Verse 21
Human reasoning ("wisdom") does not enable people to get to know God nor does it deliver them from their sins. These benefits come only through the "foolishness" (in the eyes of the natural man) of the message preached (Gr. kerygma), namely, the gospel. [Note: See Larry J. Waters, "Paradoxes in the Pauline Epistles," Bibliotheca Sacra 167:668 (October-December 2010):430-35.] The true estimation of things, therefore, is that human reasoning is folly.
Paul was not saying that all the wisdom that unbelievers have produced is worthless. However, in comparison with what the wisdom that God has revealed about Himself can accomplish, human wisdom is of little value.
"Not every human knowledge about any given topic-physics or medicine, for instance-is under debate in our text (at least not primarily). Paul has something more specific in mind . . . Paul aims specifically at the human wisdom about God as ’wisdom of the world,’ at ’theo-logy’ as ’wisdom of the world.’" [Note: Peter Lampe, "Theological Wisdom and the ’Word About the Cross’ The Rhetorical Scheme in 1 Corinthians 1-4," Interpretation 44:2 (April 1990):120.]
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