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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 1:22 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Co 1:22 |
King James |
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
For--literally, "Since," seeing that. This verse illustrates how the "preaching" of Christ crucified came to be deemed "foolishness" (Co1 1:21).
a sign--The oldest manuscripts read "signs." The singular was a later correction from Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Joh 2:18. The signs the Jews craved for were not mere miracles, but direct tokens from heaven that Jesus was Messiah (Luk 11:16).
Greeks seek . . . wisdom--namely, a philosophic demonstration of Christianity. Whereas Christ, instead of demonstrative proof, demands faith on the ground of His word, and of a reasonable amount of evidence that the alleged revelation is His word. Christianity begins not with solving intellectual difficulties, but with satisfying the heart that longs for forgiveness. Hence not the refined Greeks, but the theocratic Jews were the chosen organ for propagating revelation. Again, intellectual Athens (Act 17:18-21, &c.) received the Gospel less readily than commercial Corinth. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For the Jews require a sign - A miracle, a prodigy, an evidence of divine interposition. This was the characteristic of the Jewish people. God had manifested himself to them by miracles and wonders in a remarkable manner in past times, and they greatly prided themselves on that fact, and always demanded it when any new messenger came to them, professing to be sent from God. This propensity they often evinced in their contact with the Lord Jesus; Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Mar 8:11; Luk 11:16; Luk 12:54-56. Many mss., instead of "sign" here in the singular, read "signs" in the plural; and Griesbach has introduced that reading into the text. The sense is nearly the same, and it means that it was a characteristic of the Jews to demand the constant exhibition of miracles and wonders; and it is also implied here, I think, by the reasoning of the apostle, that they believed that the communication of such signs to them as a people, would secure their salvation, and they therefore despised the simple preaching of a crucified Messiah. They expected a Messiah that should come with the exhibition of some stupendous signs and wonders from heaven (Mat 12:38, etc., as above); they looked for the displays of amazing power in his coming, and they anticipated that he would deliver them from their enemies by mere power; and they, therefore, were greatly offended Co1 1:23, by the simple doctrine of a crucified Messiah.
And the Greeks ... - Perhaps this means the pagan in general, in opposition to the Jews; see the note at Rom 1:16. It was, however, especially the characteristic of the Greek philosophers. They seek for schemes of philosophy and religion that shall depend on human wisdom, and they therefore despise the gospel. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
The Jews
Omit the article. Among the Jews many had become Christians.
Require (αἰτοῦσιν)
Rev., ask. But it is questionable whether the A.V. is not preferable. The word sometimes takes the sense of demand, as Luk 12:48; Pe1 3:15; and this sense accords well with the haughty attitude of the Jews, demanding of all apostolic religions their proofs and credentials. See Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Joh 6:30.
Greeks
See on Act 6:1.
Seek after (ζητοῦσιν)
Appropriate to the Greeks in contrast with the Jews. The Jews claimed to possess the truth: the Greeks were seekers, speculators (compare Act 17:23) after what they called by the general name of wisdom.
Christ crucified (Χριστὸν ἐσταυρωμένον)
Not the crucified Christ, but Christ as crucified, not a sign-shower nor a philosopher; and consequently a scandal to the Jew and folly to the Gentile.
Unto the Greeks (Ἕλλησι)
The correct reading is ἔθνεσιν to the Gentiles. So Rev. Though Ἕλληνες Greeks, is equivalent to Gentiles in the New Testament when used in antithesis to Jews, yet in this passage Paul seems to have in mind the Greeks as representing gentile wisdom and culture. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| For whereas the Jews demand of the apostles, as they did of their Lord, more signs still, after all they have seen already; and the Greeks, or gentiles, seek wisdom - The depths of philosophy, and the charms of eloquence. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
For the Jews require a sign - Instead of σημειον, a sign, ABCDEFG, several others, both the Syriac, Coptic, Vulgate, and Itala, with many of the fathers, have σημεια, signs; which reading, as undoubtedly genuine, Griesbach has admitted into the text. There never was a people in the universe more difficult to be persuaded of the truth than the Jews: and had not their religion been incontestably proved by the most striking and indubitable miracles, they never would have received it. This slowness of heart to believe, added to their fear of being deceived, induced them to require miracles to attest every thing that professed to come from God. They were a wicked and adulterous generation, continually seeking signs, and never saying, It is enough. But the sign which seems particularly referred to here is the assumption of secular power, which they expected in the Messiah; and because this sign did not appear in Christ, therefore they rejected him.
And the Greeks seek after wisdom - Such wisdom, or philosophy, as they found in the writings of Cicero, Seneca, Plato, etc., which was called philosophy, and which came recommended to them in all the beauties and graces of the Latin and Greek languages. |
18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.