The Divine Lamp

Published originally on my primary blog, which contains everything found on this site and much more besides.

1:18.   For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness. any declaration about the salvation bestowed by the Cross, or about our redemption by the Cross and Passion of Christ, seems foolishness to men who are skeptical and perverse, and therefore ready to perish.  Isaiah, too, says this in the person of Christ: Behold, I and the children of whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel (Isa. 8:18).  See also Heb. 2:13.

1:19.  For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise: and the prudence of the prudent I will reject. This is from Isa. 29:14, where, following the Hebrew, the verbs are intransitive.  St Paul quotes from the Septuagint, where the verbs are transitive, but the sense is the same.  Note that Paul refers to the whole circle of worldly wisdom what the Prophet said of the wisdom of the Jews alone, which was Pharisaic.  For both are alike in this connection, and the meaning is, “I will make men unwilling to use worldly wisdom for their salvation, but only the Gospel and the Cross of Christ.”

1:20.  Where is the wise? The Gentile philosophers.  Where is the scribe? The Jewish doctors.  St Paul is quoting Isa. 33:18 (In fact, St Paul may be alluding to the first part of isa. 19:12 which reads: “Where are your wise men?  Isa 33:18 reads: where is the learned? where is he that pondered the words of the law? where is the teacher of little ones? ).

Note, as the Greeks called their wise men philosophers, and the Chaldeans their magi, so the Jews called theirs sopharim, “scribes.”  “Scribes” is from the same root as “Scripture,” and implies that they were occupied with the Holy Scriptures.  Their duty, in fact, was to preserve the Holy Scriptures in their integrity, to carefully correct all transcripts, to interpret them by writing and by word of mouth, and to write out or state the answers they gave to the questions about the Law (See Epiphanius Heresies 16)

Where is the disputer of this world? The student of physical science who narrowly investigates the secrets of nature and the world.  In other words, philosophers and scribes have been cast aside, and all the wise of this world thrown down and put to confusion by the preaching of the Apostles, by the glory of the Gospel (so St. John Chrysostom).  Chrysostom writes: Having said, “It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,” He subjoins demonstration from facts, saying, “Where is the wise? where the Scribe?” at the same time glancing at both Gentiles and Jews. For what sort of philosopher, which among those who have studied logic, which of those knowing in Jewish matters, hath saved us and made known the truth? Not one. It was the fisherman’s work, the whole of it.

Paul here and in the following verses is aiming at philosophers both ancient and modern, and not at such Christians as Dionysius the Areopagite, Hierotheus, Paul himself, Clement of Rome, Nathanael, Gamaliel, Apollos, as the Anabaptists seem to think.  He has in mind the Gentile teachers who at this very time were going round the world, like rivals to the Apostles, and under the garb of piety, wisdom, and eloquence were attempting to attract to themselves, and away from the Apostles, the various nations, as thought they alone taught true wisdom, and the way to virtue, righteousness, and salvation; as, e.g., Musonius, Dio, Epictetus, Damys, Diogenes Minor, Apollonius of Tyana, who was greatly looked up to by the Greeks at the time because of his mystic powers, and was given a statue at Ephesus, and placed among the gods (see Baronius, Annal, A.D. 75).

Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? I.e., has shown to be foolish: a manifestation of its true nature is described as if it were a change of its essence.  It is foolish, he says, seen in the light of the Cross and of Christ and of salvation.  The light of this knowledge requires faith, not subtlety.  St Ambrose says, The knowledge of fishermen has made foolish the knowledge of philosophers,” since it has surpassed their limits, and the limits of nature.

So, too, did God by His creative work show the folly of the saying of the philosophers, that “Out of nothing nothing comes,” and that in consequence the universe was uncreate and eternal.   So in His Incarnation did He show the folly of the saying, “God cannot be contained by a body, time, and place; and in His Passion the saying “God cannot suffer and die.”  So in the Eucharist He shows the foolishness of their principles and of those of our modern innovators who say, “An accident cannot exist without a subject; a body cannot be in a point; two bodies cannot be in the same place at the same time.”  For though these things are out of Nature’s reach, yet they are not impossible to God, who is Omnipotent, and transcends all nature.

