1 Corinthians 1:10-17
10: Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11: For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
12: Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
13: Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15: so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.
16: Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
17: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
Paul began his exhortation to the Corinthians by telling them he’d heard of quarrels among them, particularly divisions regarding who they followed in doctrine. Some said they were “of Paul” which was most likely Gentile converts to Christ who favored Paul’s style of teaching and ministry. Some said they were “of Apollos” whom we read about in Acts 18:24-28. He was a Jew, an eloquent man, taught in the ways of John the Baptist, and then instructed by Priscilla and Aquilla more accurately. Apollos publicly refuted the Jews in Corinth showing that Jesus was the Christ. His followers probably enjoyed his eloquent style.
11: For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.
12: Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
13: Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
14: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
15: so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.
16: Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
17: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
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Paul began his exhortation to the Corinthians by telling them he’d heard of quarrels among them, particularly divisions regarding who they followed in doctrine. Some said they were “of Paul” which was most likely Gentile converts to Christ who favored Paul’s style of teaching and ministry. Some said they were “of Apollos” whom we read about in Acts 18:24-28. He was a Jew, an eloquent man, taught in the ways of John the Baptist, and then instructed by Priscilla and Aquilla more accurately. Apollos publicly refuted the Jews in Corinth showing that Jesus was the Christ. His followers probably enjoyed his eloquent style.
Cephas, or Peter, was most likely followed by converted Jews who still felt the need to keep portions of the Law—circumcision, observance of days and meats etc. There may have been a fourth division which thought better of themselves than the others by saying they followed Christ. They may have seen Jesus in the flesh themselves, or simply said they were “of Christ” in an arrogant sort of way.
In any case, Paul said these divisions and quarrels shouldn’t be. Jesus is the Head over all of His body. He is the only one who was crucified for us all, and it is in His name believers are baptized. We see that Paul was not flattered by any sect he might have had following him by his reference to whom he did or didn’t baptize. He said he was not called to baptize, but to preach, and his focus was not to preach with clever speech to try to impress people. He didn’t want the attention to be on him, or to gather a following to himself, but to preach the cross of Christ, and not take any attention away from it.
In any case, Paul said these divisions and quarrels shouldn’t be. Jesus is the Head over all of His body. He is the only one who was crucified for us all, and it is in His name believers are baptized. We see that Paul was not flattered by any sect he might have had following him by his reference to whom he did or didn’t baptize. He said he was not called to baptize, but to preach, and his focus was not to preach with clever speech to try to impress people. He didn’t want the attention to be on him, or to gather a following to himself, but to preach the cross of Christ, and not take any attention away from it.
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