Unconquerable Weakness

St Paul makes much of weakness.

In 1 Cor 1:25 he makes the famous statement "the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." This verse comes at the end of a short section on how the wisdom of God seems to be foolishness to men.

Again, in 2 Cor 16-29, St Paul enumerates the times when he was persecuted, beaten, and suffered at the hands of men and in natural hardships. In this he explains that these show his weakness. He does not fight them but endures them. What is extraordinary is that he then boasts of his weakness (cf v.30).

Finally he ties this to Christ in 2 Cor 13:4, who "was crucified out of weakness, but he lives by the power of God. So also we are weak in him, but toward you we shall live with him by the power of God."

There is a paradoxical relationship between strength and weakness in St Paul's letters. At first glance, it seems as if it were a simple comparison between the human and the divine.  The divine is just a bigger version of the human.  Hence the weakness of God is stronger than the strength of man. So then in Paul's list of hardships, he is weak, The list of hardships continue to demonstrate this weakness, but why would he then boast of them? Christ dies in weakness?  Where is the power of God in that?

One may ask if a Christian should simply expect no earthly rescue by God. It's just that God is really powerful and we are not. Christians are not allowed to fight back so we just have to suck it up and take it. Even Jesus himself had to simply let himself be killed.

I will suggest that this weakness is not something inflicted upon Paul but an impenetrable shield for his defense. The reason speaks to how the devil works. To quote Tolkien, "the Shadow can only mock, it cannot make." Evil corrupts. All sin is a corruption of something good. Worldly power, therefore, is a handle by which the devil can grasp to use against us.

What then is our protection against this corruption?  Weakness. Weakness is the only thing that evil cannot corrupt. It has nothing to grasp us by. This weakness is related to kenosis, the self-emptying St Paul speaks of in Philippians 2:7.  Self-emptying means ridding ourselves of pride, it means a true humility, a realization that to God alone belongs the victory, even when furthered by our own efforts. Most importantly, it is a radical dependence upon God and his providence.

This radical dependence appears from the outside to be weakness, but upon it we can safely rely for invincible protection.

Faith & Reason Quote of the Day

“There are some who come to him through their minds, through study, and through considering the problems of today, suffering above all. We should be ready to discuss their thoughts with them, not in order to score points against them in argument, but to help them clarify their own ideas, to form their own conclusions – this, with the gentleness of Christ, that they like the disciples on the road, may feel their hearts burning within them as the mystery of the Redemption begins to shine in their minds.”
– Caryll Houselander

Who are the "some" mentioned in the opening sentence? I think it's anyone who is sincerely and sanely searching for the Good, the Beautiful, and the True. An honest seeker will ask opened ended questions or raise objections in an open ended way.

As a cue, one looking to gather new information may ask open questions that mostly start with "What, Where, When How, Who, Why..." Those who wish to put you and your faith on trial may be more likely to ask closed questions, which are commonly used to help confirm things that one already suspects, and begin with "Do, Have, Will, Can, Are, Is..."

Consider the statement: "Purple fish eat candy."

Yum!

If one is predisposed against you, your way of thinking and your worldview, you may hear:
- Are you serious?
- Have you ever seen purple fish eating candy?
- Can fish really sit around eating candy bars and licking lollipops?
- Do you see how this is only a delusional fairytale?

If one is sincerely trying to understand, you may hear:
- What do you mean?
- How can fish eat candy?
- What kind of fish?
- What kind of candy?

I don't really know if purple fish eat candy. I suppose it's possible that some kind of tropical fish, in some shade of purple, might like to eat tiny bits of candy or any sugary substance, but the point is...

Understanding must first begin with a heartfelt attempt to believe; you must first know what the idea would mean if it were actually true. This is the impetus of Faith through Reason.