Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Corinthians 1:28
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea,] and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are:
28. and things which are not ] i.e. ‘things which by comparison are non-existent’ things which by the side of other things of higher importance in our human eyes appear to us as nothing. Yet these, in the counsels of God, are to change places, and more than change places, with things that are highly regarded in the sight of men.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And base things of the world – Those things which by the world are esteemed ignoble. Literally, those which are not of noble, or illustrious birth ta ageie.
Things which are despised – Those which the world regards as objects of contempt; compare Mar 9:12; Luk 18:19; Act 4:11.
Yea – The introduction of this word by the translators does nothing to illustrate the sense, but rather enfeebles it. The language here is a striking instance of Pauls manner of expressing himself with great strength. He desires to convey in the strongest terms, the fact, that God had illustrated his plan by choosing the objects of least esteem among people. He is willing to admit all that could be said on this point. He says, therefore, that he had chosen the things of ignoble birth and rank – the base things of the world; but this did not fully express his meaning. He had chosen objects of contempt among people; but this was not strong enough to express his idea. He adds, therefore, that he had chosen those things which were absolutely nothing, which had no existence; which could not be supposed to influence him in his choice.
And things which are not – ta me onta. That which is nothing; which is worthless; which has no existence; those flyings which were below contempt itself; and which, in the estimation of the world, were passed by as having no existence; as not having sufficient importance to be esteemed worthy even of the slight notice which is implied in contempt. For a man who despises a thing must at least notice it, and esteem it worth some attention. But the apostle here speaks of things beneath even that slight notice; as completely and totally disregarded, as having no existence. The language here is evidently that of hyperbole (compare the note at Joh 21:25). It was a figure of speech common in the East, and not unusual in the sacred writings; compare Isa 40:17.
All nations before him are as nothing.
And they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity.
See also Rom 4:17, God, who – calleth those things which be not, as though they were. This language was strongly expressive of the estimate which the Jews fixed on the Gentiles, as being a despised people, as being in fact no people; a people without laws, and organization, and religion, and privileges; see Hos 1:10; Hos 2:23; Rom 9:25; 1Pe 2:10. When a man of rank among the Hindus speaks of low-caste persons, of notorious profligates, or of those whom he despises, he calls them alla-tha-varkal, that is, those who are not. The term does not refer to life or existence, but to a quality or disposition, and is applied to those who are vile and abominable in all things. My son, my son, go not among them who are not. Alas! alas! those people are all alla-tha-varkal. When wicked men prosper, it is said, this is the time for those who are not. Have you heard that those who are not are now acting righteously? Vulgar and indecent expressions are also called, words that are not. To address men in the phrase are not, is provoking beyond measure – Roberts, as quoted in Bushs Illustrations of Scripture.
To bring to naught – To humble and subdue. To show them how vain and impotent they were.
Things that are – Those who on account of their noble birth, high attainments, wealth, and rank placed a high estimate on themselves and despised others.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 28. And base things – and things which are despised] It is very likely that the apostle refers here to the Gentiles and to the Gentile converts, who were considered base and despicable in the eyes of the Jews, who counted them no better than dogs, and who are repeatedly called the things that are not. By these very people, converted to Christianity, God has brought to nought all the Jewish pretensions; and by means of the Gentiles themselves, he has annihilated the whole Jewish polity; so that even Jerusalem itself was soon after this, trodden under foot of the Gentiles.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Things which are not in the worlds account, to bring to nought things which are in high esteem.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
28. yea, andthings which are notYea is not in the Greek.Also some of the oldest manuscripts omit “and.” Thus theclause, “things which are not” (are regarded as naught), isin apposition with “foolish . . . weak . . . base (that is,lowborn) and despised things.” God has chosen all four, thoughregarded as things that are not, to bring to naught thingsthat are.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And base things of the world,…. Who are reckoned the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things; men of mean birth, education, and business of life:
and things that are despised; and set at nought, as poor persons generally are; yet God
hath chosen them; even the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom:
yea, and things which are not; some think the Gentiles are here intended, who by the Jews are called “things that are not”: as in the apocryphal books:
“O Lord, give not thy sceptre unto “them that be nothing”, and let them not laugh at our fall; but turn their device upon themselves, and make him an example, that hath begun this against us.” (Esther 14:11)
“56 As for the other people, which also come of Adam, thou hast said that “they are nothing”, but be like unto spittle: and hast likened the abundance of them unto a drop that falleth from a vessel. 57 And now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which have ever been “reputed as nothing”, have begun to be lords over us, and to devour us.” (2 Esdras 6)
[See comments on Ro 4:17] for note on non-entities, or such who are not in being, are meant; but who are not accounted of, or are reckoned as nothing; and these the Lord calls by his grace, as a fruit and evidence of electing love:
to bring to nought things that are; who, on the account of their noble birth, large possessions, and high attainments in knowledge and learning, thought themselves something; all which will one day be abolished, and will stand them in no stead with regard to future happiness and glory. The Jews q have a saying quite contrary to all this, that
“the Shekinah, or presence of God, does not dwell on any but upon a wise man, a mighty man, and a rich man.”
