OCTOBER 13 / OCTOBER 20, 2019
DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH
INTRODUCTION:
1. Paul’s salutation to the church at Corinth was as usual, commendatory. He thanks God for the favor shown to them and the various gifts by which the Gospel had been confirmed among them. (Verses 4-7) He expressed his confidence, based in the faithfulness of God, that they would be preserved until the day of the Lord. (Vrs. 8, 9)
2. Nevertheless there was an urgent matter of concern that promoted the letter. He had planned to visit them in person shortly, but when he learned from different ones that there were problems in the church, he felt that addressing these matters could not wait, even for a short amount of time.
3. He wasted no time in getting down to business. Over the course of the letter, he will address a number of problems, but he begins with the matter schisms in the church. Considering the serious nature of some other matters that he will be dealing with, the fact that this one tops the list tells us how destructive a party spirit can be to a church, and therefore, cannot be tolerated.
I. THE PROBLEM OF DIVISIONS IN THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH. (VERSES 10-17)
A. A PASSIONATE APPEAL FOR THE RESTORATION OF UNITY. (VERSE 10)
1. We can sense the greatness of Paul’s concern over this situation, and thus, the threat that it posed to the Corinthian Church. Before he states the problem, or addresses the nature of the divisions, or how he was made aware of the situation, he makes this impassioned appeal to them to get it fixed, i.e. repair the divisions.
2. He strengthens his appeal by the fact of their love and respect for Jesus Christ (as in II Thess. 3:12; Rom. 12:1; 15:20).
3. The appeal is expressed in general terms, “…that ye all speak the same thing.” Explained negatively he means “that there be no division.” Explained positively, “that ye be perfectly joined.”
a) The word rendered divisions means schisms. The original word means rent, as in a rent garment. (Matt. 9:16)
b) The words rendered perfectly joined means to repair or to mend. (Matt. 4:21) They were to be made one again, both in mind and judgment, i.e. one in love and in opinion.
B. PAUL’S MAIN SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHISM. (VERSE 11)
1. Chloe was a Christian woman well known to the Corinthians. Whether she lived at Corinth or Ephesus we cannot say. We only know that some from her house reported these things to Paul at Ephesus.
2. Those of Chloe’s house who came to Paul reported that there were contentions, that is, strifes or wranglings between the various factions in the church.
C. THE NATURE OF THE CONTENTION BETWEEN THE VARIOUS FACTIONS. (VERSE 12)
1. These contentions were not merely those between Jewish and Gentiles converts, which seemed to have been common in apostolic churches. However, it is probable that the Gentiles claimed Paul, while the Jews claimed Cephas (Peter).It is plain from the contents of this and the following epistle that these strifes were fomented by false teachers.
2. The Gentile converts, however, were not united among themselves. While some said they were of Paul, others said they were of Apollos. Apollos was an Alexandrian Jew, distinguished for literary culture and eloquence. Since Paul had vowed to use great plainness of speech, it stands to reason that some of the sophisticated and highly educated converts some of whom thought Paul’s plainness of speech to be contemptible, would have been drawn to Apollos, which was no fault of his.
3. A fourth group, it would seem, claimed a particular connection to Christ Himself. Perhaps these had actually seen the Lord, and had been taught by Him, and thus, felt superior to others in the church. Some think that these, by claiming to be followers of Christ, were saying that they did not adhere to any mere man, only to Christ. In either case, they were in the wrong. Those who truly have a strong relationship with Christ will submit to His ministers, and hear their teachings as coming from the Lord Himself. (Ch. 14:37)
D. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF THE SITUATION. (VERSE 13) These questions are meant to emphasize the total absurdity of the factions in the church.
1. Christ is not divided.
2. There is but one atonement and Christ alone has provided it.
3. Baptism is a confession of our union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. It is also a public pledge of commitment to Him alone.
4. How then do we explain the fact of opposing factions being in Christ’s church?
E. PAUL’S MINISTRY AMONG THEM NOT A CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROBLEM. (VRS. 14-16)
1. Although it was a duty of the Apostles to baptize converts (Matt. 28:19), yet Paul rejoiced that it had so happened that he had administered that ordinance to only a few persons in Corinth, thus the pretext that he was making disciples to himself was taken away. He had, however, baptized Crispus and Gaius, and also the household of Stephanas. a) Crispus was the chief ruler of the Synagogue in Corinth, whose conversion is recorded in Acts 18:8.
b) Gaius is mentioned in Rom. 16:23, as the host of the Apostle.
c) Stephanas was one of three messengers sent to inform Paul of the state of affairs at Corinth, and to deliver a letter. (Ch. 7:1) Paul later acknowledged his house as being the first fruits of the Gospel in Achaia. (Ch. 16:15)
d) Besides these, Paul could not recall if he had baptized any others. He will explain in the following verses that his sending, i.e. his apostleship was given him primarily to preach the Gospel. The effect of that preaching would necessitate many baptisms which would be seen to by other ministers.
2. Paul is in no way minimizing the importance of believer’s baptism, as some have tried to suggest. Rather, he is thankful that he had given no occasion for any to think that he was building his own following.
II. PAUL’S MANNER AND METHOD OF MINISTRY AND HIS RECEPTION AMONG THE JEWS AND GREEKS AT CORINTH. (VERSES 17-25)
A. THE MANNER IN WHICH PAUL PREACHED THE GOSPEL. (VERSE 17)
1. He called it “the preaching of the cross,” for without the atoning sacrifice of Christ, there is no Gospel.
2. This he was sent to do. “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.” An Apostle is a sent one. “Sent” (apestellen) involves the meaning being made an Apostle (apostolos). The primary function of an apostle was to bear witness (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8) i.e., to preach the Gospel.
