Note 5 at 1 Cor. 1:20: What is Paul speaking of? Is he asking the location of these intellectuals? Certainly not! He is saying, "How do these intellectuals relate to ministering the gospel?"

This can be seen by the context. In the next verse, Paul says God uses the foolishness of preaching to save those that are lost. He doesn't do it through mental persuasion.

Then, starting with verse 26, he draws their attention to the fact that there are not very many of the world's elite who are called to minister the gospel. He continues this same thought in chapter two as he uses himself as an example of preaching the gospel in simplicity instead of wisdom of words.

So Paul is saying, those who operate in the world's wisdom, don't find much of a place in God's kingdom. It's not because God won't have them. It's because they won't have God. Their own reasoning will keep them from receiving the simplicity of the gospel.