1co01

2. Misunderstanding the gospel I: Division (1Co 1:10-31)

Section A. Misunderstanding the gospel (1:10-4:21)

The first thing that Paul tackles is the division or divisiveness among the Corinthian Christians. Apparently, they form rivalling groups using various teachers as rallying points (1:10-17) although the teachers were not involved (see Paul's comment on Apollos in 16:12).

This divisiveness is originated from misunderstanding the gospel in 3 ways, corresponding to the 3 subsections:

misunderstanding the nature of the gospel as a form of wisdom (Greek sophia) (1:18-2:16); Paul tells them how God's wisdom is more superior than human wisdom.

misunderstanding of the ministry (3:1-23); Paul tells them all gospel work is for God and is in God's hands.

misunderstanding the workers of the gospel (4:1-21); Paul tells them that he has authority as an apostle.

Explanation

Context: Paul disapproves the quarrelling and divisiveness among the Corinthians (1:10-17). He then contrasts human wisdom with the wisdom of God by showing them the gospel of the cross is folly by human standards in 3 ways:

its message, based on the story of redemption through a crucified Messiah (1:18-25), is too preposterous and too humiliating for a God;
its recipients, people from the lower class (1:26-31), are not wise nor powerful;
the preacher Paul, without wise and persuasive preaching, comes in weakness (2:1-5).

Yet this "divine folly" achieves miraculous result and demonstrates the wisdom and power of God.

1:10
Paul's three appeals concentrates on the word "same": (a) that: you all say the same thing, (b) that is, that there be no divisions among you, (c) rather, that you be knit together in the samemind and the same opinion.

1:12
Their various leaders: Paul (established the church), Apollos (taught the church), Cephas or Peter (may have visited Corinth). It is likely that the Corinthians, through their love of wisdom and a fascination for the values of the Greek philosophical, rhetorical tradition, saw Apollos as best fitting their new understanding of wisdom (Ac 18:24).

"I follow Christ": some people who form no distinct group but who attempt to rise above the rest; they too have fallen into the trap of spiritual elitism.

1:17
"Not in wisdom (Greek sophia) of word (Greek logos)": not with a kind of sophia that is characterized by rhetoric (or perhaps reason or logic). The emphasis is both on content (contrasting divine wisdom of the cross with human wisdom) and on form (in contrast to the Greek rhetorical tradition) of the gospel.

1:18
"message" (Greek logos) of the cross: the same term as "word" in v.17 but completely different
1:20 God nullified their human wisdom ("wise man"), both Greek thinkers or philosophers ("philosopher of this age") and Jewish rabbis and teachers of the law ("scholar").

1:22
Jews asked Jesus (e.g. Mt 12:38, Jn 6:30) for a "miraculous sign", i.e., asked Jesus to validate his messianic credentials with powerful displays. Greeks "look for wisdom" because they conceive God as ultimate Reason. They demand for power and wisdom, two idolatries of our fallen world.

1:23
To the Jews, the message of a crucified Messiah was the ultimate weakness (see Dt 21:23), in contrast to their demand for power. To the Gentiles, the message of a crucified Christ was utter foolishness, in contrast to their demand for wisdom.

1:24
Yet "to those whom God has called", Christ is the power and the wisdom of God.

1:26
Corinthians were not wise (wisdom), not influential (power), not well born by human standards (standards of the ‘flesh'). Sophists (Greek philosophers who emphasized wisdom) boast that they belonged to the "wise, powerful, and well born."

1:27
God aligned himself with the disenfranchised and overthrew the world's false standards of wisdom and power.

1:28
rhetorical: God chose the "nothings" to nullify the "something" (to turn the something into nothing).

1:29
"so that": the ultimate purpose; "boast": to put one's full confidence in

Corinthians are boasting (see 1:29-31, 3:21, 4:7) and being "puffed up" (see 4:6,18-19) in the name of wisdom. The reminder of their origin from the lower classes is to stop their boasting in human wisdom.

1:30
Three metaphors of our salvation: (a) righteousness: justification in the past, (b) holiness: ethical living in the present, (c) redemption: deliverance from the bondage of sin in the future.

Discussion

What can we do if there is division or divisiveness in the church?

We can learn from Paul by his frequent use of "Jesus Christ", "us", "our", and "same" in chapter 1, and try to emphasize that we are all on the same side and should not be divided on petty issues.
If the difference affect fellowship, it should be settled through frank discussion, especially for doctrinal issues. If the issue is "non-essential" (a narrow definition is that it does not involve one's salvation and does not require repentance if wrong), both sides should agree to disagree and refrain from attacking the other side. If the issue is essential, higher authorities should be consulted.

Application

God's standard is very different from the worldly standard. As Christians, we should apply God's standard and be cautious about using worldly standard, often unconsciously.

Our allegiance must be to Christ and to the unity that he desires, not to individuals.

The gospel is simple truth and can be understood and accepted by anyone, not necessarily the wise ones, the powerful ones, or the well-born ones. Beware of the "suburban captivity" of our church.