Teks -- 1 Corinthians 1:22 (NET)

1:22 For Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks ask for wisdom,

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: 1Co 1:22 - Seeing that

Seeing that ( epeidē ).

Resumes from 1Co 1:21. The structure is not clear, but probably 1Co 1:23, 1Co 1:24 form a sort of conclusion or apodosis to 1Co 1:22 the protasis. The resumptive, almost inferential, use of de like alla in the apodosis is not unusual.

Robertson: 1Co 1:22 - Ask for signs

Ask for signs ( sēmeia aitousin ).

The Jews often came to Jesus asking for signs (Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Joh 6:30).

Robertson: 1Co 1:22 - Seek after wisdom

Seek after wisdom ( sophian zētousin ).

"The Jews claimed to possess the truth: the Greeks were seekers, speculators "(Vincent) as in Act 17:23.

Vincent: 1Co 1:22 - The Jews

The Jews

Omit the article. Among the Jews many had become Christians.

Vincent: 1Co 1:22 - Require

Require ( αἰτοῦσιν )

Rev., ask . But it is questionable whether the A.V. is not preferable. The word sometimes takes the sense of demand , as Luk 12:48; 1Pe 3:15; and this sense accords well with the haughty attitude of the Jews, demanding of all apostolic religions their proofs and credentials. See Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Joh 6:30.

Vincent: 1Co 1:22 - Greeks

Greeks

See on Act 6:1.

Vincent: 1Co 1:22 - Seek after

Seek after ( ζητοῦσιν )

Appropriate to the Greeks in contrast with the Jews. The Jews claimed to possess the truth: the Greeks were seekers , speculators (compare Act 17:23) after what they called by the general name of wisdom .

Vincent: 1Co 1:22 - Christ crucified

Christ crucified ( Χριστὸν ἐσταυρωμένον )

Not the crucified Christ , but Christ as crucified , not a sign-shower nor a philosopher; and consequently a scandal to the Jew and folly to the Gentile.

Vincent: 1Co 1:22 - Unto the Greeks

Unto the Greeks ( Ἕλλησι )

The correct reading is ἔθνεσιν to the Gentiles . So Rev. Though Ἕλληνες Greeks , is equivalent to Gentiles in the New Testament when used in antithesis to Jews , yet in this passage Paul seems to have in mind the Greeks as representing gentile wisdom and culture.

Wesley: 1Co 1:22 - For whereas the Jews demand of the apostles, as they did of their Lord, more signs still, after all they have seen already; and the Greeks, or gentiles, seek wisdom

The depths of philosophy, and the charms of eloquence.

JFB: 1Co 1:22 - For

Literally, "Since," seeing that. This verse illustrates how the "preaching" of Christ crucified came to be deemed "foolishness" (1Co 1:21).

JFB: 1Co 1:22 - a sign

The oldest manuscripts read "signs." The singular was a later correction from Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Joh 2:18. The signs the Jews craved for were not mere miracles, but direct tokens from heaven that Jesus was Messiah (Luk 11:16).

JFB: 1Co 1:22 - Greeks seek . . . wisdom

Namely, a philosophic demonstration of Christianity. Whereas Christ, instead of demonstrative proof, demands faith on the ground of His word, and of a reasonable amount of evidence that the alleged revelation is His word. Christianity begins not with solving intellectual difficulties, but with satisfying the heart that longs for forgiveness. Hence not the refined Greeks, but the theocratic Jews were the chosen organ for propagating revelation. Again, intellectual Athens (Act 17:18-21, &c.) received the Gospel less readily than commercial Corinth.

Clarke: 1Co 1:22 - For the Jews require a sign

For the Jews require a sign - Instead of σημειον, a sign, ABCDEFG, several others, both the Syriac, Coptic, Vulgate, and Itala, with many of the fathers, have σημεια, signs; which reading, as undoubtedly genuine, Griesbach has admitted into the text. There never was a people in the universe more difficult to be persuaded of the truth than the Jews: and had not their religion been incontestably proved by the most striking and indubitable miracles, they never would have received it. This slowness of heart to believe, added to their fear of being deceived, induced them to require miracles to attest every thing that professed to come from God. They were a wicked and adulterous generation, continually seeking signs, and never saying, It is enough. But the sign which seems particularly referred to here is the assumption of secular power, which they expected in the Messiah; and because this sign did not appear in Christ, therefore they rejected him

Clarke: 1Co 1:22 - And the Greeks seek after wisdom

And the Greeks seek after wisdom - Such wisdom, or philosophy, as they found in the writings of Cicero, Seneca, Plato, etc., which was called philosophy, and which came recommended to them in all the beauties and graces of the Latin and Greek languages.

