10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
Commentary
Vs. 10-11 10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.
Having reaffirmed to the Corinthian believers their calling and place with God through Christ. The Apostle Paul now starts to address some of the areas of concern within the Corinthian congregations and believers there. Now the most pressing issue there was their divisiveness. Which left unchecked can tear apart whole congregations, not only ruining them and their own testimonies, but also divisiveness amongst brethren undermines the testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And so the Apostle Paul begins with addressing this root problem first, pleading with them all to "speak the same thing", so that there would be no divisions amongst them, but rather that they all would "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment" (vs. 10).
Having reaffirmed to the Corinthian believers their calling and place with God through Christ. The Apostle Paul now starts to address some of the areas of concern within the Corinthian congregations and believers there. Now the most pressing issue there was their divisiveness. Which left unchecked can tear apart whole congregations, not only ruining them and their own testimonies, but also divisiveness amongst brethren undermines the testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And so the Apostle Paul begins with addressing this root problem first, pleading with them all to "speak the same thing", so that there would be no divisions amongst them, but rather that they all would "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment" (vs. 10).
Now at the root of their divisiveness was their growing sectarianism. That is though they, and all believers everywhere have salvation only through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Yet it became apparent to the household of Chloe (that is the believers who assembled there) that both individual believers, as well as collective assemblies in Corinth were now aligning themselves not under the Name of our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but rather under the names of men who had either preached the Gospel to them, and or had baptized them. An utterly untenable situation given there is One Name alone that saves us, and is to be exalted amongst brethren everywhere.
Vs. 12-13 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
In responding to their divisiveness; that is the Corinthians aligning themselves under Paul or Apollos, or Cephas (i.e. the Apostle Peter), and thus the men through the Gospel was preached to them and they believed, or were discipled by, some even started to claim they exclusively belonged to Christ. And so in response to all of that the Apostle Paul asks them all some poignant questions, starting with "Is Christ divided?" That is does Jesus Christ freely bring salvation to us all who believe in Him, and then divide us up into different groups and factions under the names and banners of the men through whom we believed? Does He not rather set us all apart for Himself under the Name of Himself? Thus uniting us all to Himself through Himself. For we are not commanded to follow men, or make disciples in the names of the men. We are commanded to follow Christ and makes disciples in His, and only His name. That is the issue, not that believers assemble in different locations, or have different pastors and such who lead them, and hopefully guide them into following Christ faithfully. But in receiving Christ by faith, you and me and everyone who does so becomes apart of Christ. And thus no-one can justly think themselves (and those in their assembly) as exclusively belonging to Christ. Whether they do this by aligning themselves under His Name or anybody else's.
Again Christ is not divided, neither then can His people be divided into sectarian divisions (1 Cor 12:12-31). Therefore unity for us all comes through our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who suffered crucifixion death in our place, who rose from the dead on the third day, and who ascended back to God the Father, who now freely gives us His Spirit, so that whoever believes in Him will have remission of all their sins and everlasting life. Now as the Apostle Paul goes onto say of the brethren in Corinth, aligning themselves under the names of the men who either preached the gospel to them, and or baptized them. "Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" And so what the Apostle Paul is essentially asking is, did salvation come through me? or were you baptized in my name to become a disciple of me? To which the obvious answer is no!
Therefore our first loyalty must always be to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Body of believers everywhere, who in every generation call upon His Name in truth. Thus to all who hold fast to His and His Biblical Apostles commandments, exhortations, and decrees. For no one should think that one Biblical Apostle, or preacher, or teacher, is "superior" to another, and thus one should align themselves under them, as if our salvation comes through them. For that's only being carnal, not spiritual. Therefore the issue not who preached the Gospel to you, or disciples you, the issue is what place does Jesus Christ and His Word have in you, is He your Lord and Savior and does His Word mandate to you how you will live, and how you will follow Him in grace and truth (John 1:17).
Vs. 14-17 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
And so the Apostle Paul now must say in response to their aligning themselves under the names of men who either preached the Gospel to them, and or baptized them, and thus that had become the all important thing to them. That he thanks God that he baptized none of them, except Crispus and Gaius (vs. 14). The reason he thanks God for this, is not that Paul had anything against baptizing any of them, rather he thanks God that he did not baptize any, except Crispus and Gaius, because of the importance the Corinthians themselves began to place on the one who had baptized them (and thus discipled them). And so the Apostle is thankful that he had only baptized those two men unless anyone should say that he had baptized in his own name, and thus was making disciples after himself, and not after Christ (vs. 15). And so in verse sixteen, also recalling that he baptized the household of Stephanas, and unable to recall if he baptized any other, the Apostle Paul in doing so is simply trying to set the record straight, that baptism is not what he was commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to do, as if that is salvation comes through it, or making disciples is born out of it. Rather as he says in verse seventeen, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect."
