Are You a Jew or a Greek?

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:22-24.

Are You a Jew or a Greek?

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom…” (1 Corinthians 1:22)

This verse may become very ordinary to us because we might have read it several times without really taking a deeper look at it. Most of us Christians may find ourselves between these two categories depending our focus or bases for our belief in Christ.

In the context of the verse we become like Jews when we demand for signs from God to still believe in him even though we profess to believe in him. Signs as used in this verse can also mean miracles. Signs in itself may not be bad but if it becomes the condition upon which our faith is built, it may wreck our faith. How does that happen? Because the condition for believing on a message is based on the fact that there should be a sign to prove, the moment that sign is not evident, it becomes a very difficult thing to believe and gradually the message dies off. It’s just like the parable of the sower Jesus shared, he said some of the “seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.” (Matthew 13:5-6). Our obsession with signs may sometimes lead us to false miracles, magic tricks and sorcery as in the case of Moses and Pharaoh’s wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians who did the same things Moses did by their secret arts (Exodus 7:11). We cannot deny the presence of such arts in our generation, some who fake as ‘men of God’ go to the extent of hiring actors to dupe unsuspecting victims. So it’s good our faith is built on something stronger. Most of the Jews didn’t believe in Jesus because he fail to show them the sign they wanted to see (Matthew 16:1-4). We should be like the three Hebrew boys who did not let miracles be the bases for their belief in God but said “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18, emphasis mine). They chose not to bow even if they fail to see the signs they were in need of. This should be our focus in our pursuit of God.

Seek God knowing he rewards true seekers, not just seekers of benefits. (see Hebrews 11:6)

On the other hand, We become like Greeks when we seek wisdom as the bases for our belief in God. Greece served as the hub for modern philosophy and compared to the Romans, Greeks were described as ‘men of words’ while the Romans were described as ‘men of action’. After the Romans captured Greece they tried to blend their philosophy with their actions. The Greeks were very knowledgeable and it took great depths of knowledge to convince a Greek. The bible in James tries to distinguish between two types of wisdom; “Earthly” wisdom and “Wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:15,17). Paul also in 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 2, distinguishes between the wisdom of God and human wisdom or wise by human standards.

Before I move on I would like to caution that I’m not saying to be foolish is a virtue but rather I’m going to look at a comparative analysis of the two which has been noted above, even Proverbs says to be wise is to be preferred over foolishness.

The instances where the scriptures speak against human wisdom is when humans try to set their cleverly thought plans as if they were reality. When we follow world history carefully, we see that some philosophers were described as armed chair philosophers because their ideas did not match what was actually the case (reality). We also can talk about all the ‘cooked’ scientific researches which were later found out to be false.

The wisdom of God as revealed in the Bible is based on truth and therefore any ideas of men that seeks to contradict it needs to be examined thoroughly before admission.

That’s why most of the time when the Apostles wrote, they had to indicate that their ideas were not base on any cleverly taught ideas of men but from what they had experienced and witnessed:

• Peter wrote “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16).
• The Apostle John also wrote “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” (1 John 1:1-4).
• Paul in his letters also made his readers understand that it was not the beauty and eloquence of his message that was important but the truthfulness of the message ( 1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

Believer of God and people should understand that no amount of reasoning can deny the existence of a thing if it really exist, or approve of something if it doesn’t exist.

As a friend will put it “truth needs no embellishment”. A lot of people have followed messages they described as “deep” and wrecked their faith. They now propagate falsehoods as if they are true, as Paul will put it, “while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,” (2 Timothy 3:13-14, Emphasis mine) (Note from the above the principle of the message and the messenger, more on this later).

It’s good, as Christians to know that any idea that contradicts or go beyond that which the Apostles wrote about or taught should be suspicious and the Christian should be very careful not to teach them as if they were truth without thorough investigation.

The reason why we should take the words of the Apostles seriously and no other is that:

• The Apostles witnessed Christ and his teachings and the New Testament church was built on their teaching (Acts 2:42) as commanded by Jesus before he ascended (Matthew 28:18-20).
• Also the Apostles warned severally against false teachers teaching false doctrines, this is what is called heresy.
  Peter warned “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)
  Paul warned “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

The danger of following these forms of false teachings is grave. This is what Paul talked about in his letter to the Galatians that “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:6-9). False knowledge or wisdom becomes a stumbling block for true belief as mentioned in our opening scripture.

In all this the Bible advises the Believer to be careful with whatever that is presented to them:

• The Apostle John said “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3)
• “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

Christ should be the centre of your Christianity, any other should be secondary. Anyone who tells you Christ is not enough should be suspicious. The only weapon to destroy falsehood is truth. That’s why Paul said “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

There is another side where our quest for wisdom from the world becomes detrimental and a stumbling block to our faith, which is arrogance. The Apostle James said “Who is wise and understanding among? You let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:13-18). We should take note of two directions that the verse above points to; first to the person giving the message (or the wisdom) and more importantly to the receiver (as a receiver you should be careful not to fall prey to such wisdom of arrogance, as it is said, it is demonic and have a power to corrupt you if care is not taken.).

This is where the principle of ‘the message is as important as the messenger’ comes in, as noted earlier; First check the message for truthfulness and then the messenger for right spirit (the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere). True messengers do not favour a particular race or ethnicity or any other socially constructed groups. They seek to build and not bring division.

Human wisdom becomes a stumbling block when it becomes abusive and an imposition. It does not respect or tolerate divergent view.

The Apostle Paul admonished us that “…we know that ‘We all possess knowledge.’ But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Let’s seek to building up rather than being self-seeking.

The Christian shouldn’t make miracles the bases of his belief or eloquence of speech persuade him but rather truth should be our guide.

Yes truth may lead us to receive our miracles or make us clever in speech but don’t be deceived, so you deceive others.

Are you a Jew or a Greek? It’s only one thing that matters, Truth, which is found only in Christ.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17).

Seek Christ.

Addition Scripture Readings:

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

(1 Corinthians 2:2)

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
(Philippians 3:8-11)

Photo Credit: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/1-Corinthians/1/22