How is Christ crucified received by Jews, Greeks, and those who are called?
Christ crucified is a stumbling block to Jews, who require a sign, and foolishness to Greeks, who seek wisdom. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, He is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Les explains that the preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness, but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. The Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but Paul says he will not bother with signs or a new philosophy. Instead, he preaches Christ crucified: to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. Yet to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This salvation must be an exercise of the sovereign power of Almighty God, because man cannot work for his salvation; man has only physical strength, but only God can bring about the salvation of the spiritual. Christ has paid the sin debt, suffered our punishment, and opened the windows of heaven if we will just believe it, even though it happened 2,000 years ago.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.