We must walk very carefully when we speak of the gift of resurrection life ("Life through His Name," John 20:31). We are careful to say that the greatest hope for any person, and the greatest rewards, crowns, prizes are only possible for those who has placed full faith in the death, burial, lack of decay, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (alone) on our behalf.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 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. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.
-1 Cor 1:17-23 (KJV)
This passage contains the English translation of a Greek quotation from the prophet Isaiah (written in Hebrew) 29:14b. Isaiah's word from the Lord was directly specifically to Israel expanded.
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
-Isaiah 29:2 3-24 (KJV)
Below you will see an English rendering of verse 14b from the Septuagint (Greek version of the Hebrew scriptures). I believe "hide" is a better rendering than "bring to nothing" as it is rendered in the KJV English in 1 Corinthians. The KJV translators correctly understood this when they translated Isaiah 29, but oddly missed in when translating 1 Corinthians 1. It’s not a horrible error (and possibly defensible in one way or another), but we’re better of understanding the idea as “hid” or “hide.” The Hebrew word is çâthar which really has the idea of hiding. This can be even more clearly seen to the English eye in the Greek rendering krýptō from the Septuagint.
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the understanding of the prudent.
-Isaiah 29:14b (Septuagint)
Another example for us to consider from the 14 times Isaiah uses the Hebrew word çâthar in is Isaiah 8:17, KJV).
"And I will wait for Jehovah, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him."
But whether God is hiding or bringing to nothing someone's understanding, the question which cannot be lost is "who?" And the answer, as we have alluded to, is clearly Israel ("this people"). As we have seen many times in previous studies, the epistles to the Corinthians were written by Paul in the Acts age and the apostle is there still making references to Jewish believers as being distinct from Gentile believers in that age (a distinction we no longer make in the current age).
We will not spend a lot of this study on this distinction as it is covered elsewhere, but we will divert for a few moments just to set the context for this study. We will point to a couple of verses in First Corinthians to that end. When we fail to rightly divide (or draw the lines) in 1 Corinthians, we will not see the truth God is trying to relate nor will we see God’s plan in view.
While God had created a single body of believers in Corinth (1 Cor 12:13), he continued to make a distinction within that body as we've seen in our look at Acts 15, Acts 21, Romans 9, Romans 11, and elsewhere in the Acts Age epistles. Paul points Jewish believers to their (and his) fathers and the nation; he points Gentile believers to their former practice of idol worship.
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea... Look at Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices involved with the altar?
-1 Cor 10:1, 18
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
-1 Cor 12:1-2
Paul refers to both Jewish and Gentile believers as "brethren" (adelphós). But outside the faith, he and the other apostles will only refer to Jews as their brethren" (adelphós). Peter refers to unbelieving Jews as "Ye Men (anḗr) of Israel" in Acts 3:12 as his "brethren" in Acts 3:17 (adelphós). Stephen refers to unbelieving Jews as "Brethren" in Acts 7. Paul before the unbelieving chief priests and council in Acts 23 refers to these Jews as "brethren." Even to the very end of the Acts, chapter 28, Paul is calling unbelieving Jews in Rome his "brethren."
In Acts 14, Paul addresses Gentiles as "anḗr" or "sirs" only. When Paul again uses the witness of creation in Acts 17 in Athens, he addresses his Gentile listeners as "Ye men of Athens," again using "anḗr," but not then using adelphós as Peter does in Acts 3.
None of that is conclusive, but it is a pattern that should be noted in light of other clearly stated truths concerning the Lord's ministry to Israel and the calling of the Apostles in the Acts Age.
The Lord in John 4:22 clarifies this thought concerning those outside Israel. He speaks these words to a Samaritan to whom he is offering "living water" (v.10). We recall that the disciples were forbidden to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom in Samaria ("These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel'." -Matt 10:5-6).
[The Lord Jesus said] You [Samaritans] worship what you do not know; we [Jews] worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
-John 4:22
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel..." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
-Matthew 15:24,26
When the woman takes her place as merely a dog at the master's table, and stops using his Kingdom title, Son of David, he recognizes her faith.
She said, "Yes, Lord [drops "Son of David"], yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.
-Matthew 15:27-28
Familiar territory for those familiar with this writer's ministry. However, in light of the traditions of men, we must revisit it often to set the context of the Lord's earthly ministry and the Lord's Kingdom calling and plan during the Acts Age (cp. Acts 1:6; 3:19-21; 15:15-16; etc.). The Lord uses plain and clear language concerning his calling and the mission of the twelve.
As the Lord worked his plan for the earth through Israel (the descendants of Abraham), he had not forgotten the Gentile. When Paul speaks to Jews in the synagogues, he points to the Law and the prophets as his witness. When Paul speaks to he Gentiles, his witness is Creation. Gentiles never had the Law.
We also are men, of like nature with you, preaching to you to turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything that is in them, who in times past allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying our hearts with food and gladness.”
-Acts 14:15-17
The only part of the Law a gentile was required to observe were laws for gentiles living among Israel. That is, any application of the Law to a gentile could only be in his relation or proximity to a Jew. In Acts 14 Paul takes his gentile listeners, not to the Law, but to Creation.
If Paul is witnessing via Creation after the cross, God is still witnessing to Gentiles via Creation in the Acts Age and in the Acts Age epistles. God didn't stop witnessing the through his Creation when he chose Abraham. He didn't stop when Paul was in Athens. He has never stopped witnessing through his creation. Nothing in the revelation of the Mystery in Ephesians changes that in the current dispensation.
After Moses, the problem for the Gentile nations is not that they did not have the Law (the Law only made Israel more guilty), it is that they rejected the witness they did have: Creation and Conscience. Since the Garden, Paul teaches that "in Adam all die" (1 Cor 15). There was no Jew or Gentile until the Lord called Abraham (in uncircumcision, Romans 4:6-10) which did not happen until some 2000 years after the fall in the Garden. Prophets like Noah in uncircumcision without the Law of Moses was called. Abraham was called in uncircumcision as was Moses. And until Moses at Sinai, there was no Law and no chosen earthly national priesthood or children of an earthly Kingdom. Adam, Abel, and Noah would have no idea what any of that calling was.
From Adam, God’s revelation, to all people, was found in the witness of creation and in the witness of the conscience. Cain knew he had sinned when he killed Abel, for example. Dr. E.W. Bullinger is often criticized for his great work The Witness in the Stars, but scripture is clear that God clearly has a witness in his creation.
Let’s look at the indictment of the nations given in Romans 1. Remember, the Gentiles, like Israel, were indicted, plural, for turning to idols, but turning to idols from what?
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress (Greek: katecho) the truth through unrighteousness
[The only truth they could suppress is the witness God gave them in his creation]
-Romans 1:18
Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him or give thanks to Him as God, but became futile in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
[They could only know him through the witness of creation]
-Romans 1:21
They turned the truth of God into [the] lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
-Romans 1:25
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not proper. [acknowledge him as Creator]
-Romans 1:28
Let us quickly let’s turn to Hebrews 3:1-2
What advantage then does the Jew have? Or what profit is there in circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because the oracles of God were entrusted to them [plural].
Yet God is never without a witness to the Gentile. God has always sought the reconciliation of every person, despite the plan in view and despite the dispensation. God is the God of reconciliation.