3. He preached not with wisdom of words, nor, not with enticing words of man’s wisdom. (Ch. 2:4) He is referring to the high oratory and philosophical language in which the Greeks so much prided themselves.
4. He, instead, used great plainness of speech so that the success should not be a result of any such fleshly appeal, making the cross itself of none effect. If it is not the message that is made appealing to the soul, then there is no true conversion. Thus, God has put the Gospel treasure into plain earthen vessels, so that the excellency of the power may be of God. (II Cor. 4:7)
5. Paul was willing to have worldly wise men think his speech contemptible rather than to obscure the message of the cross, thus robbing the cross of its due glory.
6. The plain preaching of Christ crucified is able to do what all of the high sounding oratory and philosophy of the heathen world cannot do, and that is, save lost souls.
B. THE DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF THIS PREACHING. (VERSES 18-25)
1. To those who have not ears to hear, it is foolishness. For one reason or another all who reject it find the message of the Cross to be foolish. However, to those who have ears to hear, it is the power and wisdom of God. (Verse 18) The difference between those who believe and those who reject the Gospel is due to nothing in themselves, but rather to the effectual working of the Holy Spirit in them that believe. (Ch. 2:14; Rom 3:9-11)
2. The message of Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block; an offence. (Verse 23a) They looked for a regal victorious Messiah. The notion of the Anointed One becoming a curse was very offensive to them. Plus, they required a sign. (Verse 22) This had been their demand throughout Christ’s ministry on earth. They ask for a sign from heaven to verify our Lord’s claims. (Matt. 12:38; 16:1l John 2:18; 4:48; etc.)
3. The Greeks thought the preaching of the Cross to be foolishness. (Vse 23b) These were men of culture and learning; men of cultivated art and science. There was nothing in the plain preaching of the cross to suit their sophisticated tastes. They sought after wisdom, i.e. the wisdom of this world, the same as Paul had confronted at Athens. (Vse. 22)
a) God had a message for these proud worldly wise men from the prophet Isaiah. (Verse 19; Isa. 29:14)
b) God asked the same question of these as he did of the faithful in Zion when Senacherib’s armies were threatening. (Verse 20; Isa. 33:18)
4. Notwithstanding the contempt of both Jews and Greeks for the Gospel, and their various reasons for despising it, some of both classes believed. (Verse 24)
a) By the effectual call of God in the Gospel, the eyes of both Jews and Greeks were opened and made to see the power and wisdom of God in the Gospel.
b) We need not try and make the message acceptable. It is the Gospel itself that is the power of God unto salvation. (Rom. 1:16) The words themselves are spirit and life. (John 6:63) The Gospel has life-giving power. (I Pet. 1:23)
5. It is by that very means which the world’s wisdom calls foolishness, that it pleases God to convert the world. (V. 21)
a) The question in Verse 20, “hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world,” is here answered. He has, “for after that” or “inasmuch as…”
b) Although surrounded by many manifestations of the divine wisdom in creation, providence, etc., man, by his wisdom failed to attain any saving knowledge of God. (Rom. 1:20) c) Therefore, it pleased God by the very thing that the world called foolishness, to save them that believe.
d) God’s method in saving sinners has always been, and ever shall be, preaching – but not just any preaching – it is the preaching of the Cross that He blesses.
e) Men are ever attempting to persuade the world to become Christian by somehow removing the offence of the Cross, but such persuasion is never effectual.
6. Here is the reason for and confirmation of what precedes. (Verse 25)
a) In God’s blessed Gospel is invested the power and wisdom of God.
b) It, though appearing foolish and weak accomplishes what the wisdom and power of all mankind combined cannot do.
III. THE HUMBLE STATUS OF THE CHURCH AND THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN IT. (VS. 26-31)
A. THE CHURCH IS MADE UP OF THOSE WHOM GOD HAS CALLED. (VERSE 26) “For ye see your calling brethren.”
1. Since God chose and called them (Verse 2; John 15:16), it had to be by design that the great majority were weak, foolish, and base (low-born), while very few were wise, mighty, and noble. (Verses 26, 27)2. We are thankful that He did not say, “not any,” for some of the world’s nobility are called. Yet, Jesus said, “The poor have the Gospel preached unto them.” The blessed things of Christ are often hid from the wise and prudent, while God is pleased to reveal them unto babes. (Matt. 11:25)
B. THERE IS A DIVINE PURPOSE IN THIS ARRANGEMENT. (VERSES 27-29)
1. The advancement of the Gospel and Christ’s Kingdom in this world will not be by power nor by might, but by His Spirit.
2. By the simple and plain preaching of the Gospel, Satan’s strongholds will fall. (II Cor. 10:4)
3. God will use things that are not (those who men look upon as nonentities, as nothings) to bring to naught the things that are. What mighty works have been done by God’s nothings, who have dared to go forth in His name!
4. This arrangement prevents flesh to glory in His presence. (Verse 29)
C. TO THE HUMBLE AND LOWLY BELIEVER, CHRIST IS MADE ALL THINGS PERFECTLY. (VSE. 30)
1. Wisdom.
2. Righteousness.
3. Sanctification.
4. Redemption.
D. TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY. (VERSE 31; JER. 9:23, 24)
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