being of God, the nature
of the world and of the soul; about finite and infinite, cause and
effect, being and not being, and all those dark questions with which
they astonished simple people, and gained power over them, and set
up for wise men and teachers to their own profit and glory,
pampering their own luxury and self-conceit. And all St. Paul gave
them, seemed to them mere foolishness. He could have argued with
these Greeks on those deep matters; for he was a great scholar, and
a true philosopher, and could speak wisdom among those who were
perfect: but he would not. He determined to know nothing among
them but Jesus Christ, and him crucified; and he told them, You
disputers of this world, while you are deceiving simple souls with
enticing words of man's wisdom and philosophy, falsely so called,
you are trifling away your own souls and your hearers' into hell.
What you need, and what they need, is not philosophy, but a new
heart and a right spirit. Sin is your disease; and you know that it
is so, in the depth of your hearts. Then know this, that God so
loved you, sinners as you are, that he condescended to become mortal
man, and to give himself up to death, even the shameful and horrible
death of the cross, that he might save you from your sins; and he
that would be saved now, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
and follow him. And to that, those proud Greeks answered,--That is
a tale unworthy of philosophers. The Cross? It is a death of
shame--the death of slaves and wretches. Tell your tale to slaves,
not to us. To give himself up to the death of the cross is
foolishness, and not the wisdom which we want. Then answered St.
Paul and said,--True. The cross is a slave's and a wretch's death;
and therefore slaves and wretches will hear me, though you will not.
'For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men
after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound
the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and
things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which
are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should
glory in his presence.' For the foolishness of God is wiser than
all the wisdom of men. You Greeks, with all your philosophy and
your wisdom, have been trying, for hundreds of years, to f