Today we are taking a look at what is happening in 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, the epistle reading for this coming Sunday. Throughout Epiphany we are reading through the early parts of 1 Corinthians, but the sermons focus largely on the Gospel texts, so we’re addressing the epistle text here. 
Chloe’s Tattletales – Paul mentions that “Chloe’s people” have reported to Paul about the church in Corinth. Paul is likely writing this letter from his long-time home base of Ephesus. Scripture does not tell us exactly who Chloe is or who her people are, but most scholars assume that she is a Greek business person who sends emissaries between Ephesus and Corinth to trade and likely also smuggle Christian letters back and forth.
Four Factions – Churches in Paul’s day were often gatherings in houses and were not particularly large, but would likely meet in larger group settings for important functions such as communion. The smaller house-church factions in Corinth seem to be separating around “cult of personality” lines. One group says “I follow Paul,” which is likely a group that is Gentile or concerned with the gospel being proclaimed to the Gentiles. Another group that says “I follow Apollos,” is likely interested in the intellectual or philosophical interests of Christianity as Apollos is said to be a gifted orator and scholar in the book of Acts. Yet another group says that they follow “Cephas” or Peter. This group is likely more interested in the Jewish traditions of the beginnings of Christianity and its connection to the church in Jerusalem. Lastly, there is a group that says “I follow Christ.” Scholars are unsure if this is really a fourth group or if it is Paul inserting an emphatic statement about himself – that he himself follows Christ not some apostle or disciple. If this is a fourth group, the group is probably discounting the apostles sent to them and refusing to hear the teachings of the apostles.
Baptism Amnesia – Paul seems a little confused when listing the people that he baptized. At first he says that he is thankful that he only baptized Crispus and Gaius, but then he relents and admits to having baptized Stephanas and his household, and then throws up his arms saying that he’s not sure if he baptized anyone else. Paul may be writing in this way to show his own relative unimportance. Paul may be trying to make clear that being baptized by someone does not make you that person’s disciple (whether you were baptized by Paul or Peter or Apollos, for instance) but that being baptized simply made you a disciple of Jesus, no matter who got you wet.
The Powerful Foolish Word of the Cross – Verse 18 will pop up twice in the next few weeks – at the end of this coming week’s readings, and then again at the beginning of the next week. This important verse serves as a hinge between two related sections. Paul tells the Corinthians that the ‘word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing…” but that it is power “to us who are being saved.” It is an artful demonstration by Paul that the Cross disrupts the conventional wisdom of the world. The world makes leaders and proofs into ultimately important things, while the Cross makes servanthood and faith important.
Application to the Church today – Unfortunately, we continue to wrestle with many of the same problems of Corinth. While doctrine and teaching are important, far too often we insulate ourselves from Christians who believe differently about certain doctrines. Where we were baptized or who baptized us or who we listen to in sermons or podcasts or books should ultimately not matter as much as gathering together at the foot of the Cross to receive the gifts of God. Divisions will happen, but we should not seek to reinforce those divisions. Rather, understanding that we all stand under the same Cross for the same reason – the problem of sin – we should try to work out our divisions with grace and love for one another, celebrating the good things in every Christian person and tradition that we can celebrate in good conscience.