I Corinthians 1:28 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 1:28 Commentary: God Chooses the 'Nothings' to Nullify the 'Somethings'
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Understanding Paul's startling claim that God chooses what the world counts as nothing. Low-born, despised, non-existent: the grammar of grace.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God deliberately chooses those whom the world considers low-born, despised, and even non-existent, in order to nullify the proud and powerful, so that no one can boast in God's presence.
- Key words: agenē (low-born), exouthenēmena (despised, set at nought), ta mē onta (things that are not), katargēsē (nullify, render inoperative).
- Main debate: Whether 'things that are not' is hyperbole (Barnes), a reference to Gentiles (Clarke, Gill, Wesley), or things counted as nothing in human opinion (Calvin, Cambridge Bible).
- Theological theme: God's sovereign reversal of human values; salvation is entirely of grace, eliminating all grounds for boasting.
- Best use: Counseling those who feel insignificant; preaching on humility; teaching about the nature of the church as a counter-cultural community.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are,
WEB World English Bible 2000
God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist,
KJV King James Version 1769
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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and the base things of the world, and the things despised did God choose, and the things that are not, that the things that are He may make useless--
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and the ignoble things of the world, and the despised, has God chosen, [and] things that are not, that he may annul the things that are;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen: and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y lo vil del mundo y lo menospreciado escogió Dios, y lo que no es, para deshacer lo que es:
E Deus escolheu as coisas desprezíveis deste mundo, e as sem valor, e as que não são, para aniquilar as que são.
et Dieu a choisi les choses viles du monde et celles qu’ on méprise, celles qui ne sont point, pour réduire à néant celles qui sont,
und das Unedle vor der Welt und das Verachtete hat Gott erwählt, und das da nichts ist, daß er zunichte mache, was etwas ist,
En het onedele der wereld, en het verachte heeft God uitverkoren, en hetgeen niets is, opdat Hij hetgeen iets is, te niet zou maken;
e Dio ha scelto le cose ignobili del mondo, e le cose sprezzate, anzi le cose che non sono, per ridurre al niente le cose che sono,
A podłego rodu u świata i wzgardzone wybrał Bóg, owszem te rzeczy, których nie masz, aby te, które są, zniszczył.
и незнатное мира и уничиженное и ничего не значащее избрал Бог, чтобы упразднить значащее, —
神 也 揀選了 世 上卑賤的，被人厭惡的，以及 那 無 有的，為 要廢掉 那有的，
And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 1:28
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The verse is the climax of Paul's argument that God's ways invert human hierarchies (1 Cor 1:18, 31). The Greek moves in tightening circles: agenē (low-born, 'of no family,' Vincent), exouthenēmena (set at nought, a perfect passive participle that means 'expressly branded with contempt,' Vincent), and finally ta mē onta, 'the things that are not.' Commentators agree that this third category is not literal non-existence but a rhetorical surge. Barnes calls it hyperbole, 'a striking instance of Paul's manner of expressing himself with great strength.' Calvin and the Cambridge Bible treat it as things that appear nothing in human opinion. Clarke, Gill, and Wesley note that Jews regularly called Gentiles 'things that are not' (2 Esdras 6:56, 57). All agree on the purpose clause: God does this hina … katargēsē, 'that He might nullify' the proud 'things that are.' The verb suggests rendering something inoperative, voiding its power. Behind it all is v.29: so that no flesh can boast in God's presence. The pastoral logic is sure: God's choice of the lowly is a mercy that undercuts every claim to human standing.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Hyperbole: Barnes: Paul's language is intentionally extreme to show God's disregard for human status; 'things which are not' is a figure of speech.
- Gentiles as non-people: Clarke, Gill, Wesley: The phrase echoes Jewish terminology for Gentiles (2 Esdras, Hosea), and Paul is underscoring God's inclusion of the nations.
- Things counted as nothing: Calvin, Cambridge Bible: Refers to what human opinion dismisses; the term is relative, not absolute, and the 'are not' means 'appear not.'
