Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”
– Jeremiah 9:23-24
Terence Fretheim writes:
The New Testament picks up on the theme of vv. 23-24 in 1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17. The Apostle Paul speaks of the divine strategy in calling people to “proclaim Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23). God did not choose people because they were rich and powerful, nor because they were wise and skilled in debate. God chose what is foolish and weak, what is low and despised in the world, so that the focus of their proclamation (their “boasting”) would be on Jesus Christ rather than on themselves. The source of life and wisdom and righteousness is to be found, not in human virtues or resources, but in what God has done in Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. The point for both Paul and Jeremiah is not that human wisdom or strength or resources are of no importance. They have their own value … but they must finally be in the service of “boasting” in the LORD.
MEMORY WORK – Shorter Catechism Q/A 15
Q. 15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created was their eating the forbidden fruit.