q T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 92. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Base [] . Of no family. The reverse of eujgeneiv noble.
Despised [] . Lit., set at nought. Not merely despised, but expressly branded with contempt. See Luk 23:11.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And base things of the world.” (Greek kai ta agene tou kosmou).
2) “And things which are despised.” (Greek kai ta eksouthene-mena) “and the things being despised or taken lightly.”
3) “Hath God chosen, yea and things which are not.” God has even chosen or selected (Greek ta me onta) “things not being or existing.” He chose Israel as a race or nation before she existed, Deu 7:6. He chose the church also as an agency of His work. Eph 3:9-10.
4) “To bring to naught things that are.” (Greek hina ta onta) “In order or for the purpose that the things being or existing” (Greek katagrese) “He might abolish or bring to an empty end.” Such includes the end of Gentile governments, Rom 11:25; Luk 21:24; Rev 1:15; Rev 18:19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
28. Things that are not He makes use of similar terms in Rom 4:17, but in a different sense. For in that passage, when describing the universal call of the pious, he says, that we are nothing previously to our being called, which must be understood as referring to reality in the sight of God, however we may appear to be something in the eyes of men. Here, the nothingness ( οὐδενεια) of which he speaks must be viewed as referring to the opinion of men, as is manifest from the corresponding clause, in which he says that this is done in order that the things that are may be brought to naught For there is nothing except in appearance, because in reality we are all nothing. Things that are, therefore, you must explain to mean things that appear, so that this passage corresponds with such statements as these: —
He raiseth up the poor out of the dunghill, (Psa 113:7.)
He raiseth up them that are cast down, (Psa 146:8,)
and the like. Hence we may clearly see how great is the folly of those who imagine that there is in mankind some degree of merit or worthiness, which would hold a place antecedent to God’s choice.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(28) And things which are not.This climax loses somewhat of its force by the insertion of the word and, which is not in some of the best MSS., and yea, which is not in any MS. Omitting the word and, the sentence is not an addition to the things already mentioned, but a general and emphatic summary of all the things which have been already contrasted with their opposites. After the words hath God chosen there is a slight pause, and then the Apostle describes all those things which he has declared to be Gods choice, as things which are noti.e., do not in mens estimation even exist (Rom. 4:17; Rom. 9:25; see also Job. 34:19; Job. 34:24).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28. Things which are not Nothings and nobodies. So are they viewed by the world; so in themselves they are. Yet, through the divine gift which they have received, they are intrinsically and truly the realities, and their opponents are the shams. Nero, the Roman empire, Jove, paganism, pagan philosophy, are all the transient; God, Christ, Christianity, the Church, are alone the permanent and the eternal.
