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Epiphany Season · Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year A

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

February 1, 2026

David and Goliath, Titian
David and Goliath, Titian, c. 1542–1544Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
A ceiling painting, so the figures are seen steeply from below: David kneels over the body with the sky behind him and the giant foreshortened into the foreground.God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1 is an argument, and this is its proof text painted.TitianThe dominant painter of sixteenth-century Venice (c. 1488-1576), who worked into his eighties and whose late manner, applied with fingers as much as brushes, startled even his admirers.Santa Maria della Salute, VeniceA domed church at the mouth of the Grand Canal, built in thanks for the end of the plague of 1630 and still visited in procession each November.Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Roman Lectionary
GospelMatt. 5:1-12aMt 5:1-12a
Second Reading1 Cor. 1:26-311 Cor 1:26-31
First ReadingZeph. 2:3; 3:12-13Zep 2:3; 3:12-13
Responsorial PsalmPs. 146:6-7, 8-9a, 9b-10 (Matthew 5:3)Ps 146:6-7, 8-9a, 9b-10 (Mt 5:3)

Overview & Insights

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

In the ancient world, “wisdom” was not an abstract concept unrelated to daily living. To the contrary, it was a way of living based on a given understanding of life’s purpose and of what actions reasonably would accomplish such purpose. Various philosophers (lit., “lovers of wisdom”) competed to gain a following for their particular brand of how-to-live. Similar competition and pursuit of prominence lay at the core of the Corinthian cliques. Enamored with the “wisdom” and success of the professional speakers in the city, a number of house churches were using a similar approach to put them ahead of other church groups. Such behavior made it evident to Paul that they relied on human wisdom rather than God’s. Paul’s firm and uncompromising rejection of this behavior shows how strongly he considers this a direct attack on the gospel itself.

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Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Commentary1 Cor 1:18-31 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed commentary on God choosing the foolish and weak so that no one may boast before him.

Enduring Word Bible Commentary 1 Corinthians Chapter 1Enduring Word Bible Commentary 1 Cor Chapter 1 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's notes on God choosing the lowly of the world and Christ becoming our wisdom and righteousness.

1 Corinthians 1:26 Commentaries1 Cor 1:26 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentators gathered on Consider your calling, not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble.

1 Corinthians 1 Commentary (Precept Austin)1 Cor 1 Commentary (Precept Austin) Precept Austin

A resource hub collecting many commentaries, sermons, and word studies on the wisdom of the cross passage.

Background & Word Study

1 Corinthians Overview (BibleProject)1 Cor Overview (BibleProject) BibleProject

Animated overview of 1 Corinthians and Paul's contrast between worldly wisdom and the message of the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:26 Interlinear1 Cor 1:26 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek word-by-word interlinear with parsing for the call of the not-wise and not-noble.

The Church Fathers

1 Corinthians 1 - Catena Bible & Commentaries1 Cor 1 - Catena Bible & Commentaries Catena

Patristic and medieval comment on the foolishness of God being wiser than human wisdom.

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