Jan 19 – Jews and Greeks – 1 Cor 1:22-23

 Jan 19 – Jews and Greeks – 1 Cor 1:22-23

 

22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.

 

     Paul then reveals four things.  Two about the Jews and two about the Greek and Gentiles.  The Jews demand signs.  They want evidence that they can examine and debate about.  Secondly, because the crucified Christ the message of the Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews.  The Jews also have the law, circumcision, and the prophets they are baffled by the message of the cross.  Remember the cross to the Jews is a symbol of torture and humiliation.  Only criminals are crucified.  Jesus was considered a blasphemer. 

     The Greeks are looking for wisdom.  They want mind puzzles, pithy sayings, wise thoughts, intelligence, knowledge, and enigmas.  To the Gentiles a man dying on the cross for their sins is foolish.  It makes no sense because they don’t even believe they are sinners.  God becoming man then dying for sin makes no sense and is foolish in the minds and view of man.