1 Corinthians chapter 1

vs 11

Chloe, or at least someone from her household, has been talking to Paul, and telling him what's going on at Corinth. And the report so far doesn't seem great. People are quarreling.

vs 12

The Christians have formed some divisive little sects inside the church, based on who they were baptised by, and whose teaching they were taught or they follow. Although the literal reading to us might sound like there is one group who is doing the right thing ("I follow Christ"), some scholars have suggested that this may in fact just be another division trying to outrank everyone else. Surely the proper Christian attitude would be "We all follow Christ" or something more pithy. Anyway, Paul's next line is one that may help back this up, because he is referring to Christ even as this last group does.

What this also shows is that either Corinth was receiving teaching from a lot of bigwigs (Paul, Peter, Apollos), or else their teachings were directly available via letter or verbal transmission (like Christ's teachings).

vs 13

Christ was crucified for all. He was not divided for the followers of Apollos, Paul, Peter etc. And these people were not crucified for the sins of Christians. And Paul at least didn't baptise anyone into his name, but only into Jesus' name. The teacher is far less important that what is taught - Christ is the supreme, and his church should be undivided.

vs 14-15

In fact, Paul only baptised two people, and he's glad, because he doesn't want to foster this idea that you can get baptised into the name of Paul, or even that his baptism is better than Apollos' baptism etc.

vs 16

(Oh, wait, I did baptise some other people. I can't even remember if I baptised more. But apart from that... you get the point!) Yes, Paul is human and has an imperfect memory.

vs 17

This always hits home to me when I read it. Paul doesn't go around with a ministry of baptism. And he doesn't go around with a ministry of wise apologetics in order to win arguments in the ampi-theatre at lunchtime. That sort of thing empties the cross and all of Christ's work of its power - not in a literal way though. It's not like every time someone preaches by words of wisdom that the cross becomes a little less powerful than it was. What he is saying is that if you are preaching some wise words in an attempt to win over a person's mind by logical force, then your argument is only as strong as your wise words.

Paul preaches the gospel. And it's not a gospel of wise words, or street smarts. It is a gospel of the power of God by the cross. Paul has more to say about it too.

vs 18

The gospel is the power of God. Why make wise and intellectual arguments, when you can just use the power of God that is the gospel? And yes, some people will see the gospel as foolishness, and its bringers as fools. But for those who God powerfully works in, it saves. The gospel is all-sufficient.

Now I'm not trying to devalue tertiary Bible studies like Bible college, or evangelism courses or apologetics or anything. But the fact is that anyone who has heard the gospel and become a Christian can share the gospel, because it's not by their own power that they do it - when you are sharing the gospel, you are wielding the very power of God.

vs 19

Paul is making the point very clear that relying on your own wisdom, either for your own walk with God or for reaching others (the gospel is as important to our own walk with God as it is for reaching others - I mean, it's not like you hear the gospel, you're saved, then you only bring the gospel out when you are teaching others about Christ, but the rest of the time you lean on your own understanding).

vs 20

Now it is not as if there were no wise men, scholars, or philosophers in Corinth at this time. Paul is not asking for someone to tell him where they live. He is saying "When it comes to the wisdom and power of God, when it comes to God frustrating the intelligent and the wise, where do the wise men stand? How close to God does the philosopher get? What percentage of greatness is a scholar to God?" Such wisdom which is based on the world is foolishness compared to the revelation of God.

Why? Because God is God! Anything that God says is so much wiser than the wisest Einstein we've got. One word from God is smarter than a whole book from Steven Hawking. So his message of salvation, direct from himself, is the absolute best gospel you will find. You will never come up with anything better. Sure, you might express it differently because you live in a different culture, and that is just fine. But you will never be able to change what the gospel says, and make it somehow better or more right. No matter how smart of wise or intelligent you are.