Paul"s quotation of Isaiah 29:14 shows that it has always been God"s method to expose the folly of merely human wisdom. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
1 Corinthians 1:12-25 - The Cross God's Saving Power
Apollos had gone straight from Ephesus to Corinth, Acts 19:1. A party gathered around him, especially attracted by his eloquence and intellectual brilliance. Cephas was Peter, and around his name the more conservative elements gathered. Christ, stood for the promised glory of the Messianic kingdom. Paul was filled with dismay on hearing that a fourth division of the Church called themselves by his name. He told the Corinthians that whatever any of their human teachers had done for them, they had contributed only different phases or viewpoints of truth, all of which service sank into absolute insignificance as contrasted with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The cross here implies not only the doctrine of the Atonement, but the humble bearing of the cross in daily life. There are many who wear a cross as an article of dress, but who evince nothing of its pitying, self-immolating, sacrificial spirit. Everyone needs a Calvary in the heart. Note from 1 Corinthians 1:18, r.v., margin, that being saved is a process, as well as an immediate experience. Oh to have grace to know the Cross, never to be ashamed of it, and to preach a crucified Savior in a humble, crucified spirit! [source]
Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 1
1After his salutation and thanksgiving for the Corinthians, 10Paul exhorts them to unity, 12and reproves their dissensions 18God destroys the wisdom of the wise, 21by the foolishness of preaching; 26and calls not the wise, mighty, and noble, 28but the foolish, weak, and men of no account
Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 1:19
I will destroy [απολω] Future active indicative of απολλυμι apollumi Attic future for απολεσω apolesō Quotation from Isaiah 29:14 (lxx). The failure of worldly statesmanship in the presence of Assyrian invasion Paul applies to his argument with force. The wisdom of the wise is often folly, the understanding of the understanding is often rejected. There is such a thing as the ignorance of the learned, the wisdom of the simple-minded. God‘s wisdom rises in the Cross sheer above human philosophizing which is still scoffing at the Cross of Christ, the consummation of God‘s power. [source]
I will destroy, etc. [] Cited literally from the Septuagint, Isaiah 29:14, except that the Septuagint has κρύψω Iwill conceal, instead of I will reject. The Hebrew reads: “The wisdom of its (Judah's) wise men shall perish, and the sagacity of its sagacious men shall hide itself.” [source]
Wisdom - prudence [σοφίαν - σύνεσιν] The two words are often found together, as Exodus 31:3; Deuteronomy 4:6; Colossians 1:9. Compare σοφοὶ καὶ συνετοί wiseand prudent, Matthew 11:25. For the distinction, see, as to σοφία wisdomon Romans 11:33; as to σύνεσις prudenceon Mark 12:33; Luke 2:47. Wisdom is the more general; mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense. Prudence is the special application of wisdom; its critical adjustment to particular cases. [source]
Will bring to nothing [ἀθετήσω] See on Luke 7:30. Originally, to make disestablished ( ἄθετον ) something which is established or prescribed ( θετόν ) Hence to nullify, make void, frustrate, and, in a milder sense, to despise or reject, as Galatians 2:21. The stronger sense is better here, so that Rev., reject is not an improvement on the A.V. The American revisers render: And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 1:19
1 Corinthians 4:6That in us ye may learn [ινα εν ημιν ματητε] Final clause with ινα hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of μαντανω manthanō to learn. As an object lesson in our cases It is no more true of Paul and Apollos than of other ministers, but the wrangles in Corinth started about them. So Paul boldly puts himself and Apollos to the fore in the discussion of the principles involved. Not to go beyond the things which are written (το Μη υπερ α γεγραπται to Mē huper ha gegraptai). It is difficult to reproduce the Greek idiom in English. The article το to is in the accusative case as the object of the verb ματητε mathēte (learn) and points at the words “Μη υπερ α γεγραπται Mē huper ha gegraptai apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form with no principal verb expressed with μη mē whether “think” (Auth.) or “go” (Revised). There was a constant tendency to smooth out Paul‘s ellipses as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:26,1 Corinthians 1:31. Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19,1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 3:19,1 Corinthians 3:20. That ye be not puffed up Sub-final use of ινα hina (second use in this sentence) with notion of result. It is not certain whether πυσιουστε phusiousthe (late verb form like πυσιαω πυσαω phusiaōινα phusaō to blow up, to inflate, to puff up), used only by Paul in the N.T., is present indicative with ζηλουτε hina like ινα γινωσκομεν zēloute in Galatians 4:17 (cf. Πυσιοω hina ginōskomen in 1 John 5:20) or the present subjunctive by irregular contraction (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 203, 342f.), probably the present indicative. πυσις Phusioō is from πυσαω phusis (nature) and so meant to make natural, but it is used by Paul just like πυσιαω phusaō or πυσα phusiaō (from εις υπερ του ενος κατα του ετερου phusa a pair of bellows), a vivid picture of self-conceit. One for the one against the other (υπερ heis huper tou henos kata tou heterou). This is the precise idea of this idiom of partitive apposition. This is the rule with partisans. They are “for” (κατα huper) the one and “against” (του ετερου kata down on, the genitive case) the other (ετεροδοχ tou heterou not merely another or a second, but the different sort, heterodox). [source]
