theseed said:
1 Corinthians. 1.18-2.5 is about the gospel message, and therefore salvation.
The first verses in the chapter deal with issues in the Corinthian Church. He talks about divisions in the church there, issues over preference of a baptizer. At v.17 he ends with his purpose as not of baptising but of preaching the gospel, not with wisdom (else the cross is of no effect)
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 Now he begins a comparison between what the world thinks and what is true, what the world values and what God values
v. 18
The message of the cross is foolishness. What's the message? That Christ came and was sacrificed for the sins of men. This is foolish (for one reason) because it teaches God doing something for man and not man doing something for God, which was against the pagan belief system.
v.19
Supports the former verse in that God will destroy (is beyond in wisdom) what men consider wisdom. The message of the cross adds nothing beneficial to "mans" wisdom "... will bring nothing to the understanding of the prudent."
v.20
Where are those who men think are wise? The Scribes (studiers of the Law), the disputer (Greek philosophers). Hasn't God made all things that these teach foolishness?
v.21
The wisdom of God (which surpasses the wisdom of man, still talking about the message of the cross) was such that the wisdom of man could not comprehend Him. But God through preaching (which is considered foolish) was pleased to save them that are chosen? No, that "believe".
v.22
What do those of this world want? The Jews a sign, the Greeks wisdom (philosophy).
v.23
Christ is a stumbling block to the Jews (because they did not understand that He should suffer..etc), and to the Greeks it is foolishness (that He should die, it does not line up with the philosophy of their gods, or their human logic).
v.24
But to all true Christians Christ is known as the power of God and the wisdom of God.
v.25
Why? Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men (this is a play on words since there is no foolishness in God, it's a matter of perception versus truth).
v.26
If you look around you'll see that there aren't many of the worlds wise (Scribes, philosophers) that are Christians.
v.27
God in his wisdom has used the foolish (according to the world) to "put to shame" those who the world considers wise (Scribes, Philosophers and the like). Same with the might of this world and the perceived weak of this world.
There is a string that flows through this whole passage. He is not teaching on salvation here, he is teaching on the wisdom of man versus the wisdom of God. There is no Gospel presentation here...