John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 1:20

"Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" — 1 Corinthians 1:20 (ASV)

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? (1 Corinthians 1:20). This expression of triumph is added to illustrate the Prophet’s testimony. Paul has not taken this sentiment from Isaiah, as is commonly thought, but speaks in his own person. For the passage they point to (Isaiah 33:18) has nothing corresponding to the subject under discussion, or anything close to it.

For in that passage, while he promises the Jews deliverance from the yoke of Sennacherib, so that he may further magnify this great blessing from God, he shows how miserable is the condition of those who are oppressed by the tyranny of foreigners. He says that they are in a constant fever of anxiety, thinking themselves surrounded by scribes or questors, treasurers, and counters of towers. Indeed, he says that the Jews were involved in such difficulties that they were moved to gratitude by the very remembrance of them. It is a mistake, therefore, to suppose that this sentence is taken from the Prophet.

The term world should not be taken in connection only with the last term mentioned, but also with the other two. Now, by the wise of this world, he means those who do not derive their wisdom from illumination by the Spirit through the word of God, but, endowed with mere worldly sagacity, rest on the assurance it provides.

It is generally agreed that the term scribes means teachers. For as ספר, saphar, among the Hebrews, means to relate or recount, and the noun derived from it, ספר, sepher, is used by them to signify a book or volume, they employ the term סופרימ, sopherim, to denote learned men and those familiar with books; and for the same reason, sopher regis is often used to denote a chancellor or secretary. The Greeks, following the etymology of the Hebrew term, translated it as γραμματεις, scribes. He appropriately gives the name of investigators to those who show off their acuteness by raising difficult points and involved questions.

Thus, in a general way, he reduces humanity's entire intellect to nothing, so that it has no standing in the kingdom of God. And it is not without good reason that he inveighs so vehemently against human wisdom, for it is impossible to express how difficult it is to eradicate from people's minds a misdirected confidence in the flesh, so that they do not claim for themselves more than is reasonable. And it is excessive if, depending even in the slightest degree upon their own wisdom, they venture on their own to form a judgment.

Has not God made foolish etc. (1 Corinthians 1:20). By wisdom here he means everything that a person can comprehend either by the natural powers of their understanding, or by deriving help from practice, learning, or a knowledge of the arts. For he contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of the Spirit.

Hence, whatever knowledge a person may acquire without the illumination of the Holy Spirit is included in the expression, the wisdom of this world. This wisdom, he says, God has utterly made foolish; that is, He has exposed it as folly. You may understand this to be accomplished in two ways: for whatever a person knows and understands is mere vanity if it is not founded on true wisdom; and it is no better equipped for the understanding of spiritual doctrine than the eye of a blind man is for distinguishing colors.

We must carefully notice these two things: that a knowledge of all the sciences is mere smoke when the heavenly science of Christ is lacking; and a person, with all their acuteness, is as incapable of obtaining for themselves a knowledge of the mysteries of God as a donkey is unqualified to understand musical harmonies.

For in this way he reproves the destructive pride of those who glory in the wisdom of the world, thereby despising Christ and the entire doctrine of salvation, thinking themselves happy when they are preoccupied with created things; and he beats down the arrogance of those who, trusting to their own understanding, attempt to scale heaven itself.

A solution is also provided for the question of how Paul can, in this way, cast down to the ground every kind of knowledge that is separate from Christ, and trample underfoot, as it were, what is clearly one of the chief gifts of God in this world.

For what is more noble than human reason, in which humans excel other animals? How richly deserving of honor are the liberal sciences, which refine humanity, giving it the dignity of true humanity! Besides this, what distinguished and choice fruits they produce! Who would not extol with the highest praise civil prudence (not to mention other things) by which governments, authorities, and kingdoms are maintained?

A solution to this question, I say, is revealed by the fact that Paul does not expressly condemn either human natural perspicacity, or wisdom acquired from practice and experience, or cultivation of mind attained through learning; but declares that all this is of no use for acquiring spiritual wisdom.

And, certainly, it is madness for anyone, trusting either in their own acuteness or the help of learning, to attempt to ascend to heaven—or, in other words, to judge the secret mysteries of the kingdom of God, or to break through (Exodus 19:21) to discover them—for they are hidden from human view.

Let us, then, note that we must restrict what Paul here teaches about the vanity of the wisdom of this world to the specifics of the matter at hand: that it rests in the mere elements of the world and does not reach to heaven. In other respects, too, it is true that without Christ, knowledge in every field is futile, and the person who does not know God is futile, even if familiar with every branch of learning.

Furthermore, we can also truthfully affirm that these choice gifts of God—mental skill, acuteness of judgment, liberal sciences, and acquaintance with languages—are, in a way, profaned whenever they are possessed by wicked people.