For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. (1Corinthians 1: 21-25)

The death of God on the cross was incoherent with received wisdom.

For many Jews the death of Jesus on the cross confirmed he was not messiah. God would not allow his annointed such a shameful death.

Several early Christian movements - eventually designated heretical - argued that one way or another God had not died on the cross. Either Jesus was not divine or Jesus did not die.

Islam considers Jesus a great prophet and the ultimate redeemer of the world. But Islam finds it scandalous to suggest Jesus was God and God had died.

Paul insists that it is precisely in Christ crucified - the self-giving of God to torture and death - that we can apprehend the true character of our ultimate reality.