Third Sunday Meditation: "But to those who are called..."

"Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person

glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty 

and the powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power;

let not the person who is rich in physical gratification and earthly wealth

glory and boast in his temporal satisfactions and earthly riches.

But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me,

personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character,

that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment and righteousness

in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord."

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Scarlet Anemones in the Garden of Gethsemane

(Israel)

WHOSE WISDOM IS FOOLISH?

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those

who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring

to nothing the understanding of the intelligent."

Where is the wise one? Where is the Torah scholar?

Where is the debater of this age?

Hasn't God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

For seeing that-in God's wisdom-the world through its

wisdom did not know God, God was pleased- through the

foolishness of the message proclaimed-to save those who believe.

For Jewish people ask for signs and Greek (Gentile, or non-Jewish)

seek after wisdom, but we proclaim Messiah crucified-a stumbling block

to Jewish people and foolishness to Gentile people, but to those 

 who are called, both Jewish and Greek people, 

Messiah, the power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the

weakness of God is stronger than men.

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many are wise

according to human standards, not many are powerful,

and not many are born well.

Yet God chose the foolish things of the world so that He might

put to shame the wise; and God chose the weak things of the world

so that He might put to shame the strong;  and God chose the lowly

and despised things of the world, the things that are as nothing,

so He might bring to nothing the things that are-

so that no human being might boast before God.

But because of Him you are in Messiah Yeshua, who became

to us wisdom from God and righteousness and holiness and redemption-

so that, just as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in Adonai."

1 Corinthians 1: 18-31

Adonai

Paul Wilbur

(2005)



"Whose Wisdom Is Foolish"
Excerpt from the "Tree Of Life"
The New Covenant
The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Project
(2012)