In today’s reading (1 Corinthians 1:17-25), a distinction is made between true and false wisdom. Paul presents us with one of the most central concepts of his teaching, and indeed of our Christian faith. He begins by saying that Christ had not sent him (Paul) to baptize. In so speaking, he is no way minimizing baptism. What he is asserting is that his special calling was to proclaim the Gospel. It was for others to establish Christian communities after he had gone on to preach the Message in other mission fields. In the same way, Peter asks others to baptize the gentile Cornelius and his household after they were received into the community (Acts 10:48).
Today’s passage focuses on the essence of our faith, which transcends all human divisions—a message just as relevant today as it was then. What he says arises out of his displeasure with factions which were forming in the Corinthian communities. Some were saying they were for Paul, others for Apollos, or Cephas (Peter), or even Christ. Paul emphasizes that they are all, no matter who baptized them, one in Christ. It was Christ, and Christ alone, who died for them and saved them. Paul’s particular charism was to proclaim the Gospel to new communities. He was a founder of churches and communities and so he kept moving from place to place. The other church ministries were left to others to carry out. It is a good example of the diversity of gifts about which he will speak later.
Further, his role was to preach the Cross of Christ, but not with an orator’s eloquence that might rob the Cross of its real power. Oratory was a highly esteemed talent in those days, especially among the Greeks and Romans, but Paul makes no claim to it and for that he is glad. Paul’s mission was not to couch the Gospel in the language of the trained orator, who had studied the techniques of influencing people by persuasive arguments. What Paul shares is not human wisdom, but the wisdom of God. The strength of the message is not in how it is delivered, but in its content.
The Cross speaks for itself and does not need the persuasive language of the orator. The message of the Cross is unique. It requires a special kind of insight to see its meaning and its wisdom, insight given to the individual as a gift from God. For those who are not on God’s wavelength, it makes no sense, but for those who are, it speaks of God’s power—above all, His power of love.
The Cross does not require great intelligence and learning to be understood. It can as easily be grasped by the illiterate person. It is not a message of intellectual depth, but a witness to immeasurable love. It can only be accessed by faith and trust.
Even so, today, the Cross is still seen as a stumbling block and as nonsense by those who only see the external image. In a world dedicated to acquisition, power and success, it gives a totally unacceptable message. The power of the Cross is not understood, and the followers of Jesus are ridiculed and deemed irrelevant. As Christians living in this world, we are probably often caught in the middle. We are carried along by the power-success dream, and at the same time would like to be able to make the weakness-failure Way of Christ ours too. What we need is to be able to see clearly that the real power and wisdom is with Jesus’ Way, and that the way of the world ultimately leads only to nothingness.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!