Paul's writings very often refers to something implied but not expressed in the context ; most commonly it refers to the answer to a preceding question. It is so here. * Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ? He has^ for, &c.' After that {limhrj) properly, since. This particle, though in the Greek writers generally used of time, in the New Testa- ment is almost uniformly used in a causal sense. This is its meaning here. ' For, inasmuch as, or because.^
In the wisdom of God. This means either, in the wise ordination of God, or, in the midst of the manifestation of the wisdom of God. K the former interpretation be adopted, the meaning is, that it was a manifestation of divine wisdom to leave the world for four thousand years to test the power of human wisdom, that thus its insufficiency might be clearly demonstrated. The latter interpretation is generally adopted, and gives a better sense. ' In the wisdom of God, that is, although surrounded by the manifestations of the divine wis- dom in creation and providence, man failed to attain any saving knowledge of God.' The world by {its ttjs) wisdom knew not God. This is not inconsistent with Rom. 1, 20, where the apostle says, God's eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. In this latter passage Paul speaks of the revelation which God had made of himself; in the former, of the use which men had made of that revelation. The revelation was clear, but • men, through their imbecihty and perverseness, did not com- prehend it. In the midst of light they continued blind. The fault was in them, and not in the revelation. They did not like to retain God in their knowledge, Rom. 1, 28. Besides, sometimes the knowledge of God, in Scripture, means that speculative knowledge which human reason is adequate to de- rive from the works of God, and which renders their idolatry inexcusable ; at other times, it means saving knowledge. Hence it is perfectly consistent to say in the former sense, that men by wisdom may attain the knowledge of God ; and, in the latter sense, that they cannot attain that knowledge. Paul is here speaking of the knowledge which is connected with salvation. Such knowledge the world by wisdom had failed to secure. Therefore, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. " The foolishness of preaching " means the preaching of foolishness, that is, the cross. The doctrine of the cross was foolishness in the esti- mation of men. God thus put to shame all himian wisdom