Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewardo of the mysteries of God.  (2) Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.  (3) But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court.  In fact, I do not even judge myself.  (4) For I know of nothing against myself, yet i am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.  (5) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts.  Then each one’s praise will come from God. 

The first letter to the CORINTHIANS was written be the Apostle Paul in response to a leadership crisis there. The Christians in Corinth had developed pride in “their” different messengers of the gospel, disregarding the real gospel and becoming highly secular instead of growing spiritually.

Paul contrasts the way he is viewed by the  Christians at Corinth and how they view themselves and their ministers.  Christian ministers are not masters but they are stewards of the Lord – they have certain authority but are not to be intent on pleasing men but pleasing the Lord who is both master and judge.

Paul pursues the matter of the CORINTHIANS judging him and he does this by pointing out that he, Paul, has limitations to judge even himself.  Human judgment is fallible and the Christians at Corinth are to cease judging.  (And Paul is writing of the judgment of believers, not unbelievers.).  Man’sjudgment is temporal and incomplete but the Lord is the final judge. Only God knows what is really motivating men’s hearts. So Paul is saying men don’t have enough information to judge and they are not wise enough – they base their judgment on outward appearances.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  (17) If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (18) Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. (19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.  For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”, (20) and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”  (21) Therefore let no one boast in men.  For all things are yours:  (22) whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come – all are yours.  (23) And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. 

The first letter to the CORINTHIANS was written by the Apostle Paul.  There were problems there and the first two chapters of this letter addresses them – cults of personalities were causing divisions among the Christians The gospel was being preached by different men in different styles or personalities.  The factions took pride in the prestige and status of the leaders they followed instead of embracing the message of the gospel – the Christians at Corinth were so shortsighted and foolish and did not believe that all that mattered was the word of God; the message, not the messenger.

In our verses today Paul is asking these delusional men/women to change something –  to stop deceiving themselves  and to stop boasting of men.  Man’s wisdom is foolishness to God and God’s wisdom is foolishness to unbelievers.  The Christians should open their eyes and see how the world they know is passing away; the people, the nations, the cultural “wisdom”, material goods – all is short lived.  It is delusional to think otherwise.

Wisdom is the truth of the gospel, of Scripture, of the Cross – the unbelieving world foolishly rejects this.  Man’s reliance on his own wisdom brings about his downfall;  it trips him up, is futile, arrogant and useless – it is temporal not eternal.  Paul tells the Christians at Corinth that all that matters – present or in the future – is their (and our) life in the Spirit.  Salvation is the message of the gospel and the revelation of God is through Christ who is in God.

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.  (7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, (8) which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  (9) But as it is written:  “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”  (10) But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.  For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 

The first letter to the CORINTHIANS was written by the Apostle Paul in correction  of factional and doctrinal behavior.  In our verses today Paul is dealing with divine wisdom and human wisdom and the work of the Spirit in illuminating God’s wisdom.  In verse 6 Paul writes of those who are mature in the faith – spiritually mature.  He tells his audience that human wisdom, pride in the cult of personality, and reverence by man of the rich and powerful is in no way connected to salvation as revealed in the gospel through Christ – all earthly things are temporal; never satisfying or solving anything.  Truth can only be learned from Scripture.

The powerful and wise men of Paul’s time knew nothing of God’s wisdom or they wouldn’t have crucified the Lord of glory.  Paul then quotes Isaiah when he makes his point that true wisdom is not understood by man’s natural process.  Man will never comprehend the wisdom of the gospel except by God’s grace alone.  We can only know God by revelation through the Spirit.  We cannot know God unless He discloses Himself personally.  Human wisdom is worthless for salvation.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. (2) For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  (3) I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.  (4) And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, (5) that your faith should not be the wisdom of men but the power of God. 

The apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the CORINTHIANS. In the first chapter of this letter Paul exposes and confronts the divisions in the church at Corinth – he is saying that the faith of the CORINTHIANS should not rely on cults of personalities – men of eloquence – but on the true word of God as paul preached; not on persuasive words and great oratory (human wisdom) but on the word of the Lord by the Lord and  Paul is the chosen instrument of God to impart His revelation of salvation.

Paul preaches Christ alone and Christ crucified.  The fact of the crucifixion was a stumbling block for the Jews – an ignominious death they could not accept. Proud Jews despised the death of the cross but Paul embraced this ALL as the wisdom of God – this is what faithful ministers HAD to preach and all else counts for nothing.

Paul says that there is nothing excellent in Him in the eyes of men so that the power of God shows more conspicuously –  the Christians in Corinth could see the power of God in his successful preaching even though he had not the outward appearance or ease of words.  His spirit of unworthiness would impart something he knew to be all important – those who preach easily and confidently are of themselves and are not in awe of God.  Even in fear Paul moved to preach God’s word – he totally submitted to the will of God and showed a thorough renunciation of himself

The point of our verses today is that the gospel is not human wisdom, not the wisdom of the world – but Christ  crucified which is the wisdom of God. The world won’t accept this because it is contrary to what they esteem – power, wealth, standing.  Paul is saying pride and the Gospel are incompatible.