1 Corinthians 1:10-17

¹⁰ Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹² Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” or “I am with Cephas,” or “I am with Christ.” ¹³ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one would say you were baptized in my name! ¹⁶ But I did baptize the household of Stephanas also; beyond that, I do not know if I baptized anyone else. ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.

Verse 10: Paul begins by appealing to the Corinthians in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. He urges them to be united and to have no divisions among them. This is a call for them to be perfectly united in mind and thought. It’s a reminder that as believers, we are called to unity and to live in harmony with one another.

Verse 11: Paul acknowledges that he has received reports of quarrels and divisions among the Corinthians. This highlights the importance of addressing and resolving conflicts within the body of Christ. It’s a reminder that unity and love should characterize our relationships as believers.

Verse 12: Paul addresses the specific issue of factions forming around different leaders. Some were claiming allegiance to Paul, others to Apollos, Cephas (Peter), and even Christ. This reveals the danger of elevating human leaders and creating divisions based on personal preferences. Our focus should always be on Christ, who is the head of the Church.

Verse 13: Paul emphasizes that Christ is not divided. He reminds the Corinthians that it was not Paul or any other human leader who was crucified for them. It is Christ alone who saves and unites us. Baptism is not about aligning ourselves with a particular leader, but about identifying with Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection.

Verse 14-16: Paul clarifies that his primary focus was not on baptizing but on preaching the gospel. He is thankful that he did not baptize many of the Corinthians, so that no one could claim to be baptized in his name. This highlights the importance of keeping the focus on Christ and not on human leaders or rituals.

Verse 17: Paul emphasizes that his main mission was to preach the gospel, not to baptize. His goal was to proclaim the message of the cross, which is the power of God for salvation. This reminds us that the central focus of our faith should always be on the finished work of Christ and the power of the gospel.