The wisdom of this world is foolishness* in God's sight.
1Corinthians 3:19 NIV
3474 [
moros /moˇros/] adj. Probably from the base of 3466;Strong, J. 1996. Enhanced Strong's Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship: Ontario
1 Corinthians 3:19 The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. Man by searching could never find out God, neither would human wisdom ever have devised a plan of salvation by which God would become Man in order to die for guilty, vile, rebel sinners. Job 5:13 is quoted in verse 19 to show that God triumphs over the supposed wisdom of men to work out His own purposes. Man with all his learning cannot thwart the plans of the Lord; instead, God often shows them that in spite of their worldly wisdom, they are utterly poor and powerless.
MacDonald, W. 1997, c1995. Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (1 Co 3:19-20). Thomas Nelson: Nashville
The wisdom which worldly men esteem (policy, philosophy, oratory) is foolishness with God. It is so in a way of comparison with his wisdom. He chargeth his angels with folly (Job 4:18), and much more the wisest among the children of men. His understanding is infinite, Ps. 147:5. There can be no more comparison between his wisdom and ours than between his power and being and ours. There is no common measure by which to compare finite and infinite. And much more is the wisdom of man foolishness with God when set in competition with his. How justly does he despise, how easily can he baffle and confound it! He taketh the wise in their own craftiness (Job 5:13), he catches them in their own nets, and entangles them in their own snares: he turns their most studies, plausible, and promising schemes against themselves, and ruins them by their own contrivance. Nay, He knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (v. 20), that they are vanity, Ps. 94:11. Note, God has a perfect knowledge of the thoughts of men, the deepest thoughts of the wisest men, their most secret counsels and purposes: nothing is hidden from him, but all things are naked and bare before him, Heb. 4:13. And he knows them to be vanity. The thoughts of the wisest men in the world have a great mixture of vanity, of weakness and folly, in them; and before God their wisest and best thoughts are very vanity, compared, I mean, with his thoughts of things. And should not all this teach us modesty, diffidence in ourselves, and a deference to the wisdom of God, make us thankful for his revelations, and willing to be taught of God, and not be led away by specious pretences to human wisdom and skill, from the simplicity of Christ, or a regard to his heavenly doctrine? Note, He who would be wise indeed must learn of God, and not set his own wisdom up in competition with God’s.
Henry, M. 1996, c1991. Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (1 Co 3:18-21). Hendrickson: Peabody
FOOL, FOOLISHNESS - a stupid person or a senseless act. In the Bible, the most foolish person of all is one who denies the reality of God the Father: "The fool has said in his heart, ’There is no God’ " (Ps. 14:1; 53:1). Like the Book of Proverbs, where "fool" denotes a person who is morally and spiritually deficient, Jesus contrasted wise and foolish persons. Persons who keep His sayings are wise; those who do not are foolish (Matt. 7:24-27). The use of the word "fool" in Matthew 5:22 is a special case. Jesus warned against using the word fool as a form of abuse. This word expressed hatred in one’s heart toward others; therefore, Jesus condemned the use of the word in this way.
Youngblood, R. F. 1995. Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.;Includes index. T. Nelson: Nashville
WISDOM—ability to judge correctly and follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. The apostle Paul declared that the message of the Cross is foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews. But to those who believe, said Paul, this "foolishness of God" is "the wisdom of God"
(1 Cor. 1:18-25).
WISDOM. (Is. 11:2) chochmah (choach-mah); Strong’s #2451: Wisdom; wiseness; skillfulness, whether in the artistic sense (craftsmanship) or the moral sense (skills for living correctly). This noun occurs about 150 times. It is found in all sections of the Old Testament, but is mentioned extensively in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Biblical wisdom unites God, the Source of all understanding, with daily life, where the principles of right living are put into practice. Therefore, one is exhorted to make God the starting point in any quest for wisdom (Ps. 111:10) and to seek wisdom above all else if he would live successfully (Prov. 4:5-9). The present reference shows that wisdom is a permanent characteristic of the Messiah (compare 1 Cor. 1:24). Also (Acts 6:10) sophia (sof-ee-ah); Strong’s #4678: Practical wisdom, prudence, skill, comprehensive insight, Christian enlightenment, a right application of knowledge, insight into the true nature of things. Wisdom in the Bible is often coupled with knowledge (Rom. 11:33; 1 Cor. 12:8; Col. 2:3). In anticipation of our needing guidance, direction, and knowing, God tells us to ask for wisdom, assuring us of a liberal reception (James 1:5).
Hayford, J. W. 1995. Hayford's Bible handbook. Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville
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