The overthrow of paganism and the establishment of Christianity as the religion of the Roman empire were, however, but the outward verification of the apostle’s words. His was a more profound meaning. What he recognised was, the infinitely surpassing spiritual power of Christ and his religion in the work of the soul’s regeneration; in the saving it from death and hell and the raising it to immortality and heaven.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Co 1:28. And base things And mean things. In this and the preceding verse, though the Apostle makes use of the neuter gender, which occasioned our translators to insert the word things, yet it is evident from the context, that he means persons; and if the word things were omitted, the sense would be more plain. By the things which are not, may be understood the Gentiles, who were not the visible people of God, and were counted as nothing by the Jews. By the foolish and weak things, that is, by simple, illiterate, and mean men, God would make ashamed the learned philosophers and great men of the age; and by the things which are not, he would abolish the things that are, as in effect he did abolish the Jewish church by the Christian; taking in the Gentiles to be his visible people, in the place of the rejected Jews, who till then were his visible people. St. Paul mentions this here, notby chance, but pursuant to his main design, to stop their glorying in their false apostle, who was a Jew; by shewing that whatever that head of the faction might claim under that pretence, as it is plain he did stand upon it, (see 2Co 11:21-22.) he had not the least title to any esteem or respect upon that account; since the Jewish nation were laid aside, and God had chosen the Gentiles to take their place, and to be his church and people instead of them. See on ch. 1Co 2:6, Deu 32:21, Isa 40:17 and Whitby.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
28 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:
Ver. 28. Things which are not ] i.e. That are nought set by,1Sa 25:101Sa 25:10 . Thus shall ye say to him that liveth, that is, to him that is rich; for poor men are reputed as dead men. They have but prisoners’ pittances, which will keep them alive, and that is all. Arrian upon Epictetus hath observed, that in a tragedy there is no place for a poor man, but only to dance.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
base. Greek. agenes. Literally without family, or descent. Only here. The opposite of eugenes, v. 26.
despised. Greek. exoutheneo. Literally counted as nothing. See Act 4:11.
not. App-105.
bring to nought. Greek. katargeo. See Rom 3:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1Co 1:28. , the things that are not) A genus, under which are included things base and despised, as also things foolish and weak. There is therefore an apposition, to the whole of which is opposed this one phrase, which are.- ) which are something.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Co 1:28
1Co 1:28
and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not,-God chose the things that seem base, that man despised as unworthy, and even things that are not-are dead-as Rachel weeping for her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are not-dead.
that he might bring to naught the things that are:-God depended upon a dead Christ to call them to repentance, to establish the reign and authority of God, overturn the mighty works of man that had been built up in the world in rebellion against God.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
things which: Rom 4:17, 2Co 12:11
to bring: 1Co 2:6, Deu 28:63, Job 34:19, Job 34:20, Job 34:24, Psa 32:10, Psa 37:35, Psa 37:36, Isa 2:11, Isa 2:17, Isa 17:13, Isa 17:14, Isa 37:36, Isa 41:12, Dan 2:34, Dan 2:35, Dan 2:44, Dan 2:45, Rev 18:17
Reciprocal: Lev 14:32 – whose hand Num 22:30 – upon which thou hast ridden Jdg 15:15 – slew 1Sa 17:49 – smote Pro 8:5 – General Son 8:1 – I should not be despised Eze 17:24 – have brought Dan 2:25 – captives of Judah Dan 4:17 – the basest Amo 5:5 – come Mic 5:2 – yet Zep 3:12 – leave Zec 4:10 – despised Mat 3:9 – God 1Co 1:23 – foolishness 1Co 10:19 – that the 2Co 4:7 – in Gal 4:14 – ye
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Co 1:28. This has virtually the same thought as the preceding verse, with a different set of terms. Base and despised means the subjects that the philosophers looked down upon. Things which are not of any consequence in the eyes of these wise men of the world, were to have such an influence with the sincere believers who hear the sacred story that the things that are so important in the estimation of the proud sages would be exposed and shown to be vain.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Co 1:28. and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yes, and the things that are not,or as we might say, the nothings,to bring to nought the things that are. Five times in succession is the neuter gender purposely used herethe foolish things, the weak things, the base things, the despised things, the no-things,emphatically to hold forth and reiterate the mean condition of the generality of converts, as persons of no culture, of no weight, of no account in any respectin fact, mere nobodies. And is not this the history of all the early triumphs of Christianity? And with what design?