St Paulinus quotes this passage of St Paul’s in a letter to Aper, who had been a lawyer and then had embraced the monastic life, and was, therefore, exposed to ridicule.  From this he confirms him in his purpose, and shows him how to despise the laughter and sneers of men.  “I congratulate you,” he says, “on having scorned that wisdom which is rejected of God, and on having preferred to have fellowship rather with Christ’s little ones than with the wise of the world.  It is from this that you have merited the grace from God of the hatred of men; this would not be had you not begun to be a true follower of Christ.”  And a little lower, in showing the fruit and dignity of his purpose, he says, “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for it is not you that they hate, but Him who has begun to be in you, whose work is in you, whose humility they despise, whose holiness the loathe.  Joyfully recognize yourself to be a sharer in this good with Prophets and Apostles.  From the beginning of the world Christ has ever suffered and triumphed in His own: in Abel He was killed by His brother; in Noah He was mocked by His son; in Abraham He was a pilgrim; in Isaac He was offered up; in Jacob He served; in Joseph He was sold; in Moses exposed and forced to flee; in the Prophets stoned and persecuted; in the Apostles tossed about on sea and land; in His Martyrs often slain and in different ways.  In you, too, He suffers reproaches, and this world hates Him in you; but thanks be to Him that He overcomes when He is judged and triumphs in us.”  Again, praising and admiring his change in life, he says, “Where now is the once feared advocate and judge?  Would that I had wings to fly to you, to see you no longer yourself, but changed from a lion to a calf-to see Christ in Aper, who has now laid aside his ferocity and strength, and become a lamb unto God instead of a wild boar of this world.  For you are a boar, but of the corn-field, not of the forest; you are rich in the good fruit of holy discipline, and have fed yourself with the fruit of virtues.”

1:21.  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Mark the phrase, “in the wisdom of God.”  God shows His wisdom in the marvelous structure and government of the world, as St Thomas says.  In other words, the world in its foolishness knew not God practically in His wisdom stamped on His Creation, as the Author of its salvation, and lLeader to a life of bliss; nor yet speculatively, because philosophers regarded God as powerless to create; they thought Him to act under necessity, and to be void of providence, &c.

Hence it is that God has revealed Himself and His salvation to the world in a way which seems to the world foolishness, viz., by the Cross.  He has thus stooped to men, and become as it were foolish among them;  just as a teacher will sometimes act as a boy, and talk as a boy, amongst boys.  So Christ, because He was not understood as God, revealed Himself to men, as a man, and one liable to suffering.  This is wisdom unspeakable.  St St Thomas, Anselm, and others.

1:22.  For the Jes require a sign…but we preach Christ crucified. A Theban, when asked what he thought of the Romans, said that “the Romans boasted themselves in their spears, the Greeks in their eloquence, the Thebans in their virtues.”  But the Apostle says that he and other Christians boast themselves in Christ crucified.  This is our spear, our eloquence, and our virtue.

1:23.  Unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto Greeks foolishness. Notice here, with St John Chrysostom (Homily 4), that the power of the Cross shines forth not only in itself but also in its preaching: (1) In the fact that the Apostles, few in number, simple fishermen, poor, unlearned, unknown, and Jews, in all these respects hateful to the world, yet brought the world into subjection to the Cross.  (2) In the fact that they subdued most bitter enemies, demons, sin, death, hell, kings, princes, philosophers, orators, Greeks barbarians, laws judgments, long-existing religions, and time-honored traditions.  (3) In that they persuaded men by simple preaching, and not by arms, wisdom, or eloquence.  (4) In that in so short a time they spread the faith of Christ over the whole world.  (5) In that by the grace of Christ they overcame most cheerfully and courageously what is hardest to be borne by the natural strength of man, the threats of tyrants, scourgings, deaths, and tortures.  (6) In that they preached a doctrine not about a glorious God, but a crucified One, and Him their Savior to be believed in and adored; and a law of Christ displeasing to nature and flesh.  Wherefore Tertullian (lib. contra Jud.) beautifully and fitly compares the Kingdom of Christ with the kingdoms of all kings and people, and prefers it before them all: “Solomon,” he says, “reigned, but only in the borders of Judea from Dan to Beersheba: Darius reigned over the Babylonians and Parthians, but not further; Pharaoh reigned over the Egyptians, but over them only.  The kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar stretched only from India to Ethiopia.  Alexander of Macedon, after subduing all Asia and other countries, could not keep what he had conquered.  So have the Germans, Britons, Moors, and Romans bounds set to their dominions.  but the kingdom of Christ has reached to all parts, His name is believed on everywhere, is worshiped by all nations, everywhere reigns, is everywhere adored; He is equal to all, King over all, Judge over all, God and Lord of all.”

1:25.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser that men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. That is, say Ambrose and Anselm, the foolishness and weakness in God and in Christ incarnate and suffering, as e.g., His humanity, mortality, Passion and Cross, was just that by which Christ, when seemingly conquered, yet most wisely and most powerfully conquered men, Satan, and the whole world.  In other words, God’s wisdom and power were most plainly seen in His overcoming all wisdom and strength by what was foolish and weak, viz., the Cross.  And therefore St Jerome and St Augustine explain the passage of Habakkuk (3:4) “He had horns coming out of his hands,” thus: The strength and weapons by which, as by horns, Christ slew His foes were the arms of the Cross to which the hands of Christ were nailed.  Hence it is that the Cross in the sky appeared to Constantine the Great as he was going into battle against Maxentius, with the inscription, “In this sign thou shalt conquer” (Eusebius, Life of Constantine).

