The message of the gospel is foolishness and folly? The message that "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" [John 1:14]; the message "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" [1Cor. 15:3-4]; the message that it is only by the blood of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary that God can forgive sin and man receive redemption [John 19:17; Eph. 1:7]? That one? That message is "foolishness"? And God is "pleased" by the foolishness of it?
Yes yes it is true. The message of the gospel is foolishness and folly and God is pleased. The 'bible' says so...if that is...you will believe the Westcott-Hort aka Nestle-Aland so-called modern bible versions. The gospel message is foolishness and folly - it says so right in 1 Corinthians 1:21:
- RSV - Real-Sorry-Version [1952 - compare ESV] 1 Cor. 1:21 "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe"
- NIV - Non-Inspired-Version: 1 Cor. 1:21 "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe'
- NASB - Not-A-Solid-Bible: 1 Cor. 1:21 "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
- NKJV - Neutered-King-James-Version: 1 Cor. 1:21 "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
- ESV - Error-Saturated-Version: 1Cor. 1:21 "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
The King James Bible says something entirely different though. Nothing whatsoever about the Gospel message in this verse of scripture - especially nothing about the gospel message being foolishness. To say the message of the gospel is foolishness is pure blasphemy. It is not here the message, but rather the method by which the message would be made effective that is deemed foolishness, and that pleased God. It is this method that is described in 1 Corinthians 1:21 as the "foolishness of preaching":
- KJV - King James Bible: 1Cor. 1:21 "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe"
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Saving men by the method of preaching. This method pleased God because it confounds the wisdom of man. Perform religious rituals? Men will do this. Offer up their own works, as did Cain when he sought to be accepted on his own merits by offering his basket of fruits [Gen. 4:3]? Men will gladly do this. As long as they can 'do' something, anything, they will comply. But man can 'do' nothing. This they must learn [Titus 3:5-7]. Only through the "foolishness of preaching", whereby man is completely removed from the equation, as it were, can he be saved. 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God' [Rom. 10:17]. The Word of God preached, and heard. This is God's one only method by which He works the salvation of mankind. The 'foolishness' of preaching. No other way. It is the work of God start to finish. He is Alpha and Omega [Rev. 1:8].
On this subject of the foolishness of preaching, this from Spurgeon. It is excerpted from an 1857 sermon entitled "A Mighty Saviour":