1 Corinthians 3:18

“Let no man deceive himself, etc.] With vain notions of serving God and religion, and of doing the churches good by his carnal and worldly wisdom, and with false hopes of escaping the vengeance of God for sowing the tares of error, heresy, and discord among his people. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world; either a member of them, or a preacher among them, who thought himself wise in worldly wisdom; or was desirous to be thought so by others; or would be a truly wise man in this world, whilst he lives in it, and before he goes out of it: let him become a fool that he may be wise; not that, properly speaking, folly is the way to wisdom; but that that man that would be wise in…”

“seemeth--that is, is, and is regarded by himself and others. wise in this world--wise in mere worldly wisdom (Co1 1:20). let him become a fool--by receiving the Gospel in its unworldly simplicity, and so becoming a fool in the world's sight [ALFORD]. Let him no longer think himself wise, but seek the true wisdom from God, bringing his understanding into captivity to the obedience of faith [ESTIUS].”

“Let no man deceive himself - The apostle here proceeds to make a practical application of the truths which he had stated, and to urge on them humility, and to endeavor to repress the broils and contentions into which they had fallen. Let no man be puffed up with a vain conceit of his own wisdom, for this had been the real cause of all the evils which they had experienced. Grotius renders this, “See that you do not attribute too much to your wisdom and learning, by resting on it, and thus deceive your own selves.” “All human philosophy,” says Grotius, “that is repugnant to the gospel is but vain deceit” - Probably there were many among them who would despise this admonition as coming from…”

“Let him become a fool in this world - Such as the world accounts so. That he may become wise - In God's account. 1 Corinthians 3:19”

“3:18-20 Here Paul returns to the contrast between human wisdom and divine wisdom (see 1:18-25). Using Old Testament quotations, Paul encourages the Corinthians to be willing to appear foolish in the eyes of the world so that they may be truly wise in God’s eyes.”

“deceive: Co1 6:9, Co1 15:33; Pro 5:7; Isa 44:20; Jer 37:9; Luk 21:8; Gal 6:3, Gal 6:7; Eph 5:6; Ti2 3:13; Tit 3:3; Jam 1:22, Jam 1:26; Jo1 1:8 If: Co1 1:18-21, Co1 4:10, Co1 8:1, Co1 8:2; Pro 3:5, Pro 3:7, Pro 26:12; Isa 5:21; Jer 8:8; Rom 11:25; Rom 12:16 let: Mat 18:4; Mar 10:15; Luk 18:17 1 Corinthians 3:19”