1Cor 1:10-31 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Cor 1:10: 1:10–15:58 The body of the letter is devoted to Paul’s advice on specific problems and questions that had arisen in the Corinthian church. Summary for 1Cor 1:10-17: 1:10-17 The Corinthian believers were arguing over which of the leading evangelists (Paul, Apollos, Peter) was best. Paul rebukes them for their quarreling and worldly comparisons. As a minister of Christ and the Good News, he and the others are all channels through whom God works (see 3:1–4:7 ). 1:10 dear brothers and sisters: Literally brothers. This generic, traditional term of affection is used to address members of the same family, both male and female. • I appeal to you: Paul motivates them by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ , not by his own authority. • authority (literally name ): In Jewish thought, a person’s name carried the weight of the person’s authority and reputation. • Let there be no divisions: His desire was not simply that they avoid divisiveness, but that they be so filled with the Spirit of Christ that they would be of one mind, united in thought and purpose (cp. Phil 2:2 ).

Summary for 1Cor 1:10: 1:10–15:58 ^a The body of the letter is devoted to Paul’s advice on specific problems and questions that had arisen in the Corinthian church.
Summary for 1Cor 1:10-17: 1:10-17 ^b The Corinthian believers were arguing over which of the leading evangelists (Paul, Apollos, Peter) was best. Paul rebukes them for their quarreling and worldly comparisons. As a minister of Christ and the Good News, he and the others are all channels through whom God works (see 3:1–4:7 ^c). 1:10 ^d dear brothers and sisters: Literally brothers. This generic, traditional term of affection is used to address members of the same family, both male and female.

• I appeal to you: Paul motivates them by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, not by his own authority.

• authority (literally name): In Jewish thought, a person’s name carried the weight of the person’s authority and reputation.

• Let there be no divisions: His desire was not simply that they avoid divisiveness, but that they be so filled with the Spirit of Christ that they would be of one mind, united in thought and purpose (cp. Phil 2:2 ^e).
1:11 ^f Chloe was a Corinthian woman, not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture.
1:12 ^g The Christians in Corinth had formed factions loyal to different Christian leaders, but the leaders themselves do not seem to have been in conflict. Paul, as the one who had first brought the Good News to Corinth, would receive the loyalty of some.

• Apollos, now with Paul (see 16:12 ^h), was an eloquent Alexandrian Jew who had become a powerful Christian evangelist and had ministered in Corinth (see Acts 18:24–19:1 ⁱ). He attracted followers because of his skillful oratory (perhaps in contrast to Paul) and his ability to interpret Scripture.

• Peter: Greek Cephas; see also Matt 16:18 ^j; John 1:42 ^k Peter was the primary early evangelist to the Jews. He represented a more traditional Jewish perspective and had a gift for speaking in front of crowds (see Acts 1:15-22 ^l; 2:14-40 ^m; 3:12-26 ⁿ; 4:8-12 ^o; 10:34-43 ^p).

• I follow only Christ: This might refer to a group who disavowed allegiance to any human authority and viewed themselves as more holy than others.
1:13 ^q Paul asks three rhetorical questions, all expecting the obvious answer, “no.” Christian devotion is to be given to Christ, not to his messengers.
1:14 ^r Crispus and Gaius were two of Paul’s earliest converts in Corinth. Crispus was a former leader of the synagogue in Corinth (see Acts 18:8 ^s), and Gaius later offered Paul the use of his home (see Rom 16:23 ^t). This might identify him with Titius Justus, an earlier convert to Judaism who lived next door to the synagogue (see Acts 18:7 ^u). His full Roman name would then be Gaius Titius Justus.
1:16 ^v The household of Stephanas were the first converts in the province of Achaia (southern Greece; see 16:15 ^w). Household refers to all who lived in the house, which might include more than Stephanas’s immediate family.
1:17 ^x The important thing is not baptism, but the preaching of the Good News; baptism signifies people’s response to the message.

