1Cor 1:12, 3:5-6, 4:6 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 12. Every one of you saith ] It seems from this expression that the whole Church at Corinth was in a state of dissension : they were all divided into the following sects 1. Paulians , or followers of St. Paul; 2. Apollonians , or followers of Apollos; 3. Kephians , or followers of Kephas; 4. Christians , or followers of Christ. See the introduction, sec. v. The converts at Corinth were partly Jews and partly Greeks . The Gentile part, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, might boast the names of Paul and Apollos ; the Jewish , those of Kephas and Christ . But these again might be subdivided; some probably considered themselves disciples of Paul , he being the immediate instrument of their conversion, while others might prefer Apollos for his extraordinary eloquence. If by Kephas the apostle Peter be meant, some of the circumcision who believed might prefer him to all the rest; and they might consider him more immediately sent to them ; and therefore have him in higher esteem than they had Paul , who was the minister or apostle of the uncircumcision : and on this very account the converted Gentiles would prize him more highly than they did Peter. Instead of Christ , χριστου, some have conjectured that we should read κρισπου, of Crispus ; who is mentioned . And some think that χριστου, of Christ , is an interpolation, as it is not likely that Christ in any sense of the word could be said to be the head of a sect , or party , in his own Church; as all those parties held that Gospel , of which himself was both the author and the subject . But it is very easy to conceive that, in a Church so divided, a party might be found, who, dividing Christ from his ministers, might be led to say, "We will have nothing to do with your parties , nor with your party spirit ; we are the disciples of Christ , and will have nothing to do with Paulians, Apollonians , or Kephians , as contradistinguished from Christ." The reading κρισπου for χριστου is not acknowledged by any MS. or version.

‏ 1 Corinthians 1:12

Verse 12. Every one of you saith] It seems from this expression that the whole Church at Corinth was in a state of dissension: they were all divided into the following sects 1. Paulians, or followers of St. Paul; 2. Apollonians, or followers of Apollos; 3. Kephians, or followers of Kephas; 4. Christians, or followers of Christ. See the introduction, sec. v.

The converts at Corinth were partly Jews and partly Greeks. The Gentile part, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, might boast the names of Paul and Apollos; the Jewish, those of Kephas and Christ. But these again might be subdivided; some probably considered themselves disciples of Paul, he being the immediate instrument of their conversion, while others might prefer Apollos for his extraordinary eloquence.

If by Kephas the apostle Peter be meant, some of the circumcision who believed might prefer him to all the rest; and they might consider him more immediately sent to them; and therefore have him in higher esteem than they had Paul, who was the minister or apostle of the uncircumcision: and on this very account the converted Gentiles would prize him more highly than they did Peter.

Instead of Christ, χριστου, some have conjectured that we should read κρισπου, of Crispus; who is mentioned 1Co 1:14. And some think that χριστου, of Christ, is an interpolation, as it is not likely that Christ in any sense of the word could be said to be the head of a sect, or party, in his own Church; as all those parties held that Gospel, of which himself was both the author and the subject. But it is very easy to conceive that, in a Church so divided, a party might be found, who, dividing Christ from his ministers, might be led to say, "We will have nothing to do with your parties, nor with your party spirit; we are the disciples of Christ, and will have nothing to do with Paulians, Apollonians, or Kephians, as contradistinguished from Christ." The reading κρισπου for χριστου is not acknowledged by any MS. or version.

‏ 1 Corinthians 3:5-6

Verse 5. Ministers by whom ye believed] The different apostles who have preached unto you the word of life are the means which God has used to bring you to the knowledge of Christ. No one of those has either preached or recommended himself; they all preach and recommend Christ Jesus the Lord.

Even as the Lord gave to every man?] Whatever difference there may be in our talents, it is of God's making; and he who knows best what is best for his Church, has distributed both gifts and graces according to his own mind; and, as his judgment is infallible, all these dispensations must be right. Paul, therefore, is as necessary to the perfecting of the Church of Christ as Apollos; and Apollos, as Paul. Both, but with various gifts, point out the same Christ, building on one and the same foundation.

Verse 6. I have planted] I first sowed the seed of the Gospel at Corinth, and in the region of Achaia.

Apollos watered] Apollos came after me, and, by his preachings and exhortations, watered the seed which I had sowed; but God gave the increase. The seed has taken root, has sprung up, and borne much fruit; but this was by the especial blessing of God. As in the natural so in the spiritual world; it is by the especial blessing of God that the grain which is sown in the ground brings forth thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold: it is neither the sower nor the waterer that produces this strange and inexplicable multiplication; it is God alone. So it is by the particular agency of the Spirit of God that even good seed, sown in good ground, the purest doctrine conveyed to the honest heart, produces the salvation of the soul.

‏ 1 Corinthians 4:6

Verse 6. These things] Which I have written, 1Co 3:5, &c.

I have in a figure transferred to myself and: to Apollos] I have written as if myself and Apollos were the authors of the sects which now prevail among you; although others, without either our consent or knowledge, have proclaimed us heads of parties. Bishop Pearce paraphrases the verse thus: "I have made use of my own and Apollos' name in my arguments against your divisions, because I would spare to name those teachers among you who are guilty of making and heading parties; and because I would have you, by our example, not to value them above what I have said of teachers in general in this epistle; so that none of you ought to be puffed up for one against another." Doubtless there were persons at Corinth who, taking advantage of this spirit of innovation among that people, set themselves up also for teachers, and endeavoured to draw disciples after them. And perhaps some even of these were more valued by the fickle multitude than the very apostles by whom they had been brought out of heathenish darkness into the marvellous light of the Gospel. I have already supposed it possible that Diotrephes was one of the ringleaders in these schisms at Corinth. See Clarke on 1Co 1:14.