What is clear: God uses the lowly, despised, and overlooked to humble the proud, ensuring that all glory goes to Him alone.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'things which are not' | All agree the phrase indicates people or qualities considered worthless by the world. | Barnes and Cambridge Bible see rhetorical hyperbole; Clarke, Gill, and Wesley strongly identify them with Gentiles whom Jews called 'non-entities'; Calvin interprets more broadly as anything that seems nothing in human estimation. |
| Meaning of 'nullify' (katargēsē) | The word means to render inoperative, abolish, or bring to nothing. | Clarke sees it as the historical overthrow of Jewish polity; Reformed commentators (Calvin, Gill) apply it more broadly to the dismantling of all human pride. |
| The nature of God's 'choosing' (exelexato) | The aorist middle indicates God's own deliberate selection, not random chance. | Reformed traditions see this as a specific reference to eternal election of individuals; Wesley and Arminian traditions interpret it as God's choosing to call and use certain people in history without implying unconditional predestination to salvation. |
| Social vs. individual application | The passage applies to the composition of the church and the kind of people God uses. | Some apply it primarily to church policy and inclusion (Clarke, Wesley); others emphasize the individual lesson that no one has grounds for pride before God (Calvin, Gill). |
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Corinth was a status-conscious city. Roman colonists, Greek aristocrats, freedmen, and slaves jostled for honor. Synagogues too venerated the wise, the mighty, the noble, the very categories Paul says God bypasses (v.26). The assembled Christian church in Corinth reflected this social mix but, as Paul points out, 'not many' of the powerful had responded to the gospel. Those who did were often of lower birth or despised trades.
Jews of the period regarded Gentiles as religiously 'non-people.' The phrase 'things that are not' echoes the Old Testament description of the nations: 'All nations before him are as nothing' (Isa 40:17). So also God told Hosea to name his son Lo-ammi, 'not my people' (Hos 1:9). Paul himself picks up this thread in Romans 9:25. When Paul says God chose 'the things that are not,' his first readers would have heard a direct revaluation of the despised Gentile world. In the same breath, though, the phrase extends beyond ethnicity: it covers every person or quality the world counts as zero.
Paul's argument is built on the cross, the supreme example of God working through what looks like weakness and shame. The 'nullify' (katargēsē) is a strong term used elsewhere of abolishing the law (Eph 2:15) and death (2 Tim 1:10). Here it means God dethrones the self-importance of those who think they 'are' something. The whole passage aims to produce a church that does not boast in human credentials but solely in the Lord (v.31).
Textual Notes
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that 'yea' is not in the Greek and that some early manuscripts omit the 'and' before 'things which are not.' Lange agrees, observing that in the best critical text the phrase 'things which are not' stands in apposition to the previous categories. The omission of the conjunction makes the final term the sharpest climax: low-born, despised, and, as though grouping them all together, 'things that are not.' The meaning is not affected, but the rhetorical force is slightly intensified.
Reception History
This verse has been a key text in discussions about God's grace and human worthlessness. The Reformers (Calvin, Geneva Bible) used it to argue that human merit plays no part in salvation: God chooses nobodies to display His glory. Wesley and Clarke, within the Methodist tradition, emphasized the inclusion of the poor and the Gentiles, using the verse to fuel evangelism to the outcasts. In the modern era, the verse has been cited by liberation theologians and social-justice movements as a biblical basis for God's 'option for the poor.' Across these traditions, the constant thread is the verse's power to humble the proud and comfort the lowly.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's choice targets the lowly. The Greek word agenē means 'of no family' (Vincent). God deliberately picks people with no social pedigree to display His power.
- God's choice includes the despised. The participle exouthenēmena implies active contempt. God not only tolerates the outcast; He selects them as His trophies.
- God's choice nullifies the proud. The purpose clause is pointed: God uses 'nothings' to dismantle the 'somethings' of the world. Status is turned on its head.
Five-point outline
- What God chose: the low-born, people of no name or family.
- What God also chose: the despised, people the world sets at nothing.
- What God even chose: the non-existent, those counted as nothing at all.
- What God achieved: He brought the proud to nothing, rendering their power inoperative.
- Why God did it: so that no human being can boast before Him (v.29).
Illustration hooks
- A start-up no one took seriously that later outpaced the industry leader, the 'nothings' upending the 'somethings.'