Vs. 12-13 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
In responding to their divisiveness; that is the Corinthians aligning themselves under Paul or Apollos, or Cephas (i.e. the Apostle Peter), and thus the men through the Gospel was preached to them and they believed, or were discipled by, some even started to claim they exclusively belonged to Christ. And so in response to all of that the Apostle Paul asks them all some poignant questions, starting with "Is Christ divided?" That is does Jesus Christ freely bring salvation to us all who believe in Him, and then divide us up into different groups and factions under the names and banners of the men through whom we believed? Does He not rather set us all apart for Himself under the Name of Himself? Thus uniting us all to Himself through Himself. For we are not commanded to follow men, or make disciples in the names of the men. We are commanded to follow Christ and makes disciples in His, and only His name. That is the issue, not that believers assemble in different locations, or have different pastors and such who lead them, and hopefully guide them into following Christ faithfully. But in receiving Christ by faith, you and me and everyone who does so becomes apart of Christ. And thus no-one can justly think themselves (and those in their assembly) as exclusively belonging to Christ. Whether they do this by aligning themselves under His Name or anybody else's.
Again Christ is not divided, neither then can His people be divided into sectarian divisions (1 Cor 12:12-31). Therefore unity for us all comes through our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who suffered crucifixion death in our place, who rose from the dead on the third day, and who ascended back to God the Father, who now freely gives us His Spirit, so that whoever believes in Him will have remission of all their sins and everlasting life. Now as the Apostle Paul goes onto say of the brethren in Corinth, aligning themselves under the names of the men who either preached the gospel to them, and or baptized them. "Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" And so what the Apostle Paul is essentially asking is, did salvation come through me? or were you baptized in my name to become a disciple of me? To which the obvious answer is no!
Therefore our first loyalty must always be to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Body of believers everywhere, who in every generation call upon His Name in truth. Thus to all who hold fast to His and His Biblical Apostles commandments, exhortations, and decrees. For no one should think that one Biblical Apostle, or preacher, or teacher, is "superior" to another, and thus one should align themselves under them, as if our salvation comes through them. For that's only being carnal, not spiritual. Therefore the issue not who preached the Gospel to you, or disciples you, the issue is what place does Jesus Christ and His Word have in you, is He your Lord and Savior and does His Word mandate to you how you will live, and how you will follow Him in grace and truth (John 1:17).
Vs. 14-17 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
And so the Apostle Paul now must say in response to their aligning themselves under the names of men who either preached the Gospel to them, and or baptized them, and thus that had become the all important thing to them. That he thanks God that he baptized none of them, except Crispus and Gaius (vs. 14). The reason he thanks God for this, is not that Paul had anything against baptizing any of them, rather he thanks God that he did not baptize any, except Crispus and Gaius, because of the importance the Corinthians themselves began to place on the one who had baptized them (and thus discipled them). And so the Apostle is thankful that he had only baptized those two men unless anyone should say that he had baptized in his own name, and thus was making disciples after himself, and not after Christ (vs. 15). And so in verse sixteen, also recalling that he baptized the household of Stephanas, and unable to recall if he baptized any other, the Apostle Paul in doing so is simply trying to set the record straight, that baptism is not what he was commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to do, as if that is salvation comes through it, or making disciples is born out of it. Rather as he says in verse seventeen, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect."
For discipleship does not start with baptism (see Matt 28:18-20). Discipleship begins when one believes the Gospel and thus receives the Lord jesus Christ into one's heart and life. Water baptism then is merely the external confirmation of one having already believed, and thus having already received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith through the Gospel, and thus of having become a disciple of Christ. Simply stated water baptism saves no one. It adds nothing to the God's finished work done on the cross. Thus Christ did not send the Apostle Paul to go and baptize people, as if that is the critical link that will restore separated and fallen humanity back to God. Rather Christ sent Paul (just as sends me and you) to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel! For it is by hearing the Gospel preached that faith comes, and it is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that salvation is received. And so we are commanded to go out and preach the Gospel everywhere and to everyone, but not with wisdom of words, that is not with the philosophies and lofty reasonings of man, since these only make the cross of Christ of no effect. For the Cross of Christ, the absolute simplicity of it, is the demarcation line between the Words and Works and Wisdom of God, and that of mortal man, who by his own wisdom and reasoning and or self-efforts can effectively change nothing that is fundamentally wrong with himself, or even His standing before God Himself. And so the Gospel says believe in God's Son the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for your redemption from sin and death and be saved from the wrath and the judgment to come (John 3:16-21). For that is how salvation is received and discipleship begins, by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as testified to in the Bible, which then precipitates one being brought to life by the Holy Spirit of God. And thus having been born-again by the Spirit of God, one can now by the transforming power of God through His Holy Spirit, begin the process of learning how to live out what the Lord Jesus Christ commands that we all do.
Now if you have not yet received Christ into your heart and life, so that He might begin His transformative work and discipleship within you, then please by all means do so. By a simple prayer of faith, of believing in Jesus Christ, and receiving Him unconditionally into your heart and life you can have remission of all your sins and everlasting life. Therefore invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior by praying something like this: Dear Lord Jesus I believe that You died for Me on the cross so that I could have remission of all my sins and have everlasting life with You the moment I believe in You. Therefore I now invite You to come into my heart and life, to not only save me from the wrath and judgment to come, but also to transform me, by Your Holy Spirit make me into the kind of person God always intended me to be. In your Precious Name Lord Jesus, amen.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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