Literally and morally the power and wisdom of the Cross are seen (1) in that on the Cross God showed His supreme love to us, that so He might draw us to Him; for God, under no necessity, with no prospect of advantage to Himself, of His own will stooped to the Cross from love of man solely.  This He yet did with such wisdom that no damage was done by it to the loftiness and glory of His Godhead; for the Godhead in Him suffered nothing, but He bore all His suffering in the Manhood which He had assumed.  (2) In that on the Cross He redeemed man, not by the power of His Godhead, but through the righteousness and humility of His Passion, as St Augustine says.  (3) In that on the Cross He set before us a most perfect example of obedience, constancy, endurance of punishment, patience, fortitude, and all virtues, as well as mortification of vices.  (4) In that on the Cross He condemned the wisdom and pride of the world, and gave to man, who had fallen through pride and self-indulgence, a mirror of life, viz., a mode of recovery through humility and the Cross (see St Thomas ST. III, q. 46, art. 3, and St Augustine De Trin. lib. XIII, c. 12).

St Bernard, in his exhortation to the Soldiers of the Temple (c. 11), says: “The weakness of Christ was no less beneficial to us than His majesty; for although the power of His Godhead ordered the removal of the yoke of sin, yet the weakness of His flesh destroyed by death the rights of death over man.  And therefore the Apostle beautifully says: ‘The weakness of God is stronger than men.’  But His foolishness  by which He was pleased to save the world, so as to confute the wisdom of the world, and to confound the wise; which made Him, though He was in the form of God and equal to God, empty Himself, and take upon Him the form of a servant; by which, though He was rich, He yet for our sake became poor, though He was great He became little, though He was high yet He became humbled, though he was powerful He became weak; Through which He hungered, thirsted, and was weary on the journey, and suffered all that His own will and on necessity laid upon Him; this foolishness of His, was it not to us the way of prudence, the form of righteousness, the example of holiness?  Therefore the Apostle also adds, ‘The foolishness of God is wiser than men.’  Death then set us free from death, life from error, grace from sin.  And truly His death won the victory through His righteousness; because the Just One, by paying what he never took, rightly recovered all that He had lost.”

Hence it is that Francis and the greatest Saints have sought to be considered foolish by the world, in order that they might the rather please God.  Some religious Orders, indeed, so regard this as the height of perfection and Christian wisdom that they enjoin their members to love, desire, and embrace contempt, ridicule, insults, and injuries, and to long to be considered fools, just as eagerly as worldly men seek for a reputation for wisdom, for honor, and renown.  They do this to teach them in this way (1) to utterly despise the world; (2) to humiliate themselves and uproot their innate desire of honor, praise, glory, and high position; (3) to be more like Christ, and to clothe themselves with His garments and His marks, who for our sakes, and to give us an example of virtue and perfection, chose these things Himself, willed to be considered foolish, and became a scorn of men, and the outcast of the people.  They say, therefore, with St Paul, “God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world.”

All this does the Cross of Christ teach if you often meditate on it; nay, the Cross is the fount of wisdom.  St Bonaventura, when asked where he had drunk in so much wisdom, showed a crucifix almost worn away by kisses.  St Jacoponus, a man of good birth and of great learning, after having learned from the Cross of Christ to become foolish to the world, was asked by Christ, who appeared to him in a friendly and familiar way he was so enamored of this foolishness, and he answered with his customary pious pleasantry, “Because Thou, Lord, hast been more foolish than I.”  In short, St Chrysostom (Homily 4 on the Cross and the Robber) sums up the power and praise of the Cross as follows: “If you wish to know the power of the Cross, and what I have to say in tis praise, listen: The Cross is the hope of Christians, the resurrection of the dead, the way of them that despair, the staff of the lame, the consolation of the poor, the curb of the rich, the destruction of the proud, the punishment of them that live badly, victory over the demons, subjugation of the devil, the instructor of the young, nourishment of the needy, hope of the hopeless, the rudder of the seafarers, haven to the storm-tossed, wall to the besieged, father of the fatherless, defender of widows, counselor of the just, rest to the weary, guardian of little one, head of men, end of the aged, light to them that sit in darkness, the magnificence of kings, an everlasting shield, wisdom of the foolish, liberty to the slaves, a philosophy for kings, law to the lawless, the boast of martyrs, the self-denial of monks, the chastity of virgins, the joy of priests, the foundation of the Church, the destruction of temples, the rejection of idols, a stumbling-block to the Jews, perdition to the ungodly, strength to the weak, physician to the sick, bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothing to the naked.”