- The quiet volunteer everyone overlooks, whose faithfulness secretly holds an entire church or ministry together.
- A professional setback that stripped away self-reliance; the feeling of being 'nothing' that opened space for God's strength.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I don't have talent or influence, does God even see me?
- Why does the church sometimes seem to chase rich or famous people when the Bible says God chose the lowly?
- How can I experience the freedom of boasting only in the Lord, not in my achievements?
Leading a Discussion
Paul is describing a pattern, not a prescription. He points the Corinthians to their own church, made up mostly of ordinary, overlooked people, and says: that is how God works. This passage invites us to re-check our assumptions about who matters, in the church and in the world.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Read 1 Corinthians 1:27, 28. What four categories of people does Paul list, and what verb does each one pair with?
- Observation: The Greek word for 'base' is agenē (low-born). Why do you think Paul starts with social status rather than moral character?
- Interpretation: What does 'the things that are not' mean? Did Paul mean literal non-existence, or was he using vivid language for people counted as worthless?
- Interpretation: The verb 'nullify' (katargēsē) can mean 'render inoperative.' How does God use the lowly to 'make useless' the proud and powerful?
- Application: In your church or small group, who might be considered 'the things that are not'? How can you honor them this week?
- Application: Paul's goal is that 'no flesh should boast before God' (v.29). What are the subtle ways you boast in your own wisdom, strength, or pedigree?
- Connection: How does this passage shape your understanding of the cross, where God used the ultimate 'foolishness' and 'weakness' to save the world?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 28:63 | It will happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish and to destroy you. You will be plucked from the land that you are going in to possess. |
| Job 34:19 | He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of his hands. |
| Job 34:20 | In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand. |
| Job 34:24 | He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place. |
| Psalms 32:10 | Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh. |
| Psalms 37:35 | I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil. |
| Psalms 37:36 | But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found. |
| Isaiah 2:11 | The lofty looks of man will be brought low, the arrogance of men will be bowed down, and Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke identifies the base and despised things as the Gentiles themselves, especially Gentile converts whom Jews regarded as worthless. He argues that God used these
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that Paul pushes his language to an extreme: God chose not just the lowborn or despised, but things treated as if they did not exist at all. He notes that in the Eastern idiom Paul uses, calling someone "one who is not" meant they were beneath even contempt, utterly worthless and ignored.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin draws a sharp contrast between how Paul uses the phrase "things that are not" in Romans and here. In Romans it means actual nothingness before God, but here it refers to what the world counts as nothing, so that God can bring to nothing what the world counts as something.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains that "things which are not" refers to what seems insignificant compared to what humans value highly. Yet in God's plan, these lowly things are destined to take the place of what the world esteems and more than match its importance.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that God chooses what is lowly, despised, and even what counts as nothing in the world's eyes. His aim is to reduce to nothing what the world regards as something
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that God deliberately chooses those whom the world regards as nothing, including the despised and even non-entities, to nullify those who pride themselves on birth, wealth, or learning. He contrasts this with the Jewish saying that God dwells only with the wise, mighty, and rich.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes a textual nuance: the phrase "things which are not" is not a fifth category but stands in apposition to the foolish, weak, lowborn, and despised. God deliberately chose these four groups, which the world regards as nonentities, in order to nullify what the world counts as real.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Paul grounds his argument in observable fact: the Corinthian believers themselves illustrate God's pattern of choosing what the world counts as nothing to nullify what it counts as real. The point is not merely that humble people are called, but that God deliberately selects the non-existent in human estimation.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that Paul avoided eloquent human wisdom because fine speech would drain the cross of its power. God deliberately works through what seems foolish and weak—the preaching of a crucified Christ—so that no person can boast in themselves, only in the Lord.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to the precise Greek terms Paul uses. "Base" means literally "of no family," the opposite of noble. "Despised" goes further: not merely looked down on, but expressly branded with contempt, as Christ was treated.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights that the Jews used the phrase "things that are not" as a contemptuous label for the Gentiles, whom they held in supreme disregard. By contrast, "the things that are" refers to those held in high esteem. God's choice of the despised confounds human rankings of worth.