I was struck by the epistemological themes in the first three chapters of 1 Corinthians. Regular readers will recall a series I did many months ago where I described the gospel as the "epistemological crisis" of the world. In that series we looked at the epistemological themes from 1 Corinthians 1, but those themes continue on through chapters two and three. Consider:
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor. 2.1-2)
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Cor. 2.6-7)
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2.13-16)
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” (1 Cor. 3.18-20)
For three whole chapters Paul dwells upon these epistemological themes, describing how "Jesus Christ and him crucified" turns the wisdom of the age into foolishness. The death and resurrection of Jesus is an epistemological revolution, calling into question all prior claims to truth and knowledge.
But lest we think that Paul's message concerning the epistemological crisis of the cross is arcane and philosophical, what is revealed in 1 Corinthians 1-3 is how Paul uses this epistemological crisis to make a pastoral intervention. The Corinthian church was divided and fighting amongst themselves. And we see the conflict woven through 1 Corinthians 1-3:
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” (1 Cor. 1.10-12)
You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? (1 Cor. 3.3-4)
For Paul, it was the "wisdom of this age" that was causing these conflicts and divisions. Paul's epistemological message wasn't philosophical but pastoral in aim. Having "the mind of Christ," being able to make spiritual "judgments" and "discernments," would heal these fractious divisions and quench the partisan spirit. The epistemological crisis of the gospel isn't Gnostic but results in a social revolution.
