How does Paul address teacher factions and cross-word wisdom?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Reported contentions prompt an appeal for unity and questions about baptism in a minister’s name. Preaching Christ crucified contrasts worldly wisdom and excludes boasting in flesh.

Chapter breakdown

Paul, called to be Jesus Christ’s apostle by God’s will, and brother Sosthenes address God’s church at Corinth, those sanctified in Christ and called saints, and everyone invoking Jesus everywhere, theirs and ours. They wish grace and peace from the Father and Jesus. Paul always thanks God for the grace given in Christ, enriching the readers in utterance and knowledge, with Christ’s testimony confirmed in them. They lack no grace while awaiting his manifestation. He will confirm them to the end without crime at his coming, and God is faithful in calling them to his Son’s fellowship.

In Jesus’s name Paul asks that they speak alike, without schisms, perfected in the same mind and judgment. Chloe’s household has reported contentions: each claims Paul, Apollo, Cephas or Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for them, or were they baptized in his name? Paul thanks God he baptized only Crispus and Caius, lest anyone claim his name, then recalls Stephanus’s household too. He does not know whether he baptized anyone else. Christ sent him to preach rather than baptize, without wisdom of speech lest the cross be made void.

The word of the cross is foolishness to those perishing but God’s power to those being saved. Paul cites the destruction of the wise’s wisdom and rejection of the prudent’s prudence. Where are the wise, the scribe and the world’s disputer? God has made worldly wisdom foolish. Since the world did not know God through wisdom, God pleased to save believers through the foolishness of preaching. Jews ask signs and Greeks seek wisdom; crucified Christ is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but God’s power and wisdom to those called, Jews and Greeks alike.

God’s foolishness is wiser and his weakness stronger than men. The annotation explains what appears foolish to the worldly as most wise, and what seems weak as beyond human strength and comprehension. Their calling includes not many wise according to flesh, mighty or noble people. God chooses foolish things to confound the wise, weak things to confound the strong, and base, contemptible and nonbeing things to nullify what is, so no flesh may glory. They are in Christ through God, who made him their wisdom, justice, sanctification and redemption. Whoever glories should glory in the Lord.

The story inside

Paul qualifies both his recollection of baptisms and the number of wise, mighty and noble people called. The annotation explains foolishness and weakness according to worldly appearance.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Paul does not know whether he baptized additional people.
2
Not many wise/mighty/noble is not none.
3
Printed foolishness note concerns worldly appearance.

Test your recall

Which uncertainty does Paul retain after naming baptisms?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 129165–129168
1:10. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no schisms among you: but that you be perfect in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Lines 129190–129192
1:18. For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness: but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.
Lines 129216–129218
The foolishness, etc.... That is to say, what appears foolish to the world in the ways of God, is indeed most wise; and what appears weak is indeed above all the strength and comprehension of man.