• clever speech: Eloquence, or an appeal to human wisdom.

• for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power: Too much emphasis on eloquence and the persuasiveness of human reason can distract from the simple message that Christ died for people’s sins so that they could be forgiven (1 Cor 2:1-5 ^y; 15:1-3 ^z).
Summary for 1Cor 1:18-31: 1:18-31 ^aa Paul contrasts eloquence and human wisdom, which were highly valued by some of the Corinthians, with the foolish message of the cross—the expression of God’s wisdom. The followers of Apollos, in particular (see 1:12 ^ab), were probably attracted by his rhetorical abilities and intellectual approach to ministry (see Acts 18:24-28 ^ac). In contrast, Paul emphasizes that the real power lies in the simple message of the cross of Christ. 1:18 ^ad The message that God is saving the world through a condemned criminal is foolish to unbelievers, for their eyes are blinded to the truth (2 Cor 4:4 ^ae). For believers, whose eyes have been opened by God, the message of the cross has the ring of truth to it, and they know its power to convict the human heart (see 1 Cor 1:23-24 ^af; Rom 1:16 ^ag). Unbelievers, still in their sin, are headed for destruction, for ultimate condemnation. Believers, whose sins have been forgiven, are being saved: They are on their way to eternal life and glory.
1:19 ^ah This quotation from Isa 29:14 ^ai shows God’s estimation of mere human wisdom.
1:20 ^aj In God’s eyes, the human wisdom of this world is foolish. Divine wisdom lies in the message of the cross and in Jesus Christ (see 1:24 ^ak, 30 ^al).
1:21 ^am Human wisdom alone does not bring people to the true knowledge of God; that comes only through the message of the cross, which the world considers foolish, but which saves those who believe (cp. Matt 11:25 ^an).
Summary for 1Cor 1:22-24: 1:22-24 ^ao Paul uses the words Greeks and Gentiles interchangeably to refer to non-Jews. 1:22 ^ap Unbelieving Jews wanted to see miraculous signs to validate the message (cp. Matt 12:38-39 ^aq; 16:1-4 ^ar; John 2:18 ^as, 23 ^at; 4:48 ^au). Greeks, renowned for their schools of philosophy, were only interested in human wisdom—i.e., philosophical reasoning.
1:23 ^av Regardless of what unbelieving Jews and Gentiles desired, Paul refused to give them anything but the simple message of the cross. To many Jews, the idea of a crucified Messiah was a contradiction in terms because crucifixion expressed not the power and blessing of God but his curse (see Gal 3:13 ^aw; cp. Deut 21:23 ^ax).
1:25 ^ay What the unbelieving world considers foolish and weak—Christ and the message of the cross—is in reality wiser and stronger than anything the world has to offer. It solves the world’s greatest problem, the problem of sin, and overcomes all the powers of evil that oppose human beings.
1:26 ^az Socially and culturally, most Corinthian Christians were ordinary people; few were among the elite (cp. Matt 11:25 ^ba). Only a few Christians, such as Erastus, the city treasurer in Corinth (see Rom 16:23 ^bb), were wealthy (or high born; cp. Jas 2:5 ^bc).
Summary for 1Cor 1:27-29: 1:27-29 ^bd God chose despised and humble people in order to demonstrate his judgment on human pride (cp. Rom 3:27 ^be; 4:2 ^bf; 2 Cor 4:7-11 ^bg; 12:8-10 ^bh; Eph 2:9 ^bi).
1:30 ^bj When people are united ... with Christ Jesus, God makes them righteous, holy, and free (see 6:11 ^bk; Rom 3:21-26 ^bl; 5:17-21 ^bm). This work of Christ is an expression of God’s wisdom.
1:31 ^bn This quotation is a paraphrase of Jer 9:24 ^bo (cp. 2 Cor 10:17 ^bp). Because salvation is a result of God’s sovereign power (1 Cor 2:5 ^bq) and his decision to save his people, there is absolutely no room for human pride (see 1:29 ^br).