1 Corinthians 1:11-13, "For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"
Those of Chloe's household: Chloe was a woman (probably a Christian) whose business interests caused her representatives (those in her household) to travel between Ephesus and Corinth. Paul is writing this letter from Ephesus, where these people from Chloe's household have visited him and told him about what is happening in the Corinthian church.
Contentions among you: The Corinthian church suffered under quarreling and conflict. This conflict had made them divide up into "parties" or "cliques," each party having its own "leader."
The Corinthians' boasting about their "party leaders" was really boasting about themselves. It wasn't so much that they thought Apollos was great, but that they were great for following him.
Is Christ divided? Jesus does not belong to any one "party." These cliques ignore the truth of unity over all diversity in the church, even if they were all in the name of spirituality.
Spiritual elitism is abhorrent, no matter whose name it is practiced in.
There was an old, contentious Quaker who went from one meeting to another, never finding the "true" church. Someone once said to him, "Well, what church are you in now?" He said, "I am in the true church at last." "How many belong to it?" "Just my wife and myself, and I am not sure about her sometimes."
Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? When Paul puts it like this, it shows how foolish it is to focus on anyone but Jesus.
Dear God, I praise the name of Jesus Christ as the only One I will follow. I pray that it will unify me to others as well!
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