“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NKJV)
When Jesus told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day, Peter who had not so long ago declared that, Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, took Him aside and rebuked Him saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” He was rejecting what Jesus had said about what was going to happen to Him. Maybe it had seem too fantastic to Peter–the Son of God, the Christ being crucified? How could that be?
Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Jesus recognized who was really speaking here. Satan, through Peter, just as he did through the serpent in the Garden of Eden, was contradicting the Word of God. He was telling Jesus that what He said was going to happen to Him would not happen just as He told Eve that she wouldn’t die if she ate the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil which was contrary to what God had said. It is clear that Satan is here, trying to refute the Word of God and that is why Jesus, rebuked him. And this was the world’s way of thinking, not God’s.
According to Paul, the message of the cross “…is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense” (1 Corinthians 1:22, 23, NLT). The Jews can’t imagine that their Messiah would be hung on the cross because “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” Jesus was a stumbling block for them because so contrary to the expectations of the Jews concerning the Messiah, that they rejected Him, their only means of salvation. And the cross didn’t make sense to the Greeks because how could they be saved by Someone who couldn’t even save Himself? (Matthew 27:42). Of course, this is man’s wisdom and reasoning which blind them to the fact that what they call foolish is what will save them.
The message of the cross defies the logic and wisdom of man. Salvation is offered to everyone but only the wise will accept it.
“But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:24, 25, NLT).
Source: Daily Verses
Notes to Women 