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Mark Dunagan Commentaries

1 Corinthians 1:22

Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom:

'Neither Jews nor Greeks are ready to receive this message..Both are blinded by their own preconceptions. The "Jews ask for signs", for some strange and starling portents in the heavens (Matthew 16:1; Matthew 16:4)...The "Greeks seek after wisdom"; they believe that the way of the highest life must lie along the line of mental culture.' (Erdman p. 33)

No matter how many miracles Jesus performed, the Jews kept asking for more (Matthew 12:38; John 6:30).

'Both of these types of world wisdom still persist but now in modernized form. Some want the church to heal all social and even all physical evils. They demand an imposing, outward ecclesiastical organization that will sweep the world before it. They look for. millennium and the outward triumph of the gospel over all the world. Signs, signs, big tangible, overpowering results! Others bank on their reason; they assume that their intellect is able to penetrate into everything. So they follow philosophy in its latest forms..' (Lenski p. 65)

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See also 1 Corinthians 1:22 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 22. _FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN_] Instead of σημειον, _a sign_, ABCDEFG, several others, both the _Syriac, Coptic, Vulgate,_ and _Itala_, with many of the _fathers_, have σημεια, _signs_; whic...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN - A miracle, a prodigy, an evidence of divine interposition. This was the characteristic of the Jewish people. God had manifested himself to them by miracles and wonders in...

  • 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)

    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...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

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

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE. Omit. REQUIRE. ask. App-134. SIGN. App-176. The texts read "signs". SEEK AFTER. seek....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _the Jews require a sign_ The plural, -signs" -miracles," is the better supported reading here. The Jews (Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16;

  • 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 Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἘΠΕΙΔῊ ΚΑΊ. SINCE ALSO. Another proof of how little human wisdom availed to penetrate the counsels of the Most High. ΣΗΜΕΙ͂Α. The Jews (Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 8:11;...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

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

  • 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

    ΈΠΕΙΔΉ (G1894) так как, потому что. Союз причины, выражающий свободное подчинение (BD, 238; Schrage). ΣΗΜΕΪ́ΟΝ (G4592) знамение (DPL, 875-76). ΑΊΤΟΫ́ΣΙΝ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΑΊΤΈΩ (G154) просить....

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: FOR - literally, Whereas. A B C Delta, Vulgate, add 'also,' taking up the "whereas" of , and additionally illustrating that 'the worl...

  • 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

    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...

  • 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...

  • 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

    FOR. — This is a further unfolding of the fact of the simplicity of the preaching of the Cross. It pandered neither to Jewish-minded persons (not in the Greek “_the_ Jews,” _“the_ Gentiles,” but simpl...

  • 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)

    § 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...

  • 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)

    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)

    Ἰουδαῖοι … Ἕλληνες anarthrous; “Jews” _qua_ Jews, etc.: in this “asking” and “seeking” the characteristics of each race are “hit off to perfection” (Ed [231] : see his interesting note); αἰτεῖν expres...

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (25) For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (25) A declaration of that which he said: that the preaching of the Gospel is foolish. It is foolish, he says, to those whom God has...

  • 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

    “ _For indeed_ the Jews require signs, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; 23. but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness.” This second ἐπειδή, _f...

  • 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

    _A MESSAGE FOR JEW AND GREEK_ ‘The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified.’ 1 Corinthians 1:22 St. Paul is here contrasting the expectations which men...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    22._For the Jews require a sign _This is explanatory of the preceding statement — showing in what respects the preaching of the gospel _is accounted foolishness _At the same time he does not simply ex...

  • 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

    FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN,.... The Jews had always been used to miracles, in confirmation of the mission of the prophets sent unto them, and therefore insisted on a sign proving Jesus to be the true...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: Ver. 22. _For the Jews require, &c._] The reason of their rejecting the gospel is, they are prepossessed against it; they look for that...

  • 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)

    REQUIRE A SIGN; a sign from heaven, some great and signal display of miraculous power. Matthew 12:38. WISDOM; learned, philosophical, and literary discussions....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN, AND THE GREEKS SEEK AFTER WISDOM;...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The foolishness of God wiser than men:...

  • 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...

  • 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

    _The Jews_ were not without some true Divine revelation, and owned the true God, and only desired some miraculous operation from Christ, MATTHEW 12:38 1 THESSALONIANS 4:48, to confirm them that Christ...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom:...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book I Why, then, you will ask, did you think it fit that such an arrangement should be adopted in your memoranda? Because there is great danger in divulging the secret...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 1:22 For G2532 G1894 Jews G2453 request G154 (G5719) sign G4592 and G2532 Greeks G1672 seek

  • 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 1:22. SINCE THE JEWS ASK FOR SIGNS AND THE GREEKS SEEK AFTER WISDOM. [2] The Jews, when our Lord was on earth, clamoured for ‘signs' supernatural attestation of His claims; but the more...

  • 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

    SEEING THAT (επειδη). Resumes from verse 1 Corinthians 1:21. The structure is not clear, but probably verses 1 Corinthians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 1:24 form a sort of conclusion or apodosis to ve...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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

    JEWS WANT MIRACLES. They wanted some spectacular miracle from heaven that only God could do, as proof (compare notes on Matthew 16:1-4). GREEKS LOOK FOR WISDOM. Some complex and elaborate system of id...

  • 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 Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    _For the Jews require a sign... but we preach Christ crucified._ A Theban, when asked what he thought of the Romans, said that "the Romans boasted themselves in their spears, the Greeks on their eloqu...

  • 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

    Acts 17:18; John 2:18; John 4:28; Luke 11:16; Luke 11:20;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    The Jews. Omit the article. Among the Jews many had become Christians. Require (aijtousin). Rev., ask. But it is questionable whether the A. V. is not preferable. The word sometimes takes the sense of...

  • 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

    For whereas the Jews 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 wisdom — The depths of philosophy, and the...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. How both Jews and Gentiles conspired together in their contempt and rejection of the gospel; THE JEWS REQUIRE. SIGN; that is, besides all the miracles and the resurrection of Christ,...

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Old Testament