Calvin: 1Co 1:22 - For the Jews require a sign

22.For the Jews require a sign This is explanatory of the preceding statement — showing in what respects the preaching of the gospel is accounted foolishness At the same time he does not simply explain, but even goes a step farther, by saying that the Jews do not merely despise the gospel, but even abhor it. “The Jews,” says he, “desire through means of miracles to have before their eyes an evidence of divine power: the Greeks are fond of what tends to gratify human intellect by the applause of acuteness. We, on the other hand, preach Christ crucified, wherein there appears at first view nothing but weakness and folly. He is, therefore, a stumblingblock to the Jews, when they see him as it were forsaken by God. To the Greeks it appears like a fable, to be told of such a method of redemption.” By the term Greeks here, in my opinion, he does not mean simply Gentiles, but has in view those who had the polish of the liberal sciences, or were distinguished by superior intelligence. At the same time by synecdoche, all the others come in like manner to be included. Between Jews and Greeks, however, he draws this distinction, that the former, striking against Christ by an unreasonable zeal for the law, raged against the gospel with unbounded fury, as hypocrites are wont to do, when contending for their superstitions; while the Greeks, on the other hand, puffed up with pride, regarded him with contempt as insipid.

When he ascribes it to the Jews as a fault, that they are eagerly desirous of signs, it is not on the ground of its being wrong in itself to demand signs, but he exposes their baseness in the following respects: — that by an incessant demand for miracles, they in a manner sought to bind God to their laws — that, in accordance with the dullness of their apprehension, they sought as it were to feel him out ⁹³ in manifest miracles — that they were taken up with the miracles themselves, and looked upon them with amazement — and, in fine, that no miracles satisfied them, but instead of this, they every day gaped incessantly for new ones. Hezekiah is not reproved for having of his own accord allowed himself to be confirmed by a sign, (2Kg 19:29, and 2Kg 20:8,) nor even Gideon for asking a two-fold sign, (Jud 6:37.) Nay, instead of this, Ahaz is condemned for refusing a sign that the Prophet had offered him, (Isa 7:12.) What fault, then, was there on the part of the Jews in asking miracles? It lay in this, that they did not ask them for a good end, set no bounds to their desire, and did not make a right use of them. For while faith ought to be helped by miracles, their only concern was, how long they might persevere in their unbelief. While it is unlawful to prescribe laws to God, they wantoned with inordinate desire. While miracles should conduct us to an acquaintance with Christ, and the spiritual grace of God, they served as a hindrance in their way. On this account, too, Christ upbraids them, (Mar 8:12.)

A perverse generation seeketh after a sign.

For there were no bounds to their curiosity and inordinate desire, and for all that they had so often obtained miracles, no advantage appeared to arise from them.

Defender: 1Co 1:22 - require a sign

Note Christ's rebuke of this carnal attitude in Mat 12:39, Mat 12:40, and Joh 4:48."

TSK: 1Co 1:22 - the Jews // the Greeks

the Jews : Mat 12:38, Mat 12:39, Mat 16:1-4; Mar 8:11; Luk 11:16, Luk 11:20; Joh 2:18, Joh 4:28

the Greeks : Act 17:18-21

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 1Co 1:22

The Jews were not without some true Divine revelation, and owned the true God, and only desired some miraculous operation from Christ, Mat 12:38 Joh 4:48 , to confirm them that Christ was sent from God: without signs and wonders they would not believe; giving no credit at all to the words of Christ. And the Greeks, (by whom the apostle understands the Gentiles), especially the more learned part of them, (for Greece was at this time very famous for human literature), they sought after the demonstration of all things from natural causes and rational arguments, and despised every thing which could not so be made out unto them.

Haydock: 1Co 1:22-25 - Foolishness

The Jews, in the mean time, ask for miracles, such as God formerly wrought in their favour, and the Greeks, or the Gentiles, to be converted, expect from us, what they would look upon as the highest points of human wisdom and knowledge; for that which appeareth the foolishness of God, is wiser than men, and able to confound the highest human wisdom; and that which appeareth weakness of God, is stronger than men, who cannot hinder God from converting the world, by means and methods, that seem so disproportioned to this his design. (Witham) ---

Foolishness. That is to say, what appears foolish to the world in the ways of God, is indeed more wise: and what appears weakness, is indeed above all the strength and comprehension of man. (Challoner)

Gill: 1Co 1:22 - For the Jews require a sign // and the Greeks seek after wisdom

For the Jews require a sign,.... The Jews had always been used to miracles, in confirmation of the mission of the prophets sent unto them, and therefore insisted on a sign proving Jesus to be the true Messiah; except signs and wonders were wrought, they would not believe; and though miracles were wrought in great numbers, and such as never man did, they remained incredulous, and persisted in demanding a sign from heaven, and in their own way; and it was told them that no other sign should be given them, but that of the prophet Jonah, by which was signified the resurrection of Christ from the dead; this was given them, and yet they believed not, but went on to require a sign still; nothing but miracles would do with them, and they must be such as they themselves pleased: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, read "signs", in the plural number:

and the Greeks seek after wisdom; the wisdom of the world, natural wisdom, philosophy, the reason of things, the flowers of rhetoric, the ornaments of speech, the beauties of oratory, the justness of style and diction; as for doctrines they regarded none, but such as they could comprehend with, and account for by their carnal reason, everything else they despised and exploded. Hence we often read ^l of חכמת יוונית, "the Grecian wisdom", or wisdom of the Greeks; which, the Jews say ^m, lay in metaphors and dark sayings, which were not understood but by them that were used to it; the study of it was forbidden by them, though some of their Rabbins were conversant with it ⁿ,