of κηρυσσομεν, bothTHE POWER OF GOD (θεου δυναμιν)...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    I am going to speak about the testimony of the apostle Peter concerning his Lord, but we will first read together part of the writings of his «beloved brother Paul,» that we may see how these eminent...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    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 remembe...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1, 2. _Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth,_ -Note the humility of Paul in associating with hi...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Christians' position in grace. The unspiritual condition of the Corinthian saints. Danger of following human leaders and exulting in human wisdom. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Paul, Sosthenes, A...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Corinthians 1:1. _Paul, called to be an apostle._ It was proper to mention this, else he would have had no title to address his letter to the Corinthians, and the catholic church, or saints in gener...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    BUT FOR THOSE. _MacKnight_ sees the _called_ as those who have heard and responded to the message of the Cross. THIS MESSAGE IS CHRIST = _we proclaim Christ on the cross._ WHO IS both the _miracle_ th...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God._ THE OFFENCE AND SUCCESS OF THE CROSS God will always so ordain it in His providence that some s...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel._ PAUL’S PREACHING I. It exalted the Cross of Christ as the central element of the gospel. The apostle does not teach that truths associat...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN, AND THE GREEKS SEEK AFTER WISDOM. Christianity viewed in three aspects I. As associated with a great fact. “Christ crucified.” This maybe looked at-- 1. Historically. A...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    RANSLATED AND EDITED BY W. F. COBB, D.D. EDINBURGH: JOHN GRANT 31 George IV. Bridge 1908 SAINT PAUL'S FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS EDITORS PREFACE In translating the Comments of Cornelius...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 1 Corinthians 1:19.— Isaiah 29:14 (nearly as LXX.), and a free imitation of Isaiah 30:18. FOR.—Sustains the _general drift_ of...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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 salutati...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to I Corinthians, chapter 1. Paul introduces himself as the writer with Sosthenes in the first verse. Paul, called an apostle (1 Corinthians 1:1) Notice the words to be are in italics. Th...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 1:9;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE CHURCH OF GOD AT CORINTH 1 Corinthians 1:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We propose taking several studies from the First Epistle to the Corinthians. There will be much to consider here which should help...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But to them that are called — And obey the heavenly calling. Christ — With his cross, his death, his life, his kingdom. And they experience, first, that he is the power, then, that he is the wisdom, o...

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