The ancient Greeks spread their philosophies (“wisdom”) through itinerant orators.  We do it through the media.

“Collateral Beauty” is a soon-to-be-released movie about a man (Will Smith), “retreating from life after a tragedy, [who] questions the universe by writing to Love, Time and Death. Receiving unexpected answers, he begins to see how these things interlock and how even loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.”  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4682786/).

A philosophy of life.  That’s what this movie offers.  We might mindlessly absorb it (hopefully not!).  Or we might, as the Corinthian Christians did, boast that Christianity is the superior philosophy.  Paul argues that Christianity isn’t a superior philosophy.  Rather Christianity stands in a wholly other category than human wisdom.

 In 1:18-31 Paul explains that “the message of the cross” isn’t superior human wisdom; it’s foolishness to those who are perishing”.  Further, those who believe that message aren’t “wise” but, according to human standards, fools.

In 2:1-5 Paul continues.  Gospel preachers aren’t the wisest orators; measured by human standards, they’re “fools”.  As an example, Paul points to himself.

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God (1 Corinthians 2:1,2, NIV).

By “eloquence or human wisdom” Paul means he didn’t come to Corinth to distinguish himself.  Eloquence (Greek huperoxay) refers to “excellent” or “superior” words.  In this context, it implies superior words intended to impress.  Paul, on the other hand, simply “proclaimed . . . the testimony about God.”

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling (1 Corinthians 2:2,3, NIV).

“For” introduces Paul’s reason for not coming “with eloquence or human wisdom”:  he had determined to know only Jesus Christ and him crucified.  As this letter will show, he did preach other truths about Christ.  But Christ-crucified was his focus and his passion.

“I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.”  While asthenia is often used of physical illness, it seems best to connect “weakness” to “great fear and trembling.”  What could have so shaken Paul?  He doesn’t explain.  Perhaps the challenge of evangelizing such a big city corrupted by such dark immorality and idolatry.  Whatever the cause, Paul knew the Corinthians (who were boasting about their “great preachers”) needed to hear this.  His success in Corinth didn’t stem from his powerful oratory skills.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4,5, NIV).

 Paul reminds the Corinthians he didn’t preach his message with persuasive words of wisdom.  What marked his preaching “was a demonstration of the Spirit’s power”.  The Corinthians were converted.  They experienced the Spirit, evidenced by spiritual gifts. That was “a demonstration of the Spirit’s power”.

Why did God choose to work through a weak and fearfully trembling preacher whose oratory lacked the wisdom and persuasion of “wise philosophers”?  “ . . . so that you might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”

I’m reminded of Tim Keller.  In 1989 Keller started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.  Today, Redeemer has more than five thousand regular attendees and has helped start almost two hundred churches around the world.  Some time ago I watched one of their worship services online, expecting “something special”.  Instead, I heard them sing hymns.  I watched Keller preach conversationally.  The service order was ordinary.  And I realized what God was doing:  “ . . . so that [the people’s] faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power”.

 Dr. Gordon Fee comments on 1 Corinthians 2:4,5 . . .

“The message of the cross, which is folly to the ‘wise’, is the saving power of God to those who believe.  The goal of all the divine activity, both in the cross and in choosing them, and now in Paul’s preaching that brought the cross and them together, has been to disarm the wise and powerful so that those who believe must trust God alone and completely” (The First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 96).

“Collateral Beauty”.  The movie, if the trailer is any indication, packs a punch.  It draws us in.  As crazy as Life, Time and Death personified may be, we identify with Smith as he searches for beauty and meaning, even in life’s tragedies.  Subtly, a philosophy of life unfolds.  It’s deceitful, however; because it argues that a tragedy-weakened man can fight back, can rise above his defeat, and can find meaning in life.

Christianity, on the other hand, declares humans weak.  Meaning is found only in the message of Christ crucified.  Believers in that message don’t become movie stars; they’re fools in the world’s eyes.  Even their preachers are inferior without bragging rights.

But into the weakness of that message, faith comes.  That faith is a demonstration, not of their power, but the Spirit’s.  And with the Spirit comes conversion and the presence of the Spirit in the converted evidenced by gifts.  And so they sing . . .

“’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
And, O my God, it found out me.”

And so they humbly confess . . .

“It is because of him that [we] are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God– that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:30,31).

We’re one of those “fools”, right?