baptize, but rather to preach the gospel, that I may have leifure to convert unbelievers; Not, however, by using philofophical arguments expreffed in rhetorical language, that the doctrine of falvation through the cross of Chrift, might not be deprived of its efficacy, as a truth revealed of God. 18 For the preaching concerning the cross of Christ as the means of falvation, to the deftroyed among the heathen philofophers and Jewish scribes is indeed foolishness, but to us who are faved from the errors of heathenifm and Judaism, it is found to be the powerful means whereby God faves finners. 19 Because the preaching of a crucified Saviour would be reckoned folly, it is written, I will explode the philofophy of the philofophers, and will fet afide the learning of the fcribes as ufelefs, by making the preaching of a crucified Saviour, more effectual than either for reforming the world. 20 Where is the philofopher? Where the fcribe? Where the Sceptic Ver. 19-1. It is written, I will defroy, &c. This is a quotation from Isaiah xxix. 14. Behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work among ft this people, even a marvellous work, and a wonder. For the wifdom of their wife men fhall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men fhall be hid. 2. The knowledge of the intelligent. As the prophet had in his eye the Grecian and Jewish literature, the word Gutowy, knowledge, must fignify erudition; and overwv, intelligent, must mean learned men. Ver. 20.-1. Where is the wife man? The Greek philofophers were first name cofo, wife men: afterwards they changed the appellation into ho, Lovers of wisdom. That they are meant here is plain from ver. 21. where the Gentiles are said, through wisdom, to have lost the knowledge of God. 2. Where the fcribe? The fcribes are often mentioned in the gospels. They were an order of learned men among the Jews, much esteemed for their fuppofed knowledge of the fcriptures. Hence they were confulted by Herod concerning the place where the Chrift fhould be born, Matth. ii. 4. If the falfe teacher was one of this order, the propriety hath not God made foolith ὁ Θεος την σοφίαν τε κόσμε the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that, in the by wildom knew not God, them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a fign, and the Greeks feek after wildom. 23 But we preach Chrift crucified, unto the Jews a ftumbling-biock, and unto the Greeks foolifhnefs ; 24 But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Chrift the power of God, and the wildon of God. τότε; ὁ κοσ 21 Επειδη γαρ εν τη σα μια τε Θε8 εκ εγνω μα δια της σοφίας τον Θεον, ευδόκησεν ὁ Θεος δια της μω ριας τε κηρυγματα σώσαι τις πις εύοντας. 22 Επείδη και Ιεδαίοι ση μείον αιτεσι, και Έλληνες σοφίαν ζητεσιν 23 Ημεις δε κηρυσσομεν Χρισον εσαυρωμενον, Ιεδαίοις μεν σκανδαλον, Ἑλλησι δε μωριαν 24 Αυτοις δε τοις κλη τοις Ιεδαίοις τε και Έλλησι Χρισον Θες δυναμιν και Θε8 σοφίαν. propriety of calling on the fcribes to appear with the heathen learned men, to behold the wisdom of this world made foolishaefs by God, will be evident. 3. Where the difputer ? By συζητητης, difputer, fome underland the Jewish doctors who difputed publicly in the fynagogues and fchools. Thus we are told, Luke ii. 46. that Jefus fat among the doctors bearing them, and afking them queflions. Others fuppofe the apoftle meant the academics or fceptics, who were great difputers. Jerome on Gal iii. thought the apoftle meant natural philofophers, whom the Jews called fapientes fcrutationis. Ver. 21. The world through coifdem. Here the word σοφία, vifdom, fignifies the difquifitions of the learned Greeks, to which they gave the name of philofophy, but which at length rendered every thing fo doubtful, that these learned men loft the perfuafion even of the plaineft truths. Ver. 22. The Jews demand a fign. Since the apoftle wrought great miracles daily in confirmation of the gofpel, the fign which the Jews demanded, was, in all probability, the fign from heaven, which we are Llatt, 12136 told Mark vini rr. the pharifees fought from our Lord himfelf. For as Daniel had foretold the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven, to receive the kingdom, the Jews expected that the Chrift would make his firft appearance in the clouds, and by fome great ex of this world? Let them declare what reformation they have wrought on mankind. Hath not God fhewn the foolishness of the wisdom of this world; the inefficacy of philofophy in bringing men to the knowledge of God and to the practice of virtue, by leaving them fo long to its guidance without effect. 21 For when, in the wife government of God, (Gal. iv. 4. note 1.) experience had fhewn, that the world, through philofophy, did not attain the knowledge of God, it pleafed God, through what the philofophers call the foolishness of public preaching, to fave them who believe the things preached concerning the Lord Jefus. 