1 Corinthians 1:22

22 Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom,

1 Corinthians 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:22

For the Jews require a sign
The Jews had always been used to miracles, in confirmation of the mission of the prophets sent unto them, and therefore insisted on a sign proving Jesus to be the true Messiah; except signs and wonders were wrought, they would not believe; and though miracles were wrought in great numbers, and such as never man did, they remained incredulous, and persisted in demanding a sign from heaven, and in their own way; and it was told them that no other sign should be given them, but that of the prophet Jonah, by which was signified the resurrection of Christ from the dead; this was given them, and yet they believed not, but went on to require a sign still; nothing but miracles would do with them, and they must be such as they themselves pleased: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, read "signs", in the plural number:

and the Greeks seek after wisdom;
the wisdom of the world, natural wisdom, philosophy, the reason of things, the flowers of rhetoric, the ornaments of speech, the beauties of oratory, the justness of style and diction; as for doctrines they regarded none, but such as they could comprehend with, and account for by their carnal reason, everything else they despised and exploded. Hence we often read F12 of (tynwwy tmkx) , "the Grecian wisdom", or wisdom of the Greeks; which, the Jews say F13, lay in metaphors and dark sayings, which were not understood but by them that were used to it; the study of it was forbidden by them, though some of their Rabbins were conversant with it F14.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 T. Bab Menachot, fol 99. 2. Bava Kama, fol. 82. 2.
F13 Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Sota, c. 9. sect. 14.
F14 Shalshelet Hakabala, fol. 25. 1. Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 3. fol. 31. 2.

1 Corinthians 1:22 In-Context

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the persuasive speaker of our time? Hasn't God turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense?
21 The world with its wisdom was unable to recognize God in terms of his own wisdom. So God decided to use the nonsense of the Good News we speak to save those who believe.
22 Jews ask for miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom,
23 but our message is that Christ was crucified. This offends Jewish people and makes no sense to people who are not Jewish.
24 But to those Jews and Greeks who are called, he is Christ, God's power and God's wisdom.
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