is not power (as you might think at first sight), but power through weakness, divine power through human weakness. Paul brings together in chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Corinthians three striking illustrations of the same principle. First, we see power through weakness in the gospel itself, for the weakness of the cross is the power of God (1:17–25, especially verses 18 and 14). Secondly, we see power through weakness in the Corinthian converts, for God had chosen weak people to shame the strong (1:26–31,
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