I Corinthians 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness (KJV)

Then: Noah built an ark. Elijah poured water on logs and waited for God to start the fire. Jeremiah was thrown in a muddy well rather than stop telling King Zedekiah the Chaldeans would capture Jerusalem. The Corinthians knew about many Old Testament people whose behavior looked like foolishness. Dead set in their own wisdom, the people of Corinth might have a glimmer of understanding that their opponents -- for Apollos or for Paul - were off track, but they had great difficulty in recognizing the same problem within themselves. What great foolishness to take a stand which conflicts with the structure of God's kingdom.

Now: Politicians, businessmen, academics, and others from all fields of life can become so fenced in and enamoured of their personal weed patches that they don't notice the Lord's perspective. Preening with craftiness and self-awarded glories, they live in a foolishness which wreaks famine and destruction. Baker (p. 59) and others relate this verse to Job 5:13. It's direct thought association, not a word for word quote. In the NLT, the verb "catches" or "taketh" becomes "traps the wise," a vivid depiction of the Lord's hands stopping the handiwork of thieves. Thinking back to I Corinthians 1:19, Collins (p. 161), brings up Isaiah 19:14 for readers to compare with the quote here and the one coming next in verse 20. Paul is heading towards closure of the topic. These quotations bring a wider context than just depending on his own knowledge of God's truth.

Extra Source: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary 1 Corinthians (William Baker), 2 Corinthians (Ralph Martin & Carl Toney), ed. by Philip Comfort. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, c2006.