Just Wondering...

[Defiance]

Evolutionists, what does 1 Corinthians 1:23 mean to you?

"... but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:23, TNIV).

In Christ,
Defiance.

 

[billwald]

Doesn't have anything to do with origins except possibly that it is difficult to convince a person that the religion of his personal origin is in error.

 

[Defiance]

Hey billwald,

Doesn't have anything to do with origins except possibly that it is difficult to convince a person that the religion of his personal origin is in error.

What makes you think that I was talking about or hinting about origins from the opening question? But no, that is not what the verse is talking about.

Firstly, I asked what you thought the verse meant - not what you think it doesn't mean.

In other words, why was preaching 'Christ crucified' to the Jews a 'stumbling block' and why was preaching the same message 'foolishness' to the Gentiles (KJV: Greeks)? I hope that made my opening post more clear.

Anyone else care to try answering the blue text above? I'll get to the point shortly if no one else cares to guess or chip in their two cents...

 

[LewisWildermuth]

What difference in reading do you expect and why?

 

[Defiance]

LewisWildermuth,
What I'm looking for is someone who can tell me why the Greeks considered the Gospel message 'foolishness'.

 

[Dust and Ashes]

Evolutionists, what does 1 Corinthians 1:23 mean to you?

"... but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:23, TNIV).

In Christ,
Defiance.

The Jews were looking for a reigning King to come throw out the Romans and establish a worldly kingdom so they stumbled over a crucified, ostensibly defeated, Christ. The Greeks were so philosophical and rationalistic that the idea of God becoming a man and dying for mankind made no sense and was foolish.

What do I win?!?!?

 

[LewisWildermuth]

The Jews were looking for a reigning King to come throw out the Romans and establish a worldly kingdom so they stumbled over a crucified, ostensibly defeated, Christ. The Greeks were so philosophical and rationalistic that the idea of God becoming a man and dying for mankind made no sense and was foolish.

What do I win?!?!?

Good points, but also remember that the Greeks and Romans has tons of "son of god dies for man" myths, Jesus doing the same was old hat for them, not a stirring story, but another old rehash of stories told to them by their grandparents. Also Jesus has been crucified by the Romans, and worshiping a convicted criminal Would seem quite odd too.

 

[billwald]

Because you posted your origional post under "origins theology." It is two ways of saying the same thing. Anyone who tries to make a theologiocal diference between foolishness and stumbling block is kidding himself - or trying to sell a book.

 

[prodromos]

Good points, but also remember that the Greeks and Romans has tons of "son of god dies for man" myths, Jesus doing the same was old hat for them, not a stirring story, but another old rehash of stories told to them by their grandparents.

Methinks you are confusing Greek and Roman myths with Egyptian and Persian myths. I could be wrong though as its been a while since I read up on Greek mythology.

John

 

[shernren]

It means that sometimes people will laugh at Christians for being Christians. But quite a lot of times people laugh at Christians not for being Christian but for simply being silly.

 

[artybloke]

Methinks you are confusing Greek and Roman myths with Egyptian and Persian myths. I could be wrong though as its been a while since I read up on Greek mythology.

John

Given the fact that a lot of trade took place between Greece and Egypt and Rome, and that there were lots of mystery religions based on ancient myths like Isis or sun gods like Mithras, I think it highly likely that the Greeks at least were aware of the existence of other religious myths than their own. I can't imagine that Paul was the only bloke around peddling a new religion.

 

[prodromos]

Given the fact that a lot of trade took place between Greece and Egypt and Rome, and that there were lots of mystery religions based on ancient myths like Isis or sun gods like Mithras, I think it highly likely that the Greeks at least were aware of the existence of other religious myths than their own. I can't imagine that Paul was the only bloke around peddling a new religion.

Then provide evidence that there was any kind of following for these mystery religions in Greece and Rome rather than unsubstantiated opinions.

 

[LewisWildermuth]

Then provide evidence that there was any kind of following for these mystery religions in Greece and Rome rather than unsubstantiated opinions.

How about a large and bussy temple that we have found and is also mentioned by Paul, the ultimate mystery religion temple, "The Temple of the Unknown God"?

Would that be enough evidence for you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unknown_God

 

[LewisWildermuth]

Methinks you are confusing Greek and Roman myths with Egyptian and Persian myths. I could be wrong though as its been a while since I read up on Greek mythology.

John

At the time of Christ there was a fully working Egyptian temple in the center of Rome, most likely Persian temples too... But that is not what I was thinking of anyway, I was thinking of some of Zeus’s/Jupiter’s many children that have died doing something heroic in the many Roman and Greek stories.