Gordon Fee is a seminary professor, and the author of numerous books, among them "How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth". He also worked on the latest Bible translation: Today's NIV.
Dr Fee spoke on God as King.
The king is intent on ruling over people who bear his character: I Cor 1:18-25.
Corinth was the center of activity in the Greco-Roman world, attracting people from all over the empire. It was wealthy, and worldly-wise, and full of vice. Even the believers in Corinth had subtly joined in to the Corinthian culture.
But God called it foolishness. While the people thought that they had 'arrived' spiritually, and were self-congratulatory, God called it foolishness.
God chose that we in our own wisdom could not come to know him. God did it by the foolishness and weakness of the cross.
The Bible tells us that the Jews demanded miraculous signs, while the Greeks sought wisdom. Both models demand that God behave according to their own human views. Both are in a sense idolatry. Our world still has those two views: those who demand miracles, and those who intellectualize.
While God is both all powerful and all knowing (and thus can answer calls for miracles or for intellect), we need to present the cross rather than trying to argue with people, as if we can somehow make God look good. A crucified messiah is an oxymoron. It was a scandal.
We can't earn God's favor. The cross says we can't buy salvation. We need to throw ourselves on God's mercy. And through the cross, we are loved out of our disobedience.
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