1 Corinthians 4:6Not to go beyond the things which are written [το Μη υπερ α γεγραπται] It is difficult to reproduce the Greek idiom in English. The article το to is in the accusative case as the object of the verb ματητε mathēte (learn) and points at the words “Μη υπερ α γεγραπται Mē huper ha gegraptai apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form with no principal verb expressed with μη mē whether “think” (Auth.) or “go” (Revised). There was a constant tendency to smooth out Paul‘s ellipses as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:26,1 Corinthians 1:31. Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19,1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 3:19,1 Corinthians 3:20. [source]
Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 1:19
Future active indicative of απολλυμι apollumi Attic future for απολεσω apolesō Quotation from Isaiah 29:14 (lxx). The failure of worldly statesmanship in the presence of Assyrian invasion Paul applies to his argument with force. The wisdom of the wise is often folly, the understanding of the understanding is often rejected. There is such a thing as the ignorance of the learned, the wisdom of the simple-minded. God‘s wisdom rises in the Cross sheer above human philosophizing which is still scoffing at the Cross of Christ, the consummation of God‘s power. [source]
Cited literally from the Septuagint, Isaiah 29:14, except that the Septuagint has κρύψω Iwill conceal, instead of I will reject. The Hebrew reads: “The wisdom of its (Judah's) wise men shall perish, and the sagacity of its sagacious men shall hide itself.” [source]
The two words are often found together, as Exodus 31:3; Deuteronomy 4:6; Colossians 1:9. Compare σοφοὶ καὶ συνετοί wiseand prudent, Matthew 11:25. For the distinction, see, as to σοφία wisdomon Romans 11:33; as to σύνεσις prudenceon Mark 12:33; Luke 2:47. Wisdom is the more general; mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense. Prudence is the special application of wisdom; its critical adjustment to particular cases. [source]
See on Luke 7:30. Originally, to make disestablished ( ἄθετον ) something which is established or prescribed ( θετόν ) Hence to nullify, make void, frustrate, and, in a milder sense, to despise or reject, as Galatians 2:21. The stronger sense is better here, so that Rev., reject is not an improvement on the A.V. The American revisers render: And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 1:19
“When he might have been saved” (Bengel). This word, in classical Greek, is used: 1. Of death in battle or elsewhere. 2. Of laying waste, as a city or heritage. 3. Of losing of life, property, or other objects. As an active verb, to kill or demolish. 4. Of being demoralized, morally abandoned or ruined, as children under bad influences. In New Testament of killing (Matthew 2:13; Matthew 12:14). 5. Of destroying and perishing, not only of human life, but of material and intellectual things (1 Corinthians 1:19; John 6:27; Mark 2:22; 1 Peter 1:7; James 1:11; Hebrews 1:11). 6. Of losing (Matthew 10:6, Matthew 10:42; Luke 15:4, Luke 15:6, Luke 15:8). Of moral abandonment (Luke 15:24, Luke 15:32). 7. Of the doom of the impenitent (Matthew 10:28; Luke 13:3; John 3:15; John 10:28; 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 2:12. [source]
Final clause with ινα hina and the second aorist active subjunctive of μαντανω manthanō to learn. As an object lesson in our cases It is no more true of Paul and Apollos than of other ministers, but the wrangles in Corinth started about them. So Paul boldly puts himself and Apollos to the fore in the discussion of the principles involved. Not to go beyond the things which are written (το Μη υπερ α γεγραπται to Mē huper ha gegraptai). It is difficult to reproduce the Greek idiom in English. The article το to is in the accusative case as the object of the verb ματητε mathēte (learn) and points at the words “Μη υπερ α γεγραπται Mē huper ha gegraptai apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form with no principal verb expressed with μη mē whether “think” (Auth.) or “go” (Revised). There was a constant tendency to smooth out Paul‘s ellipses as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:26, 1 Corinthians 1:31. Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 3:19, 1 Corinthians 3:20. That ye be not puffed up Sub-final use of ινα hina (second use in this sentence) with notion of result. It is not certain whether πυσιουστε phusiousthe (late verb form like πυσιαω πυσαω phusiaōινα phusaō to blow up, to inflate, to puff up), used only by Paul in the N.T., is present indicative with ζηλουτε hina like ινα γινωσκομεν zēloute in Galatians 4:17 (cf. Πυσιοω hina ginōskomen in 1 John 5:20) or the present subjunctive by irregular contraction (Robertson, Grammar, pp. 203, 342f.), probably the present indicative. πυσις Phusioō is from πυσαω phusis (nature) and so meant to make natural, but it is used by Paul just like πυσιαω phusaō or πυσα phusiaō (from εις υπερ του ενος κατα του ετερου phusa a pair of bellows), a vivid picture of self-conceit. One for the one against the other (υπερ heis huper tou henos kata tou heterou). This is the precise idea of this idiom of partitive apposition. This is the rule with partisans. They are “for” (κατα huper) the one and “against” (του ετερου kata down on, the genitive case) the other (ετεροδοχ tou heterou not merely another or a second, but the different sort, heterodox). [source]
It is difficult to reproduce the Greek idiom in English. The article το to is in the accusative case as the object of the verb ματητε mathēte (learn) and points at the words “Μη υπερ α γεγραπται Mē huper ha gegraptai apparently a proverb or rule, and elliptical in form with no principal verb expressed with μη mē whether “think” (Auth.) or “go” (Revised). There was a constant tendency to smooth out Paul‘s ellipses as in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 1:26, 1 Corinthians 1:31. Lightfoot thinks that Paul may have in mind O.T. passages quoted in 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 3:19, 1 Corinthians 3:20. [source]
See on bring to nothing, 1 Corinthians 1:19. Rev. maketh void. [source]
Annul or invalidate. Comp. Mark 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:19; Galatians 3:15. [source]
Better, rejecteth. Setteth aside. Comp. Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:15; 1 Corinthians 1:19. Used in N.T. both of persons and things. [source]