Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 1:19
Verse 19. For it is written] The place referred to is Isa. xxix. 14. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise] twn sofwn, Of wise men-of the philosophers who in their investigations seek nothing less than God, and whose highest discoveries amount to nothing in comparison of the grand truths relative to God, the invisible world, and the true end of man, which the Gospel has brought to light. Let me add, that the very discoveries which are really useful have been made by men who feared God, and conscientiously credited Divine revelation: witness Newton, Boyle, Pascal, and many others. But all the skeptics and deists, by their schemes of natural religion and morality, have not been able to save one soul! No sinner has ever been converted from the error of his ways by their preaching or writings.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. As it is written , etc.] The passage referred to is in ( Isaiah 29:14) where it is read, the wisdom of their wise men shall perish; and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid; and is rendered by the Septuagint, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the understanding of the prudent: which is much the same with the apostles version of it: and the sense of the prophecy is, that in the times of the Messiah, under the Gospel dispensation, the mysteries of grace should be hid from the wise rabbins among the Jews, the Scribes and Pharisees, who, with all their sagacity, parts, and learning, would not be able to comprehend the doctrines of the Gospel; by these their wisdom and understanding would be nonplussed, so that they would reject them as foolishness, because their carnal reason could not reach them; which shows what an infatuation they were given up to: and if this should be the case, as it was with the wise and learned philosophers among the Gentiles, it need not be wondered at; it was what was foretold in prophecy concerning the Jews, who had the oracles of God, and the advantage of a divine revelation; and therefore it need not be stumbling to them that are saved, that the Gospel should meet with so much scorn and contempt among them that perish in the Gentile world. These words are very pertinently cited by the apostle, since they are acknowledged by the Jews themselves to signify the departure of wisdom from the wise men of Israel, in the times of the destruction of the temple, as Jarchi on the place observes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-25 - Paul had been bred up in Jewish learning; but the plain preaching of crucified Jesus, was more powerful than all the oratory and philosoph of the heathen world. This is the sum and substance of the gospel Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys. And by his death we live. The preaching of salvation for lost sinners by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, i explained and faithfully applied, appears foolishness to those in the way to destruction. The sensual, the covetous, the proud, an ambitious, alike see that the gospel opposes their favourite pursuits But those who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, see more of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Chris crucified, than in all his other works. God left a great part of the world to follow the dictates of man's boasted reason, and the event ha shown that human wisdom is folly, and is unable to find or retain the knowledge of God as the Creator. It pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. By the foolishness of preaching not by what could justly be called foolish preaching. But the thin preached was foolishness to wordly-wise men. The gospel ever was, an ever will be, foolishness to all in the road to destruction. The message of Christ, plainly delivered, ever has been a sure touchston by which men may learn what road they are travelling. But the despise doctrine of salvation by faith in a crucified Saviour, God in huma nature, purchasing the church with his own blood, to save multitudes even all that believe, from ignorance, delusion, and vice, has bee blessed in every age. And the weakest instruments God uses, ar stronger in their effects, than the strongest men can use. Not tha there is foolishness or weakness in God, but what men consider as such overcomes all their admired wisdom and strength.
Greek Textus Receptus
γεγραπται 1125 5769 V-RPI-3S γαρ 1063 CONJ απολω 622 5692 V-FAI-1S την 3588 T-ASF σοφιαν 4678 N-ASF των 3588 T-GPM σοφων 4680 A-GPM και 2532 CONJ την 3588 T-ASF συνεσιν 4907 N-ASF των 3588 T-GPM συνετων 4908 A-GPM αθετησω 114 5692 V-FAI-1S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. I will destroy, etc. Cited literally from the Septuagint, Isa. xxix. 14, except that the Septuagint has kruyw I will conceal, instead of I will reject. The Hebrew reads: "The wisdom of its (Judah's) wise men shall perish, and the sagacity of its sagacious men shall hide itself."Wisdom - prudence (sofian - sunesin). The two words are often found together, as Exod. xxxi. 3; Deut. iv. 6; Col. i. 9. Compare sofoi kai sunetoi wise and prudent, Matt. xi. 25. For the distinction, see, as to sofia wisdom, on Rom. xi. 33; as to sunesiv prudence, on Mark xii. 33; Luke ii. 47. Wisdom is the more general; mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense. Prudence is the special application of wisdom; its critical adjustment to particular cases.
Will bring to nothing (aqethsw). See on Luke vii. 30. Originally, to make disestablished (aqeton) something which is established or prescribed (qeton). Hence to nullify, make void, frustrate, and, in a milder sense, to despise or reject, as Gal. ii. 21. The stronger sense is better here, so that Rev., reject is not an improvement on the A.V. The American revisers render: And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:19 {I will destroy} (apolw). Future active indicative of apollumi. Attic future for apolesw. Quotation from #Isa 29:14 (LXX). The failure of worldly statesmanship in the presence of Assyrian invasion Paul applies to his argument with force. The wisdom of the wise is often folly, the understanding of the understanding is often rejected. There is such a thing as the ignorance of the learned, the wisdom of the simple-minded. God's wisdom rises in the Cross sheer above human philosophizing which is still scoffing at the Cross of Christ, the consummation of God's power.
