What the Dispute Consisted In (1 Corinthians 1:11–12)

1 Cor. 1:11. For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of the household of Chloe (by the household members of Chloe), “that there are contentions among you”.

“It has been reported to me”. “Just as an accused person without witnesses could remain hardened into shamelessness, in order that they might not be able to reject what has been said, he brings forward witnesses. He did not say this all at once, but first presented the rebuke, because he believed those who reported it; for if he had not believed, he would not have rebuked them, yet Paul could not believe blindly. Thus he did not say all at once ‘it has been reported to me’ in order that it should not appear that he accuses them merely on the word of those who reported, and he did not remain silent about it in order that it should not appear that he speaks only from himself” (Saint Chrysostom).

“My brothers”. “Here again he calls them brothers. Although their sin was manifest, nothing yet prevented him from calling them brothers” (Saint Chrysostom). If their disputes did not touch upon the dogmas, but represented only an indulgence of frivolity, then there was no reason for division from them or any other reason, all the more for the Apostle, who hoped to heal the sickness by rebuking their lack of understanding.

“By those of the household of Chloe” (by the household members of Chloe), – υπο των Χλοης – of Chloe’s. Chloe was presumably a well-known person in Corinth, among the believers. If we suppose that she was engaged in commerce, and Ephesus, where Saint Paul then was, stood in this respect in direct relations with Corinth, then it is evident of itself how the household members of Chloe, by reason of commercial affairs, could have been in Ephesus and could have reported to Saint Paul about everything that was happening in Corinth. “Observe the wisdom of Saint Paul! He did not point to an individual person, but to an entire household, so that they might not rise up against the reporter. Thus he concealed the reporter, and at the same time openly revealed their fault. He knew what was beneficial for some, and what was necessary for others” (Saint Chrysostom).

“That there are contentions among you”. “Contentions” – εριδες, quarrelsome disputes, with a desire to outargue and have their own way. All their fault, as it turns out, consisted in quarrelsomeness, which disturbed and violated the brotherly union of love. That they should deviate into some kind of error is not evident. Saint Chrysostom had already noted that in matters of faith they were of one mind. What then were they disputing about?

1 Cor. 1:12. Now I say this, that each one of you says: I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

“Now I say this” – I speak by way of example. The matter with you is like this: one of you would say, I am of Paul, I love Paul, I follow him, I prefer him to all, I hold his side, I stand firm for him, I am even prepared to die for him. Another would have in the same way taken Apollos for himself, a third – Peter, a fourth – Christ Himself. “Each one”, not of the members of the Church, but of those who were carried away in this movement. The greater part remained calm, the body of the Church was not shaken. That any false opinions should be joined with this, is not evident, and should not even be supposed. If under each title some error was concealed, Saint Paul would have set forth each one and rebuked it, but later he rebukes only human wisdom in general and explains the significance of teachers in the spreading of Christian faith. This means that the Corinthians exercised their wisdom only in skillfully displaying the distinctive qualities of one or another person, under whose banner they positioned themselves. In this they showed their wisdom and boasted of it. Just as among the pagans wise men occupied themselves with trifles, so too, having entered into Christianity, learned men thought to occupy themselves with matters that had no importance for the work of salvation. It was enough for him to say: are you not children? (1 Cor. 3:1–3), as Saint Paul indeed said after rebuking the worthlessness of human wisdom. Nevertheless, although under the aforesaid titles no errors were concealed, the very act of distributing themselves under such banners could not be approved; for it revealed a misunderstanding of the matter of salvation in Christ Jesus and of the relationship to Him of the believers. And this was tolerated by all! No one saw how absurd this was! And to them Saint Paul speaks: well, you have confused yourselves with wisdom! And having rebuked the blindness of human wisdom and having pointed out what teachers are in the matter of Christianity, he brings it about: thus see, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas – all are yours, for you, and you are all of Christ, and Christ is of God (1 Cor. 3:22–23). Christ must not be set on a level with anyone.

Thus there is no necessity to inquire who exactly were the followers of Paul, who were the followers of Apollos, who were the followers of Cephas, who were the followers of Christ, to determine their way of thinking, and to compose schools. The matter did not go so far. The Corinthians distributed themselves, as it were, under certain banners, under some notable figures of theirs, and each party defended its choice. In this their disputes consisted. This is entirely consistent with what occurred later in Constantinople, as has been noted already, regarding the great hierarchs. One must suppose that among the believers there came a good many learned men, and it was they who stirred all this up there. In each party there were also ringleaders. These ringleaders were the immediate guides of each party. Saint Chrysostom and our other commentators think that it was these very ones that Saint Paul had in mind, but he did not name them in order not to provoke them. Meanwhile the purpose was achieved in this way by his discourse. For if it is not possible to range oneself under the banner of the Apostles, how much more absurd it is to range oneself under the banner of those who are incomparably inferior to them.