22 And although the fews demand a miracle in proof, that Jefus is the Chrift, and the Greeks feek wisdom, that is a scheme of philosophy, in the doctrines of the gospel, 23 Yet. we preach falvation through Chrift crucified, which to the Jews, indeed, who believe that their Chrift will never die, (John xii. 34.) is a ftumbling-block, and to the Greeks is foolifonefs, who think it abfurd to fpeak of being faved by one who did not fave himself : 24 But to them who have obeyed the gospel call, both Jews and Greeks, the doctrine of falvation through Chrift crucified, is the powerful and wife means by which God accomplisheth their converfion. ertion of power, wreft the empire of the world from the Romans. No wonder then, that the preaching of the Christ crucified, was to the Jews a ftumbling-block Ver. 23. We preach Chrift. The Greek word Xgs, Chrift, is the literal translation of the Hebrew word Meffiah, and both fignify an anointed perfon. Now this name being appropriated by the Jewish prophets to the Son of God, whofe coming into the world they foretold, the Chriftian preachers, by applying it to their mafter, declared him him to be the Son of God. Of this ufe of the name Chrift, the following are examples, John x. 24. How long doft thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Chrift tell us plainly. John xi. 27. I believe thou art the Chrift the Son of God which should come. Ver. 26. Call you. Thefe words I have fupplied from the first clause of the verfe. Our tranflators have fupplied the words, are called, which convey a fentiment neither true nor fuitable to the apostle's defign. It is not true: for even in Judea among the chief rulers, many believed on him, John xii. 42. particularly Nicodemus and Jofeph of Arimathea. Other Jews likewife of rank and learning were called; fuch as the nobleman, whofe fick fon Jefus cured, John iv. 53. and Manaen, Herod's fofter-brother, and Cornelius, and Gamaliel, and that great company of priests mentioned, Acts vi. 7. Who were obedient to the faith. At Ephefus, many who ufed the arts of magic and divination were called, and who were men of learning, as appears from the number and value of their books which they burned after embracing the gofpel, Acts xix. 19. And in fuch numerous churches as those of Antioch, Theffalonica, Corinth and Rome, it can hardly be doubted that there were difciples in the higher ranks of life. There were brethren even in the emperor's family, Philip. iv. 22. In fhort the precepts in the epiftles, to masters to treat their flaves with humanity, and to women concerning their not adorning themfelves with gold and filver and coftly raiment, fhew that many wealthy perfons had embraced the gofpel. On the other hand, though it were true, That not many wife men, &c. were called, it did not fuit the apoftle's argument to mention it here. For furely God's not calling many 26 (Tag) For ye fee the calling of you, brethren, that not many persons remarkable for human literature, not many mighty by their offices, not many eminent for their noble birth, are chofen to call you into the fellowship of the gospel, ver. 9. 27 But the illiterate ones of the world, God hath chofen to call you, that he might put to fhame the learned; and the weak ones of the world, perfons poffeffed of no worldly power, God hath chofen to call you, that he might put to shame those, who, by their rank and office, were frong ones, perfons who, by their authority and example, might have fuccessfully re formed others. many of the wife, &c. joined with his calling the fadifh ones of the world to believe, did not put to fhame the wife and ftrong, &c. Whereas, if the discourse is understood of the preachers of the gospel, who were employed to convert the world, all is clear and pertinent. God chose not the learned, the mighty, and the noble ones of this world to preach the gofpel, but illiterate and weak men, and men of low birth and by making them fuccefsful in reforming mankind, he put to fhame the legiflators, ftatefmen, and philofophers among the heathens, and the learned fcribes and doctors among the Jews, who never had done any thing to purpose in that matter, Ver. 27. But ra μapa, fup. πgoowwa, the foolish ones of the world. In this paffage, the apoftle imitated the contemptuous language in which the Greek philofophers affected to fpeak of the Chriftian preachers. Yet as he does it in irony, he thereby aggrandized them. The firft preachers of the gofpel, as Dr. Newton obferves, on Prophecy, vol. 1. p. 237. "were chiefly a few poor fishermen, of low parentage and "education, of no learning or eloquence, of no reputation or autho"rity, despised as Jews by the reft of mankind, and by the Jews as the meanest and worst of themselves. What improper inftruments "were these to contend with the prejudices of the world, the fuperfti ❝tion |