In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul portrays Jesus as the embodiment of all the hopes of God’s people. He states this poignantly in verse 30:

Because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, righteousness, holiness, and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Jesus embodies the wisdom that all the Old Testament writings seek to cultivate and therefore being “in Christ Jesus” is the foundation of Christian identity.

Righteousness

Righteousness is a word directly related to the Torah. For example, Isaiah 51:7 uses the two concepts in parallel:

“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, people in whose heart is my Torah … (Isaiah 51:7)

Holiness

Holiness is the domain of temple, priesthood, and the sacrificial system. Holiness is a concept directly related to God’s presence, and God’s presence is mediated to the people through the priests and their work.

Redemption

Redemption is a concept directly related to the work of Yahweh in saving Israel from Egypt. Exodus 6:6 says,

So say to the people of Israel, “I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of Egypt. I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment.”(Exodus 6:6)

The prophets therefore project the language of redemption and exodus into the future to provide hope that God will do a similar work again (e.g. Isaiah 43:1–3).

Conclusion

The little three word appositional phrase at the end of 1 Corinthians 1:30 overlays the image of Jesus with the entire conceptual world of Old Testament hope. What does it mean that Jesus became the wisdom of God for us? With three words, Paul explains: Jesus is the goal of the Torah (righteousness), the embodiment of the holiness cultivated by the priestly, sacrifice rituals (holiness), and the hope of Exodus (redemption).

In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, this is why the Corinthians should stop fighting about where their allegiance lies (i.e. with Peter or Paul or Apollos, etc.). Their identity is rooted in Jesus because he is the embodiment of God’s wisdom. In our world, the message transfers quite directly.