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not [the people whom the world called “nobodies”], that he might bring to nought the things that are:
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
28. And the base-born of the world, and those who are despised, God elected out. This is signally verified this day in many of Gods most efficient soul savers. We are informed that the great George Whitfield belonged to this class, first appearing a little ragged shoeblack serving the students of Oxford University. Incidentally recognizing the wonderful brilliancy of his mental acumen and paradoxical susceptibility of learning, the students taught him his letters and gave him his first start in literature by way of sheer amusement, astounded at the wonderful quickness and perspicacity with which he would catch up and retain every little item they taught him. When preaching at Lowell, Mass., a few days ago I learned that the dust of this wonderful saint rests in the cemetery of a country church at the mouth of the Merrimac River. Oh, what a mighty man was George Whitfield in his day! unparalleled since the apostolic age. It was nothing uncommon for fifty thousand people to gather, not in a building, as England had none sufficiently capacious, but in an open field, while this champion orator, standing on a scaffold in the center, held them spellbound two solid hours, penitential tears coursing down their cheeks like rivers. He crossed the Atlantic seventeen times, using the English-speaking world in both hemispheres as his field of labor. We cite him and could give others innumerable, literally illustrative of this Scripture. Things which are not (i. e., nobodies), in order that he may confound the things which are (i. e., the somebodies). Therefore, if you are actually no account and nobody, look out, you are on shouting ground; you are the one whom God delights to use. You are in the most available and auspicious environments. Hence look out for the hand of the Almighty to rest on you, His mighty providence pick you up, and His grace transform you into a worlds wonder. I could write a volume giving brief notices of personal verifications of this Scripture. Revelation Stephen Merritt is accosted by a beggar in New York City asking him for a contribution. The man of God, flooded with the Holy Spirit, at once interviews him in the interest of his soul. The beggar responds: I am the most unfortunate man you ever saw, just out of eleven years service in the Sing Sing Penitentiary; meanwhile all of my old chums and acquaintances have gotten away, so I am here alone without a friend on the face of the earth; have walked the city two days and nights hunting work in vain, and am starving. Oh, says the man of God, I am glad I met you. You are actually in the best fix of any man I ever saw. You are nobody, and nothing but a bundle of meanness and shame, having nothing on the face of the earth, no hope for time nor eternity; so you are in the best fix of any man I ever saw, for you are the very man God wants to bless, lift up and honor, thus verifying His glorious redeeming grace, magnifying His mercy and exalting His great name in the earth. With this introduction the conversation continues, the beggar stating that he had never heard anything about religion or salvation in all his life, born at the bottom of slumdom, brought up in thievery, never having earned an honest dollar; and all the time in the penitentiary, when a Catholic priest came round, playing Protestant, and when the preachers called on him playing Catholic, so he had dodged between them and never in all his life been interviewed in the interest of his soul. Brother Merritt was then in his glory. Oh! how he preached Jesus to him the sinners Friend and the sinners Savior. Down on his knees the preacher prays, the beggar prays, both forgetting the contribution solicited. Brother Merritt goes on his way leaving the beggar in awful agony, like wrestling Jacob, crying to God. As the night watchers tread on their still and dreary march, the bottom of Heaven drops out, flooding his soul with grace and glory. He leaps and runs over the city till day dawns, and, seeing a man coming out to his work, he is again reminded of hunting a job. Therefore, accosting the man: Ho! ho! dont you want to hire a hand? Where is your recommendation? I have none.
Then I wont take you. I was eleven years Ho! ho! if you have followed any business eleven years, I will take you in. So the beggar gets a good job, now full of religion and shouting happy; his new boss turning out to be a good Christian, they are mutually delighted. Weeks and months go by. They labor, talk and pray together, and fall much in love, like David and Jonathan. Ere long the beggar ventures to explain what he meant by the eleven years, that he was going to say eleven years in the penitentiary.
Oh, says the man, the Holy Ghost moved me that moment to stop you so that you could get a job; for if I had known that you were just out of eleven years in the penitentiary, I would not have touched you with a forty-foot pole; but now I want you to stay with me eleven years.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 28
Things which are not; which are of no consideration.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which {x} are not, to bring to {y} nought things that are:
(x) Which in man’s judgment are almost nothing.
(y) To show that they are vain and unprofitable, and worth nothing. See Geneva “Rom 3:31”