1 Corinthians 1: Divided Over Nothing

Paul barely gets through his opening greeting before he has to address a fight. Each of the Corinthians has taken a side — “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” “I follow Christ” (1:12). A church has organized itself into fan clubs around whoever baptized or taught them, and Paul’s response is not to pick a winner — it’s to ask whether the whole contest is beside the point.

Read it in the terminal: bible 1corinthians 1

Is Christ divided?

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?” (1:13). The question is almost startled, as if Paul can’t believe he has to ask it. Loyalty to a preacher’s style or reputation had quietly replaced loyalty to what the preacher was actually pointing to.

Foolishness that outsmarts wisdom

Paul’s real target is bigger than factions — it’s the wisdom the factions were competing to display. “the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying… but to us who are saved it is the power of God” (1:18). A crucified savior was, to the world Paul lived in, either a scandal or a joke. Paul doesn’t apologize for it; he leans into it as the whole point.

The upside-down guest list

“…that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise.” — 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

Corinth’s church, by Paul’s own account, wasn’t full of the impressive. That wasn’t an embarrassment to explain away — it was the strategy.

Questions for study

1. What’s the modern version of “I follow Paul” / “I follow Apollos” — where do allegiances to style quietly replace allegiance to substance?
2. Does calling the cross “foolishness” still register as scandalous to you, or has familiarity worn it smooth?
3. Where do you see God choosing “the foolish things” over the impressive ones in your own life or community?

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