1 Corinthians 1:10-25 Factions in the Church of Corinth

1 Corinthians 1:10-25

Factions in the Church of Corinth

1 Corinthians 1:10 is an appeal for doctrinal agreement within the church. Scriptural adherence is the backbone of any church and is completely necessary for true unity.  Paul was urging the church to be “put back together”.  Verse 11 indicates this was not the case in Corinth as Chloe’s household reported there were factions within the church.

Contentions had arisen because of favouritism (partiality) towards particular leaders within the church and this led to factions with each group reportedly pitting their chosen leader against other leaders within the church. This not only weakened the Corinthian church but also weakened its witness to the unbelieving world.

Verse 13 gets to the point of the rebuke: Christ is not divided nor should his church be! Sectarianism or obsessive attachment to a particular leader is a threat to Christian unity and undermines Jesus Christ’s purpose for his church. (Ephesians 2:21-22, Ephesians 4:16)

1 Corinthians 1:18

¹⁸ For the ^[a]message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The primary message of the true church must be the gospel in its fullness. (1 Corinthians 2:2, Romans 1:16) Those who are in the process of salvation believe the gospel and are in the process of awaiting their complete redemption. (Romans 8:23) Those who view the gospel as foolishness are perishing because they have not believed in the wisdom of God. (John 3:18-19)

Verse 19: The God of the Bible is the all powerful LORD Most High or Elohim Yahweh in Hebrew. Elohim Yahweh does not share his glory with man or any idols. (Isaiah 42:8) In His complete supremacy of majesty, sovereignty, power,  knowledge, and wisdom: The LORD Most High purposed that salvation would not be possible through the wisdom and understanding of man but only by His divine revelation of the gospel message.

Verse 20-25 Human adoration of worldly wisdom or human reasoning or human philosophy (love of wisdom) is completely inadequate in relation to salvation and how to obtain it. (Isaiah 19:12) God in his infinite wisdom; purposed that men would be saved by believing the message of the cross of Jesus Christ. To the intellectual of the earth who merely sought after intellectual novelty; the message seemed foolish. To the religious Jews; the message lacked miraculous signs that they were so accustomed to. (Mathew 12:38-44) Regardless of the many Christ rejecters and the various forms they may take; the cross of Christ remains God’s true wisdom and only provision to save mankind from damnation in hell. (John 8:24, Acts 4:12)